Hello all,
I'm new to this board and will have to dash to get tea on table (very very late tonight!) so I'll come back later to reply and say more, but I'm hoping you can give me some words of advice.
I have been let down by two companies this week. One asked me to do a job for them a couple of months ago but the work wasn't ready but they were clear that it would be coming my way in the next couple of weeks when I spoke to them yesterday. Today they called me and told me they no longer need me (although project is going ahead). It's the third time this year that they have asked me to do work then pulled it at the last minute - they previously asked me to do work, so I cleared my schedule and they let me down the day I was supposed to receive it!
Similarly, another company commissioned a job earlier this week and are now back tracking, saying job is on hold, even though they had agreed a fee and schedule with me.
I understand in the current economic climate people are being more cautious and things are changing from day to day, but TBH I've lost approx. £2k worth of work this week and I am sick of being messed around! While I am kicking myself for not asking for a PO/contract, I have a long history with this company and took it as a 'word is my bond' thing, which is clearly a HUGE mistake!
What would you do? Would you ask for a kill fee or do you think that they would strike me off their list of people to work with? I just don't know what to do for the best. I fel I should as I have now lost hundreds from them this year, but don't want to burn my bridges. Wise words from any freelancers with more experience much appreciated!