I've had one definite instance last year where the scatter-shot, low-level support requests from a particular client gradually become not so scattered or not so low-level. To the point the client was basically seeking to keep an open channel for support requests w/o paying for it.<div>
<br></div><div>Although you can't completely avoid abuses of your time, I see how giving the client up front an option to pay for unspecified support queries for some period of time does at least help put both sides on fairer footing.<br>
<div><br></div><div>On a related note, the local market where I do freelance can be pretty grim, so I try explicitly bill hours for "actual design work," letting me request a premium rate. The (usually unquantifiable) hours spent on staging, setup, research are generally not billed at all, and I just try to be a diligent as possible about tracking hours at the premium rate to make up for all the random little crap.<br>
<br>Besides the bookkeeping tools themselves, have others who do freelance in a very sparse market take the approach of distinguishing between design work vs. staging/setup/research?<br><br>Even when the research/staging is directly related to the client's project, and essentially impossible to have squared away ahead of time w/o knowing the particulars of the project, I've yet to find a client willing to let me bill for prep work.<br>
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<div><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Jan 10, 2010 at 2:48 PM, Larry Garfield <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:larry@garfieldtech.com" target="_blank">larry@garfieldtech.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<div>Another possible option for some clients is a standing support contact.</div>
$X/month for "all that random little crap". They get a flat number they pay,<br>
and you spend less time tracking how long it takes to correct a spelling error<br>
(and you know a minimum amount you'll get from them as well). For anything<br>
bigger (for some definition of bigger you negotiate with them) you actually<br>
give them an estimate and let them approve it as a "real" task, which you then<br>
bill at whatever your hourly rate is.<br>
<br>
If a fair portion of your business with that client is that sort of low-level<br>
noise, it's probably easier for you and them to just have a standing<br>
"$100/month gets you up to 50 minor tweaks" agreement. It's less overhead and<br>
more predictable cash flow for both of you<br>
<font color="#888888"><br>
--Larry Garfield<br>
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</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Ben West<br><a href="mailto:westbywest@gmail.com" target="_blank">westbywest@gmail.com</a><br>
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