Re: FN-FORUM: Website invoice advice needed please!

date posted 27th January 2005 23:27

On Thursday 27 January 2005 21:04, Luke Perman wrote:
> cool.
>
> thanks for all the advice guys. =A0good to have a support group ;-)

Maybe an idea for the future:
We always include a 3-month service-contract in any proposal over 1k.=20
This is budgetted at between 5 and 15% of the total project cost, is includ=
ed=20
in the total contract price, and is not optional.
In the contract we stipulate what is covered by the service contract, which=
is=20
basically bug-fixes, email+phone support, and small tweaks and changes.

This has three main advantages,=20
=46irstly, the step for the customer to sign-off on the project is less dau=
nting=20
for them, as they know small changes can still be made, and it's easier to=
=20
avoid customers finding little excuses not to sign-off, as we can point-out=
=20
that they are covered by the service contract.
Secondly, It keeps you in contact with the customer... very often new paid=
=20
work comes out of following-up on some bugfixes.
And thirdly it gets customers used to paying for service. At the end of the=
3=20
month period we give them the option to extend the contract. The rate for=20
this is usually between 5 and 15% of the total project cost, anually. On=20
larger projects this can be boosted with a monthly server- maintenance=20
charge.=20
If they decide not to prolong the contract, at least they realise they have=
=20
opted to pay per incident, so there is no confusion there.


Anyone else got any customer-management tips?

Richard