Table of contents
Introduction
Are you ready to launch your business to the world? Or take your side-hustle to the next level and prepare to scale and serve increasingly sophisticated clients?
Perfecting your business’ terms and conditions is a great investment.
Think of terms and conditions as your code of conduct, the boundaries that help you and your team thrive and do your best work and build strong relationships with your clients that can go the distance.
Although the exact details of what makes your business uniquely yours are distinct, all worthy terms and conditions support businesses in these five ways.
1. Manage your client’s expectations
A delighted client understands what your turnaround times are, what happens when they request a change in scope, how and when to pay you and when to hear from you to approve expenses so their project progresses.
Understanding the ins and outs of your business means you can easily coach your client through the practicalities so that you can focus on what you do best.
2. Support your business’ continuity and workflow
Congratulations! You’ve landed a big new gig and it’s going to take another skilled individual to bring the vision to life. You’re wondering whether you can move forward confidently and hire a new team member. What if your client cancels their big project without giving you notice?
Terms and conditions need to give a soft landing to your plans and allow you to invest for a successful project with a realistic minimum notice period and process.
3. Establish a clear partnership with your client so you can deliver
What does your ideal client do to support you to do your best work? Do they communicate promptly, provide you with all relevant branding documents and guidelines, ensure that a key contact is assigned to take ownership of liaising with you, notify you of any delays at their end…
Terms and Conditions are not just about you delivering, it’s about partnering with your client and ensuring that the responsibilities that are out of your hands are well communicated – because they are essential to success.
4. Build a path out of chaos, while the skies are calm
A disappointment shared in writing may be the open door that you need to rescue a project or client relationship that’s hit a rough patch. The best Terms and Conditions set a path for clear methods of resolving disputes with efficiency and real solutions front of mind – long before you need to speak with a trusted legal advisor.
5. Keep it flexible, so you can grow, adapt and serve your clients best
Businesses change and terms change too. Your Terms and Conditions need to create room for agreed changes in terms between you and your clients and for easy methods of navigating scope, timing, pricing and more.
If you’re not sure how long the client will need your services, consider building in a set initial term and then allowing for the term to continue on flexibility, with short notice to set an end date that suits both sides.
Conclusion
If you’re ready to get started or you would like information about updating your business’ terms and conditions, let’s continue the conversation and talk about your business’ goals.
You can connect with Burch&Co’s commercial lawyers at contact@burchcolawyers.com.au
Last updated: 24 August 2023
