I would rather have clients purchase retainer hours but I am wondering if the hours don't roll over would that discourage them?

As long as the client knows you do not rollover retainer hours, I think the he/she will be more careful to manage time more wisely.

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VirtuallyDee

I don't roll mine. I have it plainly stated on my invoice that they expire at the end of the month. Keep in mind that if you roll them you are limiting yourself for the next month. For example:

Your client retains you for 10 hours a week but rolls 20 over. Next month they get 60 hours. That's 20 you don't have for a new client.

It may not seem like much now, but if you plan to work 40 hours a week, you would need 4 clients at 10 hours each week. If each client rolls 10 hours one month you've just added an entire week of work.

Anyway -- no, I don't roll mine over.

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Robin A. Holstein
Robin's Desktop Virtual Administrative Services
My Blog

I agree that rolling over retainer hours could cause you to run into scheduling issues in following months.
My clients generally have no problem using up their hours, but I do send them a weekly e-mail letting them know how many hours they have left for the month. This not only helps to encourage them to send projects, but also serves as a reminder that any unused hours will not be rolled over into the following month.

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~Tina Marie Hilton of Clerical Advantage
& founder of VA Survival School

As long as the use them or lose them policy is stated up front, I don't think it would defer anyone. They will still have the option to just pay hourly if they are concerned with losing the hours not used.

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Dawn Riley
A Virtual Assistant in Paradise
Our business is about making yours better

I have the use them or lose them policy and it is stated clearly in my contract. I don't have any clients who have lost any time though.

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Lee Drozak
My Office Assistant

Thanks for the info. It makes sense to tell them up front and then not roll over the time.

Besides stating on my website and in my welcome packet, I explain it to the potential client the hours do not roll over in this way (heard this from a VA and used it ever since!):

The retainer can be likened to a gym membership. The monthly rate reserves the "space and equipment" (in our case hours) and it is up to you (the client) to use up the hours or not. If you don't go to the gym for a week or at all, you don't get refunded or get to roll over the price to the next month. Same with partnering with a VA, it is up to you (client) to use or not use the hours the VA has reserved for you. If you don't, the hours are lost.

Most PC's get it after this explaination and I don't usually have a problem.

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Blessings,
Carol

I am trialling rolling my hours over, but to a 1 month maximum. So the client can roll over the unused hours to the next month but if they don't use them in that month then they lose them.

I am sure it will cause problems if I had a lot of clients on retainer but at the moment I don't have any, so until I can trial it that is my policy.

I will also be sending clients emails or calling to say that they have used a certain amount that month just to keep on top of it.

Cheers
Nicole

Hi

I think one of the reasons that I don't roll over hours too is that client's would get used to that and then I'd really be busy whenever they get motivated. I had this happen before I changed policy (years and years ago). My client kind-of put me on the back burner sending some work but not the major work and then once he got started, he'd send it all and then expect it back ASAP. It was so hard to plan anything because I was always waiting for that email with tons of work. Today I just feel more in control.

Thanks!

Diana Ennen
Virtual Word Publishing
www.virtualwordpublishing.com