Re: A Contractor's Question

[Barb Philbrick <burkbrick -at- AOL -dot- COM>]

<< My husband, meanwhile, takes everything that comes in the door
regardless
 of lead time or delivery date. I find that too dangerous. I would rather
 lose the job up front than botch it, so tell clients probably more than
 they want to know about the vagaries of my schedule and consequences of
 messing it up. >>

It's always scary to turn down customers, but the other advantage is that
it is good for your image because:
 -It tells a client you're honest and want to do a good job for them, but
you can't do it if you're overloaded. It tells them you know your
limitations.
 -It tells them that you're in demand.
 -It keeps you from overcommitting and doing a lousy job, which will hurt
your reputation in the long run more than turning someone down politely.

I know how your husband feels, too - the client could go out and find
someone else and never come back. For my sanity, however, I turn clients
down if I know my staff and I can't handle the work.

Barb Philbrick

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