Short Term extension / cover

[psychocandy]

Surely there must be some NLUK comment generator material here?

Timeless classics all of them.... :-)

[TheFaQQer]

I don't completely agree. Maybe on the outset but I do believe it is open for discussion. This has happened on at least one of my last clients. If the client want him and it is under circumstances that don't suit him they should know they may have to negotiate.

I agree that you can try it, but bear in mind how unlikely it is.

The best I've managed in the past was:
- client let me go at the end of the contract, so I let the rent run out on my flat
- client realised they needed me back for a month
- I said I could do it, but would want the difference paying between being in a hotel and what I paid in rent, to cover their management mistake
- four weeks later, they came crawling back and agreed but hated the "extortion" of having to pay for their mistake.

I wasn't after the whole hotel bill being paid, just the difference, and they still resented the arrangement, and made me feel as welcome as a fart in a spacesuit.

I was so annoyed with their attitude that I ended up billing them for the whole hotel bill and room service instead.

[northernladuk]

Not wanting to get into a willy waving contest but remind me how long you've been contracting and how many contracts you've had?

I see others agree with me too. I wasnt being specific about my current client but most won't be keen to pay extra in 99% of cases I reckon. Sometimes even if the local manager wanted to they'd never get a perceived increase in budget past all the necessary red tape.

And BTW I don't hate my client at all - that comment was a bit harsh. They do business as they want, I do business as I want. Just because they annoy me sometimes doesnt mean I hate them. Tescos run out of cornflakes sometimes and even though it might be annoying I dont hate them!

The people I work with locally are great, the PM is a decent bloke, just some of the admin stuff gets tied up in large company red tape which is a bit annoying.

But has anyone got a client who they think is brilliant all the time after all? This is site for contractors not one for people to sing praises about their clients. You've got to expect some honest opinions and moaning.

It's not about how many contracts you had. You can sound just as unprofessional in your first as you can in your last contract and all of them inbetween. You do have to expect it but it's always you and the same client. You might not hate them but you certainly don't respect them. You might think you cover it well on site but I will bet they have noticed.

[northernladuk]

I agree that you can try it, but bear in mind how unlikely it is.

The best I've managed in the past was:
- client let me go at the end of the contract, so I let the rent run out on my flat
- client realised they needed me back for a month
- I said I could do it, but would want the difference paying between being in a hotel and what I paid in rent, to cover their management mistake
- four weeks later, they came crawling back and agreed but hated the "extortion" of having to pay for their mistake.

I wasn't after the whole hotel bill being paid, just the difference, and they still resented the arrangement, and made me feel as welcome as a fart in a spacesuit.

I was so annoyed with their attitude that I ended up billing them for the whole hotel bill and room service instead.

Can't argue with that. It might be unlikely but no reason not to give it a go if they really need you and you are adamant. To disregard it and just think the client is out to screw you is not the right approach.... even if they are.

[psychocandy]

It's not about how many contracts you had. You can sound just as unprofessional in your first as you can in your last contract and all of them inbetween. You do have to expect it but it's always you and the same client. You might not hate them but you certainly don't respect them. You might think you cover it well on site but I will bet they have noticed.

But NLUK - how I deal with my work and professional life is nothing to do with what I might comment on a forum. Obviously, if I kicked off to them all the time, I wouldn't be still here....

For instance, you might moan about your Mrs to your mates in the pub. Doesn't mean you're going the say the same thing to her face and doesn't mean you hate her!

And also, and I'm sure others would agree, if you treated your client the way to treat people on this forum, you wouldn't last 5 minutes. I'm sure you don't though, and , like I've always said, in real life, I'm sure you're a nice guy really...

[psychocandy]

It's not about how many contracts you had. You can sound just as unprofessional in your first as you can in your last contract and all of them inbetween. You do have to expect it but it's always you and the same client. You might not hate them but you certainly don't respect them. You might think you cover it well on site but I will bet they have noticed.

Merely pointing out that you assume everyone else is a newbie who has no experience...