Business
This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from Detective Casey Gunn aka Anonymous. They say:“What advice do you have when your clients habitually deliver things late which then completely messes up your planning and diary?For context, I’m a social media manager. I have three big clients — all contracted for minimum three month periods — and two of my three clients do this! Usually, these clients are good — we have a good relationship, they pay on time (ish), pay a rate I’m happy with... BUT the constant lateness is making things really tricky for me.My diary gets booked up well in advance (especially at the moment with no childcare!) and their lateness means I have to cram work into already scarce time. I can’t just move the work until when my diary clears, because then the campaigns I’m working on for them become irrelevant as often they are attached to a particular calendar event.I build in ‘wiggle room’, send reminders and prompts but.... NOPE, still late. I don’t know what to do!!!Do I charge more if work has to be completed post-deadline? Like, the equivalent of ‘overtime’? How do I protect myself from this situation in my contract?It means that next week, for example, I have to build three advertising campaigns (when my planning says I was supposed to only be working on one) and write two campaign analysis reports, alongside my day to day duties with another client... oh and homeschooling my two kids aged 6 and 8 because — PANDEMIC.Basically, I’M FUCKED AND I WANT TO CRY. End.”What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.•••This episode is supported by Penfold.The flexible pension for freelance parents. Penfold provides freelancers with an online pension that’s simple to use and completely flexible.Sign up with the code DIFTK and get a £25 bonus into your pension pot. Penfold are also offering up to a £1,000 top up on pension transfers until the 31st of March 2021, so you can earn more from your old pension pots!Penfold is regulated by the FCA. When you put money in a pension, it’s an investment, and like all investments, your capital is at risk. Check for benefits before transferring.Go to www.getpenfold.com/diftk•••Frankie Tortora's websiteSteve Folland's websiteSteve's podcast - Being FreelanceDoing It For The Kids websiteDIFTK Facebook CommunityDIFTK InstagramDIFTK TwitterSupport DIFTK on Ko-Fi