I work as an independent contractor doing data analysis for various clients. I'm looking for advice about what to do (if anything) as I finish up a project for a new client. I was called in to analyze some data and draft a report. At Client's insistence, we agreed on a lump sum rather than hourly contract. The amount she offered me for the work was (my hourly rate) x (the number of hours her best data person thought it would take to do the work). I was a little worried about getting underpaid, knowing that it would probably take me a little longer than her best data person since I was new to the project. But from what I could tell of the project, it didn't look that complicated. And there were other aspects that appealed to me.
Now that we're winding down, I see that it's taken me less than half the time her best data person estimated it would take. In other words, I'm going to end up making more than twice what I would have on this job if she'd paid me hourly. Great for me! And the work overall went well for both of us, as far as I know.
I found out today that the people who did this work last year for her (including her best data person) cost her multiple times what she paid me, because the first person screwed it up and then the best data person had to fix it. Even so, I have no idea how it could have taken them so many hours to do the work.
My question - I'd be interested in doing more work for this client. But I think she sees me as kind of "expensive" because my regular hourly rate is higher than she's used to paying. That's partly why she wanted to do the lump sum. In the interest of letting her know that she can hire me without breaking her budget, do I say anything about the fact that I could have done it for less?
I don't want to give away just how little time this took me, and I don't want to imply that her best data person isn't very competent (bdp recently left anyway, but Client and her regular staff all agree that bdp is super smart and capable). But I'd hate to have her not call me next time because she assumes I'd cost too much.
Thoughts?
Now that we're winding down, I see that it's taken me less than half the time her best data person estimated it would take. In other words, I'm going to end up making more than twice what I would have on this job if she'd paid me hourly. Great for me! And the work overall went well for both of us, as far as I know.
I found out today that the people who did this work last year for her (including her best data person) cost her multiple times what she paid me, because the first person screwed it up and then the best data person had to fix it. Even so, I have no idea how it could have taken them so many hours to do the work.
My question - I'd be interested in doing more work for this client. But I think she sees me as kind of "expensive" because my regular hourly rate is higher than she's used to paying. That's partly why she wanted to do the lump sum. In the interest of letting her know that she can hire me without breaking her budget, do I say anything about the fact that I could have done it for less?
I don't want to give away just how little time this took me, and I don't want to imply that her best data person isn't very competent (bdp recently left anyway, but Client and her regular staff all agree that bdp is super smart and capable). But I'd hate to have her not call me next time because she assumes I'd cost too much.
Thoughts?