>> Heh, just be lucky you have clients who will let you work
>> offsite. I find that to be the biggest sticking point for new customers.
>> Makes you wonder how far technology has moved beyond the Archaic office
>> practices.
>
>Most of the work that I do is at the SK office or at home. I spend
>_very_ little time at the customers site. In fact, the only reasons
>that I have to visit the customer are:
>
>1) installation or upgrade
>2) meetings
>3) training
>4) some physical limitation, such as working with some piece of hardware
>that I can't drag away from them
>
>But the customers like to meet once in a while, and this does require a
>visit.
>
>Perhaps telecommuting would work best in these scenarios:
>
>1) you're part of a large organization and don't really need to interact
>face to face to get your work done
>2) you are independent and have very understanding customers
>
>But I still find that you need to see the customer or the home office on
>occasion.
>
>/Paul

I've been an independent contractor since '85, and work at home almost all the time. My 'office' is shared with 2 others on a part-time basis, and I use it only for client meetings since my best equipment is at home. I go to the client's office for initial planning meetings, and to install/train/etc. (as Paul's list states). Once we're comfortable with each other, I often send new EXEs by e-mail or work over PC-Anywhere. I have several out-of-state clients referred by others whom I have never met. (I'm thinking of having them join UT to see my picture :-))

I cut down visits by telling them I not only charge for visits but charge for one-way travel time if it's more than 30 min. driving.

The big exception is group projects. For these, it's important to meet face-to-face to keep problems from getting out of hand.

Barbara