How to deal with clients like these?

[avenuex]

Argh,

Its fustrating to all $$$$. I have a new client that signed on. They insisted on high uptime for their email, so I agreed to setup a backup failover DNS. I even am willing to go and setup a backup email to ensure as close to 99.9% uptime as possible.

AFter everything was setup and even an in-house visit to help them configure their mail clients to my mail server I left an invoice and figured all is well.

3 weeks later, no pay, and emails asking me to come in and fix things. What things?? I have not received one complaint, or support ticket. So I find out

They've been getting sporatic issues where emails are not recieved, unable to download email, and emails going to their old mail host instead of myself.

I recommended them to
#1. stop using netscape 4.7 communicator as a mail client and upgrade to a newer mail client
#2. cancel their old host, as its likely their host is holding onto their DNS information on their own servers (and those who use that host.)

I'm told that none of their clients that send them email are related to the old host at all. However, when I did a traceroute, its CLEAR and EVIDENT that the senders were using their old host's network. I took a screenshot, emailed, explained and was told

#1. We will not cancel the old account until all issues are resolved.
(note: IT WON'T BE RESOLVED TILL THEY CANCEL.... sigh)
#2. They don't care about these technical issues, they just want it to work efficiently.

I've discussed with round and round and round with seemingly no end.

...... i'm at wits end. I have another meeting scheduled for next week before I pull the plug on the whole thing. Has anyone else met with this kind of thing before? Should I have done something different?

sigh...

[bd2003]

seems to me that you're at least making the effort to get things right with them - but they're not willing to change and/or listen to you....

been there, done that, got that lousy t-shirt, too...

since they've not paid or even told you about the problems they're having. i would say cut them loose...

[Frank Hagan]

Yep, I agree, cut them loose. They are going to be trouble from now on, all the time, and you will regret not cutting them loose for as long as you work to keep them.

[Buddha]

Customers that think they know best and won't listen are a common problem. I've actually done what the customer thought was best just so I could say "I told you so." After a few a "I told you so," most don't argue any more.

But I see two options:

• Cut them lose and let the next guy tell them the same thing. You may not be able to say "I told you so" but they'll get the message.
• Two go to the trouble of setting up a demo account on a domain you control and therefore works. I doubt this will work though they sound pretty dense.

[Grunfeld]

Agreed Say Goodbye, they are out to screw anybody they can......

[avenuex]

Thanks.. I think I will.. its too much to deal with people like this.

sigh..
The demo account wouldn't work. I've demonstrated over and over that email works fine by send ing multiple differing types of emails to a test account I created on their domain and hitting it from hotmail/yahoo and the likes.

and a traceroute indicated that their problem indeed lies in that they refuse to cancel their old account returned me a response that said "I don't care about the technical issues. I want this to work" says to me its time to draw the line..

anyway, thanks for the responses.. lets see how this pans out..

[avenuex]

obligation to roll-back dns? even without payment?

So as a final update.. I called and spoke with my (now x) client and she said..

"we have new issues every day.. today <someone in office> can't see email in her 'internal' mailbox but it shows up in horde."

"its likely a mail client issue... we'd have to look at ..."

"I have to run an efficient company, we can't have these issues all the time.. I don't really care what technical issues there might be..."

"I've sent you and indicated clearly, that your problem resides in that the domains you've given me that email is routing incorrectly to your old email host is because you maintain that host... "

<blah blah blah don't care technical issues, more phone calls.. blah blah>

so its done. However, should I feel obligated to help them switch back their DNS? I honestly feel no obligation to do anything since I haven't receieved a dime for my efforts so far. But from a "business" perspective, would that be something I am expected to at least do?

Otherwise starting today, I will be sending out account termination notice in 3-4 days time..

[Jonathan]

I'd say not; basicly point out all the work you've done,
and how you've not received a dime for it, and
use that as justification for not switching the DNS back.

[ThomasW]

You should switch it and be done with it, life is too short to waste of people like that.

Just remember there is another loser up on deck warming up for you...

[Buddha]

Might ask yourself how you would like to be treated if the roles were reversed? Your going to run into a lot of !@#$'in idiots dealing with the general public establish how your going to deal with them now. I always tried to follow the Golden Rule, treat others as you would like to be treated in business.

Someone once said, "there an idiot in every crowd." Must've been in the good old days before they started breeding like rabits.

[Frank Hagan]

A lot depends on how much you have to "invest" to get rid of them. Helping them re-point their DNS information might be a very small investment to get them redirected toward someone else.

[avenuex]

True... I generally try following the golden rule, but what if they break it first?

Golden rule => I do for others what I expect they to do for me.

I do not expect anyone to help me if I delayed payment over 3 weeks.

But yea, I guess there is truth in that whatever gets rid of them faster.

thanks for all the tips guys. best of luck with your own clients.

[rcohen]

Payment UP FRONT

True... I generally try following the golden rule, but what if they break it first?

Golden rule => I do for others what I expect they to do for me.

I do not expect anyone to help me if I delayed payment over 3 weeks.

But yea, I guess there is truth in that whatever gets rid of them faster.

thanks for all the tips guys. best of luck with your own clients.

I've been a free lance for more than 25 years. And I've learned this lesson over and over and over again.... until FINALLY, in sunk in!!

NEVER do work without AT LEAST A DEPOSIT, but in the case of Hosting.... PREPAID ONLY!!! At least for clients you don't know!

[PropHet]

Just the fact they are insistant on using netscape as their email client scares me away from them.

You have done more than is required from a host perspective. You are the professional, don't see yourself as anything less. If they are not interested in letting you do your job then dump them.

You don't make money on people who don't pay. So far you are operating at a loss on this customer. Don't go further into the hole.