I have always taken a deposit of half minimum for a commission with a delivery date specified of 6 weeks to 6 months depending on how backed up I am.
This has been my full time business since 96 and I have only had one problem client. This guy seemed to make a problem of most everything around him.
I do my best to get along and keep all people I deal with happy. When I took the deposit, I had a tinged in my gut saying this guy was going to be a pain. Sure enough I would get calls every week after we had agreed on all of the details and that deliver would be in 12 weeks. He would call and talk about all the things he might want to change every week. I would say, If you want to change anything now is the time to please tell me? "Oh No, I was just thinking!"
This went on for four weeks and I finally said, You are welcome to call and say hello but pleasssse! If you want any changes? Lets do them now!
"Oh No, I was just thinking. The man drove me so nuts calling every week sometimes twice, wanting to know again all the possible handle woods, steels and patterns etc.
I finally just mailed a check back to him for his deposit and said that I think things would work out better if we didn't do business and I wished him well.
So! If you haven't had a problem with a customer? You haven't sold enough knives! :3: