I, for one, am perfectly happy having Kevin be my spokesperson on an issue such as this. All he did was ask a perfectly reasonable, legitimate question. I think this is most definately the proper forum for companies, especially newer ones, to state their exact payment policies. I am tired of "manning up" and calling companies in private, only to be lied to. Six different people can call the same company six different times and be given six different answers. It would be nice for companies to post here so that everyone is being told the same thing.
It certainly seems like Wayne is being very forthright and has the best intentions. I have no reason to doubt him and I personally believe he intends to do his very best to make sure we are taken care of.
That being said, there are two seeds of doubt that I am sure most of us have:
The first is that he had a relationship with a company that has had numerous payment issues. He has acknowledged this and has stated that he wants to do things better so that never happens with his company. I admire and respect that of him. As I stated, I have no reason to doubt him. I dont think he should have to pay for "the sins of the father", so to speak. So this doesnt really bother me.
The second aspect is that it is a relatively new business. I think this aspect is at the heart of Kevin's question. When dealing with a new business, I would like to know how good of a footing they are on. When I started out, I knew that I had to be able to pay my bills for a few months before I could count on being paid. This is the question for Eclipse. Do they have a financial reserve at start up to pay their bills, regardless of whether their clients have paid them? Or are they just paying as they get paid? If it is the latter, then their company is a house of cards just waiting to collapse. If this is the case, then it wouldnt matter what Wayne's intentions are, because it is out of his hands. All it would take is one of his clients to slow-pay or no-pay him and it would start a chain reaction. This is what Kevin is trying to find out- for all of us. No one is attacking Wayne. I would be more than willing to give Wayne a chance if I can find out that I will get paid no matter what-- even if his clients stiff him-- within 30 days. And no, I am not going to call and ask personally. Any answer to a business question that someone can say to me personally can be answered in his forum, so that we all know we are getting the same answer.
I do feel for Wayne. Starting up a business in this environment is tough. So many of us have had problems recently it has made us jaded and guarded. I am now to the point that I would rather just get by with a few rock-solid clients than over-extend myself with clients I may never get paid from. A couple of years ago it was no big deal waiting an extra 30 days or writing off an order here or there. There was more volume and the bottom line was still pretty good. Now too many clients have been taking advantage of that "extra 30 days" or simply not paying until they are damn good and ready, if at all, and it is getting to be a pretty good-sized piece of the pie! The mortgage company, utilities, credit card companies, etc., wont give me an extra 30 days without charging me a bunch of fees. My bank wont let me write bad checks just because I say I will pay them back in 30 days. Yet we are expected to continually front our time and money with little or no guarantee that we will ever get paid, while constantly being pressured to lower (or at least not raise) our fees.
So if Kevin, or anyone else, wants to question a company about it's payment policies, etc., I will stand with them and wait for an answer. Any good company should have no problem coming on this message board and explaining themselves, in full, for the whole community to see. After all, WE are the ones that stand to lose out. WE are the ones who put money out of our pockets first. WE are the ones financing these companies. WE are entitled to answers!
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