Time Is Money: What Every Client Should Know Before Outsourcing

A designer friend recently told me that she was stiffed on a design job and how it really rocked her core trust in online business owners. This isn’t enough to make her jump back into the corporate world but she really took this slight personally.

I shared my own story here yesterday about not being paid by a client but my friend’s story is a little bit different because the client pulled the job prior to it being completed. My friend worked a few hours on these graphics, trying to bring the client’s vision to life, but the client decided to go with another designer. Certainly, that is the client’s perogative but should the first designer get paid, even if it wasn’t what the client wanted in the job?

Absolutely yes.

It’s certainly unfortunate that the communication broke down between my friend and her client but once she sat down to begin working, the time clock began. And that’s not just for those who work at home. Advertising agencies and lawyers immediately come to mind as those who keep timesheets and bill by the hour. No matter if you’re on a phone call with the client or actually designing, time spent on the project should be billed.

In fairness, I don’t know the exact details of my friend’s plight. Maybe she didn’t ask enough questions, maybe the client was vague about what she wanted the final project to convey. No matter the reason, this type of thing happens everyday to freelancers and you need to have a plan of how to avoid this situation.

1. Use simple contracts for each project. Contracts don’t have to be long or jammed with legal jargon to be effective. Write down all the aspects of the job as you understand them along with deadlines, client expectations, and payment policies. Be sure your client initials the section about being charged for any work that is done, even if they change freelancers midway through a job.

2. Ask questions. Getting a clear explaination from the client about what the final product should convey is difficult if you’re sitting face to face in a conference room and can become more challenging when conducting business online. Ask as many questions as necessary to clearly understand the project and make sure your client is available if additional information is needed.

3. Determine how many rounds of changes are included in your price. Very often designers will limit the number of changes per project to avoid having a fickle client changing his mind every minute. This is especially important if you’re charging a flat project fee rather than an hourly rate. Even if you’re charging hourly, keep your client informed how much additional money these changes will cost.

4. Be willing to share your timesheets. If a client is complaining that something is taking too long to complete, have a hard copy of your timesheet ready to show and be willing to answer any questions. Keep accurate notes on each timesheet entry so the client can clearly see which aspect of the project you worked on and when. I highly recommend Freshbooks for their timesheet and report capabilities.

Without a doubt, some clients will need more hand holding than others, some will be super picky, and some will still balk about not knowing your policies even though you have a signed contract. Use those clients to learn important lessons and be more prepared to handle future client projects.

photo credit by shadphotos