Boat Dock Revisited

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Ugh!

Sent invoice and note to Boat Dock last week and followed up with a phone call this morning to see the status of my check.  My good friend Emily, of course, denied any knowledge of an invoice.    I confess to making a snide comment about the lack of communication in said company and added that because of that lack of communication, I want to be paid for work started and will return the tarp when I pick up check.

5 minutes after we hung up, Emily called back.  She had talked to Jeff, owner and, big shock, he would like me to finish the tarp.  I about choked.  All of his fussing about my price and how the manufacturer felt that they could do it better.  I told her that I would check my schedule and get back to her.  Bob and I talked.  Here are my demands.  They need to pay me immediately for the invoice submitted and they need to agree to pay me upon completion of work, not 9+ weeks in the future.  If they agree to that, I will be more than happy to finish the tarp. 

We are sure that they found out just how expensive it will be for them to drive that boat to Minnesota, plus it has since been sold and I'm sure new owner is breathing down their back.  Also, they can't find anyone else local that will deal with them.  Most importantly, Chuck had his boat in to get the snaps attached so they have had time to check out my work.  Chuck is extremely disgruntled with the boat and the Boat Dock but had nothing but praise for me: communication, customer service as well as how the tarp looks and works.  Everything lined up correctly and stitches were all even.  I took great pains to make sure that where I cut and added new fabric it looked like it was part of the initial design.  I was well pleased with how the tarp looked and was thrilled that Chuck agreed.  Unfortunately that is the only thing about the boat that Chuck and his wife like.  I hope that after a little time passes and the sour taste in his mouth from how he was treated leaves a bit, he will be happier with his boat.  It's a drag to plunk down the amount of money that he did to not be happy with your purchase.

Virginia

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

I looked over my schedule of "firm" jobs and Bob & I talked again about the job.  I called Emily, Office Manager, after we got back from taking Jimmy for his afternoon walk.  I told her when I thought I could be ready to remeasure as there was one part of the tarp we didn't even try to address.  Fabric will have to be cut and new fabric sewn in its place as aft starboard does not even come close to fitting but Emily had wanted all of the other deficiencies corrected first to see if that would have any affect.  I don't think it will.  Anyway, she could live with my schedule.  Then I asked her how payment was going to work.  She played dumb.  I said "Are you going to pay on completion of the job or do you expect me to wait 9-10 weeks or longer while you and the manufacturer duke it out.  She didn't know and said she would ask Jeff.  I said as long as you're going to be talking to Jeff, you need to let him know that my budget requires that I get paid now for the work that I did last July/August as it is going to be the first of the year before this is completed and I don't have that kind of cash flow.  She said that she understood that and would bring that point up to Jeff as well.  I'm to call her on Monday to see what good ole Jeff had to say on this.  Meanwhile, I have lots of other projects that I'm trying to finish for people who understand what COD means.  I'm not really concerned one way or another.  If Jeff doesn't want to pay for what has already been done and then the balance on completion, then I will bow out of the job and ask to be paid for what is done and will bring the tarp with me when I go in to pick up the check.  I do feel like I'm in the driver's seat but have to be firm on what is and isn't acceptable to me.

Time will tell.

Virginia

[JuneC]

Oh good grief....  I'd give these guys the boot if you can afford to do so.  I've only "fired" one or two customers in my time, but it was well-deserved and didn't hurt my business a bit.  One was a marina that was nailing the manufacturer for warranty repairs and wanting to pay me pennies - and wanting me to give them two invoices - one they'd show to the boat mfg (high $) and another low $ they'd pay me.  Really???!!!  Bye bye.  I don't play that game.

Hold your ground.  If they have other options, let them take them.  Sooner or later they'll burn every bridge in the territory and be sol for getting things done. 

June

[Mike]

the most I waited was a couple week to have a check cut and one was always 3 or 4 thousand usualy a month . they are now gone but the one I work with now I get a credit payment on completion when I delever the invoice, I did a favor top for a salemans I know  for a new dealer  they brought the boat to me and I got a check when they picked it up that afternoon . im tired of waiting aymore   itd bad enough with a dealer I never get a deposite  but they expect me to expidite them over my current work

[Darren Henry]

I'm in the driver's seat but have to be firm on what is and isn't acceptable to me.

Hold fast troop!!!

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Ughhhh.

I was just flabbergasted when Emily said that Jeff wanted me to finish that flippin' tarp.  Especially so, because the note that I sent with the invoice was more than a little critical of the communication skills of those two.  I already had the tarp folded and ready to put in my HHR to take back to them when I picked up my check.

If Emily tells me that the manufacturer is going to cut the check, I will definitely bow out and ask that they pay me for the work completed.  I was told once before that the manufacturer was going to pay and then the manufacturer told me otherwise.  So in that case, it might be interesting to call them, just to hear what they were going to say.

If I know there will be no issues with payment, it's good money.  Also Dec-Feb were not booming with business last year so it would be nice to have this scheduled.  It all depends on what Jeff has to say concerning payment issues.  I will not be heartbroken if he doesn't like my terms.  ; )

Virginia

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

LOLOL!

So I called Emily at the Boat Dock this morning and after exchanging a few more or less pleasantries, I inquired if she and Jeff had talked over the weekend.  Yes, she and Jeff talked.  Jeff wants me to finish the tarp and I can come in any time I like to get a check for the work already finished. ; )  They will pay me COD for the balance when I bring in the tarp.

So, I will be finishing the tarp.  Dang and I was kind of hoping that Jeff would be hard headed.  Oh well, as I said earlier, the job will be good money and since they are not being pig headed about payment, I just can't turn down this kind of money.  Dec/Jan will be busy indeed as I already have 2 Christmas related jobs for return customers, one sewing and one embroidery/sewing.

Virginia

[Darren Henry]

WHOO-HOO. Glad that worked out for you.

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

WHOO-HOO. Glad that worked out for you.

Thanks!

Went in this morning and the check was waiting for me, just like it's supposed to work.  I had told her mid to late-December but since they were so good about finally paying me the accrued balance, I'm going to see if I can start working a couple of hours at least on the weekends.  I'd like to move this out as soon as I can before they forget how to pay me in a timely manner again.

Virginia