[AccessD] Project Official Start

Also, ask them if they are willing to pay you 8% per day BONUS for
completion early.  When they give you the usual reply you can then start
negotiating the completion requirements - i.e. no bonus then no penalty.
Otherwise thank them for the opportunity for discussing a good example
of a win-lose negotiation technique and refer them to any of the
management skills courses offered after 1640.

Bruce

-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Gustav Brock
Sent: Wednesday, 1 October 2003 6:04 PM
To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
Subject: Re: [AccessD] Project Official Start


Hi Hadyn

This "yes" is nothing more than a "Declaration of Intention" which on
its own has some value though not being an agreement.

I would not sign or negotiate anything before specs are settled as these
are the foundation for any further discussion. Whether you or the client
carries the cost for writing the specs doesn't matter.

Then, don't accept 8%. Where does this figure come from? If you can't
avoid it, go for 3% for each 14 days so you can reach a compromise at
about 5% each 10 days (which, by the way, is just as arbitrary as 3% or
8% or 1 or 2 weeks). Further, only major missing items from the specs
(do include a list of these in the final agreement) should release this
penalty, not minor tweaks as correction of spelling errors in menu items
and the like. 

Also, have a firm agreement on how long time the client can use for
approving your app after you have installed a revised version. And, if
the client cannot approve it, he has to specify in writing exactly what
is missing according to the specs. If he delays this action, the same
amount of days are added to your 11 weeks up to a maximum of, say, one
week per approval after which your app will be regarded as approved
whether the client has signed or not.

/gustav


> When do you say a project has started?  I have a client that has said 
> 'Yes' to a project, but has not signed off the spec, or the quote, and

> now wants to negotiate penalty clauses before they sign (if we don't 
> deliver on time to the proposed end date (11 weeks from start of 
> project) they reduce total payment by 8% for each full week we are 
> late).  I have managed to get them to exclude Acts of God etc, and 
> have suggested that if they are to blame for the delay we should be 
> allowed to charge them for the extra time.

> Any thoughts?

> Kind regards
> Hadyn

_______________________________________________
AccessD mailing list
AccessD at databaseadvisors.com
http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd
Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com