Getting a job from a client only to realize after starting that you underpriced? What do you do?

[Min George]

Have you ever gotten a job from a client and after you started the work, you realize that it is bigger than you thought and that the price you agreed is not worth the job/work.

What do you do at that point? Abandon the job? Talk to the client? What if he refuses to pay higher than agreed?

 

[eLdavis]

I have experienced this before, i had to use some of my money to complete the job. Its best to make proper research before giving your client a price.

 

[Trush Jodie]

You don't have any other option than to take the loss and complete the work. You would learn to give better quotes next time.

 

[Kross]

If you don't know the ideal quotation to give to your clients, tell him or her to give you time to send the quotation.

 

[Stardom22]

For me l would carry on doing the job and file a ticket for complaining about the same for sure.

 

[Kera]

There is nothing that can be done after the job has been agreed and you have commenced. You might end up losing the efforts you have put in of you want to press for your right at that point.

 

[King Belieal]

I always try to inform the clients of the situation. And expect them to use their good conscience to know how to up the agreed price.

 

[Augusta]

I will send the client a debit note to let the client know that I was underpriced. He or she would need to pay extra

 

[Fidelia]

I will send the client a debit note to let the client know that I was underpriced. He or she would need to pay extra

Most clients would not pay. They would tell you they had budgeted based on the amount agreed and don't have extra money to pay.

 

[Augusta]

Most clients would not pay. They would tell you they had budgeted based on the amount agreed and don't have extra money to pay.

Then I would not deliver as I would be running at a loss. does that even make sense to do a business at a loss

 

[Fire&Rain]

If it were me, I’d pause the work and contact the client right away. I’d explain that after starting, I realized the job is larger than the original brief suggested, so the payment doesn’t match the effort needed. Some clients are fair and will renegotiate. If they don’t, I’d probably finish it to keep my name clean, but I’d also treat it as a lesson to price better and get all details in writing before accepting future job

 

[King Belieal]

Then I would not deliver as I would be running at a loss. does that even make sense to do a business at a loss

If you had agreed, you must deliver. There are many times that business people run at a loss. Informing the customer could be for next time.

 

[Augusta]

Well, there's nothing wrong with still telling the clients now that I underestimated my price and I wanted to correct that. The person either agree to it or leaves it

 

[Fidelia]

I have been in this situation countless times. It is one of the things we sacrifice to retain customers. Trying to fix that might lead to you losing the customer.

 

[Augusta]

Well, you just have to assess the situation. If it is worth letting go then you just have to do it to avoid losing a good customer