What the topic said + When do you say No, it’s above me or Well, I don’t know but I’ll give it a shot?
What happened to me was that I got so busy so suddenly, that it was impossible for me to do the project.
What did I do,
- When it became obvious to me that I would not be able to finish it, I told them that it would be best for them to find someone else. They were already feeling that way, but I think it’s best not to wait. Whenever it dawns on you, admit it to the client.
- I apologised. I had wasted their time, and even if I could not give it back, I genuinely apologised. Note that they are not inclined to believe you, but it is necessary that you genuinely apologize.
- I gave what I had done, without demanding any pay. I had not done a lot, but as far as I did not get to any of the agreed milestones, I cannot ask for any pay. Many people make the mistake of assuming that “at least I did something” and “they should understand” but keep your honor and don’t ask for money if you did not reach the agreed point.
There is always the thing that they can never trust you to deliver, your reputation is forever tainted in their eyes and anyone they tell, but that is a cost that you must live with until you do enough to wash away that memory
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No,
I turn them down instead.
It keeps your brand solid unlike when you accept and don’t deliver.
You mean to say never in your life have you taken up a job and you didn’t deliver? Ever?
Apologized, returned full payment if I haven’t gone too far.
I find this topic interesting. I see it a lot in Nigeria and I do not understand the mentality behind it and maybe someone can shed some light on it for me.
Why does someone bid for a project or collect a project that he or she does not know how to do? I honestly envy the boldness and courage it takes to do that and surprisingly I have seen cases where people were able to figure things out and it was a point a growth for them. Most of the time it is a point of failure for people. I will like to also say that going out of your comfort zone and taking tasks larger than you imagine you can do is a fast way to grow and even failure is a good thing if seen through the right lenses but I see people making a habit out of this, taking LARGE risks is a good way to grow in life, but it is VERY bad business practice if not done in a calculated manner.
Like @StephenAfamO said, your reputation in business is everything, there is no money in the world that is better than a good name/brand. So just do not take these jobs.
Let say for some inexplicable reason you find yourself in a job you cannot complete, try finding someone who can do it, if you cannot find someone admit your failure to the client quickly, give them a full refund and help as much as you can on a transition to whoever is doing the job now. At no point should you ask for payment, try to decieve them further or avoid/hide from them. These strategies might work in the short term but once the word gets out, you will be blacklisted and even the job you can do will not come your way anymore.
The best strategy for someone who has taken a job they cannot deliver on is to find a replacement or give up the job as quick as possible.
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And if you have gone far?
Offer to transfer assets: domains, codes and the like?
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