Freelancer note: the rules of working with customers
The great freelancer was asked: how to control the performer? He replied that this is a question of trust: they trust one performers, they do not work with others.
This is freelancing, Karl! Nothing personal!
Make a portfolio. Yes, with most customers you have NDA, but take the time to invest in yourself. Do your job for yourself so that is something to be proud of. You can hide a pair of Easter eggs, if the customer has any doubts about the authorship - you can demonstrate them.
Before you get involved in a relationship with a customer, get to know him. Trite meet, arrange a video conference, talk on the phone. You interact with him. This, fortunately, is not for life, but I hope you will be able to appreciate whether you understand him, whether you are ready to take his job. It will be possible to talk to the previous contractor, but it is possible to trust him, for obvious reasons, by no more than 50%.
Ask the customer for documentation of the work already done. According to it, you will understand how much the customer’s wishes correspond to the work submitted and whether it is possible to hand them in formally according to the TK.
Imagine that you are subcontracting your work. How will you deal with the subcontractor? What are the risks? How will you control the process? Perhaps the customer is concerned about the same questions. Perhaps you will help him to answer them.
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There is a certain sort of customers who like to bargain. This is their professional. Respect yourself. Stand your ground. For this, they will respect you too.
You can send a report to customers every day, but what a torment to put these notes into a beautiful monthly report, and even with labor costs and costs. You can significantly save your strength by giving the customer access to this system. I like the free teamwork.
Let the customer get used to receiving reports from you (daily, weekly ...). Unfortunately, customers are different: one needs to report by phone without fail, the other will independently climb the project site, he will find overdue tasks, call himself, and tell himself what he will do to eliminate the backlog. Lead the customer, tame him to the idea that you are there in a convenient way. He, for the most part, is unprofitable to spend his resources on control. Build long-term relationships.
Yes, it is difficult (and not always possible) to drag your body to devils where and spend your time moving in space. But if you are preparing to speak at a profile conference, invite a customer there. For you, this is an extra reason to remind you about yourself, to scratch the CHSD, and if suddenly the customer arrives - to remind him that you are a person, and not a line in the expenditure statement. Perhaps this is the beginning of a great friendship.
If you have had a force majeure: you were flooded, a child was born, your favorite laptop crunched - honestly inform the customer about the problem and the timing when the problem will be fixed. You may need to revise priorities for tasks. Perhaps, some tasks can be shifted, from some refuse. But the customer will understand what is happening and he will have the illusion of control. It happens the other way around: the family leaves for the dacha - time is released for work. Tell the customer that productivity will increase next week; more tasks can be done, with the proviso that this is temporary.
Check with the customer which tasks have fixed deadlines (other works depend on their execution) and which not. It sounds pathetic: promise little, do a lot. But it works.
One likes when a sword of Damocles hangs above them, others like the illusion of freedom. However, after another victory over thecustomer project, arrange a small holiday for yourself. Allocate time to your beloved favorite. Secure success with positive reinforcement. Life consists of baaalshih griefs and little joys
Works handed over, money received. The time has passed. Call the customer, congratulate him, for example, on Independence Day, find out whether he is pleased with your work (well, at the same time and if he has no more orders for him)!
PS Here I was reproached for perfectionism. Therefore, below the survey.
This is freelancing, Karl! Nothing personal!
Meet on clothes
Make a portfolio. Yes, with most customers you have NDA, but take the time to invest in yourself. Do your job for yourself so that is something to be proud of. You can hide a pair of Easter eggs, if the customer has any doubts about the authorship - you can demonstrate them.
Look around
Before you get involved in a relationship with a customer, get to know him. Trite meet, arrange a video conference, talk on the phone. You interact with him. This, fortunately, is not for life, but I hope you will be able to appreciate whether you understand him, whether you are ready to take his job. It will be possible to talk to the previous contractor, but it is possible to trust him, for obvious reasons, by no more than 50%.
Bike
There was once a case. The unknown calls. So and so, I want to hire you. In the phone noise, I say, let's talk on Skype. Turn on Skype. We speak. But I do not understand him. Each word separately is understandable, but the meaning eludes. I say: let's meet. We meet. Audibility is excellent. Articulation companion is excellent. The words are correct. But the meaning eludes me. I refused, citing the high load. That's how we parted.
Feel free to say: No
Ask the customer for documentation of the work already done. According to it, you will understand how much the customer’s wishes correspond to the work submitted and whether it is possible to hand them in formally according to the TK.
Bike
I read the technical specifications for the database: The field “Age of the 1st child” is digital (and so on up to 4 children). I ask what to do if there are more children? - answer, well, then add more fields. - Will you recalculate the base every year, adjusting the age? - a brilliant answer: Why?
Look in the mirror
Imagine that you are subcontracting your work. How will you deal with the subcontractor? What are the risks? How will you control the process? Perhaps the customer is concerned about the same questions. Perhaps you will help him to answer them.
')
Do not dump
There is a certain sort of customers who like to bargain. This is their professional. Respect yourself. Stand your ground. For this, they will respect you too.
Bike
One great freelancer, native school ordered the site. He said it would cost so much. But the school did not find the money. There was a long trade. During this time, he made the site. And when the school was ready to pay for the site (at a price significantly lower than the market price), he said - let it be a gift. This is how the resourceful freelancer did not create a precedent for discounts on his services and saved his face.
Use project management system
You can send a report to customers every day, but what a torment to put these notes into a beautiful monthly report, and even with labor costs and costs. You can significantly save your strength by giving the customer access to this system. I like the free teamwork.
Do not disappear
Let the customer get used to receiving reports from you (daily, weekly ...). Unfortunately, customers are different: one needs to report by phone without fail, the other will independently climb the project site, he will find overdue tasks, call himself, and tell himself what he will do to eliminate the backlog. Lead the customer, tame him to the idea that you are there in a convenient way. He, for the most part, is unprofitable to spend his resources on control. Build long-term relationships.
Meet with the customer
Yes, it is difficult (and not always possible) to drag your body to devils where and spend your time moving in space. But if you are preparing to speak at a profile conference, invite a customer there. For you, this is an extra reason to remind you about yourself, to scratch the CHSD, and if suddenly the customer arrives - to remind him that you are a person, and not a line in the expenditure statement. Perhaps this is the beginning of a great friendship.
Plan
If you have had a force majeure: you were flooded, a child was born, your favorite laptop crunched - honestly inform the customer about the problem and the timing when the problem will be fixed. You may need to revise priorities for tasks. Perhaps, some tasks can be shifted, from some refuse. But the customer will understand what is happening and he will have the illusion of control. It happens the other way around: the family leaves for the dacha - time is released for work. Tell the customer that productivity will increase next week; more tasks can be done, with the proviso that this is temporary.
Keep deadlines
Check with the customer which tasks have fixed deadlines (other works depend on their execution) and which not. It sounds pathetic: promise little, do a lot. But it works.
Motivation
One likes when a sword of Damocles hangs above them, others like the illusion of freedom. However, after another victory over the
Works handed over, money received. The time has passed. Call the customer, congratulate him, for example, on Independence Day, find out whether he is pleased with your work (well, at the same time and if he has no more orders for him)!
PS Here I was reproached for perfectionism. Therefore, below the survey.
My reasons
With such detailing of phone types, Iridium was forgotten, the phone at the dacha (where a particular operator does not catch) ... They forgot that a home phone could be preferred. From my point of view, TK is raw. Therefore, a process of continuous rework is expected. As a result, or the deadlines will be violated, or the budget, or the relationship ... The customer will not be satisfied. Do you need it?
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/291408/
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