Working for free...

[premiere]

Providing 'free support services' after you have left a contract.....depends on how often the ex-client calls and the work involved.

Years ago I worked for an IT Solutions co (as a contractor), but left after 6 months. Then went to HP working in Liverpool on a contract basis for 2 months (fixed term project).

Whilst ex-client had severe probs and didn't have in-house skills, they caled upon my services by e-mail and phone 3 times in 2 weeks. I didn't charge them as they were easy things to fix (by advice over the phone), but they were eternally grateful.

They rewarded me with an offer of new 6 month rolling deal, which I happily accepted (as I hated Liverpool...being away from home and all that)

The 6 month rolling deal then lasted 4 years and took me through the severe downturn that the industry experienced.

[DS23]

Never, ever, do freebies.

Disagree. Sometimes it is beneficial to do freebies. I gave away a day's consultancy last March and was offered a 3 month contract at my asking rate the following day. Agree that after-contract freebies should be controlled though and the kind of control depends on the kind of client.

[Denny]

Erm, at the risk of sounding like a management consultant ('cos that's what I am), have you thought of offering support contracts at the end of your time there? Something along the lines of
"I know that you don't need a full time body any more, but you may need some ad-hoc support to answer any questions or queries that come up when my replacement is getting up to speed. I can't guarantee my availability (because I may be fully committed on another assignment). But I can offer phone and email support for a period of [3] months after the end of the contract, for a fixed fee of [whatever 3 days fees would have been."

I have done v. similar things with change management/coaching projects and found that the client was really grateful to have guaranteed support (even though he didn't actually use it)

Not sure I agree with your terms. If I was billing for after support I would certainly expect them to be available no matter how little I intended to use them. To say to your client that you will offer after-support for a billed service and then say you may not be available doesn't seem to be like a very business like attitude.

Either do it free of charge on a may or may not be available basis, or bill on a definitely available basis, even it's only a few minutes at a time.

You can't have it both ways and remain credible. I'm not surprised they haven't taken you up on it.

[DodgyAgent]

I've just finished my contract which earned me far more than I originally thought it would. He was a good client and I liked and respected him. For that reason I said to my client that he could call if he'd forgotten to ask me anything following our close out meeting on Friday. We had a long discussion about what forward planning he needed to think about next year regarding my field. You could argue that this is stupid. I am giving them direction they could pass onto the permie to benefit from without me biling there to carry out the work myself.

However, I feel this is a short-term and unproductive attitude. My client told me there was definitely a possibility of me coming back to the programme if I was needed and I know for a fact that he hasnt' replaced me with someone else on daily fees. The work is now being picked up internally. Fair enough. That's business. I may not come back, but I have much better chance if I leave the client with good memories of my attitude.

However, if I had told my client to shove any further enquiries or hadn't cooperated with any forward planning advice, then my chances of coming back would be much reduced.

You'll find that all businesses have to give some freebie advice. Solicitors, plumbers etc. It's called oiling the wheels for future business. These are certainly the ones I would call again for further work or at least refer to others if I didn't need them myself, not the ones who refused to give an inch without billing first.

You are not such a kno* after all

[PerlOfWisdom]

I'd work for free

free quid a minute

[Denny]

You are not such a kno* after all

I would normally have said 'it takes one to know one.'

[DodgyAgent]

I would normally have said 'it takes one to know one.'

now you are being a smart arse