From my side, deposits just invite trouble

Everyone pushes for cash upfront to stay safe, but it sets a bad tone from the start. I had a client pay a chunk first and then they nagged me over every choice. Now I send bills as tasks finish and it keeps things much simpler.

4 comments

4 Comments

robin8961mo agoMost Upvoted

A 50% deposit turned the client into a nag.

ryan8091mo ago

Feel like that deposit sometimes turns on a switch in their brain where they think they own a piece of your soul, not just the service. You're totally right, @robin896. I once had a guy who prepaid and then started asking for hourly email updates, like ma'am this is a logo not a hostage situation. It's funny how money upfront is supposed to buy peace of mind but can somehow buy the most intense anxiety instead. Guess I just gave myself a new problem to worry about.

daniel_carter1mo ago

Hourly email updates for a logo, that's honestly wild to me. What do they think is changing between 2pm and 3pm, did the font have a crisis? It's like the money makes them think they bought a piece of your actual brain and need to check its pulse. Makes you wonder if they'd act the same way if they just paid it all at the end. Why does a deposit sometimes turn a normal person into a micro manager?

julias4420d ago

Honestly it's like they get scared they made a bad buy and need to prove it was worth it. I saw it with a friend who paid a deposit for a custom table. Suddenly he was sending the woodworker pics of other tables every day, asking if his would be that smooth. He wasn't even a jerk before paying. It's their own buyer's remorse kicking in way too early, and they take it out on you.