How to interact with a client in freelancing?

Question

Freelance

Good day. Not so long ago, I started freelancing, started to make up, make websites, online stores, etc. At first, when there were a couple of orders per month, everything was fine, smooth, quiet and calm, but as soon as I started taking 2-3 orders a week, a problem began with the form of interaction with the client and the definition of the scope of my duties.
Each customer began to believe that by paying me the amount for a specific work, he buys me forever, after accepting the project, he can write for 2-3 weeks and demand to earn some money, fix something, suggest something and teach how to use one or another cms on which the site was made. Few of the customers, realizing the situation, offered to complete the revision or get advice for money. From the beginning, as far as possible, I tried to go to a meeting and, earning the loyalty of customers and for future prospects, helped free of charge, but when there are 2-5 such improvements per week and all the time is spent only on correspondence with clients who have already paid and accepted the project, I began to think on optimizing the agreement between us and on the principles of interaction. So such a question has ripened, how are YOU, experienced freelancers, and on what conditions do you do projects,
Do you draw up some kind of conditional contract and send it to the customer before ordering?
How do you inform the customer that after accepting the project, you have fulfilled all obligations to them?
Does it make sense to make presentations with instructions on the basics of managing the cms on which I make sites and "answers to frequently asked questions", to redirect the client there in case of questions?
In general, we need your any experience, but rather an algorithm for interacting with the customer from and to. I would be grateful if you share the material, an example of a contract or an example of working conditions, on your website.

Answer 1

Here is my approximate scheme, which was developed after a couple of unsuccessful hits "into slavery" emails).
2. In the same contract, all work is divided into stages, each of which ends with an agreement. After agreement, all additions to the completed stage are made with the conclusion of an additional contract.
3. At the end of the work, all clients are given a manual with a description of standard operations (how to add an administrator, how to add a product, how to add a page, etc.).
4. At the time of delivery of the work, the customer should say something like “Please look before the end of the week if everything is clear to you and if everything is working correctly. After this period, I will be engaged in other projects and will not be able to promptly make changes if they are required.

Answer 2

No matter how hard you try, the customer will always find an example from ten years ago when someone did it cheaper and better and generally plowed for free for three months. Like "this is a real freelancer, you are no match." Asking why you are not working with him now is useless :)
This is a given in freelancing.

Answer 3

Helps to stipulate a deadline for accepting claims, for example 5 working days from the end of the project (i.e. when all deliverables are transferred to the client). After the expiration of this period, the correction of all defects or improvements are subject to a fee.
And / or a guarantee is given in addition to this: if defects are found within 30 days after the delivery of the project, then their correction is included in the cost of work, and new properties (features), modifications, etc. for a fee.

Answer 4

In all contracts, not necessarily freelancing, it is stipulated how and within what time limits claims are made. And this must be discussed in advance. If it is written that the client must submit a claim within 10 days, then after that, even if it is your jamb, you are not obliged to correct it.

Answer 5

It is advisable to make a preliminary project, which will take into account everything that you have come up with together, and let the client sign this project so that there are fewer "surprises". They won't care though.) We also need a contract. Instructions for cms - desirable

Answer 6

Discuss terms and conditions right away. Say directly that you will correct your mistakes, but no more. David Airey's book was well written about the interaction between clients and a freelancer.
The book was called - "Logo and Corporate Identity"

Answer 7

Time payment.
I do not tell the customer "the project will cost so much". I say: the price of my working hour is such and such, I roughly estimate the cost of development at such and such a figure (+/- 50%). Naturally, all my working time spent on the project is included in the bill.
In general, there are no problems with modifications / consultations / training!
As experience shows, almost any project made in the future requires changes, functionality expansion - everything that is called support. And that's okay. Naturally, all this additional work must also be paid. Customers treat such a scheme well.
* The only thing is that such a scheme is not suitable for people who sell cheap work to the customer for big (and usually fixed) money.

Answer 8

The first thing you need to understand is what you are selling, knowing this you will be able to reasonably evaluate projects, that is, what price to put on the vegetable market, but who the hell knows, and what are you selling apples, well then, 50 rubles per kilo.
You sell time, estimate your time costs in hours and multiply by the cost of your hour, which increases the price of the project. From here, the price of everything in excess of the project will also increase. Even if the project has gone beyond the estimate, I am already talking with the customer about increasing the payment (well, unless, of course, I myself am completely to blame for this).