Freelancer working for multiple clients

Allfurcoatandnoknickers · 2024-11-07T14:31:53+00:00

Just wonder if anyone has experience of this? I've worked for a number of charities for around 11 years now, all on a part time basis. I took on some work two years ago, and the work for this particular organisation has increased in load (currently manageable) but I've noticed there is an unspoken expectation that their particular work should seem to take priority. I've been quite clear that I only work for them on certain days, and am generally good at setting clear boundaries, but am finding this increasingly challenging. It doesn't help matters that this is a friend's organisation and I'm wondering how other people manage multiple clients and how they ensure they get the message across that they don't just work for them??

Nikitaspearlearring · 07/11/2024 14:38

DS had this problem. He stopped taking work from that company in the end! But you don't need to be that drastic. There are rules about this - if you spend most of your time with one client then they should be employing you and paying your NI, sick pay etc. Have a look at the gov.uk website at the rules about self-employment. Then you can explain to your client that you need to prioritise other work sometimes.

ohnoDS · 07/11/2024 14:46

For clients like this I make sure I am completely unavailable on the days that are not "theirs" - so I don't answer or send emails to them, and let their calls go to voicemail. And I am definitely never available for meetings.

They don't always like it, but they do get used to it...it's the old thing of what started as a privilege becomes a right, and I now make clear to new clients which days in the week are theirs, and train them from the outset!

Original poster

Allfurcoatandnoknickers · 07/11/2024 14:50

Yes I think that is a good idea to try and allocate specific days.
I'm not sure if anyone has found the same thing, but I also have found an increase in the use of WhatsApp groups and being sent work via that - I've put them on mute and answered them the next day, but very often I'm receiving messages in the evening - I do leave them/mute the groups but it can be a bit draining and also very difficult to keep a track of messages.

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Hoppinggreen · 07/11/2024 14:56

I have worked for up to 4 clients in 1 day before but its unusual, especially now I do something slightly different and can diary plan better.
The key is to have very very good boundaries and set expectations from the start and drop anyone who takes the piss frequently

Original poster

Allfurcoatandnoknickers · 07/11/2024 15:04

Yes I'm thinking that I need to do a bit more boundary setting work on one client....

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C152 · 07/11/2024 15:49

I guess it depends on the nature of the work, but I tried to avoid giving specific days to clients (mainly as a step to avoid IR35). I'd agree the specific work to be done and deadlines, but it was up to me to do the work when I saw fit. I always took calls/emails during working hours, if I was available, but also had very clear contract terms about the time frame in which I would get back to people. If I can answer something straight away, I will, but otherwise I'll send an acknowledgement of the query and confirmation of when I will be able to get back to them (e.g. I'll reply within 24 hours, but that reply might be that it will take me a further x days to gather the data required, or whatever the query was about).

When I was a consultant employed by a company, I had a client (much hated household name) call and message me all hours of the day and night and be flabbergasted that when he emailed me at 9pm, whatever outrageous request he wanted wasn't done by 8:30am the following morning - he even made a formal complaint about me for what he saw as this lack of service, depsite our opening hours and terms of service being very clear. When this got him nowhere, he then told me how unreasonable I was not to make my team available to him 24hours a day (yes, he was absolutely serious when he said this) and how much would it cost to pay for this! Some people just have extraordinarily unreasonable expections, which is why it's important to have a tight client agreement signed for all your freelance work. Good luck!

Original poster

Allfurcoatandnoknickers · 07/11/2024 16:01

C152 · 07/11/2024 15:49

I guess it depends on the nature of the work, but I tried to avoid giving specific days to clients (mainly as a step to avoid IR35). I'd agree the specific work to be done and deadlines, but it was up to me to do the work when I saw fit. I always took calls/emails during working hours, if I was available, but also had very clear contract terms about the time frame in which I would get back to people. If I can answer something straight away, I will, but otherwise I'll send an acknowledgement of the query and confirmation of when I will be able to get back to them (e.g. I'll reply within 24 hours, but that reply might be that it will take me a further x days to gather the data required, or whatever the query was about).

When I was a consultant employed by a company, I had a client (much hated household name) call and message me all hours of the day and night and be flabbergasted that when he emailed me at 9pm, whatever outrageous request he wanted wasn't done by 8:30am the following morning - he even made a formal complaint about me for what he saw as this lack of service, depsite our opening hours and terms of service being very clear. When this got him nowhere, he then told me how unreasonable I was not to make my team available to him 24hours a day (yes, he was absolutely serious when he said this) and how much would it cost to pay for this! Some people just have extraordinarily unreasonable expections, which is why it's important to have a tight client agreement signed for all your freelance work. Good luck!

I don't suppose you know of any good sources for this type of contract - I think I might need to update my terms!

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