Working weekends and unreasonable expectations from clients

[Harold Mansfield]

I have recently run into a couple of clients that I feel have unreasonable expectations.
I am always available Mon-Fri for about 10 hours a day starting at 8:00 a.m.
If I need to be available for someone outside of the U.S. because if time zones, I can do that too.

I don't have a problem working when I need to in order to complete a project. Whenever possible, I try to keep Saturday and Sunday to a minimum. Some weekends that is totally possible because either you are caught up, or there isn't any new work in, but when it's not, at least you know you are making money. And some clients only have weekends to work on thier project. Also no problem because I know that going in.

That being said, I have a problem with clients that expect you to be available on Saturday and Sunday without clearing that I can accommodate or will be available during the same business hours as during the week.

If you know that you want something done by Friday afternoon ( even though you haven't communicated that to me), I have a problem if you don't send me the information until Thursday night, even though I have been waiting on it for 2 weeks, and then call me multiple times on Friday asking what time it will be done.

I've also had clients express their anger at not being able to reach me on Sunday, when I had no reason to expect their call. Others (who've I've made the mistake of calling from my cell) , will call my business line multiple times in a row and then immediately call my cell ( as if it is not possible that I could be away, or speaking with another client), even on Sunday.

With some people I get the feeling that they expect me to be at my desk 24/7 and to respond to them immediately no matter what day or time it is.

Does any sane person have a right to be angry because they can't reach someone on Sunday?
Would you call a service provider at 8 a.m. on Sunday?
Some clients have even gone so far as to question what else I am doing, or why I'm not answering on Friday night or Sunday mornings.

Am I the one that is unrealistic? Why would anyone expect any business that doesn't market itself as 24/7, to answer the phone at all hours?

[Patrysha]

No you aren't out of line...they are.

At the same time, it is important to communicate your availability and unavailability to the clients, and to not apologize for your availability. I only take Sundays off. I very rarely allow that to be encroached on...though I have to acknowledge the reality that I am involved in a 24/7 business because media is like that these days. Like just now talking to a show promoter because I want to get tickets ready to sell by tomorrow morning.

[Spider]

You are having rules confusion. It's quite common, in fact. You have certain rules and the people with whom you are in conflict have different rules. This most often happens when your rules are not fixed and when fixed rules have not been communicated to the other party - and especially when you have broken your own rules for them in the past.

Most people have quite flexible rules and it is always difficult to know another person's rules in advance - obviously so, when they are flexible. Be assured that whenever you are in conflict with another person, it is simply a rules confusion. All it takes is a simple explanation of what the current rules are concerning the situation in conflict.

Sure, the other party may get angry - some people do that for the slightest reason. That is their problem, no need for you to make it your problem.

[huggytree]

Are the owner of your own company or are you their employee?????????????? i think its all your fault

you are the owner....you make the rules.....you set your hours.......

if you dont want to work weekends you have 2 choices
1. dont answer and tell your customers your open 9-5 m-f........maybe they will leave you, maybe not
2. charge these customers extra for your weekend time

i charge $100 extra for a service call on the weekend...$150 for holidays.....and then i only take local calls or existing customers

to work weekends for the same price as week day service is crazy....

i carry a phone in my pocket 16 hours a day 7 days a week.....and i always answer the phone....once in a while a builder/remodeler will call me, but its unusual....more likely is a homeowner trying to find someone in an emergency situation.......i give great service and part of that to me is talking with customers 6am to 10pm 7 days a week..............but guess what.....i charge my customers for it in my every day prices....its part of how my business is setup......i maybe spend 10 min on the weekend on the phone max, but being there for my customers makes them stick with me

i have 1 salesman for supplies that will answer his phone on the weekends and take orders.....his prices are the same as everyone else, but i give him as much business as possible because he works with my office hours (after 5pm and weekends).......

charge for the service or quit doing it....doing it for weekday prices(i assume) is crazy


YOU CREATE YOUR CUSTOMERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! by the rules and price structure of your business

good luck!

[Harold Mansfield]

My hours are pretty simple and everyone knows them. They are on the paperwork, my website, their invoices, and I physically tell them what hours I am available by phone and I stick to them. I don't see where anyone could be confused.

I know what it is. People assume that since you work from a home office that they can call you at all hours and you should answer because they are technically calling your home. Amazingly enough, it's generally a certain type of client that thinks this way, and it's always the discount, favor, friend, or client that has gotten some kind of deal from me in the past. And this is one of the main reasons that I always say that discounted clients don't respect you as much as if they pay full price.

Right now, it's 3 clients that feel as if I should be available on their terms and don't respect my normal hours of business and neither of them are paying full price. Let alone on call rates. Normal clients that pay normal rates, keep normal hours and would never think to call me on a Sunday or on a Friday night. They may send an email, but they don't call off hours ( and expect me to answer) unless we have previously arranged such communication.

The solution is easy. Don't answer. It's when I feel like I have to explain myself for not being available on a whim on a Friday night , that I start getting a real attitude with them.

[huggytree]

sounds like you just needed someone to listen to your complaints....you know the answer and its obvious....you just dont want to lose the $$

raise your price on these customers, dont answer your phone on weekends-period....let them go

spend the free time finding better-new customers

you came to your own answer after 3 responses!


something i discovered.....the cheapest customers expect the most!....focus on the top 50 percent and let someone else bother with the lower 50 percent...its not your problem......................the bottom 50 percent only look at price when making decisions...no matter what you say or try to teach them...they will not change...let them go............ive tried various speeches to teach them to choose quality/service over price....never had 1 success....when i get a 'price' type customer i get them off the phone ASAP.......0 chance they choose me

[greenoak]

ditto with spider....they dont believe your rules...
you better learn to be firm and say no ...in a friendly way.... you dont have to apoligize or explain.... just say no and remind them, till they get used to it...... i would like full service all the time!! who wouldnt...? but wanting and getting are 2 different things..... you havent convinced them that your rules are real.
so in a nutshell...toughen up!!! with a smile...

[Blessed]

I have a client like that too. I simply don't answer when they call. If they text me I'll respond to that with a "busy... will get back to you ASAP - definitely by 10am Monday" and then they usually goes away. We had a painful 6 months or so, but now they figured out that they can't bully me into working when I don't want to be working - and when I know our deadlines are being met. They always wants to know what I'm doing too - but I just respond vaguely and that usually works.

The other thing I started doing last year was not responding to client emails that came in Friday night - Sunday until Monday morning. Of course the exception is the project that I'm working on over the weekend - because sometimes the situation calls for that and you have to just do it. I don't mind in that instance, but otherwise I just act like I'm not at work until Monday morning then start working again. I do read those emails though so if their is a valid emergency I can take care of it.

[Spider]

Remember the quotation: "Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part."

[greenoak]

we are like you jenn...a few exceptions , but its pretty rare...
our money comes in on saturdays and sundays....my weekend is thursday...lol, peretty sad.....we will be swamped on the 4th of july....
the things i say no on are; special orders, lay way, credit, after hours, delivery.... and all those things are offered by lots of places.but its not what we offer....... they just get used to it.......and i dont get ticked when they ask...i dont blame them for asking...but the reply is up to me... .
i love that quote spider....but i would never use it!!! its so true tho....i try not to be like that with my customers.... ha ha...
huggy, im in a small rust belt town and my customers are thinking about price.... i cant really get away from that....if i just wanted a high end clientel i would be out of business...i love my high end customers tho!!!
but im not looking for the unemployed or the really poor who are looking for yardsale prices and cant afford me......and im not looking for the coupon clippers who arent loyal and are only about price, or who might only come when i have a sale......... my theory has to be, ,...bloom where you are planted..i want to be here...