Sometimes It Doesn't Matter What the Contract States

Disclaimer: at this time, I can’t write about the details behind the blog post. I will however in the near future.

Recently, I entered into a negotiation to exchange some software for cash. That is, I would develop some software and in return, the prospect would give me cash. Pretty straightforward.

The prospect read over the detailed contract and enthusiastically signed it. A video of the software working was sent. Positive feedback was received. The first wire transfer came. All was well.

When the software was delivered, the prospect was disappointed. They stated that a few things were missing that they didn’t expect to be missing. Despite the fact that the video showed that these features were missing and the contract detailed what was included in the software deliverable, they were still disappointed. It was clear that their perspective and feelings weren’t malevolent.

I feel as if I’m left with two choices:

Acquiesce and change the software to meet their expectations.
Adhere to the contract.

Both sides have advantages and disadvantages. However, you need to do what you think is right considering all circumstances. This could be either #1 or #2.

Think about what you put into your contracts. Do you need to explicitly point out anything while you’re meeting with your prospects? How can you make your contracts crystal clear? What could be misinterpreted?