Timeline for Can I charge for email support as a freelancer?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
8 events
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| Apr 27, 2012 at 15:32 | vote | accept | TheTechGuy | ||
| Apr 24, 2012 at 16:58 | comment | added | Mark Booth | +1 for defining response time. I used to have a "at most 1 hour may be called off per day without prior arrangement" term in my contract, but it would be easy to add terms for high priority/immediate response or group together/best effort response. | |
| Apr 24, 2012 at 16:37 | comment | added | maple_shaft | @Thecrocodilehunter How about the same rate that you charge for development? Why make it more complicated than it needs to be? Your time is valuable and you should be charging what you feel is a fair price for your time as a contractor specializing in software development. If they want you to mop the floors then you should charge no less. If this is a big concern for them then consider possibly breaking your chargeable increments of time into 1/4th of an hour (15 minute increments). Most email support shouldn't take longer than 15 minutes anyway. | |
| Apr 24, 2012 at 13:54 | comment | added | TheTechGuy | @maple_shaft, I agree. However this is my first contract of this nature. My question here basically will help me in my future contracts. Now that I am clear about this, this time is chargeable, Is there a reasonable charge for such technical support which is basically blocking issues for the client and you help them over email. | |
| Apr 24, 2012 at 12:37 | comment | added | maple_shaft |
@Thecrocodilehunter Support on immediate basis without any delay. Why wouldn't you charge for that? If you didn't have a contractor agreement with them would you do this? Why shouldn't you get paid for this? If you get in the habit of giving them these freebies then they come to expect it and come at you with meaningless mind dumps, they won't organize their thoughts and problems before coming to you. This is because that because it is free they are undervaluing your time. If you charge for their time they will suddenly perceive it as being much more valuable.
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| Apr 24, 2012 at 1:53 | comment | added | TheTechGuy | let me add, I provide support on immediate basis without any delay. All support is by email. yes I am very generous in invoice. Most of the time I mention free email support. What is reasonable charge for such email support which were not part of contract. I know lawyers will charge you for greeting card they send to you. | |
| Apr 24, 2012 at 1:51 | comment | added | TheTechGuy | This is my first ever contract of this sort. Let me say I am not annoyed with anything, I just want to know the rules. My initial impression was, I will be given task and I will complete it. Of course reading emails will be part of billable hours. However these are emails not related to tasks that I was hired to for initially. This is like My other website is down, I am getting this error, what did you fix this problem? etc. They were not part of contract and I did not expect it. I do not know how to charge. | |
| Apr 24, 2012 at 0:13 | history | answered | mhoran_psprep | CC BY-SA 3.0 |