My father is a tough business man and he has taught me a lot about life. I would like to think I have tried to give people the benefit of the doubt, judge favorably, and be fair in business. However, unfortunately my father has proven to be right much of the time. When people act in an unjust or unfair scenerio it doesn't necessarily mean you can stoop to their level. You can however play fire with fire which generally escalates things, or choose another path.
A great scenerio that just played out was some tutoring sessions for my son. I paid every time, up until the moment of his test. He passed the test but didn't complete the last portion because "the tutor ran out of time". Besides giving me a discount, the tutor had the audacity to demand another payment even while knowing he did not complete his designated task.
Knowing I was giving him cash, I figured he is not declaring this income. So I innocently asked him for the official receipts of prior payments; after which I will send him the rest of the money he so greedily is asking for. So I have acted completely just, within the law, and I will pay him as long as he now plays by the rules. We shall see if he continues to demand payment.
I believe you should treat people the way you wish to be treated. This is the correct form of "loving thy neighbor as you love yourself". This does not mean you should be steem-rolled because in life there are many predators. With human beings you are allowed to operate cautiously. We have had many clientele skip out on payments, lie, cheat, and even steal. Fire with fire is not always the way; sometimes fire with water is the best approach in life.