Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 31
  1. #1

    Your friends = Your business's foes?

    Like in any other business, you can't avoid the fact that a friend will buy a service from you. However, sometimes is difficult for both parties to keep business and friendship apart and then the undesirable situation begins:

    • Late payments.
    • Careless attitude towards service notifications.
    • Personal support requests (direct contact by every possible mean, not opening tickets).
    • Unusual support requests.
    • Discounted prices, but top of the line services expectations (read less forgiving).


    And the list can go on.

    I just think sometimes that there's nothing left to do but either cry, madly laugh or suck your thumb for a while in a corner before attending to their requests.

    In all seriousness, I really try to avoid having any kind of business with friends or ‎acquaintances for the aforementioned situations.

    What do you think?

    It would be fun to read your experiences, I bet there are many out there.

  2. #2
    I have some friends on my server. Really good friends don't have to pay anything but the domains.

  3. #3
    It could happen but you would just need to tell them that on your hosting server, its not really about friendship but a business and any missed payments or problems they cause then they will be taken off your hosting. You would just have to hope it doesn't affect your friendship in real life.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    1,427
    W/ friends and family you do one of two things:

    A. Do it for free.

    B. Don't do it at all.


    Pick either A or B.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    /root
    Posts
    23,991
    That means he is not a real good friend. A good friend should respect you and your business.

    I have some friends using our services and when I fixed their servers, I never charge them but they insisted in paying it.

    Their reason: It's business.

    Specially 4 U
    Reseller Hosting: Boost Your Websites | Fully Managed KVM VPS: 3.20 - 5.00 Ghz, Pure Dedicated Power
    JoneSolutions.Com is on the net 24/7 providing stable and reliable web hosting solutions, server management and services since 2001
    Debian|Ubuntu|cPanel|DirectAdmin|Enhance|Webuzo|Acronis|Estela|BitNinja|Nginx

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Posts
    177
    I have a very limited subset of my friends that I would trust enough to even tell them my affiliation with certain websites, due to problems that has caused in the past, but in the case those friends wanted to use my services they'd be more then welcome to them for free, including domains.

    Thus: for most of my friends I don't think it'd be a good idea to mix business as they're the type to want something out of it themselves, but the friends that I do tell, my closer friends, are the type to insist on paying for the service they want anyways and would not accept my free account.

  7. #7
    I wouldn't charge my friends (fortunately the issue has not come up) however given the conflict of interests I would feel really awkward hosting my friend's site(s) in the first place.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Posts
    177
    Quote Originally Posted by babypurin View Post
    given the conflict of interests I would feel really awkward hosting my friend's site(s) in the first place.
    You're doing web hosting, your friends are probably not doing web hosting (otherwise they'd have their own server to host on), what's the conflict of interest?

  9. #9
    Id probably provide discounted services to my friends and if they were unable to pay, id probably just talk to them about it and then explain that your going to stop hosting his site but in a nicest way possible.
    Last edited by flambeur1; 12-31-2013 at 10:30 PM.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Everywhere
    Posts
    696
    Yes I have had extensive experience with the first three items you mentioned on the list.

    I get really upset when friend-clients refuse to open a support ticket. They say to me "I just told you it. Why do I need to open a ticket?". And when they do open a ticket, it's usually done hastily and doesn't provide much useful information (e.g. "My site is broken"). I have to explain that they need to open a ticket because I'm not working at the time I am talking to them (you'd think this would be obvious to them).

    I've had some personal friend-clients who would order the service, pay the initial invoice, then not pay any of the subsequent invoices. This aggravated me, but I never shut off their service. They expect the same leniency that we have in our friendship but as customers of my business. Unfortunately for them, I expect any clients (whether we're friends or not) to respect my business enough to pay their invoices on time.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Posts
    177
    Quote Originally Posted by AcclaimedHost Alan View Post
    I get really upset when friend-clients refuse to open a support ticket.
    Just say "I don't deal with technical issues. You need to open a ticket because my tech support team deals with it, not me, so by opening a ticket you're actually communicating with them."

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    4,685
    Quote Originally Posted by AcclaimedHost Alan View Post
    Yes I have had extensive experience with the first three items you mentioned on the list.

    I get really upset when friend-clients refuse to open a support ticket. They say to me "I just told you it. Why do I need to open a ticket?". And when they do open a ticket, it's usually done hastily and doesn't provide much useful information (e.g. "My site is broken"). I have to explain that they need to open a ticket because I'm not working at the time I am talking to them (you'd think this would be obvious to them).

    I've had some personal friend-clients who would order the service, pay the initial invoice, then not pay any of the subsequent invoices. This aggravated me, but I never shut off their service. They expect the same leniency that we have in our friendship but as customers of my business. Unfortunately for them, I expect any clients (whether we're friends or not) to respect my business enough to pay their invoices on time.
    This is exactly why I don't bother telling my friends what I do. They'll expect free service for nothing.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Everywhere
    Posts
    696
    Quote Originally Posted by derp View Post
    Just say "I don't deal with technical issues. You need to open a ticket because my tech support team deals with it, not me, so by opening a ticket you're actually communicating with them."
    They expect me to liaise between them (I guess because they can't talk to them directly?)

    Quote Originally Posted by JFSG View Post
    This is exactly why I don't bother telling my friends what I do. They'll expect free service for nothing.
    I'll tell them that I host websites but I tell them that, much like a doctor, my practice is full and I am not accepting new clients

  14. #14
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Posts
    177
    Quote Originally Posted by AcclaimedHost Alan View Post
    They expect me to liaise between them (I guess because they can't talk to them directly?)
    But that's what the ticket system is

    It's a system you set up to facilitate communication between them as users and the tech support team, which is the definition of 'liaison'?


    Quote Originally Posted by AcclaimedHost Alan View Post
    I'll tell them that I host websites but I tell them that, much like a doctor, my practice is full and I am not accepting new clients
    It's hard to explain 'why are you still accepting new orders' then. Do what I do - I tell very few friends my affiliation with my online business. Those few friends are close enough that I wouldn't mind paying out of my own expenses to provide them with a hosting account (should they ask for one) and wouldn't mind manually showing them the ropes of such account. (On the contrary, I'd want to show them around, if they actually had any interest in websites..)

    Anyone else I simply don't even tell. Some creepier ones manage to find it anyways, but I tell them that they are free to choose from the offers available on my site and nothing special will be extended.

  15. #15
    If you're not willing to make special accommodations for your friends/family, don't offer them free or deeply discounted services because that's just opening the door for them to believe that they're truly going to be your #1 priority when it comes to tech support and will have high expectations.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    public_html
    Posts
    128
    This topic really got my attention, I had about 10 websites running free, But Last week I decided to suspend all pending payment accounts. Most of which belong to my friends.

    I some time just tell people that I'm just a Technical assistant there, so I can't change stuff In the system. And I let the billing system suspend their services.

    It's a pain sometime hosting free sites. Especially when It comes to transfers.
    Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Posts
    65
    That proves to be just a way to find out who your real friends are.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Cybertron
    Posts
    10,484
    Business and friends should not go in the same sentence unless both sides have REAL respect for each other.

    Years ago I had a friend who became a studio client. At the end of the session I was going to give him a discount. He refused the discount and said he wants to see my business stay in business.

    Around friends and family, I just tell them I do online work...that's it. The ominous safe wall to preserve the friendship.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Posts
    30
    I have few friends who really pay me, I don't ask them to pay but they pay me.
    Owner | Remote-RDP.CO RDP & VPS provider Since 2012
    24/7 365 Support, 100% Network Up-time Guarantee
    Hyper-V, Affordable VPS Servers and RDP slots.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Between Earth & sky
    Posts
    551
    Friends! even i host my university web site Free for some time

    +1 @48-14

    i also tell same thing "i do online work"
    VMakerHOST » Providing Amazing Services since 2010
    Three Datacenter Locations: Chicago, Netherlands & Singapore
    █ Reseller Hosting with WHMCS | End User Support | Premium Network | 24x7-365 Support
    ShoutCAST, Web Hosting, Virtual Servers & Dedicated Servers. Managed options available

  21. #21
    If your friend don't understand you just don't provide him service.. Say him.. go on my website and pay from there. You are same as other clients for me.

    Cause this is business.. They have to respect.
    By the way.. i don't work with friends.

  22. #22
    My friends does not even know/understand what I own/do. However, I would give them a free hosting, if they ever asked me.
    BeltHosting.com Staff. Shared Web Hosting | Reseller Web Hosting | IRCD Hosting | psyBNC/sBNC/eggdrop/znc Hosting
    xShellz Linux Shell & IRCD Hosting.
    24/7 Live & Ticket Support

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Chesapeake, VA
    Posts
    3,381
    I think employing friends & family is even tougher than having them as a clients. That's where the MASTER CAUTION annunciators really start to flash for me.

    My wife & I have done (and still do) business with both family and friends but I am not too keen on hiring them as employees. The problem with that is that you're dealing with their livelihoods. And sadly, some of them will try to abuse it. And what happens if they show up late to work and the other employees come in on time? If you show them special treatment or cut them some slack, it will severely damage everyone's morale and if you punish them or fire them - you're the bad guy to the relative. It's a no win situation. Good relationships can be completely ruined because of these kinds of situations.
    CDGcommerce.com - Trusted Merchant Account Solutions since 1998
    Many thousands of successful, growing businesses benefit from our expertise every day. You can, too!
    We help merchants to eliminate gateway costs, reduce & mitigate fraud and achieve streamlined PCI compliance.
    Learn more today at http://www.cdgcommerce.com - we look forward to helping your business grow!

  24. #24
    I don't think so, I think being strict with friends and family is the proper way to do things. If you're going to hire-family, or friends. You need to set some strict guidelines.

    You need to talk to them eye-to-eye, and completely be level with them. 1. When employing them, you treat them as employees, you're paying them. They work for their money. You should make that clear.

    "Bad person" or not, I think it'd be best to simply foot your footdown. If they can't understand that simple logic. Then you need to pull them aside, and explain to them in detail WHY you can't.

    As for friends for clients, my current business has no more than one or two clients. Both of which are friends. I've ran on it, but I've been terrible with marketing, and it's been a hobby I've been trying to push to a more active level.

    My friends pay me, when they can. The rules for them using my services is: Pay me, you don't have to. I treat them like customers. It works out really well too, because they advertise to their friends.

    They operate under a subdomain of my site. Free- so essentially it's the best advertising I can do.

    -- I think this goes off topic from here on.

    My family is full of business owners, to some degree. Got a sibling who makes bows and little things like that. Makes quite a bit of money, I really tried to push my services to them. But they don't- or haven't come to a need at an attempt to market their goods online.

    My parents whom have gotten of age are attempting to do their own business. But they don't know the first thing about internet based solutions.

    It can be difficult when you're dealing with up-and-coming developing individuals. The most challenging part is balancing the whole lot of it. Family, and friends. While trying to maintain professionalism.

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    15
    I hear you on this buddy, i had friends even skipping invoices but i believe once you do act professional, thin line appears which does solve things.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 8
    Last Post: 01-28-2013, 08:21 AM
  2. Replies: 1
    Last Post: 12-15-2012, 03:16 PM
  3. Hi friends newbie in this business
    By funnshine in forum New Members
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 08-02-2006, 12:46 AM
  4. Anyone ever do business with friends before?
    By erealmgraphics in forum Running a Web Hosting Business
    Replies: 17
    Last Post: 03-08-2005, 05:35 PM
  5. Bad dates? Bad boy friends/girl friends?
    By Torith in forum Web Hosting Lounge
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 10-02-2004, 12:50 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •