| Back to Home > Bulletin Board > Media Issues > Topic: Slow client |
Topic: Slow client
| Author | Message |
| Canadiana | Posted – 7/24/2008 9:40:51 AM | show profile | email poster One of my clients -- a lovely woman who's the exec. director of a non-profit org -- is extremely busy and therefore slow to pass on projects to me and explain what she needs. The org. has actually paid me in advance and I owe them several hours of work. I'd like to finish their project now since I have a window this month. I gave her ample notice (weeks in advance) which she said she appreciated but is still stalling. What do you do in these types of situations? |
| jcpatterson | Posted – 7/24/2008 10:43:52 AM | show profile Well, I guess the upside is that at least they paid you in advance... Seriously, I would contact her and tell her exactly what you told us: that you owe them hours of work, you want to make good on your promise especially since they've already paid, but that your schedule is filling fast and you want to make sure you reserve time for them. In the future with this client, make sure you put a time limit on how long you will be available to do the work. You can be generous if you wish, saying that the terms of your quote and your completion of the work can occur any time in the next six or twelve (you pick) months, but try to set a term that spurs them to action. |
| kristendkirk | Posted – 7/24/2008 10:47:30 AM | show profile First, be happy you've been paid for work you haven't even done. Then, be happy again. Finally, send an e-mail saying you wanted to check back again; you have time right now and if now isn't a great time for her, you anticipate being able to help out once again when your schedule is open in (fill in the blank) and you hope that'll work for her because you truly value her as a client. |
| wineaux | Posted – 7/24/2008 11:09:17 AM | show profile Ah, 'tis the story of my existance! I have one very lucrative client who has repeatedly hired me for work, and often just falls off the radar for weeks at a time. I'm in the middle of a huge project w/ her, and haven't heard from her in over a week, when the last time we conferenced she stressed to me the importance of finishing the project before July was gone. I'm ready. She's nowhere to be found. All I can do is send her gentle reminders via voicemail and email that I'm ready when she is to go over the body of work I created for her. I think the most important thing is that you are paid in advance! I often only get partial or half payment from the get-go. The last project I had I stupidly didn't get payment first, and they now owe me the last installment. I may have to sue to get it, as they are ignoring my inquiries to HR. |
| abqwriter | Posted – 7/24/2008 11:11:45 AM | show profile People who are overwhelmed with work will put off tasks which don't have deadlines. Politely give her deadlines and windows of opportunity. "Dear ... I am working on my schedule for August and wanted to confirm a time for our upcoming project. I will have time now until August 3 and again from August 12-15, etc. Please let me know at your earliest convenience which of the above dates will work for you so that I do not schedule other clients during our alloted time." Once she knows that she must make an appointment with a deadline, she'll be more likely to make herself available. Keep a record of your communication with her so that you have proof that you are making good faith effort to finish the work and then just continue to send her updates every two weeks or every month. Then move on to other projects until she is ready. |
