General Consultant Discussion

Don't you just love emails with subject lines like this? HELP AND TIME FOR TALK

Sounds like you received one of Wayne's by mistake. Sounds like a client that you have good relations with.......

It's a new client and one I'm already getting a bad feeling about. May have to pass on to Wayne... ;)

She did have a nice signoff - Please let me know what you think. Thanks!

And she wanted a read receipt. Yeah, I read it...

sometimes those turn out ok - so long as they READILY pay the bill. First sign of fee dispute cut losses.

She said in the email she wanted to buy some of my time (don't tell Shaver).

Dear Customer, We don't have a time and billing system - we offer fixed fees based on your project - a defined need with a fixed price. All of our work is a full money back guarantee. The next step is for us to talk about your issue - then I can provide you with a price. NEW customers are the perfect time to get them trained in your ways... PS - I've said it before but I use price lists for customers who ""don't now what they want - just come see me"". I'll have a half day or full day rate which is always higher than 4 x my hoped for rate.

Write up that KTA and send the invoice..........

For one-off ""this is just a quick phone call"" -- http://www.s-consult.com/request-information/diagnosis/

Nice @WayneSchulz - thanks for sharing!

This works but you must stick to you business practices. I don't think it's bad to charge hourly - I just don't want to do it and my experience is you can often make 2x more with fixed fees and the customer is happier. You want customers buying outcomes - not time. The customer that does not distinguish can (and eventually will) buy time anywhere so might as well cut your losses early.

We've been working on doing more project billing, not hourly. I actually sent this woman a quote for a specific project and she said, ""Can't you just bill me hourly?"" I should note that this is a referral from a CPA firm who ONLY bills hourly so she was surprised to get a fixed bid.

Really nice document @WayneSchulz And as @ThereseLogeais Said thanks for sharing!!!!!