VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Todd Ethridge · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 5:31 pm Post subject: Input Needed ASAP

I'm in a tough spot.

A few weeks back, I was offered an audiobook that was a LARGE job and the client, who is a long time client of mine, quoted me $8,625 when the job was completed.

So I labored over this job for 5 weeks and even worked 7 days a week for the final two weeks to meet the deadline. Today....the check arrived and it was only $5,100.

I called him right away and he had to go back and read our initial e mails about it. He then came back and was apologizing over and over. He made a mistake and had sent me figures for another narrator by accident.

I am livid. Is it my fault that he made a mistake? I don't want to lose him as a client, but I deserve AT LEAST a good faith payment to come a little closer to the amount he mistakenly quoted me.

What would you do?
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Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 6:11 pm Post subject:

Bullshit. An email paper trail is as good as a contract, if the quote was clear. He owes you. His apologies don't put groceries on the table.
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Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 6:16 pm Post subject:

Ok, so it's possible I jumped the gun. Lets look at this. He's a long term client and forcing him to pay up will jeopardize that.

How many hours long did the book end up being?
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Bish · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 7:28 pm Post subject:

Difficult. I'd be tempted to tell him that:

a) you value the relationship
b) in all honesty, you wouldn't have taken the job for $5,100
c) you'd really like to work something out

Wait for his response, he'll either make a partial compensation offer, say sorry, he can't do anything, or (most likely) bounce it back to you to make a suggestion. Then split the difference. It's not ideal, but it makes him feel that he's part of the solution, not just the problem.

That free advice is worth what you paid for it... but it's the route I'd be tempted to take if you want the relationship to remain long-term, and there's no way to get the full "incorrect" amount.
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Bob Stevens · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 7:33 pm Post subject:

A polite email...

I would politely point out that you understand that people make mistakes but it was his mistake and not a small one that is easy to overlook. $3500 is a very large percentage mistake.

Then a.... Hold his feet to the fire..... It is not good business that I have to assume the complete loss due to your error for an agreement made in good faith. Because I consider you a valued client I want to work with you on the $3500 shortage.

Then a.... I would like to come to some sort of equitable arrangement to settle this problem and put this behind us.

My angle for you would be to figure out your scale for books past and calculate something forward. Drawing a picture that $5100 would NOT have been agreeable for this job. Question to self; is $8625 fair or a bit generous? I would then make a case for under the best of conditions without a hurried deadline, the least you would have considered contracting for is $ whatever minimum rate. Or could be more than the $8625 and you gave him a deal. You get my point.

DO NOT say you are willing to accept anything yet. You are just throwing out a bunch of figures.

Then throw the ball back in his court.... What would you like to do?

The next person that speaks or emails loses....

The compromise could be $$ or some additional guaranteed work or both... who knows. Let him propose the deal. You need to get him in the mood of wanting to solve the problem. Don't be afraid to ask for business as part of the deal. He owes you a favor.

fwiw... using the dollar figure in numbers $3500 is much more effective than using the the word difference or higher rate etc.

Bob
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Bob Stevens · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 7:40 pm Post subject:

Geeze Bish.

I typed out all that Machiavellian negociatin stuff and you said it in 3 sentences.

Bob
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"Dialog is the painting on a canvas of silence"

Frank F · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 8:12 pm Post subject:

Yeah, but they were l-o-o-o-n-g sentences.

Be nice, but take out the trash. You may lose a client but you will grow some spine. Don't believe for a single moment that your client would accept a fee lower than he normally charges for his product or services.

Frank F
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cyclometh · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 9:59 pm Post subject:

What Bish said. That's a hard spot to be in for everyone, but you worked hard for it in good faith.

Edit to add: and damn, that book must have been fecking HUGE. How long was it? I'm guessing 25-30 hours or more.
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whalewtchr · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 10:48 pm Post subject:

Bish is spot on. I would put the split the difference on the table right away though and not wait for the client to invite your solution.
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Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 12:38 am Post subject:

Another option: hold him to the full amount, but let him pay in installments as he earns money from the book.
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Lee Gordon · Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 1:26 am Post subject:

I have nothing to add other than, is it possible to leverage this "mistake" into getting him to throw you more business than he otherwise might have?
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Todd Ethridge · Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 5:19 am Post subject:

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

I think Bish's thinking is the direction I was leaning as well. He has been a client for quite a while and in his apology e mail last night, he is promising to push more work my way and at a higher finished hourly rate.

That's a nice gesture, but that missing $3,500 is still glaring. I consider myself lucky that I haven't encountered anything like this in my 6 years of full time VO work. Only one client has ever stiffed me and it was a small amount. Not sure this would qualify as getting stiffed, but it sure felt like it when I opened the envelope yesterday.
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