Stuff & Thoughts

Well…  I dreaded the day, but it came to pass again that I’ve run into a “Christian.”  I would really rather some people didn’t tell the world they were “Christians.”  To be “Christian” means to be Christ-like.  This dude was about as much like Christ as Mike Tyson is like the Pope. In other words… Not even close.

What’s funny is, I received a fake apology, only to have that raging devil inside unleash the next morning.  I think it is Bipolar.  Not sure?

Anyway… Back to work for my other clients who are real swell to deal with - keeping them around!  I need to chose my clients more wisely, indeed!

Sigh… 

I’ve come to the point in business where I’ve finally had to deal with a client that is not so above-the-board.  I figured the day would come - I just didn’t expect it with that client. 

Thank goodness - let me start this post by saying - for keeping good records of contracts and emails. (Tip to you business owners: KEEP IT ALL!) 

So - I have a client that chose to rip me off by not paying me according to schedule and contract. I was pretty gracious - I let the invoices pile up - let them go 200+ days overdue… And finally unleashed a collection agency upon them after almost an entire year of making approximately $12.50/hour when all was said and done (vs my normal rate of $40-$65 an hour that ALL of my other clients pay - ON TIME no less). Well - as you can imagine - that was about as popular as a screen door in a submarine. 

Bam - I received immediate contact. Of course - I was counseled legally and by the agency to have no contact - so I have not. Though it has been hard.

In this post I hope to give you tips of what to do, what not to do and how to make sure you ALWAYS win against folks who just don’t know how to play nicely in the sandbox (and I’ll give this one a bit of a God twist as well).

Let me give you some tips: 

• NEVER make contact with them once your issue is in the hands of a legal team and/or a collection division

  This will probably be the hardest thing to do - especially if they misrepresent the agreed upon contract, attack your integrity and otherwise defame you - but         believe me, what you lose in pride - you gain by winning in the end.
   

• BE SURE to go over your contracts, correspondence, and other chats (keep chat log records of ALL conversations) with your legal team to ensure that you have understood the contract from the beginning and that all of your information supports your claim fully! 

  Believe me - you do NOT want to start something for which you are unprepared to substantiate.  
   

• DO NOT give in to idle threats - let me repeat - DO NOT give in to idle threats

  This will be difficult unless you have an experienced and confident legal team and a solid air-tight case. I will explain this more in detail about the things that the other side can and cannot do.
   

• Don’t let it interfere with continuing your day to day business.

  That’s why you hired the best! (If you need referral to what I consider the BEST collection firm in the country - comment to that effect and I’ll send you a link to their website)

Here’s a quick list of things that they can and can not do: 

• NOT: They can NOT ask for nor obtain information not explicity covered in your contract with one another
• NOT: They can NOT obtain a list of your clients for the purpose of harrassing or otherwise defaming you (that would be libel - and yes - you CAN and SHOULD sue for that should it occur!) , nor can they obtain that if your clients have nothing to do with the contract that was in force between parties 
• NOT: They can NOT contact employers, clients, acquaintances, associates nor other individuals for the purpose of defaming you (that is covered under point 2 and should be met with FIRM resistence and FIRM understanding that it will NOT be tolerated and that you WILL take them to the cleaners for it)
• NOT: They can NOT make requisitions for compensation for things clearly not in the contract
• CAN: They can try all of the above - it will be to no avail for them
• CAN: They can take you to task over things covered in the contract
• CAN: Attempt to skate out from under their obligation

So - this former client has become a thorn in my side. They are delusional if they believe that they have even a toe to stand on. They have attacked my credibility, my integrity, my character and most of all, my relationship with my Father, Jehovah God. See - His Word talks about those who “have a form of godliness, but deny the power therein..” That is what I’m dealing with and it is one of the hardest things to deal with. People who have no knowledge of God - but pretend to be on His side. People that claim to know Him - yet resort to elementary-level cursing even to have a conversation. His Word says regarding those people: “avoid them.” 

The long and the short of this: I will come out on top. I will get what I am owed. And “all things will work together for good, for them that love God and are called according to HIS purposes!” And - I will continue business as usual - feeding my family, paying the mortgage, and otherwise doing the good work of the Lord!

Back to work - lots to do and not much time to do it all!