A new study by Yell reveals more than 85% of businesses could be losing out on almost £80 per appointment with ‘friendly’ clients as a result of not charging for additional time spent . The research, which surveyed small business owners from across the UK, also reveals that three quarters (75%) find it hard to set boundaries with their clients, with 98% replying to business queries during their personal time 

The study, which surveyed just over 250 owners of small businesses in the UK, sought to find out more about how business owners separate the professional from the personal, and the impact this can have on their finances, particularly at a time when many small businesses may be struggling to stay afloat.  

With three-quarters (75%) of small business owners stating they find it hard to set boundaries with their clients, it’s clear that many have difficulty when it comes to drawing the line. The nature of small businesses means they will often engage with the same customers on a regular basis and go on to develop closer relationships with them than the average high street brand would. According to the survey, 86% of business owners work with clients that have become friends or already were.   

 The vast majority (82%) of business owners admit that they take more time with ‘friendly’ clients, spending an extra 25 minutes on average with each of them, compared to their usual work time. Though working with someone you consider a friend may seem like a perk, the reality suggests that financially, this may not be the case at all.  With 85% of business owners not charging for this additional time, this results in a considerable amount of unpaid working hours. 

Setting boundaries  

Despite these difficulties, Sarah O’Rafferty at Yell offers some advice on what business owners can do to set boundaries more effectively and therefore get paid the fees they should and keep their free time free.  

“A lot of business owners can immediately be on the back foot when an appointment is overrunning, because they haven’t already communicated any extra costs that will be incurred to the customer. Having to backtrack and try to get this extra fee paid after the time has been spent, is where a lot of these negative responses can come from, as customers could feel ‘cornered’ into paying more, or that they haven’t agreed to the additional spend.  

 ”If you feel your session might overrun or are mindful that previous sessions have done so with that particular client, it’s always best to communicate before this happens of any additional fees, or that you are simply unable to spend the time due to other commitments. This way, both yourself and your customer will be in agreement, and there’s no grey area, no matter how close your relationship is. 

 “It’s one thing having the conversation and being in agreement, but there are ways you can make this even clearer. Detailing any policies on your website, and directing all new or existing customers to these, and any changes in them, will go a long way. You can then refer to these during appointments too, to continue to set the boundary.  

 “Having these policies present on a website or even social media bios can be particularly useful for customers that contact you out of your working hours. Listing these clearly manages expectations of when you will and won’t respond. There’s a reason large companies have their customer service opening hours clearly displayed wherever you can find contact details for them. It should be no different for your business, no matter how big or small you are.”  

 “That said, it isn’t all up to your customers to read your website, your policies and when you are available to answer phone calls or reply to messages, you need to manage your time too. When starting up, many businesses owners opt to use the same phone number and e-mail address for the sake of ease, however ignoring calls or messages when they’re right there in front of you is easier said than done. Simply by setting up a business e-mail and purchasing a low-cost work phone that you can switch off once the working day is done, will go a long way to solving this problem, and setting those much-needed boundaries.  

 “Finally, a big skill to learn in any businesses is being able to say no. There can be a tendency to want to agree to everything, please everyone and take every job on, but it simply isn’t possible. Remembering that you’re the boss and that you make the rules is key. Politely declining a request or making it clear up front that an appointment needs to finish at a particular time will help to manage expectations with your customers and, in the long run, help them to respect you and your business more.”  

 To find out more about how businesses can manage customer expectations, set boundaries and build an online reputation through a variety of channels such as websites, social media and business listings, visit: https://business.yell.com/digital-marketing-solutions/