Remember those days?
Remember the scene?
Remember when that was semi-acceptable?

Yea… long time ago, in a country pub a LONG ways away.

You might still have the luxury OF doing that in your favorite restaurant, bar, pub, or location…. Heck when you go to a hotel or entertainment location you can put things on the tab, HOWEVER in those cases they’ve already charged you for the room, and they DO have your credit card on file.

Yet we think it’s ok to run up a tab with people in this industry?

We think it’s ok to have folks do work for us, then invoice us, and THEN maybe pay in 30 days?

We think it’s ok to get services for free while WE invoice our clients ahead of time?

We think it’s ok to take advantage of people’s kindness and then when it comes time to pay we throw roadblocks, request, and all sorts of ridiculous demands (can you send a canceled check, proof of a bank account, a letter from the financial institution, can you copy 4 people from accounting, and BTW one is on holiday for the next 2 weeks, etc.)

This is something that’s affecting me at a personal level, and I don’t think folks realize, understand, or simply want to acknowledge that we ALL have bills to pay, we ALL have folks depending upon us, and we ALL value our time, services, and work efforts to a point where you don’t get to take advantage of them for a month or two before paying at least something FOR those services.

Not only that, when was the last time you called out a plumber, electrician, or other professional trade, and when presented with the invoice explained that you’ll pay in 30 days IF they provide you with 3 references, their first born and a blood sample? They’d rip out your new shiny HVAC unit and walk off in disgust, same with any contractor coming into your home, they have expenses, costs, systems to purchase and don’t need your numpty ass defaulting on things. It’s risk management 101 and we ALL have to deal with it.

SO, next time someone send in an RFP, SOW, LOI, or document asking for some of the funds up front realize it’s because they’re also human, they rely upon income, and YOU are a risk to them. Treat them like a human and don’t be an ass about paying up front for a portion of the work effort, after all BOTH parties are risking something.

Yes, you can get something for nothing, and yes many of us want to (and often DO) help, often putting mission before money, but that doesn’t put food on the table… that invoice you have DOES… remember that please.

And no, you can’t put it on your tab….