If you’re great with customer service, help me.

[Anonymous]

The drafting party has the responsibility to use clear and unambiguous language.

[Anonymous]

If they already paid, I would just drop them as a future client. Say something like, I'm sorry you felt there was a misunderstanding. I know will come to see the 300k in revenue as a positive outcome of our work together. Byeeeeeeeeee

In the future, get paid first and then credit clients if you don't hit the target if you don't already do it this way. Also when signing the contract, get them to initial by the section that spells out the 100k guarantee.

[Anonymous]

Wow. A lot of naive, but sincere and kind responders--including the attorneys.

Folks, if OP really has an attorney, why is he/she here ?

OP is attempting to pull a fast one. Of course this is just my impression based on the scant details provided by the OP, but I have a good bit of experience. Frankly, more than I wish that I had.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I own a B2B service business. I was hired by a business last year. I do offer a guarantee, and my contract spells out the specifics.

I have a client who is upset with me because they didn’t read the contract before signing and misunderstood the guarantee. Let’s just say I guarantee revenue of $100k in the time period we work together. I not only hit that target with this client, but tripled it ($300k revenue). They misunderstood this to mean I guaranteed at least one *sale* of $100k, which we did not get.

In our initial call before they signed, I said something along the lines of “I guarantee sales of at least $100k”. The contract specifies this is total revenue, but they are taking this as proof that I meant I guarantee at least one single sale of $100k.

Obviously, I have an attorney in case this escalates. But I would like to try to de-escalate this before it gets to that point. However, I am not willing to do additional work for free or give a refund.

To make matters worse, this is a family business with many large personalities involved, and tension among them is very high.

Any tips for what I can say beyond “our contract states XYZ”? I have already sent them a copy of the contract but they are insisting I misled them. I also know as soon as I go down that route, I will start getting scathing messages from them. So hoping to de-escalate things.

Did the other party sign the contract ?

I am confused by your statement: "I have already sent them a copy of the contract...." When did the other party first receive a copy of the contract ? Was it a signed contract ?

My impression is that you had an oral understanding/misunderstanding and when it became clear that there was a misunderstanding, you produced a written version of the oral agreement. Is this correct ?

OP. Yes, it was a signed contract. The contract was signed months ago. They requested another copy of it.

[Anonymous]

It’s not terribly uncommon to say one thing and memorialize another

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm an attorney (although not the kind who would assist you in this case) - my suggestion is generally to say less. You have pointed to the contract, it was clear (the rules of construction point to the more likely interpretation, which yours is), I wouldn't say much more now.

This. I also think you need to wind down operations with this person. “You seem unhappy with the terms stated in our contract so it will be better if we separate”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not terribly uncommon to say one thing and memorialize another

But when that’s done the contract reigns

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow. A lot of naive, but sincere and kind responders--including the attorneys.

Folks, if OP really has an attorney, why is he/she here ?

OP is attempting to pull a fast one. Of course this is just my impression based on the scant details provided by the OP, but I have a good bit of experience. Frankly, more than I wish that I had.

Because attorneys aren’t free.

This is a person giving sales leads that generated $300k in revenue over just a couple of months. Cut this client off and move on. No sense dealing with unreasonable and greedy people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow. A lot of naive, but sincere and kind responders--including the attorneys.

Folks, if OP really has an attorney, why is he/she here ?

OP is attempting to pull a fast one. Of course this is just my impression based on the scant details provided by the OP, but I have a good bit of experience. Frankly, more than I wish that I had.

DP. I don’t think OP is trying to pull a fast one. I didn’t interpret the fact they have a lawyer to mean they have one at the ready for this specific instance. I read it as they have a lawyer they’ve worked with before who they would consult.

OP, could you talk with your client and go through the contract they signed? Point out all the contract requirements you met (and exceeded). After explaining all that to them, ask them what they want. If what they want is even remotely doable, I’d consider meeting their ask. I would never work for them again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow. A lot of naive, but sincere and kind responders--including the attorneys.

Folks, if OP really has an attorney, why is he/she here ?

OP is attempting to pull a fast one. Of course this is just my impression based on the scant details provided by the OP, but I have a good bit of experience. Frankly, more than I wish that I had.

DP. I don’t think OP is trying to pull a fast one. I didn’t interpret the fact they have a lawyer to mean they have one at the ready for this specific instance. I read it as they have a lawyer they’ve worked with before who they would consult.

OP, could you talk with your client and go through the contract they signed? Point out all the contract requirements you met (and exceeded). After explaining all that to them, ask them what they want. If what they want is even remotely doable, I’d consider meeting their ask. I would never work for them again.

No. Let your lawyer sit down with you and the client.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow. A lot of naive, but sincere and kind responders--including the attorneys.

Folks, if OP really has an attorney, why is he/she here ?

OP is attempting to pull a fast one. Of course this is just my impression based on the scant details provided by the OP, but I have a good bit of experience. Frankly, more than I wish that I had.

DP. I don’t think OP is trying to pull a fast one. I didn’t interpret the fact they have a lawyer to mean they have one at the ready for this specific instance. I read it as they have a lawyer they’ve worked with before who they would consult.

OP, could you talk with your client and go through the contract they signed? Point out all the contract requirements you met (and exceeded). After explaining all that to them, ask them what they want. If what they want is even remotely doable, I’d consider meeting their ask. I would never work for them again.

No. Let your lawyer sit down with you and the client.

If needed, sure. But that immediately puts client on defensive and takes conversation to different level. Maybe trying it one-on-one first makes it more friendly. Or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow. A lot of naive, but sincere and kind responders--including the attorneys.

Folks, if OP really has an attorney, why is he/she here ?

OP is attempting to pull a fast one. Of course this is just my impression based on the scant details provided by the OP, but I have a good bit of experience. Frankly, more than I wish that I had.

DP. I don’t think OP is trying to pull a fast one. I didn’t interpret the fact they have a lawyer to mean they have one at the ready for this specific instance. I read it as they have a lawyer they’ve worked with before who they would consult.

OP, could you talk with your client and go through the contract they signed? Point out all the contract requirements you met (and exceeded). After explaining all that to them, ask them what they want. If what they want is even remotely doable, I’d consider meeting their ask. I would never work for them again.

No. Let your lawyer sit down with you and the client.

If needed, sure. But that immediately puts client on defensive and takes conversation to different level. Maybe trying it one-on-one first makes it more friendly. Or not.

No. OP might misspeak, inadvertently confuse things, weaken position. This is no longer friendly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow. A lot of naive, but sincere and kind responders--including the attorneys.

Folks, if OP really has an attorney, why is he/she here ?

OP is attempting to pull a fast one. Of course this is just my impression based on the scant details provided by the OP, but I have a good bit of experience. Frankly, more than I wish that I had.

DP. I don’t think OP is trying to pull a fast one. I didn’t interpret the fact they have a lawyer to mean they have one at the ready for this specific instance. I read it as they have a lawyer they’ve worked with before who they would consult.

OP, could you talk with your client and go through the contract they signed? Point out all the contract requirements you met (and exceeded). After explaining all that to them, ask them what they want. If what they want is even remotely doable, I’d consider meeting their ask. I would never work for them again.

No. Let your lawyer sit down with you and the client.

If needed, sure. But that immediately puts client on defensive and takes conversation to different level. Maybe trying it one-on-one first makes it more friendly. Or not.

No. OP might misspeak, inadvertently confuse things, weaken position. This is no longer friendly.

+1 Client clearly did not know what was in the contract because they requested another copy. Sometimes people are just a$$holes and don’t want to pay due to some perceived slight, and nothing short of a refund will make them happy. OP completed/exceeded the terms of the contract, so OP needs to engage legal counsel at this point.

[Anonymous]

OP, have you already been paid in full?

If yes, wouldn’t this mean that if the client disagrees with the result, THEY would have to be the one to enlist a lawyer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they already paid, I would just drop them as a future client. Say something like, I'm sorry you felt there was a misunderstanding. I know will come to see the 300k in revenue as a positive outcome of our work together. Byeeeeeeeeee

In the future, get paid first and then credit clients if you don't hit the target if you don't already do it this way. Also when signing the contract, get them to initial by the section that spells out the 100k guarantee.

+1.

You need to take your emotion out of this. Why do you care about satisfying them? If it's for anything other than a pure business reason - i.e. - they can ruin your reputation and hurt future business; they are a significant part of your own revenue stream - then you need to stick to your guns (politely and likely behind the shield of your attorney) and move on.

Your customer is emotionally invested and sounds like embarrassed about misunderstanding the contract terms and they are lashing out at you.