101 Tips for Telecommuters—Successfully Manage Your Work, Team, Technology and Family

72. Negotiate Deadlines and Details

Depending upon the nature and volume of your subcontracted work, you may have a wide range of details involved and more than one deadline to manage. Since telecommuters function somewhat like entrepreneurs in terms of independence from many corporate support services, you may secure contracted services in areas such as photocopying, administrative support, telemarketing, printing, or technical services. Negotiating the terms for these services is an additional responsibility you may have as a telecommuter that your central office colleagues don't need to handle for themselves.

Because you can't assume that service providers, even very experienced and competent ones, will inherently know what you want and need, ...