Comments on: Keeping Clients Happy When You’re (Officially) Not Around

By: Lori

Lori — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:13:00 +0000

I hear that, Devon! I usually need that first day to recover, regroup, and recommit to the job. ;)

Lillie, those are the clients who need our communication. I'm glad you're back "in commission" again. :)

Eileen, the away message makes sense. I'll have to start putting that on as you do. Much better to give them fair warning than to surprise them with absence!

Kirk, that's very true. If you're busy, it helps to alert them. However, I use it also as a method of reminding clients I'm around and maybe getting them thinking about working on those projects again.

By: Devon ellington

Devon ellington — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:18:00 +0000

All deadlines are cleared off at least a week before I leave -- even if it means working extra hours.

New deadlines are not scheduled for the first days I'm back, but for about a week out.

Regular clients are told ahead of time, so that they can plan (much as you did).

I also build in an extra couple of days in the "away" message. It goes up the day before I leave until the day after I return, to give me some breathing room.

By: Lillie Ammann

Lillie Ammann — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 04:25:00 +0000

I have a small group of clients that I work for all the time. Often I get small e-mail projects daily. So whenever I expect to be gone, I send them an announcement a week or so ahead of time. Last week, I fell and was out of commission for several days. As soon as I could, I sent a message to my regular clients to let them know I wasn't available.

It would probably be less important if I did discrete projects for a wide range of clients. However, I do lots and lots of small projects for a few clients, and several just want me to handle anything that comes with their Web sites or promotional opportunities. So it's important they know when they can't depend on me.

By: Eileen Coale

Eileen Coale — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:33:00 +0000

I put a “Vacation Alert” in my signature line for two weeks ahead of time. If I’m going somewhere without internet access and/or cell phone reception, I note that in the alert as well. Before I leave, I check in with all active clients to see if there’s anything they need before I head out of town. If technology permits, I’ll check email and phone messages once a day while I’m gone.

By: Kirk Petersen

Kirk Petersen — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 20:20:00 +0000

It depends on how slow business has been. Last time I went on vacation I said nothing in advance, if someone was offering billable work I wanted to find out about and decide whether to do it while on vacation. I did a couple of small things and begged off something that would have interfered.

Your way makes perfect sense if you're busy.