Our Invite to the Number Six Dance, or "What Is It That's Not Exactly Water and It Ain't Exactly Earth?"
Christopher Hawkins, founder and principal developer of a custom software development firm, posted a piece titled "11 Clients You Need To Fire Right Now."[35] In the piece, Hawkins describes 11 client/customer behaviors that he considers abusive, any one of which he feels is sufficient reason for terminating a business relationship. By my count, Succubus engaged in at least seven of these behaviors on a regular basis during the more than three years of its relationship with Rock Ridge:
THE SOMETHING-FOR-NOTHING consistently increases the scope of the project but refuses to pay for the additional work.
THE BLACKMAILER consistently refuses to pay an invoice until you perform additional work at no charge…a special subset of the something for nothing…Blackmail is always win-lose, and anyone who believes in win-lose in a business relationship needs to be cut off.
THE SLOW PAY consistently pays invoices late.
THE FLAKE consistently is late meeting responsibilities, but still holds you to the original schedule.
THE LIAR consistently lies to you.
THE CLINGER consistently makes unreasonable demands regarding your availability.
THE MONEY PIT consistently is unprofitable…they take up far more time and effort than the fees you are able to charge them are worth…this can be a client who demands cut-rate prices, extra unpaid support, or who repeatedly does things that require you to work harder.
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