Story: Good client and bad client
I thought that there is no bad client. The client understands common sense and manner. When a designer complains about a client, it shows their lack of skills. I basically think about it’s true.
I met a client who is categorized as a red flag. I would like to share my experience to avoid a future problem.
– Negotiated about budgets
– Too many calls
– Require a face to face meeting
– Too many emails
– Endless revision
– ASAP
Bad Client Red Flags and Warning Signs
©The Futur
– Micromanager
– Unreasonable expectation
– Clear lack of boundary
– Obscure feedback, I will know it when I see it
– Think everything is easy
– Indecisive
– Get personal
– Don’t take a responsibility
Choose the client. ✓
I wanna good work for people. ✓✓✓
How to Protect Yourself from Bad Clients
©The Futur
– Talk on the phone for an hour
– Not decision maker
– Say no ✓✓✓
Client Red Flags – 3 Tips for Determining the Right Fit
©The Jonathan Stark Show
– No reaction to joke
– Can you hang out frankly
– Think about a client ROI ✓✓✓
If a client does not feel ROI, both client and designer are unfortunate whatever designer hassles.
Save time, money and stress! The CRT lets you resolve your dispute when and where it’s convenient for you. This could be at home, at work, on your phone, or at the local library. The CRT helps you resolve your dispute quickly and affordably. We encourage a collaborative approach to dispute resolution. – From CRT Website
This is the website for small claims in Vancouver, BC. I believe that all municipalities have their own rules. Please find the service in your local.
Process of Civil Resolution Tribunal(CRT)
In April 2020, I faced the issue.
Back in December 2019, I received an inquiry to develop an e-commerce website. I worked from January through early March 2020. This client is an ordinary person, but in the business, he is categorized as the red flag client above.
– Over 100 emails in 2 months
– Endless feedback and revision
– Require meeting and phone call
Early March, as well as the early COVID stage, he stopped contacting me. I sent him a few emails and waited for his response in a month. In April, I sent an invoice and he rejected it. After exchanging a few emails, I disputed him to CRT.
©Justice Education Society of BC
In mediation takes 1-2 months. I, the client, and a facilitator talked by phone(1 time). A facilitator did not judge, just listening. I could not accept the client’s opinion. I could not solve the issue at this point.
The trial conference in 2020 was only an exchange of documents. I don’t know what the standard is. I had to object to each of the client’s unreasonable claims over and over again. It made me mentally suffer each time that I had to read the long documents. It was torture. The client made a different story and exaggerate a piece of a sentence in the emails.
According to the email record (Because I don’t remember clearly), the trial conference was closed in October 2020. My dispute was accepted.
After a CRT Decision
How do I enforce my small claims order?
The CRT cannot enforce your order to a defendant. To enforce a small claims order, you must file it with the BC Provincial Court. You can file consent resolution orders and final decisions.
You need to give the BC Provincial Court a validated copy of your CRT order. The letter will be sent to you after the time limit for making a Notice of Objection has expired (approximately 29 days after the date of the CRT decision). If you don’t receive a validated copy of your order after 40 days, please contact us.
Once you receive a small claims order, you have to file it immediately with the BC Provincial Court(Robson). Once filed, an order has the same force and effect as if it were a judgment of the BC Provincial Court. The enforcement procedures are within the Court’s jurisdiction.
For more information, visit the BC Provincial Court website.
CRT Website
Provincial Court of British Columbia
©Small Claims Court Trial Preparation Video
I did not know anything. At first, I visited the Provincial Court of British Columbia at Main Street which is across the road from my home. At the entrance, a security guard told me here is for criminals. You should go Robson if it’s a civil case.
I visited Robson. There are 2 buildings, but I did not know the differences (it was a supreme court). I explained to a security guard why I visited. Then, I talked to the receptionist. She was very arrogant. She did not show any effort to understand, a typical public worker who doesn’t know the customer service. The position (or organization) does not matter how you treat people.
I visited the Provincial Court and talked with staff. There are some rules I have never known below.
* 1 side of the CRT printout
* Notice of CRT Claim document
I used email. CSBRCS@gov.bc.ca, for submission. If you have a question, you have to call, 604-660-8989 ext. 2. I don’t think I could find all the correct information without visiting. (December 11th, 2020)
I sent the Notice of Civil Resolution Tribunal Claim to the defendant on December 21, 2020. Since then, I did not hear anything. I visited the provincial court again and she said I had to submit the document by registered mail. No one told me about it.
Province of British Columbia: Application to the Registrar
Canada Post: Registered Mail
Canada Post: Track a package by tracking number
After I sent a document by registered mail on January 27th, 2021, I visited the Provincial Court again on February 4th. I received the piece of paper, CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE. I don’t know how many people fill out the document in handwriting. I found the PDF online.
Small claims forms
*I could find a Certificate of service (SCR Form 4, SCL004f) on the bunch of lists.
You need to lists what you served to the defendant:
– Notice of civil resolution tribunal claim
– Certificate of completion
– Dispute notice
– Dispute response
– BC company summary
– Notice of objection form
*You can see the stamp on each document which you served(sent).
I submitted the Certificate of service on February 10th, 2021. Then, I had to submit the Certificate of compliance. For that, I needed to wait 14 days since the next day the defendant received the document. It was sent by registered mail on January 28th, 2021. So, 29th + 14 days. I forgot to ask that does it count weekend or not.
Summary after I finished CRT of 1 process(online):
I received the CRT SC-2020 Notification of Decision on October 30th, 2020. My claim was approved. I received the SC-2020 Notice of Objection on December 9th, 2020. The action below has started after this.
01. Submitted Notice of CRT Claim document
*$20 if you served the document to the defendant, $80 if you ask to do it to the provincial staff.
02. Received 4 bunch of documents. 2 copies for sending the defendant.
* You can see which documents you need to send at the right bottom.
* You must send them by registered mail. It was $14 in my case.
03. Once confirmed the delivery, I submitted a Certificate of service.
04. Wait for 14 days after the delivery day. Then, need to call the Provincial Court office for completed the Certificate of compliance.
05. Submitted Certificate of compliance to provincial court.
06. Sent the copy of the Certificate of compliance to the defendant by registered mail.
07. Once the defendant received it(confirmed by tracking number), I submitted the Certificate of service to the provincial court.
*Update: July 1, 2021
It’s been a while. I received the letter from the provincial court. The simplified trial will be held at 6 pm on August 11, 2021. I need to prepare some documents below.
– Statement of Facts → PDF
Attach a summary of the facts in numbered paragraphs. Set out the facts in the order that events happened (typed if possible, and not more than 3 pages in length).
– Amount Claimed, Disputed or Counterclaimed
Attach a document showing the amount you are claiming, disputing or counterclaiming and how the amount is calculated.
– Documents
Attach copies of all relevant documents (including contracts, cheques, repair estimates, invoices,
photographs, etc.).
– Witnesses
Attach a list of the witnesses (including experts) who will attend the trial. Briefly state what each
witness will say under oath.
*Letter size, single-side, unbound.
At least 14 days before the simplified trial, you must file your trial statement at the court registry. And must serve the other parties with a trial statement at least 7 days before.
Simplified trial
©Justice Education Society of BC
Simplified trial in the provincial court. I filed a document in December 2020. I had to do a lot of filing to the provincial court. Then, I had to serve the documents to him. Sometimes, I must use registered mail, but sometimes not. I confused it.
The registrar is not so kind. You can find some comments on Google reviews. If I ask something, they usually said, we are not lawyers. The attitude was a typical public worker.
The trial was held on August 11, 2021 at 6 pm. Only I, the client, and an adjudicator are in room 203.
What I prepared:
– Opening statement
– Objection to defendant’s summary of facts
– Evidence
– Question to the defendant
– Question to adjudicator, final thoughts
I did not use an interpreter. For all participants, it was better to use an interpreter, but I wanted to tell the truth by myself. The adjudicator patiently listened to my opinion. I could understand what we discussed, but I could not remember what they said in the long conversation. It was a challenge. I did not look or talk to the client. 0 times. I could not afford to care. I kept focusing on the trial. 1 hour 30 mins total.
I could not sleep well last night even though I was really exhausted.
Conclusion: August 11, 2021
It was a really really long process since April 2020. When I look back on the process, I remembered some heartless objections, but I basically try to forget from my mind once the event passed.
This is already not a payment issue. I prepared a lot in each process. It consumed a lot of my time. I was depressed and thought, what am I doing? I was devastated by a defendant’s unreasonable objections during the process. I will hear the verdict near future, but I don’t have any emotion about the result.
*I received the letter from the provincial court on August 31, 2021. The adjudicator verdicted the payment order to the defendant.
Reference:
InVision: 10 warning signs – The red flag client
Medium: Client red flags – where to look for and how to deal with red flag clients
Justice Education Society of BC: BC Small Claims Court: Collecting on Judgement
BC Official Website: Small claims forms
