When Client should pay?

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Hi everyone

I have some questions need the expert opinion, please.

Back to when I do graphic design, client pay me before I deliver the high-resolution file, but it’s kind of hard to do that for web development, sometimes you need to push to their repository to make sure you have done some work, so should they pay me pull before I deliver the last code to them? how can I protect my code if they don’t pay?

The second question I have is, I finish the job before the client deadline, but the graphic designer didn’t have time give me feedback on site I code, and the backend designer haven’t started yet, but I finish my part, they don’t think it’s complete, I feel they should pay me as we agree, their delay it’s on their end right? I mean I still will adjust later they ask me to, but I don’t think their project delay will be my responsible for my paycheck.

The third question is, the same client from the second question, they haven’t finished that project, so I didn’t get full payment yet, they want me to start with a new project, they did pay me the deposit for that, should I start before they pay me the first one first? but the second one deadline is really tight, It needs to be done in 2 weeks, can I ask them payment when the project is 90% done?

The contract says pay full upon the project completion, it’s kind of hard to determine the completion from each personal view.

What I worried about are if I finish and deliver, they don’t pay me, second, they will take too much sweet time to pay me.

Need some of your guy’s suggestion, how would you guys handle it?

Thank you so much!

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THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I LOOOOOVE WEBFLOW!! Sorry for the caps, but this is precisely why this company’s mission is absolutely spot-on perfect! I’ve been through this, and I know for sure many others have had this situation occur, over and over.

It’s tough but - don’t panic! Use this as foundational learning experience for the future. This is no different than my earlier professional athletic career. I would get a contract from a GM, then the Owner would insert (X), and my agent would say (Y). Now there’s 3 different voices. But guess what, I was the product.

From that point forward, I managed MY product, the others involved were there to fulfill what I had already established. More of confirmation or validation, no more interpretations.

All your questions sit on the Primary foundation of - there is no foundation. The best you can do is - try and try to get some level of control over YOUR product, not their validation of their project!

My first agent, many many years ago gave the best advice ever - You Get What You Get Going In. After that, there’s nothing you can control.

My advice, is do your best to Separate yourself from the Project. Try to get your work validated and pitch an agreed value on your work. Not an interpretation of your work - Within The Project. That will get you so messed up in the end.

I know there’s no way to do this without some level of … uhh… I want to say confrontation, but I think in-person communication is a better term. You need to get a time slot, all to yourself, and talk this out with the decision-maker to see, exactly what’s their interpretation of Your Status/Involvement.

Advice on what to say or do is literally a waste of time, without knowing what’s in the Decistion-Maker’s head, and what he or she thinks of you. But tread lightly, and do this by yourself, when noone else is around!!

Their voice will give you an idea of where you stand, and what you think you can get out of this deal. But remember, don’t do this again. Never, never include YOUR PRODUCT, with anyone else ever. That would be like, Tom Brady not getting paid because Edelman didn’t catch the ball. It makes no sense.

The other colleague production should never have been included in Your Product’s completion, or productivity - They Are Mutually Exclusive! Companies like to bundle for this very reason. From now, your involvement must be (Exclusive) to anyone else involved. Unfortunately, that must decided GOING IN!

At this point, try to get the most you can and leave (without burning bridges). Don’t return to the project until you get a singular separate contract with a clear set of milestones, benchmarks, in a fair and understood timeline!

Back to Webflow - they have created a platform that minimizes the voices, titles, people, and unnecessary steps! You’re using the right program, just get the right business model, that enhances YOUR value - excluding anyone else’s productivity.

I’m available anytime to visit and help - just shoot me a message whenever you need.

  • Fellow Webflow Member