How to Exit a Gig and Still Keep Your Client

Probably one of the worst things a freelance writer can do is to flake out on a client in the middle of a project. In fact, I know of a few serial flakers. They take a gig and once they find out it’s not what they expected or find the work to be tedious, they feign illness or a death in the family. I know one writer whose grandfather died four times.

While it’s never recommended any freelance writer cancel mid-project, there are times when it can’t be helped such as when there really is an illness or death in the family.

Emergencies are inconvenient, but they do happen. Here are some tips for handling an emergency situation:

• Honesty is always the best policy. Contact your client as soon as possible to explain the situation.
• Instead of canceling, ask if you can extend the deadline until your crisis is resolved.
• With your client’s permission, ask another writer to help complete the project.
• Apologize for the inconvenience.

By handling your emergency in a professional manner, you’re showing your client that you value his business and that you’re someone he can trust.  If you left mid-project without helping to find a solution, it might have soured your business relationship. Customer service isn’t something to take lightly.  Always ask yourself “How would I want my client to handle this if the roles were reversed.”

Here are some more posts about customer service:

• What My Neighbor’s Teen Can Teach You About Customer Service
• 5 Rocking Good Business Practices for Freelance Writers
• A, B, C’s of Good Customer Service
• When Was the Last Time You Said Thank You?