ORDER NEGOTIATION PROCESS
Every assignment involves negotiation: unless you have agreed a fixed standard price with your customer, you negotiate the price for every single assignment as well as the schedule. The customer asks for your availability for an assignment with certain terms, and you then decide what terms you have for accepting the assignment. If the delivery time suggested by the customer is too tight or does not fit your schedule, tell the customer that you’d be happy to do the job, but your earliest delivery time is date X. If the assignment is urgent, and you are willing to do it outside your normal working hours (office hours), tell the customer that you will charge a rush fee. This is one way to break down your rush fees:
Work done from 5 pm to 9 pm on weekdays +50%.
Work done outside these times +100%.
If only part of the work falls outside your normal working hours, the rush fee could be 25% or whatever you think is best. Create a template for your standard terms conditions to save you time when creating a quote.
Negotiate problematic points in a contract politely but firmly. “I don’t think I can accept arbitration as a venue to resolve disputes, as suggested in your standard contract. In my opinion, disputes should be resolved either in the district court of my or your domicile.” A matter of fact and knowledgeable negotiator will fare better than an angry rabble-rouser or a hurt nagger.
It’s worth remembering that a contract does not have to be signed immediately upon receiving it. You can always negotiate, and most importantly, you can always ask for expert advice before signing. Both parties to the contract have the right to advice. It is normal practice to make a counterproposal to a contract, i.e. to lay out your terms for accepting the contract. See below.
Do not immediately get upset if the other party is not familiar with the common practices in your field: you are the expert, they may not be. Explain calmly, present reference materials (such as standard contracts from a professional association). Expertise is valuable in these situations, and the reward is an improved contract.