Success in Sweatpants

It always seems to be about the time that you’re completely full and wondering how on earth you’re going to get everything done in time that a client gets in touch with a crucial rush project that has to be completed immediately. You’d planned on quitting at 6 p.m., it’s already 10 p.m., tomorrow is crammed and now you’ve got another project that wants to jump the queue. 

Back in your salaried employee days, when your boss popped his head in the door at 6.50 p.m. and “asked” if you could work late, your career success required swallowing hard and agreeing. Now you’re the boss and  when a client asks you to work late, you can decline. Isn’t that great? Well, yes…but saying “No” is not easy to do, especially when it’s your business.  Your schedule may be full today, but you know all too well that in two weeks your schedule could be empty. 

When you’re completely booked – and this will happen – be honest with the client. Tell her that you’d love to take the work but you can’t fit the project in to your schedule for at least two days, or however long it will take to clear your backlog. If the client needs it faster, they’ll  need to go elsewhere, of course. Most clients, though, will find it impressive that you’re so busy and those who value your services will accommodate you.  Often, the project isn’t such a rush job after all, and the client does have some flexibility.

As a longer term solution, one way to deal with overload from client requests is to put your business policies down on paper (or on screen) and make sure clients know what they are. Setting client expectations up front is very helpful, and having “neutral” business policies will minimize your emotional reaction when you are asked to provide services outside your usual routine.

Items to address in your business policies include:

• Office hours: the time window(s) that you are on the job and when the client can reasonably expect to reach you.
• Communication policy: What kind of response time clients can expect from you on email and phone messages, both during and outside office hours. For example, you may respond within two hours during office hours, and the next business day outside them.
• Turnaround time: The standard timeframe for your projects, including how long before start and minimum turnaround time (3 days, a week, etc.). This policy may simply state that you will provide timeline and milestones to the client prior to project start.
• Rush projects: If you elect to accept rush projects, it is a good idea to have a policy that remunerates you for taking the time to accommodate the client. Add a “rush fee” to these project; for example, rush projects incur a minimum 50% fee over and above the project fee.

There are other items to include in your business policies (e.g., payment terms, how you will handle scope changes), but this list is a good start, especially with regard to dealing with your time and service to clients.

Whether you have written business policies or not, you must learn to say “no” and accept the fact that you won’t complete everything that crosses your desk every single day. Otherwise, you will be shackled to your business, in danger of forgetting why you started your own business in the first place!