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• # 89226
• Sat 09 Mar 2013 12:40 PM

Hello

I have a question as a student coming to the end of my studies.

This may well be a "how long is a piece of string" type question but.....

How many clients do you need to make a certain number of working hours?

I could do with working 16 hours per week. (single parent working tax credits triger number)

so how many hours per week would each client be?  

Would it be that each one is a couple of hours a month so you have to juggle several clients to make up the hours?

Any advice greatfully received?  

Thanks

Jo 

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• # 89233
• Sat 09 Mar 2013 07:23 PM

Hi Jo,

it really depends on what you are doing for each client - for example I have some that I might only do 12 hours in a year for, and another who I do 8 hours per week for, and another that I do 3 hours a fortnight for.  So really it depends.... you will hopefully build up a client base which suits the hours you want to work, but you can't put a definitive number on that client base now.

Sorry that isn't much help ;-)

Kind regards 

• Debbie
  www.beckcottage.com
  
  

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• # 89235
• Sat 09 Mar 2013 09:06 PM

Hi Jo,

I dont have a simple answer for you either.  It depends a lot on the type of client you are looking for.  I have decided to focus all my attention on dealing with sole traders.  I made a decision early on that I wouldn't take on clients who wanted me to work from their office.  I also decided to try not to take on a client who took more than 20% of my time or contributed more than 20% to my turnover.  This was really because if I took on a few big clients I'd become more vulnerable if they left for whatever reason.

These have sometimes been difficult to stick to, but mean I have a good mix of clients from 2 hours a month, to 10 hours a month.  It takes time, but my advice is to concentrate hard on the type of client you want, and how you want to work.  This will make it easier in the long run.

Kris

 

• Kris McCulloch
  www.ayrshireaccountancy.co.uk
  
  Winner - BKN Most Innovative Accountancy Firm 2012
  
  Latest Blog Post: Bookkeepers Award 2015

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• # 89245
• Sun 10 Mar 2013 12:55 PM

I have taken on many clients with a mix of circumstances - some a couple of hours a quarter, others take more time, with a current contract almost 15 hours a week. I don't take more than I can efficiently do, but I work on the basis that if they need me, I will do what I can.

You never know what is around the corner. This week, one of my client's told me that she wasn't renewing her shop lease, and I went to visit another who told me that they were being bought out by a larger company. So gaps appear, which need to be filled. I cannot afford to pick and choose.

I enjoy the variety the work brings. 

• Ken Creek
  KJC Bookkeeping Ltd
  
  Providing Bookkeeping and Payroll Solutions to Sole Traders and Small Businesses for over 15 years 
  
  www.kjcbookkeeping.co.uk 

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• # 89277
• Tue 12 Mar 2013 07:32 PM

As has been said - a piece of string. 

I totally agree with Kris in that no client should be "make or break".  I've worked for companies that will not use a supplier where they (the customer) has more than 25% of the supplier turnover.  If the customer needs to pause a regular order, and the supplier goes under because of this, then the customer has lost a supplier when he needs to reorder.

However your first customer is, by definition, 100% of your business.  Plus you're not in a position, in your startup period, to turn down work of any kind.  Just be conscious of the fact that, over the long haul, you will need to balance your workload, so keep this in mind with every proposal you encounter. 

Your customer relationship, and the wording of your customer agreement, should place clear limits on what you will do and what you won't.  If they step over the boundaries then you decide at that time whether to take it on - or not - or at a price.

As with Ken, every customer has different needs.  You construct your client base as if playing Tetris.

Edited at 12 Mar 2013 07:36 PM GMT

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  Chris
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• # 89290
• Wed 13 Mar 2013 07:10 AM

Chris Goodensaid:

“As has been said - a piece of string. 

I totally agree with Kris in that no client should be "make or break".  I've worked for companies that will not use a supplier where they (the customer) has more than 25% of the supplier turnover.  If the customer needs to pause a regular order, and the supplier goes under because of this, then the customer has lost a supplier when he needs to reorder.

However your first customer is, by definition, 100% of your business.  Plus you're not in a position, in your startup period, to turn down work of any kind.  Just be conscious of the fact that, over the long haul, you will need to balance your workload, so keep this in mind with every proposal you encounter. 

Your customer relationship, and the wording of your customer agreement, should place clear limits on what you will do and what you won't.  If they step over the boundaries then you decide at that time whether to take it on - or not - or at a price.

As with Ken, every customer has different needs.  You construct your client base as if playing Tetris.

Edited at 12 Mar 2013 07:36 PM GMT”

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