Re: Billing Your Client for Adobe Bugs

["Rick Quatro" <frameexpert@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

For me, the most difficult task I have as a business owner is giving people
job estimates. If you quote a job based on how long it SHOULD take, there is
no margin for unforeseen problems (Stephen's dilemma). If you quote it a
little higher, your client might get "sticker shock" and go elsewhere. The
safest way is to give the client an hourly rate, shifting the gamble to him
instead of you.

That is the silver lining of clients now trying to do their own work (as
opposed to years ago when they had to use typesetters). They develop an
appreciation for what it takes to get a job done. When they hire you and you
run into a few problems, they tend to be more understanding because they
know things aren't as simple as they appear.

Rick Quatro
Carmen Publishing
716 659-8267
frameexpert@mindspring.com
FrameScript Information at http://www.mindspring.com/~frameexpert

> Stephen,
>
> If you were a plumber and you ordered a new kind of tap fitting after
quoting the customer for the
> tap and your installation fee (based on a reasonable assumption, for the
period it would take to
> have the tap installed, from your previous experience). But when the tap
arrives you find that there
> is a washer missing -- and this discovery coming after four hours of
trying to stop the new tap
> leaking -- you are faced with the same dilemma.
>
> Of course you cannot charge the client, it was not their fault, even if it
was not yours. But then
> you will be the one who has to pay for the lesson.
>
> That's life.
>
> Alan
>
> On 17 Aug 99, at 19:03, Stephen Kingston wrote:
>
> > Need your advice. I spent entirely too long trying to do some routine
work
> > in frame to PDF. Turns out it was a bug / glitch in the software. I
> > figured out a work-around, after 4 hours. I figure it should have taken
me
> > about 1 hour in total. Question now is... do I bill my client for the
full
> > 4 hours, or just 1? (and chalk the other 3 up to 'learning about
> > bugs...'). Unfortunately if I do bill the full 4, it puts me over my
> > initial estimate by, well 3 hours! Any advice? (No, I can't charge
Adobe..
> > wish I could!).



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