Hey everyone, I'm in a bit of a unique situation. I recently inherited some clients from a friend who sadly passed away. He had set up a monthly plan for a few clients where they paid a reduced fee for just one hour of work each month, regardless of whether they actually used that hour. I'm curious if any of you do something similar and whether you allow clients to roll over unused hours to the next month. What's your take on managing this?
6 Answers
I structure it as part of my hosting package. A month of hosting includes one hour of maintenance, but I still stick to the no rollover policy. It helps make things clear.
I don't allow rollovers either. They’re paying for availability, not the actual hour used. Think of it like a subscription—you get access even if you don’t use it all.
I have clients pay upfront for a yearly package where they can use the hours within that year. Makes it less complicated, and they know the hours expire after 12 months.
I let clients roll over hours for a limited time, like up to three months. But otherwise, I keep it simple to avoid issues.
Instead of selling hours directly, maybe consider a retainer model. Clients tend to forget about ongoing maintenance if they're only focused on booked hours, which you want to avoid.
Thanks for the suggestion! I don’t sell them directly but I think I’ll keep this advice in mind.
I'd recommend against rolling over hours. It just complicates things and can lead to issues down the line.
Yeah, I figured that might be the case. It could end up being a hassle for sure.
Exactly, it’s better to view it like insurance.