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An old client has an emergency and you save them, what would you charge?

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    An old client has an emergency and you save them, what would you charge?

    I have a high profile company with a serious production problem. They're an old client and asking me if I can look into it and help. It's likely that i can fix the issue, taking up immediate and anti-social hours and saving them an embarrassing and probably costly security flaw in their software.

    We didn't discuss a cost. Considering the impact you have on such a large company in a short space of time - what would you consider fair remuneration? Standard day rate? Or is this a case of The Old Engineer and The Hammer? https://www.buzzmaven.com/2014/01/ol...-hammer-2.html

    Just curious.....

    regards,
    Nick

    #2
    Anti social?

    Evenings time and a half, weekend double time

    Simple.
    The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world that he didn't exist

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by LondonManc View Post
      Anti social?

      Evenings time and a half, weekend double time

      Simple.
      This but I personally don't like those terms. Have a rate card with different rates for different times. Make Sundays more than Saturdays if you really hate working Sundays etc.
      Using time and a half etc reminds me too much of my permie days (shudder)
      'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

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        #4
        Cheers Guys - just the sensible option then


        N

        Comment


          #5
          I had something similar. Took me a couple of hours to fix - we'd agreed I could charge day rate for the work.
          Down with racism. Long live miscegenation!

          Comment


            #6
            We're supposed to be businessmen.

            For quite a while I contracted for a software/recruitment company. It was owned by a bloke who was a multi-millionaire.

            He started out by doing some work for one part of somebody like British Leyland. Another part wanted the same thing and it involved next to no changes to the original solution. However he didn't charge time-and-a-half for the minor changes.

            He charged the whole cost over again.

            You need to know how badly they need this work done and then come up with an appropriate figure.

            Then double it
            "Don't part with your illusions; when they are gone you may still exist, but you have ceased to live" Mark Twain

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              #7
              What could you get away with charging?

              "Ah yes I can resolve their problem. However I'm incredibly busy at the moment with other commitments. I'd need to reschedule other business. I'd be happy to do it for ..."

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                #8
                You are worth whatever it would cost them to get someone to fix it in an acceptable timeframe and still be worthwhile to their business. Most businesses wouldn't hesitate to undercut you, bear in mind repeat business etc. but always charge what the market will bear. Apple get away with it, you can too.

                I hate employee suggestion schemes were the company give you a £50 gift voucher for saving them £1M over a year. It's treating staff as idiots.
                Last edited by BigRed; 11 April 2017, 23:46.

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                  #9
                  A little bit one-sided in the answers here.

                  Very simply, it depends on what the relationship is worth to you.

                  I have a client for whom I would put in 70 hour weeks for a month and simply charge my usual hourly rate, if they were in a desperate bind. Mind you, I'd be very clear with them that I was doing that for them.

                  I have other clients I'd charge at double rate for evenings and weekend work.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by WordIsBond View Post
                    A little bit one-sided in the answers here.

                    Very simply, it depends on what the relationship is worth to you.

                    I have a client for whom I would put in 70 hour weeks for a month and simply charge my usual hourly rate, if they were in a desperate bind. Mind you, I'd be very clear with them that I was doing that for them.

                    I have other clients I'd charge at double rate for evenings and weekend work.
                    For zero back. Bugger that.....TOIL in at least.

                    New client has asked me to work a few hours on bank hol monday. I said yeh no problem thinking I'd charge half day rate - they offered a "few days pay".
                    Rhyddid i lofnod psychocandy!!!!

                    Comment

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