I am an online course designer -an excellent online course designer. I sell online Sexual Harassment Prevention training to corporations. I provide a demo course so people can see what they are getting. Sometimes I am contacted by a potential client and asked to view the entire course before purchasing.
So what do I say? No and lose a sale? Or yes and risk having my course ideas stolen by a competitor. These are risks that every designer deals with.
Case in Point
I received a phone call from a company who wanted to view the entire Harassment Prevention for Supervisors course. So of course I set it up and allowed them into the course. After a week, I contacted them to get their response. I was told that they were still reviewing it and discussing it with their President. So I wait, another contact results in the same information.
Several weeks down the road, I contact them again. Now I am told that the company decided to make their own course, and “thank you for your assistance.” I am willing to bet that my “assistance” ended up in their course.
Integrity seems to be in short supply in this world. And I am getting tired of being the recipient of under-handed companies.
#1 by Billy V on September 4, 2010 - 12:10 pm
Quote
This has happened to me on so many occasions. I have designed logos for companies here in the Valley and as you know I give them more than enough options to chose from. One client of mine said he liked the direction I was headed with the logo he chose out of the few ideas I sent him. Well it turned out that after perfecting the logo he backed out of the deal. Since this company is well known I did not bother with the normal starter fee that all clients deposit into my paypal account. Well about three months later I was on Highway 111 and a van passed my car and to my surprise the van had a vehicle wrap with my logo and all of the services that business had to offer. When I called to and confronted the owner, he told me that the design was not my concept and another designer in the Valley created it for him. I have had more issues with legitimate businesses then I have had with personal requests and small businesses. I know that your work is time consuming and you dedicate yourself to your clients and their needs… It upsets me when designers are taken advantage of and there is nothing that can be done.