Nowadays, a great website is a necessity for any business. Whether you run a law firm, own a bakery or do professional stand up comedy, it’s important that anyone who wants to work with you has all the information they need.

So when one woman who runs an interior design agency demanded a website that features “the best interior design service in London,” her website designer took the request to heart. Below, you’ll find a story that the designer recently shared on the Malicious Compliance subreddit, detailing how he decided to respond when he wasn’t compensated for building the site.

This website designer was hired to create a site featuring “the best interior designer service in London”

Image credits: KAL VISUALS (not the actual photo)

But after the client refused to pay, he decided to make some adjustments to her site

Image credits: MART PRODUCTION (not the actual photo)

Image credits: shady_emoji

Later, the website designer provided additional information on the situation

Nowadays, a great website is an essential tool for any business

Back in the day, businesses might have relied primarily on word of mouth to gain new customers and clients, but we’re living in the age of the internet now. Before checking out a new restaurant, I always read reviews online and view photos of some of their dishes on Instagram. If I can’t easily see the menu, working hours and the interior before visiting in person, I’ll be hesitant to ever make the trip. So any smart business owner understands the value of a well-made website. According to Olsen Metrix, a website can actually be the most important tool for a business. This is because 75% of consumers now shop online at least once a month, and since the onset of the pandemic, 84% of people reported using digital channels more frequently.

Websites can help businesses reach wider audiences, align with customers who want to do as much as they can online, build a brand presence on the internet to stay relevant, improve credibility by having easily accessible information and utilize the power of search engines. 53% of all website traffic comes from organic searches, and 49% of users say they have used Google to discover new products before. Plus, having a website curated by and for your particular business allows you to showcase your brand’s image exactly how you want to. Your webpage should clearly explain your company’s mission and set you apart from competitors who have less exciting online presences.

Image credits: OVAN (not the actual photo)

So hiring a professional web designer is a worthwhile investment

Having an informative website can even save employees and business owners time, according to an article Kasey Kaplan wrote for Forbes. She explains that businesses often receive calls and emails asking very simple questions about prices, hours of operation, services and more, so a well-built website can eliminate the need for superfluous interactions. It keeps staff focused on more important tasks at hand, and customers are satisfied when they don’t need to jump through hoops or take time out of their day to find out information. It’s also important to keep websites updated, of course, because outdated or irrelevant information can be damaging. Keep customers in the loop by making necessary changes to the website frequently.

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While we all know how to use websites, not everyone actually knows how to design one. Lucky for those of us who aren’t experts, there are nearly 27 million web developers across the globe. But, of course, once we’ve hired someone to design a site for us, an important part of the exchange is the payment. I’m sure it’s rare to encounter a client such as the woman in this story who decided to ghost her designer when the time to pay came, but unfortunately, it can happen. So when a customer simply refuses to pay, it’s good to have a plan for ensuring that you get what you deserve. NOLO recommends first sending a written reminder promptly when you realize that you haven’t received payment. If that doesn’t work, you can send a more formal debt collection letter.

Image credits: Tranmautritam (not the actual photo)

Unfortunately, not all clients can be trusted, so it’s wise for business owners to have a plan in place for when someone refuses to pay

If written reminders still haven’t convinced a client that they need to pay up, it might be time to make contact face-to-face. Try to arrange a meeting or make an appearance at their place of business. Remind the client of what they agreed to when you were hired, and explain that they can set up a payment plan if necessary. The next step would be sending a final demand letter, and if you still haven’t had any luck receiving your compensation, it might be time to take legal action. As frustrating as this process may be, remember to be persistent, as to not let the client get away with free services. Be prompt with your follow-up messages, and remember to stay calm, polite and professional. You are running a business after all, and you don’t want any unprofessional behavior coming back to bite you. And finally, don’t stop working. Putting other projects on hold to deal with a financial nightmare can be a mistake, so don’t let one bad client impact your relationship with others.

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Thankfully, this web designer did end up receiving their payment after maliciously complying to the client’s request, but I’m sure they would have much preferred skipping this whole saga altogether. We would love to hear your thoughts on this story in the comments below, pandas. If you’ve ever been in a situation where a client refused to pay, feel free to share how you managed to get your payment, and then if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article featuring a client who thought they could weasel their way out of paying a web developer, look no further than right here!

Readers applauded the designer for his malicious compliance and called out the client for her entitlement

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