Watermark

[glorybound]

Do you guys leave a watermark on your images until you get final payment? I have noticed that deposits are relativity easy to get, but final payment drags on for awhile. I was thinking that if I leave a watermark on the image, until they pay their balance, they have a greater urgency to pay. I don't want to be hard-nosed, but this 60-90 days just doesn't work for me.

[joconnell]

Maybe as a sweetener also offer a 5% discount for those paying in 30 days or less?

[glorybound]

Once they have the final image, without any watermarks, they can take it and run. I don't mind billing clients that I have a history with, but at first I think they need to pay when they get the final images. What is the industry standard?

[3DMK]

Once they have the final image, without any watermarks, they can take it and run. I don't mind billing clients that I have a history with, but at first I think they need to pay when they get the final images. What is the industry standard?

Make up your own standard that YOU are happy with bobby! That's the only standard that matters.

I put a 7 day term on all my payments, & most of the time they are paid within 14 days. People always wait longer than you say so NEVER say 30 days or yes it will end up at 60 or 90 days befor your paid.
Remember YOU created the images so you have a RIGHT to make them pay befor delivery. It's all up to you.

My MOTTO is - Be nice and generous with your time & efforts yet be very strict when it comes to getting paid.

Hope this helps

[glorybound]

My MOTTO is - Be nice and generous with your time & efforts yet be very strict when it comes to getting paid.

Good motto!

I think it is fair, and as long as it is explained up front, that payment is due upon delivery. My estimate and invoice says, 50% deposit and 50% upon completion. I guess "complete" is subjective. I e-mailed the final images to the project manager on Friday, and I have not heard back. I know he downloaded them, because I can track downloads, but I have not heard a peep. I am not overly concerned about the money, it'll eventually come in, I am just stressed about schedules of other projects. I am going to be working all night tonight to compete a project for someone else, because this one took a lot longer because of the slow communication. He'll come barking later late Thursday, about a meeting he has Friday, you wait and see.

A solid start and end date with milestones, that is the ticket!

[flino2004]

communication between you and your client is the key (by email) to really keep tracking whay they want...it's very common that clients request one color for example and they make a change later, so you do it for free now they have 2 options to show them to the city, developer, etc.....for that reason, I spend some time to set the pallet...sending small versions to be on the same page so if they want to "change" colors, they have to pay a fee.

Fernando

[glorybound]

I tried to use my on-line collaboration tool, but the architect wanted nothing to do with it, so that bombed. I worked on the web built at the office and the web developer was relentlessness when it came to schedules, deadlines, and our responsibility. We had a list of things they needed before they started, what they needed at each milestone, and if we didn't meet their schedule our deadline was threatened. One this job the short deadline was the killer, because you throw all protocol out the door to meet the deadline. When I started this job I said that the deadline is really tight and I would need to work day and night to make it. Anyway... the end is near.

[pixela]

I think it is fair and normal to leave the watermark on images until the payment is done.

[Morne]

here arhviz deadlines are very tight and payments from diffrent banks takes up to 2 days to clear. Final images usuallu gets deliver on deadline day. Client has his meeting with his client same day or next day. If I have to wait for payment before using watermark, they'll miss their deadlines.
Typically clients here knows how long it takes, but still the schedule their things including meetings for the last minute. So no room for more than 1 or 2 image adjustments, nevermind waiting for payment to clear.

[glorybound]

here arhviz deadlines are very tight and payments from diffrent banks takes up to 2 days to clear. Final images usuallu gets deliver on deadline day. Client has his meeting with his client same day or next day. If I have to wait for payment before using watermark, they'll miss their deadlines.
Typically clients here knows how long it takes, but still the schedule their things including meetings for the last minute. So no room for more than 1 or 2 image adjustments, nevermind waiting for payment to clear.

Everyone knows someone who got stiffed. I have been lucky, and I have always gotten paid, but who can afford not getting paid just one time? Do you charge a premium to everyone for the ones that don't pay, like the retail industry? I thought my internet went down last night, due to my wife not paying the bill, so I thought about calling the cable company and explaining to them that I had a deadline. It so happens that my wife did pay the bill, but the point of the story is, my cable company would give diddly if I had a deadline. I am currently working a job, and the client came straight and said that he can't pay me until he gets paid, and I am fine with that, because we have an understanding. I think I am going to put watermarks on images unless otherwise agreed upon.

[Morne]

I am currently working a job, and the client came straight and said that he can't pay me until he gets paid

I've also heard this one way too many times before. Burnt a couple of time with this one. Now I just don't do it anymore, even if it means loosing the client. When I was freelancing, what I eraned on a job was very little compared to what the developer gets. They can afford to NOT get paid for months. Their pockets are much deeper than mine. They drive fancy cars and fly all over the place, they don't fly economy, but business class. If I don't get paid on 1 or 2 jobs, I go under. Last time didn't get paid on a job for 11 months, a time before that, I gave up on the client ever paying after 2 years!

We also had an understanding.

Others want me to do the work on risk with them, and IF they get the job they will pay me 20 or 30% of the total development costs. Did that twice, lots of work, didnt see a cent. Never again

[glorybound]

I wouldn't work for a developer, period! What I was talking about was the Architect has a signed contract with his client and is just waiting to get paid. I do this with clients I have a history with, but not new ones. Developers are infamous for I'll pay you when (if) I get paid. They "use" all their resources to try to get a job. I don't play that game. Every minute at my computer is a minute away from my family, so I will get paid, or they are messing with an angry family man!

[flino2004]

I agree with you(Bobby)....When Developers want to get a project you become a partner (if they get paid you too) but if the project going thru you only get paid without profits
for those situations my business partner and I set 3 different situations.
-you pay at front X dollars
-if we agree for join venture type we charge 1.5X with 50% down and the other 50% if they project becomes real
-0% at front but if the project becomes real 3X.

For some developers the third option works well because they reduce the initial investment and if the project goes thru they will have money and no problem to pay 3x later.
if they don't know for sure that they are going to get the project but at the same time they don't want to paid big money later 2nd option is best for them.
and the 1st one is the pypical if they are 100% sure that everything is going well.

Like a menu, they are picking the option according how they feel about the project....if you don't have option they don't have choices and they accept your conditions but if they don't get the project it would be difficult to get paid.
Developers don't like to have big expenses at front, 3rd option is what they want but of course you are also taking a risk....before that, you have to do your homework and see how serious your clients are....(searching on-line you will find if they have claims, or legal problems).

Fernando

[PALMAKO_AS]

Hi
anybody knows how to make "secret" tiled watermark over all the picture, something like on vray demo version?

Argo

[Da_elf]

50% down
25% to get watermarked ones
25% for finals