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Rant: I saw a report that 60% of agency clients actually prefer a flat monthly fee over hourly billing.
Found it in a survey from a consultancy group in Chicago, which totally goes against what I've heard from other owners for years. Has anyone else made that switch and seen a real change in client trust?
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veraramirez1mo ago
Oh man, that report is WILD but it makes so much sense. I switched to flat fees last year and the difference in how clients talk to me is HUGE. No more watching the clock or them worrying about a surprise bill, it just feels like we're on the same team trying to fix the problem. That trust is everything.
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rowanp151mo ago
How do you handle scope creep when you're on a flat fee? I had to get really clear about what's in and out of the project from day one, which honestly made my proposals way better. It forces you to think through the whole job before you start, so there are fewer surprises for everyone.
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the_shane1d ago
Ah snap, actually gotta push back a bit here. Flat fees don't automatically make clients trust you more. You still gotta earn that trust by being super clear about what happens when they ask for extra stuff. I've had clients try to sneak in "quick changes" that took hours, thinking since they paid flat fee it meant unlimited revisions. You gotta spell out what happens if they want more than what you agreed on, like "anything outside this scope gets a separate quote." Otherwise you're just setting yourself up for frustration and they get confused when you say no.
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