The biggest advantage of running your own business is that you make your own schedule. Unfortunately, this can also be the biggest disadvantage, as many small business owners find themselves working around the clock in order to satisfy their clients. If you let them, clients will make demands on your time and energy that are beyond what you consider reasonable.
The easy way out is to stop working with these clients and focus on the ones that you have a smoother working relationship with, but before you do that, try training your current clients to work within your parameters instead of the other way around. Here are some tips on how to do that.
Send a detailed proposal
Before beginning work, send a detailed proposal which outlines the scope of your work and not just the amount you will be paid. If you’re only available to speak at specific times, will work up to a certain amount of hours, will allow up to X amount of revisions etc., all those details should be mentioned up front. Once you start working, if the client doesn’t respect the boundaries delineated in the proposal, remind them that they agreed to these conditions.
Stick to your boundaries
If you’ve decided that you only answer work messages during work hours, you need to stick with this, even if your client sends you DMs, WhatsApp messages and multiple emails after you close down for the day. Israelis tend to use social media, especially WhatsApp, for work communication, and they may message you when you’re not working. Feel free to leave these messages unread or to write back a simple, “Saw this, will reply in the morning,” and pin the chat so you don’t forget about it when you get back to your office.
A WhatsApp business account will help separate your work and personal messages. Your business account can be set with an automatic response that states your work hours and what to do in an emergency. Don’t look at or answer that phone number during your non-working hours and clients will get used to your availability.
This rule holds for any boundary you have set. If you declare it but don’t stick to it, don’t be surprised when your client runs roughshod over it too.
Be transparent
Sometimes clients get demanding when they’re not confident that they’re getting what they need. If you update them regularly and let them know exactly what’s going on, they will send you fewer emails and WhatsApps. If they know that a project will be ready by a certain day and see progress, they are less likely to suddenly move up the deadline or ask a million questions about where the project stands. Consider using a task management system where your client can see exactly what you’re doing or sending a quick message every few days to update on your progress.
Be willing to walk away
If boundaries are constantly being crossed and reiterating them is not helpful, it may be time to walk away from this client. One of the biggest advantages of freelancing is that you don’t have to work for anyone you don’t want to work for. At some point, it’s better to let go of the fear of losing a customer and end the working relationship. When you rid yourself of a bad customer, you open yourself up to the possibility of gaining a better one.
Ongoing clients should be informed in advance and given some time to make other arrangements. When you’re working on a project like a website design or a translation document, finish the current project and don’t take on any new work. Be mindful of your reputation in the industry and leave clients politely and responsibly.
Clients without boundaries aren’t that different from micromanaging bosses, so we recommend you also read our article on Strategies for Dealing with Micromanaging Bosses.
