OT Stop sub contracting.

JeffKiper

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JeffKiper
Join Date
Jun 2006
Location
Indiana
Posts
2,460
I am going to stop sub-contracting for a local system integrator. He and I are just to different. He thinks we make a great team. My boss (read WIFE) hates when I work for this guy because my attitude changes. I get very irritable, short, etc. I have notices this as-well no amount of cash is worth this headache.

How do I tell him I don't want to do anymore business with him? He has been in the game a long time. I am worried he will try to kill my name. I don't care about the stuff he is a distributor for I can get that stuff from several differnt guys.

I am going to finish the job I have started but I don't plan on doing anymore with him.
 
My Wife says the same thing about me and National Guard duty :) (oh, and a cuss a lot more when I get home...)

Can you play the "too busy" or "getting old, want to slow down" cards ? "wife got a job, need to be home to watch kids ?"

-John
 
2 potential solutions come to mind.

1. Be up front. Tell him that you cannot work under these conditions any longer.

or

2. Don't quote any more of his work.
 
He was on the phone with me while I was reading these replies.
I told him I wasn't interested in doing a SCADA job for him. "New software, New hardware. That is just outside of my comfort zone."
He tried the "it's easy to do the factory said 15 minutes on the phone and you can be doing advanced programming with their software."
My reply "I am still not interested in it."
 
Being independent, it's hard to turn away work.

But if you aren't happy doing it and it affects you negatively, then you did the right thing.
 
If you have ever read Computer Shopper magazine they have a name for this type of person 'Custard', it is a blend of 'Customer' and 'one who isn't sure of his fathers name'. I find it best to keep quoting the work but at a price they will never accept. If by some mistake you get a job at least you are very very well compensated.
 
I don't even want to work for him at all. I wouldn't sub it out to anybody not even my enemies.
 
JeffKiper,

i woule write him a formal letter telling him of your situation and terms of continuing business.

if he replies saying ok, give it one more shot to see if things change. if they don't say good by.

if he doesn't reply or tells you to hit the road, problem solved.

food for thought.

regards,
james
 
I really just want to walk away from him. He is trying to change a scope of work on me now. He doesn't want to pay for the changes he wants the work for free.
 
JeffKiper said:
I really just want to walk away from him. He is trying to change a scope of work on me now. He doesn't want to pay for the changes he wants the work for free.
Click to expand...

It's good to avoid burning bridges if you can, but you need to do it if you're not satisfied.

Use this as a starting point - insist on being paid for the changes. If he resists, that's your wedge.

The old standby is "I just want to change the direction of my business." Use that if you need to, and you aren't obligated to explain further.
 
JeffKiper said:
I don't even want to work for him at all. I wouldn't sub it out to anybody not even my enemies.
Click to expand...


I have the same situation, only a little bit trickier because there is a middle man involved. The middle man brings me a lot of work, so I like to keep him happy, but a couple of his customers are just impossible to work with. If these were direct customers I would have ditched them a long time ago.

Usually, if it is a direct customer, I try to just discourage them with prices. Since these customers are also usually the ones that are poor about paying, or find ways to absorb and waste your time, I don't feel bad building an aggravation cost into the price.
 
I want to stay out of nuclear gauges and power plants.
Machine control is my Niche so I am going to stay in that market.

I did get an interesting phone call a customer wants to hire me to do their controls. I think this may be a good thing. It might hold me over the winter.

I don't know if the stars are aligning for me to succeed or if I am just looking for a reason to stop working for this guy. Maybe both
 

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