Why does nobody talk about the client who changed the entire project scope after the final invoice?

Last month, a client in Charlotte approved the final design, I sent the invoice, and then they emailed a list of 12 new 'small tweaks' that would have taken 20 hours. Has anyone else had to deal with this right at the finish line?

3 comments

3 Comments

angelamurphy23d ago

Twelve new tweaks after the invoice is wild. Did you have a clause in your contract about scope changes or extra work fees? I had a client in Raleigh try that once, asking for a whole new page layout after payment was due.

craig.parker23d ago

Blame the whole "yes culture" we've all been trained into. @angelamurphy you hit it right with the contract clause thing, but the real issue is clients think "final" means "starting point for more ideas." Nobody ever talks about how hard it is to just say "no" without sounding like the bad guy. I started charging a rush fee for any changes after the invoice goes out, even if they're small. That stops the tweak train dead in its tracks. The problem is most of us bend over backwards too long, then get burned when we finally hold the line.

stella11123d ago

Ah, @angelamurphy maybe the real trap is that we never build in a "cooling off" period where the client has to sit with the work for a few days before they're allowed to request changes. It's like the tweaks are just a reflex for them, not a genuine need.