On one hand I have Hubby telling me that I don’t have to take on new clients if I don’t feel like it, and on the other hand I feel guilty for not doing “my share”. When we started the company, after we got laid off from Nortel and my burnout, we had agreed that I would mostly do our bookkeeping and work from home as much as possible. I took on new clients and soon realised that working five days a week wasn’t agreeing with my body nor my mental well-being. Hubby has always been very supportive (in every sense of the word), and often told me to drop clients that were causing me too much stress. I did.
Last week, our accountant contacted me asking if I wanted to talk with one of his client who was looking for a bookkeeper. I spoke with the gentleman. He bought this business and his wife is doing the bookkeeping at the moment, and they’re having issues, so he thought someone from the “outside” could help. He uses an accounting software that I do not know at all. Almost all of my clients use the same software as our company. He wanted to meet and see what I could do. I agreed to meet with him and his wife.
Why? Why did I say yes? Why didn’t I just say: “Sorry, I only work with X”? I’m such a twit!
What is wrong with me?
Am I the only one who does this? Say yes, and then after pondering about it for a couple of days regret having said yes? I can’t be the only one, can’t I? Is there anybody like me out there? What should I do? I need help!
8 comments:
The fact that you don't want to say no is likely to be to do with a) you can never be sure where the next work is coming from, and b) you're a people pleaser.
However, you owe a duty of care to your clients not to take them on if you cannot give them a proper service.
When I ran my web design business I would always meet up with potential clients and run through a series of questions with them, like what they need, what systems they were using, what budget they had etc. This meant that not only were we both clear on what was required, we were both clear on what I coud provide. If the client wanted aspects that were not my speciality I would either question whether those services were needed (sometimes they weren't), or think of other business colleagues I knew who I could call. In that case either I could sub-contract them for the areas that they specialised in, or pass the client on to them directly.
It's well worth building up a network of "strategic allies" who you can share business specialities with.
Freelance will do that to you - agree to jobs you normally wouldn't. Plus, you might be a "pleaser". I know I am.
Maybe you can find someone else who knows the program that he needs work in and call him up and recommend that he use Mr. Whosisbutt instead of you. It will just end up taking you more time and giving you more stress to not only do the job, but learn the new system as well.
I dunno. :)
I have trouble with saying an initial "no," as well. I've gotten better though, about being able to go from "maybe" to "no" after I've gotten a better idea what I'd really be in for. You just have to keep reminding yourself that saying no, in and of itself, isn't a bad or rude thing.
Good lord woman. We are so alike. I blame my genes and Type A personality.
Think of it as expanding your knowledge base. Or talk him into using your usual software. What can it hurt?
kim a: You are right about the uncertainty of work and me being somewhat of a pleaser, sadly enough.
So far, I've never taken on a client that I couldn't care for. The ones I did drop along the way was because of issues that made it hard to work there. I hate it when we agree on something and then they change their requirements/needs along the way.
Thanks for the advice on the networking aspect.
paisley: I am a pleaser, to a certain extent. At the moment, I will meet with them and take it from there. I shouldn't be freaking out before I know exactly what to expect! Right? Right!
lizgwiz: Thanks! Good advice. I'll keep that in mind for Monday morning, when I meet with them. ;-)
christina: I like the "expanding" thing... Thanks!
I do that too - not as much as I used to, but still more than I'd like.
It's hard to say no. It takes alot of practice. I still haven't gotten it down yet. But I'm working on it! ;)
hasarder: It is the pitts!
shopper: Never ending and I'll be practising it too!
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