It is pretty easy to let things slide when you get a new client, you are excited that the project has finally hit and are afraid to scare off the client before anything every materializes. However it is always important to be firm and clear on every detail of what you will and won’t due and under what guidelines. What you will find pretty quickly is that the scope of work starts to creep, and every inch you give the client takes three more. However it really is not their fault, it’s yours. You brush it off like it is nothing, how are they to know?

You might be bending over backward doing favor after favor and the client may think you are doing nothing more difficult than getting another cup of coffee.

The two most common instances of this problem are in time lines and work to be done. That meaning a client wants something done by a specific date, and it doesn’t really matter how long they take to get back with to you on what ever is holding the project up. Be very clear about how long it takes to get items rolling from the time you get all deliverables, and how the situation will be handled if they want to speed that process up (ie: Rush fee’s).

Also be very clear about what you are/are not going to do and the process for issuing a change order if they want additional work. The more detailed you are, the less likely the client is going to push you for free work in zero time. If you handle it in a friendly and professional manor no one will second guess, after all would you complain to a restaurant that says “If you want priority seating it is an extra $50″ nope - you would either get their early or pay the fee.

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