retainer
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- SLAZ
anyone have some good resources for having a client on a retainer for work? contract example, etc...
also, what were your terms... for example, a client with a 20 hour retainer and they only use 10 hours, do they still pay in full? pay half the unused hours, etc...
- seed0
I had a retainer but I lost it and now my teeth are crooked again.
- Spix0
seed...I got the same problem.
- SLAZ0
anyone got a serious answer?
- seed0
The sucky thing they wanted like $300 for a new mold.
- Spix0
thats alot...I traded the total cost of mine (2000dollars) for a boring website....and not i'm not to affraid to smile.
- seed0
Nice.
Barter for Braces™
- timg0
no resources to offer.. but i can tell you i started using retainers this year as a way to offer some of my old clients my old hourly rates, which needed to go up (hadn't changed in 5 years).
in other words, if they commited to at least 20hrs with me a month, i could continue to work for them at the lower hourly rate.
its working well.
- seed0
That sounds like a good idea. Lower rates for them, steady income for you. I would like to hear some answers to your questions. Are you currently making them pay for the unused hours? Do they pay upfront?
I'm think of doing something like this for maintenance but over a longer period time. Maybe like 6 months.
- timg0
seed.. re. my above mentioned retainer:
- this is based on a 1 year contract (client has to commit to 20hrs x 12 months). i suppose if i went on vacation (yeah right) i would negotiate a discount.
- unused hours is not an issue for my situation. if there's not enough work i have the freedom to create more. 20 hrs goes pretty fast.
- i invoice them at the end of the month: 20hours plus any additional hours billed at the lower "retained client" rate.
- seed0
That's a nice setup. If you had enough of those 1 year contracts you would be set.
- SLAZ0
timg... i am in a similar situation... not really web updates though, but all design related work. 20 hours does go fast... i just wanted to guarantee a income from them which the agree on. i dont see an issue with actually using the 20 hours, but they asked for a clause just in case. would you get paid anyways or maybe just roll it or make they pay 50% of the unused, etc...
also, how much did you discount you rate after your agreed monthly hours? 20%, more?
- Clear0
okay, I used to work for a web company that that did retainers on a regular bases. (the below is just my experience from that company and this may not be the norm)
A retainer of 20 hrs was just that. You kept 20 hours open for that client. If they didn't give you 20 hrs of work. You still get the FULL retainer. If they go over. You charge the amount over.... The retainer just guarantees them a certain amount of your time
- SLAZ0
thanks clear...
anyone got a physical or electronic version or sample of a client retainer??