If you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of contracting professionals in the UK, then we’re guessing you love your work. Clients will be ravenous to hire you for a few weeks, or a several-month spell, for a totally rewarding (and lucrative) project.
However, competition is strong; only the very best contractors will win the assignments they’re most drawn to. Every facet of your performance, skillset and business acumen is scrutinised, all building towards your noteworthiness.
To motivate that personal progression, Bright Ideas Accountancy have come up with a list of what clients look for in a great contractor.
Trust and reliability
So much of business ticks by on reliability. Our networks can stretch and accommodate all sorts of characters, but the ones who let us down – not turning up on time, failing to meet a schedule etc. – are, by and large, not worth dealing with.
Clients want to put faith in you from the get-go. Unless a genuinely chaotic element gets in the way, be sure to hit their timescales, both for the work you carry out and the communications they establish. Do they want to discuss something? Pick up the phone right away: trust will start to flow two ways.
Having the right toolkit
Plenty of contractors do very specialised jobs. No-one wants to hire a person who’s underprepared; the whole point is to present yourself as an expert. Often, that’ll equate to having the perfect equipment for the task, the sort that’ll limit mistakes and sloppy results at every corner.
Whether that leads to a whole new set of screws, hammers and wrenches, or digital tools like time-saving software, it’ll set you in good stead for what’s to come. Don’t fret too much about cost – you can claim tax relief on expenses, and factor them into your quotes.
An understanding of IR35 law
Contrary to what newbies may assume, each contract is a potential trapdoor. If you aren’t mindful, some of your take-home pay will fall through it, as there are harsh directives regarding whether you’re classed as self-employed or not, which affects your tax status. Clients know this, and they’ll expect you to negotiate the terms of hire.
IR35 law is crucial to this. A contractor accountant, like us, can look over the small-print with you, suggesting what’ll guarantee your independence. The alternative (letting money slip from your fingers) will mark you as a soft target. Other clientele could clock onto it, if word spreads.
Doing more than you promised
Does a solution work better with this or that material? How many extra days might be necessary for perfection, or as close as you can get to it? People will be very impressed if you go the distance on their projects i.e. strengthening or returning to it if something’s not hitting the peak of your abilities.
Repairs are a must – many contracts will stipulate them as a safeguard. But, in a more creative sense, you could bring up another method, application or concept when the work period begins, showing that you can’t abide lost potential.
Don’t forget that all of these characteristics, once proven, will reward you handsomely! What’s left, you ask? Merely the means to manage your cash with due sensitivity and foresight. Bright Ideas Accountancy can do just that, building on your good name in the contracting sector.
To find out how, contact our team of experts today.
