Flexibility is high priced

You always want to be flexible. You always want to do what's best for your client. The problem with this, is that the more flexible you are, the more the client will treat you badly. This is especially true to those in the services industry. You agree to provide certain services, the paperwork is stuck somewhere, the client implores you to go ahead and get started.. you do, because you care for your client.

Wrong!

Never, ever, deliver a service without all the formalities being done. You will get complaints and you will be called names. That's okay. Resist the temptation. It is easy to say: they are X Inc., of course they will honor their agreement, verbal as it may be. Absolutely not. The bigger the organization, the less likely you would get paid for your work if the formalities are not taken care of first.

So, my fellow entrepreneurs, get them to sign the dotted line. Make it very clear that if they don't sign, you don't deliver. Period. It has been my (bitter) experience, that clients simply ignore all the emails and telephone conversations and maintain that they have not entered into a contractual agreement and as such are not willing to honor their financial responsibilities to you.

Once they are a client, be flexible. Until then, stick to your guns.