Dealing with a sudden shift in a client’s schedule is never easy. Just faced a scenario where their timeline change threw my cash flow off entirely.
Now I’ve got overdue invoices piling up while trying to meet their new demands. Curious how others manage these unexpected changes.
I hit pause on everything when this happens. No new work, no schedule adjustments, nothing until we sort out the money situation.
Here’s what I do:
Most clients don’t realize they’re putting you in a tough spot. They see their urgent deadline but forget about your unpaid bills. Being upfront about it usually gets things moving.
If they push back or try to negotiate, I just remind them that I can’t take on financial risk for their planning issues. Works most of the time.
I just tell them sorry, can’t do rush jobs when my last invoice is still sitting there.
Payment first, then we talk schedule changes. That’s the rule I stick to.
When clients want to shift timelines but still owe money, I tell them we need to clear the books before moving forward. No exceptions.
I also started adding a clause about schedule changes to my contracts. If they want to move things around with less than 48 hours notice, there’s a fee. Funny how that cuts down on the last minute surprises.
I just ask for half payment before starting anything new.
Stop taking new work from clients who haven’t paid their overdue invoices yet.
I learned this the hard way. When someone changes schedules last minute and still owes money, they’re basically asking you to work for free while they figure out their mess.
Send a payment reminder for the overdue stuff first. Once that’s settled, then you can talk about schedule changes.