Self Employed-how to set limits on your time

WHA

cannyscot wrote: »

I am out and about most of the time and hate the idea of sitting in a small rented unit-but do you just use it for seeing people and storing files etc or do you actually sit in it?

No, I'm only in the office by prior appointment. That's another bug-bear in that once clients know where you are, they just call in at their convenience rather than making an appointment, especially if they can see you through the window!!! I don't think they do it deliberately, but it is VERY disrupting to be half way through a task and have to leave it for half an hour whilst talking to a different client, clearing the desk, getting other files out, etc. My first office was a "shop window" type on the High Street. I've since moved to a more "invisible" office where client won't know I'm in until I answer the door to them. Once they've come once or twice and wasted their time at the door, they quickly learn to ring beforehand, even if it is just a few minutes when they are about to leave. With telephone re-direction and being able to pick up emails at any internet connection, I can just as easily work at home or at clients' premises and still "be there" for clients during business hours.

I hope this doesn't come across as not caring for the clients and not being contactable. Quite the reverse actually. If something really needs doing urgently, then it gets done, even if I work through the night (as I have often done). If I promise to do something for a client, I stick to it and do the job on time, every time. I make sure I don't make any promises, as to timing, quality of work, etc that can't easily be achieved. The difference is that I'm in control which is absolutely essential. I have fixed working hours which are well publicised to clients and I make sure that I am contactable at the times I say I will be. You won't lose your quality clients by taking this stance - my firm has grown at 10% per year steady for six years now, I don't advertise - new clients come via referrals from current clients, and I havn't lost a client to a competitor for a good two years, so clients must be happy even though I'm not contactable and at their beck and call 24/7.

When you are offering a "service", it is quality that counts. Pricing and availability are just mere gimmicks and you don't want the clients that want gimmicks - you want the quality clients who appreciate and respect you - there are loads out there.

fabianne

I work from home again now and have found this a problem when doing so over the years.
I let calls run to answerphone when I am busy.
If mates or family need me they can phone my mobile number.
I have actually dropped clients who have shown no regard for my family life....like the client who phoned at 8.50AM to book an appointment....on BOXING DAY morning.
Not on that..

Raksha

I flick my phone to silent when I dont' want to be disturbed - that way I get a missed call number 90% of the time and I return the call when it's convenient to me regardless of wether the client has left a message.

WHA

fabianne wrote: »

like the client who phoned at 8.50AM to book an appointment....on BOXING DAY morning.

I can beat that - how about lunchtime on Christmas Day - call from an "ethnic minority" client who didn't celebrate christmas, so was working and clearly thought everyone else should be too!!

Astaroth

At the end of the day it depends what service you have offered to your clients... if it is a 24/7 service you have no one to blame but yourself... if you havent specified your hours of opening then it comes down to the nature of your work, if you deal with exec members or some form of fire fighting etc you are going to get out of office hours calls as it is a nature of the beast and you can either accept it, do as others have suggested and risk loosing clients or ask yourself if this is the right job for you.

fabianne

Yep WHA-that sure beats mine!!!
:-)

....only just though