In what way does your client send all your tasks?

[TracyJ]

We use Base Camp too. I love it. But I know what you mean--some clients still insist on sending things through email, and that really complicates things! I just try to respond to them back through Base Camp when possible. It helps to have all files, images, documents, requests and correspondence in one spot!

 

[RosewayRenee]

I work with some very technically challenged clients, and although I know this doesn't apply to many of us, I thought I'd share it anyway: I have one client with whom I do all my work via fax. For example, I fax all her email to her, she hand writes her replies on the sheet and faxes it back to me, and I type them up and email them out. All her documents are written long-hand on legal paper and faxed to me to be typed. (She occasionally asks me to find the "yellow sheet I just faxed.") For most people, it probably sounds like we're working in the nineteenth century, but she has no desire to learn how to use a computer: she owns one, but it is really just a very expensive paper weight. My point is, sometimes we have to be flexible in our solutions for our clients.

 

[virtualgirlfriday]

Hi TracyJ
When you setup a project for a client in Basecamp, there is a personalised email address you can send to the client to use.
(e.g. [email protected])
Just ask them to liaise with you using this email address. If they want to send you different actions such as a task - they quote TO DO: in the subject line and it gets automatically added to the project as a new task. Also, you can loop them in to any discussions and they receive it in email format which they can reply to via email and it gets automatically uploaded to the project in Basecamp. I hope this helps..

 

[JustAThought]

What an informative posting, thank you everyone! I mostly use email and a few clients are learning to use dropbox. I will definitely look into Basecamp.

 

[vrsi-office]

Generally my clients send projects in one of three ways: Project management portal (myIntervals), email, and Dropbox.

My email has rules set-up to filter incoming mail by clients and then put them into separate folders designated for each client. (I have some sub folder under several clients to further sort the mail.)

I then manage my tasks via my Project Management portal.

Julie

 

[wpanddesign]

Generally with one client we meet and he gives me work, sometimes it is done thru email but mostly in person. Other clients, through email.

 

[Evelyn Fuertes]

Very interesting thread, am curious now about Basecamp. I have 2 clients and they each have assigned me a company email account which makes keeping them separate very easy. I also speak with one 2x a week and the other every other week, that helps to clarify and tasks that need to get done.

 

[a-v-a]

I check my emails daily and delete those that are useless first. Then I immediately save the attachments with work assignments in client's file. Once work is completed, I send via email to client with "assignment completed" in the subject line.

 

[jennalopez]

Very interesting thread, am curious now about Basecamp. I have 2 clients and they each have assigned me a company email account which makes keeping them separate very easy. I also speak with one 2x a week and the other every other week, that helps to clarify and tasks that need to get done.

Agree, I am now curious about Basecamp, will definitely check that later. I am an all around VA having 2 clients, either they send me tasks through e-mail or give me a phone call for further instructions. I am from the Philippines and my clients are from the US so I don't actually get to see them.

 

[SGFVA]

Has anyone tried Freecamp yet? I think it is suppose to be similar to basecamp. I also use gmail and dropbox to manage my projects.

www.freecamp.com

 

[kaylagwilliams]

I use Basecamp with some and Asana with others. Both are great project management tools. I like Asana better, but have a one client who prefers Basecamp.

 

[virtualgirlfriday]

I use Basecamp with some and Asana with others. Both are great project management tools. I like Asana better, but have a one client who prefers Basecamp.

Interesting Kayla, that makes me think that you need to have various ways of communication available (instead of just one project management system, email, file sharing) so you have to be open to using various project management systems to make sure the clients are happy with the communication process. I tried Asana and liked it so I'll keep that in mind too.
Does everyone ask client's what communication they prefer or do they advise their clients that this is the project management system they use to communicate?

 

[sarahdavey]

Can I ask what you prefer about Asana over Basecamp?

 

[Marj Weekender]

Thank you so much! I learned a lot from all your inputs. I realized how important to test out other project management tools just to please our clients. I wish you all the best fellas!

 

[KathiWalsheck]

I use "Checklist" system. It is a program that I created that enables me to add, subtract, check off items from each of my clients of things I did or need to do for them.
It is a great old fashioned way to do it. You can create it on Excel.

 

[mzzbrown]

I agree that email can bog down your work flow. When I start out I'm going to set my own process from the strart

 

[Olivia]

I have seperate folders in outlook to organize my email from clients. Then I have gotten them all to use a spreadsheet in google drive to add tasks to. Then we can edit live online and we can both change it.

I like to use dropbox to share files, but not to do my spreadsheet as we both can't be editing the same file at the same time and it has proven to be a problem because of overwriting each others file.

I don't use a project management program as I don't feel the need to spend money on that when Google Drive is working effectively. Although, I do have one client that has purchased a project management system and I use that for her tasks.

 

[vrsi-office]

As I stated earlier I use and LOVE myIntervals for my project and task management in conjunction with my email.

If you can't currently afford a paid Project Management program there are some free Open Source PM programs that you can install on your website. (Your website hosting company may provide "quick" install for these services. I know WebHostingHub has quick install for these programs.) The Community Editions are the ones which are free.

• Tine
• eGroupWare
• Feng Office
• Collabtive
• ProjectPier
• PHProjekt

(Tine and eGroupWare are my favorites of the list.)

If you need a free CRM options, here are a few:

• Sugar Community Edition (installed on your website)
• vTiger (installed on your website) Note: vTiger is more complicated to install if your host does not have quick install of this program.
• FreeCRM (SaaS)

Julie
:sunny:

 

[TracyJ]

Thank you! I need to use this feature with some clients

We use Base Camp too. I love it. But I know what you mean--some clients still insist on sending things through email, and that really complicates things! I just try to respond to them back through Base Camp when possible. It helps to have all files, images, documents, requests and correspondence in one spot!

Hi TracyJ
When you setup a project for a client in Basecamp, there is a personalised email address you can send to the client to use.
(e.g. [email protected])
Just ask them to liaise with you using this email address. If they want to send you different actions such as a task - they quote TO DO: in the subject line and it gets automatically added to the project as a new task. Also, you can loop them in to any discussions and they receive it in email format which they can reply to via email and it gets automatically uploaded to the project in Basecamp. I hope this helps..

 

[Ines12]

These are all great suggestions, thanks ladies!