Got burned/jacked/disrespected....

[PlasmaBomb]

Originally posted by: bob4432
so, just to be sure, what exactly do i need to give them back for the server stuff?

I would seek legal advice...

the answer may well be that you don't have to give them anything until they pay up. Too bad for them that the hardware and software is worth more than the outstanding bill... what you going to do about it?

 

[thescreensavers]

Why dont you just send them a letter requesting them to pay Xxxx Amount by xxx date

Then saying

Failure of payment by xx date will result in

-all current server configuration work erased, will be returned to you as it was before I received it.
-all future and current tech help of any kind will cease
- Domain hosting will cease
- ...ect

just start listing what will not work if they don't pay. scare them a bit. So when they get back from there long weekend they will have this letter and they will have to act on it. Send it by UPS or USPS with delivery confirmation with a signature so that they cant say they never got it. Give them ample time and win.

 

[rainman748]

Update?

 

[bob4432]

sorry for the delay...

well, after thinking more and more about it, either the 3rd or the 4th when they were well and good into their vacation (i must say i was again more than pissed the more i thought about it, the way he left me in a situation and he was out having a good time) i sent him and email/txt just telling him his stuff was wiped and to come and pick it up monday, and that the website would be going down monday also. at that point in time i did have my images so i did go ahead and wipe all his stuff - everything was gone known to him, i was basically through.

after a couple of emails/txts back, well, i was more than taken care of for my past time and hosting along w/ a year in advance on both areas. the outcome was better for me than our original plan, which to me still doesn't make sense from his standpoint since he could have just done our deal and not had to go to this level, but whatever, they chose the path . the setup, since i am dealing w/ this type of person is favored heavily for me.

w/ this person things are now done different than trusting their word - everything will be done in writing and full payment in front. definately have to watch them and i won't be as nice and helpful as i normally am but still easily fulfill my portion of the arrangement - it appears they have taken my niceness for weakness.

this may have been a dickish thing to do on my part w/ the timing but man, it kept eating at me over thur/fri/sat big time, every time i would go into my office and there was his stuff - i was through - put in the disk and wiped it all. at least now i been able to test a couple of times my disaster recovery plan and it has worked very well.

we will see how this is going in a month, hopefully no more bullshit.

 

[Ksyder]

good job bob, glad to hear.

 

[keird]

Thanks for the update.

 

[IEC]

Heh, they probably realized that paying you more than originally agreed is cheaper than finding another service...

 

[ivan2]

good job in maintaining the stance of dominance.

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: bob4432


this may have been a dickish thing to do on my part w/ the timing but man, it kept eating at me over thur/fri/sat big time, every time i would go into my office and there was his stuff - i was through - put in the disk and wiped it all. at least now i been able to test a couple of times my disaster recovery plan and it has worked very well.

we will see how this is going in a month, hopefully no more bullshit.

You didn't do anything dickish at all. In another time/place his behavior would have resulted in his untimely demise. He screwed up a couple weeks of your life, so it's only fair that he dealt with the consequences while on vacation. I'm glad you got everything worked out. It's a shame there's douchebags in the world that try to take advantage of your good nature :^/

 

[rasczak]

glad things worked out in the end. i agree that you should be wary when providing him services, document EVERYTHING that you do, and have what ever work you do signed off by either a manager or the owner himself.

 

[skyking]

Originally posted by: lxskllr

Originally posted by: bob4432


this may have been a dickish thing to do on my part w/ the timing but man, it kept eating at me over thur/fri/sat big time, every time i would go into my office and there was his stuff - i was through - put in the disk and wiped it all. at least now i been able to test a couple of times my disaster recovery plan and it has worked very well.

we will see how this is going in a month, hopefully no more bullshit.

You didn't do anything dickish at all. In another time/place his behavior would have resulted in his untimely demise. He screwed up a couple weeks of your life, so it's only fair that he dealt with the consequences while on vacation. I'm glad you got everything worked out. It's a shame there's douchebags in the world that try to take advantage of your good nature :^/

That works for me, well said.

 

[Old Hippie]

this may have been a dickish thing to do on my part w/ the timing but man

Surely you jest.

I can only but hope that had I been put in your situation my response would have been equally as tempered as yours.

You did a great job and I admire your respect of ethical behaviour. :thumbsup:

This Bud's for you! :beer:

 

[Ns1]

nice update


did you find some testicles @costco?

lol

 

[BoomerD]

I see nothing "dickish" in what you did...in fact, IMO, you went out of your way to avoid being such.

Have you actually been PAID yet, or just received a promise to pay? (can't tell for sure from your update.)

Glad to hear that (for now) this has been resolved in your favor. Sometimes it's tough to have to stand your ground...but it's often very necessary. :thumbsup:

 

[Safeway]

Originally posted by: BoomerD
I see nothing "dickish" in what you did...in fact, IMO, you went out of your way to avoid being such.

Have you actually been PAID yet, or just received a promise to pay? (can't tell for sure from your update.)

Glad to hear that (for now) this has been resolved in your favor. Sometimes it's tough to have to stand your ground...but it's often very necessary. :thumbsup:

Yea, I hope has the cash in hand.

 

[bob4432]

oh yes, cash in hand. the machine wasn't going to be restored until that was done.

everything is still in my possession and will be as i will be doing any maintenance, so it will either be at my home office since they connect in remotely and i have plenty of bandwidth for there needs or it will go to a datacenter that will be under my name. being that things are up-to-date as far out as they are, i am ok at this point and still will be in possession of everything and since he took care of it for the year w/ a no refund clause - he can take it in 3mos if he wants.

and, i still own the domains .

i will talk to him in 9mos to make sure he is always ahead by a couple months at least.

 

[mikej007]

So the site's down? You said you'd be taking it down, but did you follow through on it?

You should post some failblog pic on the main page of their site so all their customers that go there will see it.

Or, auto-redirect them to this thread, LOL.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: mikej007
So the site's down? You said you'd be taking it down, but did you follow through on it?

You should post some failblog pic on the main page of their site so all their customers that go there will see it.

Or, auto-redirect them to this thread, LOL.

no the site never went down, it was going to but payment for the year was remitted, plus the last 8 mos and "a little extra" for my troubles.

 

[NesuD]

Good to hear you had a good outcome Bob. He played chicken with you and lost. He didn't respect you before but he does now. Going forward just play it by the book. Get it in writing and paid up front.

Have a :beer: on me. You've earned it.

 

[bob4432]

thanks for being a sounding board everybody, i really appreciate it

 

[SP33Demon]

What goes around comes around... glad to hear he learned his lesson and you did too. Hopefully everything will be much smoother this go around. :beer:

 

[aigomorla]

tell person u will return the machine to its original condition.

i would uninstall all the work u did, and let the guy know well ur not paying me for my services so i decided to uninstall them.

And then charge 2x for the time to uninstall and reinstall if he finally agree's to pay ya.

I know these guys, and what i do is just close my books, get up, and say thank you for your time but your not worth mine anymore and walk away.

 

[IEC]

Originally posted by: NesuD
Good to hear you had a good outcome Bob. He played chicken with you and lost. He didn't respect you before but he does now. Going forward just play it by the book. Get it in writing and paid up front.

Have a :beer: on me. You've earned it.

Pretty dumbass idea to play chicken when the other party has you by the balls

 

[D1gger]

Originally posted by: bob4432
thanks for being a sounding board everybody, i really appreciate it

I would still be worried that this customer now has a grudge against you and will be looking for ways to screw you. ie. take you to small claims court if there is any sort of outage that "costs him money". etc. As you said ... everything in writing and cash up front, and be very careful of any implied guarantees that the customer may try to hold you to.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

Originally posted by: Spartan Niner

Originally posted by: NesuD
Good to hear you had a good outcome Bob. He played chicken with you and lost. He didn't respect you before but he does now. Going forward just play it by the book. Get it in writing and paid up front.

Have a :beer: on me. You've earned it.

Pretty dumbass idea to play chicken when the other party has you by the balls

I don't think that analogy goes far enough...

Pretty dumbass idea to play Russian roulette when the other party hands you a fully loaded revolver and tells you that you are going first...