Today I was set to turn everything over. She came to the meeting, flustered and added things that had never been discussed and will change the scope of the project. I told her that her changes were going to add a substantial amount of time and would change the cost of the project, she balked.

She calmed down, we worked on the list of changes and agreed to a new deadline. Also, she signed off on the changes in cost.

I just read an email from her, where she is accusing me of hiking up my prices, at the last minute and I should agree to these changes without a change in my bottom line. She went on to say she is considering pulling the project and finishing with a competitor.

Right now, I’m a bit too angry to respond. I have never missed a deadline, came close, but never missed one. All extensions were on her end. This client is very influential in the community and could cost me future projects with a bad reference or with no reference to potential clients.

I realize I can let her go and we’ll have to go to mediation over the termination of the project – lost wages and such; however, it’s the impact on my reputation that will really effect me. If I cave and do the work, basically for free, I will earn that reputation of being a pushover. If I don’t give in, I stand to lose her and lose potential work.

Topics: reputation, opinions, clients, BS, small business owners