I have one client who sends me work in an easy-to-read email with everything needed, properly indicated with due dates, format, good attachments, etc.

I have another client with whom I have been working with for over a year and a half who sends me tons of email which doesn't pertain to the projects, with attachments I cannot open, no subject titles in the emails, etc. She also 'takes off' early during newsletter weeks, when I need approvals and then doesn't get back to me for a few days. She realizes her woes and vows to correct, but it does not happen. I have politely asked her in the past to organize some of the information before sending it to me but we end up with the same calamity month after month. I suppose I am used to it by now; I am patient with her and she has helped me in getting additional referrals so it is what it is and I bite the bullet. I bill her hourly so the lack of organization comes out of her own pocket. I think she knows that.

Well, I have a new client now who wants only 2 hours a week and some minor conversion changes. I can tell already that the work is coming over in bits and pieces and takes me a while to decipher the instructions.

I want to set up some guidelines as to how I want to receive work. Does anyone have a document like this? Or a template? I was thinking I'd make a template for the most common tasks and then hand that out to future clients in a welcome pack.

Thank you.

Jan

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Jan - I think you arrived at a very fair conclusion. It's difficult indeed to balance the various personalities of multiple clients, and they can be just incredibly disorganized sometimes. So a good response is to make sure your 'questionnaires' or forms or templates cover all the bases. Think I'll work on this, as well.

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Mary H. Ruth/Virtual Writing & Communications
http://www.writingVA.com

I've always taken the 'bits and pieces' clients as par for the course - as a service provider it's my job to make working with me as easy as possible which sometimes means weeding through fifteen emails that all contradict eachother . And, the time it takes to translate their project is as billable as any other hour, so it's not something I begrudge them.

BUT - if a client wants two hours and spends half that time emailing impossible to decpher requests I think it's a great idea to help set up systems to keep her time with you optimized. She'll likely appreciate the help! I think even just telling her straight up front that you want to address this - and frame it from her perspective, in terms of saving money and fully utilizing the time she's buying - she may have some input as to how you can help her get organized (and there's your first billable week with her right there )

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Thank you! I appreciate the information.

I think I'm going to set up simple guidelines as to how I'd like to receive work....a generic form.

Thank you!

Jan

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