Comments on:

By: A Wealth of Words

A Wealth of Words — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 17:32:00 +0000

Good job, Lori! I recently did a post on a prospect (and now client) who was driving me nuts. I finally gave him an ultimatum – either select me to work with him or find someone else (better known as the “__ or get off the pot” ultimatum).

I used to have a plaque on my desk at work (ahh, I love saying I “used” to work for someone else) that said “Poor planning your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.” I had to buy it after someone lost the DEED to a property our company owned, failed to check to see if he had the deed before the closing, and then panicked when he went in the file 30 minutes before the closing and found out the deed was missing. He had me hopping that day – fax machines were shooting flames, phones were bleeping…

Then there was the time an entire company file went missing – utility bills, tax forms, deeds, inspection forms all missing. I searched and searched and searched and found out 3 weeks later that it had been in a colleague’s briefcase the entire time – while he was on his honeymoon. I don’t know if I should have been more worried that he took the file home without telling anyone or that he took his briefcase on his honeymoon!

I don’t miss those days at all!

By: Laura

Laura — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 23:45:00 +0000

I'm all in favor of rush fees! Planning is critical to any successful business.

BTW, thanks for linking to me.

By: Irreverent Freelancer

Irreverent Freelancer — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 19:25:00 +0000

I think this sums it all up: “It may lose me this particular gig, but I’d much rather maintain my sanity and my work rhythm.” I don’t mind accommodating a real emergency every now and then, but there’s no way I’d allow it to turn into a frequent thing. Good riddance to this client who cries wolf!

By: Lori

Lori — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 18:36:00 +0000

I love the aggravation fee. :)) No, he set the price because, as he put it, he’s a publication. I’m filling in for a friend until she’s able to take the job back. But I’ve advised her to give him a talking to. ;))

By: Devon Ellington

Devon Ellington — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 18:32:00 +0000

I hope you charged him the appropriate aggravation — I mean rush — fees.