How do you get clients to give timely feedback on projects?
I’ve been running into some situations with clients (who are otherwise great) that haven’t been giving timely feedback. How do you deal with this? Do you remind them via email? Phone? Do you have anything in your contract regarding delays?
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nikibrown says:
Liz that's a good idea to let them know when you have blocked out time to work on their project or talk about feedback.
November 23rd, 2009 at 2:10 am
Jason Lerke says:
Always a tricky spot to be in – and I've had my fair share of these situations. One recent advent meant it took a month longer than projected due to these scenarios! I have plenty of avenues that I set in motion that ensures that clients have a way to prompt feedback, but let's face it… you can't rush them in to an answer if they aren't willing to put the effort in to keep the project on a steady pace.
I have a similar contract clause with time trajectories, but I give my clients plenty of options so that they can respond quickly for most scenarios, which results in what I believe to be prompter feedback since I've provided plenty of options for them to use as it suits them. Typically, the feedback responses I receive are in the following receivership (most to least):
Clientell
Email
Phone Call
Skype
Personal Meeting
For those wondering, Clientell is my custom-built client/project management back-end I'm slowly migrating over to Open Atrium. They are automatically emailed when an item in the project requires their feedback, and I receive an email when they place feedback, etc. It helps keep the project consolidated and doesn't require me to sort as many emails in to folders based on the project.
November 23rd, 2009 at 2:30 am
curtismchale says:
I always let them know that the delay will impact the due date of the project. My schedules always include the day a response to design is due and both the schedule and contract state that each day that a response is late is an extra day on the project. I personally have found that a simple reminder that we are now X days behind gets things moving.
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Chad Engle says:
Liz brings up a great idea. If you tell the client I would like feedback by X date they know thats when they should respond. I know we all want to be the nice guys and say "whenever you have time". Well, if you take that attitude they won't "make" time. If you setup a date like Liz said or give them a date you want to talk to them about the revisions they will be more likely to do it in a timely manner. I have also heard of other people sending an email out with the timeline attached at the bottom of it. And whenever feedback is not received on a certain date a new email is sent with a revised timeline (pushing the due date back) so that the client understands that they have affected the end date of the project being completed.
November 23rd, 2009 at 4:04 am
Liz says:
important subject! I have found it effective to tell clients something like "I've blocked out some time to work on your project Tuesday morning, so feel free to email me your revision requests or I can give you a ring on Tuesday and we will go over them together." Once they have in their head a schedule, they tend to view your time in more definite terms, rather than "get back to me when you can" — if they CANT get to you on Tuesday that at least opens the dialog to where you can schedule another date.
November 23rd, 2009 at 1:40 am
Steph A says:
Any tips for getting timely payment? 'Cause i did work for a company i thought was pretty respectable about a month and a half ago and still haven't been paid.
November 23rd, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Nikki Jeske says:
Unfortunately, having a set date isn't always going to help. I have a client who was supposed to have images to me by September 28th. The last time I heard from them was October 1st telling me they'd send everything to me within the week. Still nothing. They've gotten weekly reminders but really, it's their fault that they haven't met their deadline.
I often feel like you do. Like I'm pestering people. But if they'd just send me an email back at the very least telling me they're busy at the moment, that would be something. I hate the silent treatment. >.<
November 23rd, 2009 at 3:00 pm
curtismchale says:
I would send a revised invoice with the interest charges accrued after a month. I have found that sending that email often gets the balance paid. Often not the interest but…
November 23rd, 2009 at 5:52 pm
curtismchale says:
I also have a clause in my contract that says if they don't move a project forward for 1 month then I bill the contract in full and will pick it up again in two months for the original cost. If it's longer than two months I requote as a new project. I've had to remind someone near the 1 month time frame but never had to go any further than that.
November 23rd, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Lindsey says:
Could anyone tell me how many days you typically give a client to respond with feedback (ideally)?
I am a freelancer just starting out and I am trying to iron out a system for working with clients
This post was interesting and the comments really helpful 
December 1st, 2009 at 1:54 am
Joe Malleck says:
I've had a couple of clients fall off the face of the Earth recently. I'm glad I got the initial deposit from both of them. I usually just send them an email every week with a friendly reminder that their project can only be completed once they send the info. Seems to work alright. I think I need something more specific in my contract though. Some good ideas here.
January 9th, 2010 at 7:27 am