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Taking on last minute work
Hi everyone, this is a very quick question to all you fellow freelancers.
I'm working as a self employed audio transcriptionist and have one particular client who repeatedly sends work to me without warning. I think the client has officially booked a job in with me on 2 occasions but more often than not I receive an email with a load of audio files attached and the question, 'can you do this today?' Obviously I don't want to turn work away and so after reshuffling work around I then feel obliged to say yes to the job in question.
I have explained to her on several occasions now that any work needs to be booked in with me so that I can allocate the time to complete the transcription. There have been a couple of instances where work has been booked in and then failed to materialise. I've also explained to her that I have other clients who book work in with me and any gaps in my work calendar during the week are filled with work I claim from a freelancing site and a couple of transcription companies. She always says she'll try to book things in but more often than not she doesn't. This morning was a prime example, I've just received 8 audio files by email with no warning at all and I already have a busy workload for the next 2 days.
My question is, has anyone else had this problem and if so, how did you deal with it?
I have considered emailing her every Monday morning to let her know my availability for the week, but don't think this would make any real difference as she would still 'just send recordings' and assume I am able to do them.
Any suggestions welcomed!
Thanks in advance 🙂
I'm working as a self employed audio transcriptionist and have one particular client who repeatedly sends work to me without warning. I think the client has officially booked a job in with me on 2 occasions but more often than not I receive an email with a load of audio files attached and the question, 'can you do this today?' Obviously I don't want to turn work away and so after reshuffling work around I then feel obliged to say yes to the job in question.
I have explained to her on several occasions now that any work needs to be booked in with me so that I can allocate the time to complete the transcription. There have been a couple of instances where work has been booked in and then failed to materialise. I've also explained to her that I have other clients who book work in with me and any gaps in my work calendar during the week are filled with work I claim from a freelancing site and a couple of transcription companies. She always says she'll try to book things in but more often than not she doesn't. This morning was a prime example, I've just received 8 audio files by email with no warning at all and I already have a busy workload for the next 2 days.
My question is, has anyone else had this problem and if so, how did you deal with it?
I have considered emailing her every Monday morning to let her know my availability for the week, but don't think this would make any real difference as she would still 'just send recordings' and assume I am able to do them.
Any suggestions welcomed!
Thanks in advance 🙂
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Lupita
Messages count : 207Likes count : 6Registration : 2 November 2006Similar enough to be helpful Claire?
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Alisonp
Messages count : 27Likes count : 0Registration : 17 November 2009Well, I would certainly charge her a "rush" supplement for anything like that: probably at least 50% in the circumstances. Do you think that might make her a little less prone to doing it? Or I'd simply say sorry, but I can't fit that in as I have other booked-in jobs already scheduled, and you'll have to wait your turn (only a little more politely than that!). I guess the question is how much you're prepared to risk losing her, but your other clients shouldn't have to suffer just because she can't get herself organised.Freelance technical translator, French and German into English - Contact in PM
likeshigh
Messages count : 12Likes count : 1Registration : 25 April 2020
Amazing post. I agree with this post. Very informative post. Thanks for sharing.ClaireG, post: 25777, member: 30092 a écrit : Hi everyone, this is a very quick question to all you fellow freelancers.
I'm working as a self employed audio transcriptionist and have one particular client who repeatedly sends work to me without warning. I think the client has officially booked a job in with me on 2 occasions but more often than not I receive an email with a load of audio files attached and the question, 'can you do this today?' Obviously I don't want to turn work away and so after reshuffling work around I then feel obliged to say yes to the job in question.
I have explained to her on several occasions now that any work needs to be booked in with me so that I can allocate the time to complete the transcription. There have been a couple of instances where work has been booked in and then failed to materialise. I've also explained to her that I have other clients who book work in with me and any gaps in my work calendar during the week are filled with work I claim from a freelancing site and a couple of transcription companies. She always says she'll try to book things in but more often than not she doesn't. This morning was a prime example, I've just received 8 audio files by email with no warning at all and I already have a busy workload for the next 2 days.
My question is, has anyone else had this problem and if so, how did you deal with it?
I have considered emailing her every Monday morning to let her know my availability for the week, but don't think this would make any real difference as she would still 'just send recordings' and assume I am able to do them.
Any suggestions welcomed!
Thanks in advance :)