Suggestions Rush fees

[bob]

Interesting in that some here treat their clients as the enemy. I have ever, as in ever, charged a 'rush fee'. People will run over you only if you permit them to do so. Don't let them. Just state clearly and unequivocally when the job will be done and that's that. Take it or leave it. I've never experienced such a paucity of work that I should worry overmuch about someone else's anxieties.

 

[Humble PM]

I've occasionally charged a rush.
One, the fee paid for a taxi to pick my son up from training, paid for the pizza delivered to him (and one to me), and the additional hours I worked. Client needed the job, knew it was an inconvenience, and asked me to bill them for making sure the work was ready the next morning.
Another, the client's client mislead them. She let me know that there was decent room left in the C2 project budget, just describe the cost as file prep. 20 hours at shop rate across a weekend.
I've offered rush to question whether it really is needed tomorrow afternoon, where additional costs would be incurred, and as many have stated, the work wasn't quite so urgent.
Most clients are not the enemy.

 

[Signstein]

putting everything else "behind" for the day....

This. It's not that customers are the enemy or that we don't want to help. It's because it pushes everything else back - customers that had it together, that ordered two weeks ago, that have waited through the permitting process - they all get bumped because someone else can't plan their project. I wish I could charge a rush fee - I'm an internal shop so I just have to take all the emergency projects that come along.
I've explained to my customers that when everything is an emergency, nothing is an emergency. It's just normal production at that point. They're starting to figure it out now that their "rush" requests have five week lead times.

 

[LarryB]

If they need it in a couple days we charge a $35 rush charge. Next day is $50 rush charge and same day is $100. People pay it all the time.

 

[kcollinsdesign]

No rush fees. If I can accommodate the client (and I want to), I'll take the job and price it appropriately. Advertising rush fees may be fine if you specialize in instant signs, but for most of us taking on rush jobs jeopardizes work flow and leads to being considered over-priced (especially when the client looks up the online price for that rush job you just sold them). That customer will be pissed once he finds out that 3 x 6 banner (hems and grommets) you sold him for $72.00 costs $24.20 when purchased online (rush fee included)!

 

[ikarasu]

Theres a guy who always goes to trade shows to sell his stuff. He asked me 2 weeks ago how long it'd take to get 2 banner stands, 2 banners, and 2 tabletop banner stands done... I told him I dont stock the table top, so it's 3-5 business days... if he confirms quantity I will order them in to ensure it's on the lower end of that.

He emails today... I will have artwork later for 2 tabletop banner stands, and 2 banner stands can I pick up end of day tomorrow?

Told him no... as per my last email, 3-5 business days. That it takes 2 days just to bring in the table tops stands... and my schedule is full. I cant turn around in less than 1 business day when he doesnt even have the artwork ready... but if he confirms quantity, I will order them in, and he can pickup Thursday end of day... which IMO, is a pretty good turn around.

I get a reply "Ill order at least 1 table top stand... Might be 2, were not sure yet. No chance for pickup tomorrow morning?"

So... do I hate my customers? No... But sometimes theyre bat shit crazy. He cant even confirm the quantity so I can order materials... yet he wants them by tomorrow morning. I gave him 2 pricings... 1 for delivery Thursday, and 1 for end of day tomorrow... The end of day tomorrow adds about $90 since I'd have to courier the stands in, plus a pain in the ass fee since I'm not printing on banner material today. $100 says it wont be a rush, and end of day Thursday is going to be perfectly fine for him.... And I wont even get artwork until tomorrow.

 

[Humble PM]

No rush fees. If I can accommodate the client (and I want to), I'll take the job and price it appropriately. Advertising rush fees may be fine if you specialize in instant signs, but for most of us taking on rush jobs jeopardizes work flow and leads to being considered over-priced (especially when the client looks up the online price for that rush job you just sold them). That customer will be pissed once he finds out that 3 x 6 banner (hems and grommets) you sold him for $72.00 costs $24.20 when purchased online (rush fee included)!

Two days delivery on that not very taught example. I don't advertise rush service, nor instant production, but if I've got to take a hit for material delivery and service interruption, I'll pass that on in the quote.