I had a business dealing with MPact brands, which is nowStrategis Brands. I met the owners Angela and Minor Fulcher in Beaver Creek, Colorado and casually began a conversation about their branding business. Theyhad gone through some difficult times with health issues in addition to theproblems caused by the economic downturn and were rebuilding their business inAustin, Texas. Eventually I contracted them for 3 months for 100 hours of workper month, at a reduced hourly billing rate. It sounded like a win/win bygetting them some needed work and getting my branding needs going at adiscount. We discussed my needs for a web presence, publicity, and clarifying acompelling message for my business.
I told them that we wanted to focus on somereal bang for the buck production as I was bringing several differentprojects under one central theme. We discussed them doing web design andcontent, press releases, and other deliverables. We laid out a wish list ofthings that I wanted, in the order I wanted them and went to contract. As schoolwas starting we had scheduled to begin September 1. As it turned out thatwe didnt start until September 15 but had agreed that they wouldntstart producing content until I paid the first month bill. I dealt with AngelaFulcher exclusively after our initial discussions and began working. One of thethings that I insisted upon was keeping sight of accountabilities: time sheetsso I know what is being worked on, and delivery of produced materials to keepthings on track.
On October 1 Angela called to ask for thesecond months payment. I reminded her that we had started officially on the 15thper agreement when she said that she had really started on the first (not theagreement). I was very surprised by this for 2 reasons one they were adamantabout receiving payment before beginning ANY work, and two, I had receivedvirtually no product. All that got done was editing an outline for a web homepage that my web guy created, and a short paragraph bio for use as web content. I was immediately suspicious but agreed, provided that she had actually spentmy 100 paid-for hours on work. I asked for the agreed on time sheets and toforward the work product. I received the time sheets that showed over 40 hourson R and D with 20 hours looking at websites! And then she said that thegraphic web design was an extra charge of $750 (which I paid), it didnt fallinto the 100 hours.
At that point I stopped the arrangement as she was notfollowing any of the agreement, and the time sheets looked totally fabricated. I received a small fraction of what was promised, a few hours of work at themost. I told her to put everything on hold. We never got started on the webdesign so I went out and had my site built somewhere else. I told her at thetime that I was having my site done and would be in touch. Several months laterI called and said that we were moving on and to please return the extra fee forthe web design as we had never discussed it and nothing was ever produced. Herbusiness had picked up and so we didnt want any hard feelings, it just didntwork out. She said that she had to check her records and would call at ascheduled time in a couple of days. I received an email that she couldnt makethe call because she was sick and would call in a few more days.
The nextcommunication I got was an email that stated that she went through her file andMIRACULOUSLY found the web design that was done MONTHS AGO and here it is soshe would not refund the money. She had forgotten about it all of this time! REALLY, you produced a file that I paid for months before, never received, butwas forgotten about?! What a croc. I believe she obviously manufactured itafter the fact instead of doing the honest thing. She even offered to send the Photoshopversion. I requested not only the Photoshop version but also ALL documents thatshe had produced to see what else might have been forgotten. As I expected, Inever received a Photoshop version, or any other communication whatsoever evenafter several voice messages, texts, and emails.
I believe that I paid for work that was never done, timethat was never spent, and other documents were fabricated after the fact. I wasdefinitely ripped off. I thought that I would get great work as they werehungry, but instead just got taken.
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