The other day, I was looking at a freelancer’s site. He explained that if a project is a “rush job”, there will be a “rush fee” that will increase the client’s price by 50% to 100%.
Not bad money if you can get it, I suppose. After all, the work involved for the project is the same whether it’s a rush or not. But if it’s categorized as a rush job, you’re just having to do that same work faster.
So assuming that you’re going to do a great job whether it’s a rush or not, the end product will be the same. The difference is in how fast you get it done. (And if you argue that rush jobs generally result in layouts that aren’t as good because they’re rushed, you’d have a hard time justifying an extra fee for inferior work.)
This reminded me of my start in graphic design. I wrestled with this issue of whether or not to charge rush fees. I asked the few design pros I knew what their opinions were, then came up with my own policy, which is…
I don’t charge “rush fees” because I don’t accept “rush jobs.”
This policy requires a little explanation because there is a philosophy behind it as well as, perhaps, some semantics.
First off, I operate under the belief that most clients don’t intentionally set out to create rush jobs. It’s certainly no fun for them. Usually something outside of their control happens. My own personal experience running my business proves to me that “things happen.” So why punish a client for something that he would have preferred to avoid?
Second, if you do run into clients who are just bad planners and turn even the most simple projects into rush jobs, perhaps they’re not worth keeping as clients. Once you’ve trained a client that you’ll take every job as a rush, you’re certainly not helping him break out of a cycle that isn’t doing anyone any good. Plus, it just creates more stress in your life. As a freelancer no longer tied to a 9 to 5 job, I’d think you’d want to avoid stress and enjoy the control that freelancers have over their lives and career.
But I also look at this a little deeper…
As soon as I acknowledge the term “rush job” when a client calls, I’ve allowed their panic to become my panic. Yes, it’s a rush to him, but it’s not a rush to me unless I allow it to be. To him, getting a project complete in two days may be a rush while to me two days is normal.
In other words, I don’t let the client’s vocabulary and terminology affect how I look at and evaluate any project.
I look at this way… if the client calls and claims he has a rush job, either I can do it in the time specified or not. Him throwing more money at me in the form of a “rush fee” doesn’t magically create more minutes in the day if I don’t have time to do the project.
But someone who does require a rush fee is saying that he can make the time to do the work and, in my opinion, takes advantage of the client by doing so. If you can do it in the time specified, why charge an extra fee? Answer: Because you can get away with it… which I don’t think is a good reason to do something.
Sure, by accepting a rush job you might sacrifice your personal time or time with family. Maybe you get less sleep for a while. But that’s the designer’s choice. No one is forcing the designer to do it.
So when I get a call about a rush job, I never think in terms of how much extra I can squeeze out of a client. I only consider whether I have time to get the job done according to his schedule, and what my normal fee is.
Having said all that, I can respect that some freelancers feel a rush fee is their right even when I totally disagree with that stance.
I just don’t think it inspires a lot of loyalty on the part of the client. Personally, my goal is to be a partner with my clients. That doesn’t mean I allow them to walk all over me, but it also means I don’t try to gouge them with extra costs for something outside of their control.
I know my feelings that rush fees take advantage of clients will be a bit controversial. If you’re the “rush fees are OK” type, carry on and don’t mind me.
Just some food for thought if you haven’t made up your mind one way or the other.
