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Original poster

Charging clients for being 'on standby'

17 replies

DowagersHump · 03/05/2012 10:42

I charge my clients for the hours I actually work if I'm working from home which I do most of the time.

One of my clients has a really annoying habit of arranging calls/work and then deferring for an hour, then half an hour, then another. So I can't do anything else - because it's not enough time to really get anything else done (other than putting on a load of washing or something). Or sometimes they want me at the end of a phone/email in case there's something they need me to do.

Would you charge them for the hanging around time?

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Original poster
DowagersHump · 03/05/2012 10:45

Sorry that first sentence should say 'I normally charge ...'

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MumMktng · 03/05/2012 11:14

No, personally I would not do that, but I would try to manage them a bit better and suggest that when they postpone the meeting, you fix the best time for you to rearrange it. So if they say can we wait half an hour, you say, sorry, but could we rearrange for X o'clock as I have other things to do. They will soon realise that you're not hanging around just for them and maybe stick to the pre-arranged times a bit better.

Original poster
DowagersHump · 03/05/2012 11:19

Thanks MumMktg.

I can't really do that because of the nature of the work - it's massively deadline specific so my flexibility in working round them is critical. I can't dictate meeting/call times.

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CMOTDibbler · 03/05/2012 11:32

I'd work out a fee for this sort of time that you cannot use for other people - maybe half your normal hourly fee, and write some contract clauses to detail 'scheduled calls cancelled postponed within x hours will be charged at y' etc

Nancy66 · 03/05/2012 12:24

To be honest, I think it's the nature of being self-employed/freelance.

If you start charging for being kept in limbo you could lose a (presumably) good client.

Original poster
DowagersHump · 03/05/2012 12:49

Hmm nancy66 ... yes, to a certain extent but I have turned down another client this week because I'm hanging around waiting for this client (we did eventually have the call so I am actually working now).

So I'm losing 2 days work with another (much more lucrative) client to only charge this one for potentially under a day.

I won't lose this client because I'm under contract with them but I want to be fair and not rip them off. Maybe I'll do what CMOT suggests - that seems fair.

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watersign76 · 04/05/2012 18:18

As an outsider, I'd say you need to talk to them about it....as it sounds like their conduct is costing you. It isn't just annoying, it is costing you money...? Clients (esp contract ones) are worth having but maybe not at any price....?

Could you explain the situation, "Dear client, I have recently taken on some new clients. Obviously my loyalty and commitment to you as a long standing client takes precedence, but I need to balance that with my need to make money elsewhere. I am very happy to be flexible and I hope you feel I have been.

However, I have found that when our calls have been rescheduled it has unfortunately resulted in me be having to turn down work from others in order to keep myself available for when the call can be carried out.

Naturally I want to retain the flexibility you need from me, so I was going to suggest that if a call if rescheduled to later that day, I am paid £x per hour as a retainer, for me keeping my time free in order to respond to you once you are ready for the call."

You may well find that this helps them focus and the rescheduling of calls doesn't happen as often...

Just a thought.

Hope you find the solution.

WS

AlpinePony · 04/05/2012 20:10

Tbh I'd talk to this client and say "when you say I'm needed on a call at 2pm I'm ready at 2pm and I will be billing from this time" - but obviously say it in a nicer way! Wink

Whilst flexibility is key when working for yourself, your client has engaged in a "verbal" (?) contract and therefore it is THEM who is breaking it. If you call a taxi to your house for 7 and you sit on your sofa until 7:30 drinking wine... you expect he's going to have the meter running!

Original poster
DowagersHump · 04/05/2012 23:15

Thanks both - good ideas. TBH, it's not entirely their fault - they are absolutely snowed under and juggling 100 different things at a time and I understand deadlines slip (I've just finished work reviewing something I was expecting at midday which didn't arrive until 6pm!). But as AlpinePony says - I commit time in advance and if I'm waiting for them to send me something/call me at an allotted time and they don't, it's really frustrating. I'm not very good at hanging round the house with nothing to do either but that's my issue :o

I have a meeting with the agency who recruited me (my contract is in effect with the agency) next week so I'm going to ask them what I should do. I think normally, they work with contractors who go into the office for a set number of days so if you're sitting around twiddling your thumbs, you still get paid your day rate. But that feels a bit tight when I'm at home and can do other things occasionally.

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AlpinePony · 05/05/2012 07:18

Will you come back and update us please after your meeting? I'd love to know how this pans out because I think the agency should be on your side.

I mean can you just imagine turning up to a temp job 9am monday morning, them not having any work and then saying "well, you didn't do anything until 1pm so your pay packet will reflect this".

Original poster
DowagersHump · 05/05/2012 10:18

Will do. That's a really good point AlpinePony :o

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Morph2 · 06/05/2012 00:00

From the posts above i'm not 100% sure on what you're actually doing but i think your answer really depends on how vital you are to them, ie. if you started charging for the extra would they just say "we're not paying that we'll get someone else who will be glad of the work and we'll pay less" or do they really not have much of a choice as its something only you do. if its the second then i'd be more inclined to charge for the cancelled time.

Also has it actually been said by them that they are not expecting you to charge for this time? Maybe you're just assuming you can't?

Original poster
DowagersHump · 09/05/2012 10:47

Quick update as promised: the people from the agency were surprised I wasn't charging them for the time I spend hanging around and that the client is in effect paying for me to be available to them, whether they send me any work or not.

:)

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AlpinePony · 09/05/2012 11:33

Yessss!

Glad they said that!

I'm still employed by my consultancy and the deal is - they pay me whether I'm at a client or not...

DrinkFeckArseGirls · 09/05/2012 16:34

That's called being on retainer. Nothing wrong with it.

watersign76 · 09/05/2012 21:16

Thanks for updating - it is always great to hear the outcome.

Well done, sounds like a result!

Original poster
DowagersHump · 09/05/2012 21:26

I'm very pleased about it :)

Thanks for all your posts - I don't think I would've mentioned it today without a bit of a kick up the arse!

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