Summary
Client behavior has a big impact on your ability to work on a project, so having formal policies and procedures in place will help to avoid problematic situations occurring that can derail the project. Time spent on researching the client and their project requirements before you commit to anything will pay off in the long run by allowing you to make better decisions, especially in situations where you discover that the client has a poor credit history, hence making you aware of an increased risk of them failing to pay for your work.
No matter how good your technical and project management skills are, the success of the project will always be dependent on the client's commitment to the project. This includes the client's willingness to provide you with the information and resources you need to get the job done and to the standard that they seek. Have policies in place that make it clear to the client what is expected of the, making sure that you don't try to fill in the missing pieces...