Grex Smallbusiness Conference

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Grex Smallbusiness Item 13: Should I say good bye?
Entered by danr on Wed Mar 26 17:56:46 UTC 1997:

The biggest problem I'm having right now is whether or not to quit working
with a particular client.  The relationship started out pretty well, but now
they're starting to do some crazy, bureaucratic things that I think bode ill
for the project (a web site).  My feeling is that if I stick with this project
and it fails I become an easy scapegoat.  In addition, working in this
bureaucratic morass is not something I'm looking forward to--one of the
reasons I went off on my own is to avoid bureaucracies!

I guess I've pretty much decided to terminate this relationship, but I thought
I'd get some other viewpoints before doing something rash.  What do you all
think?

3 responses total.

#1 of 3 by cmcgee on Wed Mar 26 22:50:24 1997:

Get out quickly, but politely.  I often say the reason I went into business
for myself is so that I don't have to put up with idiots for more than one
project.  If it is apparent that you are the easiest scapegoat, then it is
better to fold the project now, when they can blame very little on you, rather
than later when they will dump the whole mess on your reputation.   
Even if you have to say, "This is a much bigger project than I expected, and
I'm not equipped to handle it on my own".  
If you can, find someone else who can help them.

#2 of 3 by i on Thu Mar 27 04:17:59 1997:

I agree with #1.  It doesn't sound like you need this client, or even 
expect make a respectable profit.  Even without the downside risk to
your reputation, etc., you don't seem to want it.  Bow out gracefully.

#3 of 3 by valerie on Thu Mar 27 13:32:50 1997:

This response has been erased.

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