I charged a client in Portland a 50% rush fee and they said yes

They needed a full brand guide turned around in three days, which normally takes me two weeks. I quoted my normal rate plus the extra half, fully expecting a pushback or a no. They just replied 'approved' and sent the deposit. I guess I've been undercharging for urgency this whole time. What's the highest rush fee you've ever gotten a client to agree to?

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3 Comments

fox.derek6mo ago

That's not a rush fee, it's a penalty.

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lauras836mo ago

Remember my friend tried to get a simple document notarized last week. They told her it would be $25, but then said if she needed it today, it was a $75 "rush fee". She had to do it, but it felt totally unfair, like getting punished for their own slow service. I mean, @fox.derek is right, that's just a penalty with a nicer name. She was pretty mad about it.

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verab766mo ago

Why even call it a rush fee when the only rush is caused by their wait? Isn't it just a way to charge more because they know you're stuck? They could have done the work at the normal time but chose not to. What kind of service punishes you for needing it when they said it would be ready? It turns a basic job into a stressful shakedown.

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