A Good Services Contract Will Help You Deliver Good Customer Service

Imagine you are a graphic artist who has a contract to develop a logo for a client. It is a flat-rate agreement based on the amount of time it typically takes you to learn about the business, the client's vision and develop some concepts.

You provide three concepts and the client picks one. You develop the logo and collateral materials and submit the final product with your invoice. The client, however, has changed their mind and demands that you create a completely new logo under the flat fee.

If your contract isn’t specific enough about when the services have been completed, you may enter an endless loop of re-performing services until an unreasonable client is happy.

Professional services contracts protect against this. They may be called a Services Contract, Consulting Agreement, or Agreement for Professional Services. The contract states the terms and conditions under which you provide services and specifically spells out your responsibilities and liabilities. It states a standard to which the services will comply, and what happens if the services aren’t adequate (e.g., re-perform or refund). It will lay out expectations of the client, such as a specific number of days to approve the work product.