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cd378ab7
Community Member

Freelancer doing a terrible job

Hello, 

 

So my team and I recently hired this studio (**Edited for Community Guidelines**), and we're having some serious problems.

 

He misses every single deadline we assign, and these deadlines are TIGHT. Not only that, but we've only received 2 updates in a matter of one and a half months, and both updates were lacking, to say the least.

 

So he promised to complete the  first job we commissioned him for in 10 days, with a rough sketch turned in a few days after commencement of which we could get a refund for if we didn't like it. He didn't get the rough sketch to us in even a week, so by that time, deadline quickly approaching and a strict marketing schedule to go with it, I decided to just end the contract and get a refund per our conversation. 

 

He starts to buck us, saying "oh no, we can't do that because we've already started the work." Which is bs, and contrary to his initial promise (though, unfortunately, I didn't get this promise in writing). We hadn't even got the rough sketch that he said he'd refund us for, and he's already saying he won't give us our money back????

 

So, I bring this up to my client, and he's obviously very upset because he's spent $1,500 on a freelancer who is not performing and going back on his word. So I talk to my colleague, and he suggests maybe we reassign this freelancer to a different job that has more of a runway since he clearly needs more time than he says he does. So, we hire him for this next job, of which he requests $750 more. My colleague handles communications without me, releases the funds, and they get to work.

 

The first sketch they send over is nothing like I want (and also late, as you can guess), and so I give them direction to fix it.... blah blah blah, their revision sucks. The edits are trash, and the "almost completed animation" really just looks like a rough sketch with color.

 

The problem is, this "top rated plus" talent with a 92% success rate is sending me sub-par work, it's LATE, this new creative is way way way way waaaaay passed due already, and my client is $2,200 in the hole.

 

I'm very stressed, very upset, and I don't know what to do other than fire this guy and escalate this problem to Upwork.

 

Does anyone have any advice, or am I in trouble here?

29 REPLIES 29
williamtcooper
Community Member

Patrick,

 

Never release funds unless you are happy with the work. 

 

Based upon your comments, the freelancer can't or will not complete the project on time.

 

Try to work it out with the freelancer otherwise close the Contract.

 

You are under no obligation to continue working with any freelancer.

 

Have a great day!

Never release funds until your happy with the work sounds real funny. But I do agree don't pay the freelancer until the contract outlines are met to the highest standard. Freelancer asking for payment before getting the job done sounds like he is trying to scam you. Escalate the issue to upwork support and make sure your secure a refund.

re: "Escalate the issue to upwork support and make sure you secure a refund"

 

As a client, I NEVER need to contact Upwork Support in order to manage my contracts, projects, and freelancers.

 

This is part of my POWER and SUCCESS as a client: I don't care.

 

If you're a terrible freelancer, I don't care about you.

I care about my projects. My users don't care about a terrible freelancer. They care about how they experience the product.

 

I'm a busy person.

I don't have time to deal with a "freelancer doing a terrible job."


I just fire them and forget about them.

You will if you value your money. Why would you spend 300 dollars to hire two freelancers on a single project which should cost around 150 dollars. This practice even though favored by some clients makes the platform look like it's 50 50 when you can actually find good freelancers who are willing to get paid for doing a good job. My advice to clients is like below:

 

a) Stats don't lie. Check the JSS score and some of the previous contracts this freelancer has completed and the client feedback

 

b) Go through the proposals and find the freelancer who describes a sound plan on how to solve your problem.

re: "You will if you value your money. Why would you spend 300 dollars to hire two freelancers on a single project which should cost around 150 dollars."

 

I DO value my money.

I don't want to waste money.

 

I believe that if clients want to SAVE money, they should proactively decide to NEVER DISPUTE. Never ask for a refund. Never trie to get money from freelancers.

 

This will help clients to SAVE money.

 

Because trying to get money from freelancers is a gamble.

It usually doesn't work.

Funding money in an escrow payment and then trying to dispute the payment and getting that money back? It's a gamble. Your credit card has ALREADY been charged. Maybe you get the money back. Maybe you don't get it back.

 

With MY way, I don't fund escrow payments that I'm not ready to lose. Instead, I'll fund a SMALLER payment, to test a freelancer's work first. Or I'll use an HOURLY contract, which doesn't require ANY up front money for an escrow payment, and which I can instantly end if necessary, and prevent being billed any more.

 

re: "a) Stats don't lie. Check the JSS score and some of the previous contracts this freelancer has completed and the client feedback; b) Go through the proposals and find the freelancer who describes a sound plan on how to solve your problem"

 

Unfortunately, it is impossible to predict whether or not a freelancer will work out for a project based on JSS or based on a freelancer's proposal or profile page.


The only thing that matters is the freelancer's ACTUAL work.

 

If a freelancer has a great JSS and a great proposal and a great profile page, but a client doesn't like the freelancer's work... THE CLIENT IS RIGHT. It does NOT MATTER jhow good the JSS or proposal or profile page are. All that matters is that the client doesn't like the work. So the client should fire the freelancer and work only with freelancers whose work he really likes.

But I don't encourage clients to hire multiple freelancers for a single job. What I would rather encourage them to do is interview each potential candidate exhaustively to get a rough overview of which candidate has the highest chance of getting the job  done.  


Timothy K wrote:

But I don't encourage clients to hire multiple freelancers for a single job. What I would rather encourage them to do is interview each potential candidate exhaustively to get a rough overview of which candidate has the highest chance of getting the job  done.  


High level freelancers aren't interested in wasting an "exhaustive" amount of time trying to convince one prospective client that they are the best chance for the job to be done well. They have other prospects who are willing to hire them immediately or almost immediately. Why would a service provider waste time (and money) on an unknown prospect when others are willing to pay for their service right now?

prestonhunter
Community Member

re: "Does anyone have any advice, or am I in trouble here?"

 

Your problem is that you are putting the needs of OTHERS ahead of your own needs.

You are putting the needs of this freelancer first.

 

You should not do that.

 

You should put YOUR NEEDS first. Make your PROJECT your top priority here.

 

This underperforming freelancer is just a stranger you met on the Internet. You are not his uncle or mentor or pastor or teacher. There is no logical reason for you to prioritize his concerns over your own.

 

As a client, I have hired over 180 freelancers on Upwork.

I OFTEN hire freelancers to work on tight deadlines.

I ALWAYS get work done on time.

 

How do I do this?
The main key is putting MYSELF and my PROJECT first.

I use best practices. You can do the same.

 

One key thing is:

I don't assume that any particular freelancer will work out.

I don't try to PREDICT which freelancers will provide good value and which will not.

I don't try to PREDICT which freelancesr will finish the work and which will not do the work on time.

 

I hire multiple freelancers using hourly contracts. Those who work get paid. Those who don't work, don't get paid. Very simple.

 

Continue working with the freelancers who provide you with the most value. STOP working with freelancers if you don't love their work. Or if they don't finish work on time.

Patrick:

It REALLY IS POSSIBLE to succeed as a client on Upwork. There are many successful clients here, including many who regularly participate in the Community Forum.

 

I want you to accommplish your goals, but you really need a different mindset when you hire freelances to work on your project. I re-read your original post, and I just don't understand your aproach. It's like you think this one freelancer is the only available freelancer on Upwork. There are literally millions of freelancers on Upwork.

 

Why did you hire only one person?
If you hire only one person, how can you compare their work? There's nothing to compare it to.

 

And if you don't love the freelancer's work, why did you continue paying money to him?

If you learn just one lesson in this thread, it should be this:
Refund thinking hurts clients.

 

You will save time and money if you proactively plan to never get money back from a freelancer. No matter what.

This philosophy will help you immensely, because it will help you focus on getting quality work done, rather than wasting time with freelancers who don't provide great value to your project.

 

The other important lesson is this:

- Hire multiple freelancers.

- Fire most of them quickly.

- Continue working with the ones who provide you with the most value.

I failed in that his studio requires my kind of project (a web3 company) to pay everything up front, and I went ahead and did that.

 

I guess I'm screwed lol thank you for your time and feedback

This is great advice, I assumed this freelancer would be a good fit based off the examples he sent, which were much higher quality than any other freelancer I found who was willing to do it for the same budget.

 

We hired him again because we didn't want the initial money to go to waste... which was a mistake, as I'm reading through these comments. Should have just cut the loss and moved on.

 

This is very valuable insight, thank you for taking the time to provide it!

Thank you for this 🙏

Wish I had more clients like you. Hell, I wish I had clients at all 😂

m_terrazas
Community Member

What I will never be able to understand is something like what you have done.
You pay for something that is not what you want, you let the deadlines get longer and when you decide to finish with the freelancer, since they deny you a refund, not only do you not dispute, but you commission another job? All this if I have understood correctly.
I'm going to mark your post to see if any mod can inform you of the possibilities you have, because it depends on time.

lysis10
Community Member

Cheap and misses deadlines. lol Of course. But if you look at his first page of feedback where he didn't get 5 stars, everyone hit him on availability and deadlines. The latest feedback even says he's late all the time.

tlsanders
Community Member

This is a very strange story.

 

Why would you pay $1500 for a rough sketch? 

 

Why would you pay the freelancer additional money when you didn't get what you'd already paid for?

 

Why would you release any funds before work was done?

 

Your client is right to be upset. It sounds like you are doing an inexcusably terrible job of managing this situation.

shariful_siraji
Community Member

You need to cancel your contract with him,  & go for another professional asap.

d26d5d29
Community Member

WHY would you give a second contract when they are not delivering on the first?

32e81aaf
Community Member

I am sorry to hear that you are having serious problems with the freelancer you hired for your project. It sounds like a difficult situation, but I am here to offer some advice on how you can potentially resolve it.

 

Firstly, it is important to communicate with the freelancer and express your concerns in a calm and professional manner. Ask them to explain why they are missing deadlines and not delivering the quality of work that was promised. Perhaps there is a valid reason for the delay, or they may be willing to work with you to resolve the issue.

 

If the freelancer is not responsive or unwilling to work with you, then you may need to consider ending the contract and seeking a refund. You can do this through Upwork's dispute resolution process, which is designed to help clients resolve issues with freelancers.

 

It is also important to be proactive in protecting your interests. Ensure that you have a clear contract in place with the freelancer that outlines the scope of work, timelines, and payment terms. This will help you to avoid misunderstandings and conflicts in the future.

 

In terms of finding a new freelancer, I recommend that you carefully review their profiles and portfolios before hiring them. Look for freelancers with a high success rate, positive feedback from previous clients, and relevant experience in your industry.

 

Finally, I would advise that you try to stay calm and focused on finding a solution. It can be frustrating and stressful to deal with a freelancer who is not delivering as expected, but getting angry or upset will not help you to resolve the issue.

I hope that this advice is helpful and that you are able to find a solution to your current situation. If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to me.

re: "Firstly, it is important to communicate with the freelancer and express your concerns in a calm and professional manner. Ask them to explain why they are missing deadlines and not delivering the quality of work that was promised. Perhaps there is a valid reason for the delay, or they may be willing to work with you to resolve the issue."

 

Yumna:

You sound like a nice person (or ChatGPT, I'm not sure which).

But.. as a client and a businessperson:

 

I don't care why the freelancer is missing deadlines.


That's why - when I had an important deadline coming up - I hired 4 different freelancers to do the job.

Andy didn't do any work, and didn't get paid.

But the other freelancers did the work, and they got paid.

 

Later I found out why Andy missed the deadline: He explained that he was secretly working for a government organization as an epidemiologist and he prevented a viral outbreak from wiping out an entire country. Good for Andy. And good for me that I had hired SOMEBODY ELSE to work on the project.

Andy didn't get paid $50 to write a blog article about cats for me that I wanted by Friday. Somebody else go the money for doing that.

 

Andy is (of course) a fictional example.
The point is:
If a client has an important deadline, the client doesn't hire a single stranger to work on the task. He hires somebody he already knows who is sure to get the work done on time, or he hires multiple people. Basic stuff.

Preston, I love that your hypothetical examples get more extreme and outlandish.

6ae4320c
Community Member

Hi Patrick,

 

My advice would be to calmly sort things out with the freelancer or otherwise close the contract to be on a much more safer side.

 

However, you can look more into newbies like me when next you intending posting a new job offer. Newbies like me tend to give every job our best, like our lives depend on it in order to ensure client satisfaction and getting good reviews and good completion rate of success.

Best wishes from me to you.

6bfcdaf8
Community Member

Nobody even mentioned directly sharing someones profile link here when complaining about their work is against ToS

aae0893d
Community Member

"It's not fair to be treated that way. You showed empathy towards the person, from my point of view, and refrained from giving them a negative review despite their poor performance. I suggest reporting the issue to Upwork support."

21bcaa88
Community Member

I understand the frustration you're facing. Here's a more concise set of steps:

  1. Document Everything:

    • Collect all relevant communication and agreements.
  2. Communicate Clearly:

    • Clearly express your concerns to the freelancer about missed deadlines and subpar work.
  3. Request Revisions:

    • Ask for revisions with specific feedback to salvage the project.
  4. Set Clear Expectations:

    • Outline clear expectations for remaining work, deadlines, and quality standards.
  5. Escalate on Upwork:

    • If issues persist, escalate the matter on Upwork's resolution center. Provide documentation.
  6. Seek Upwork Support:

    • Reach out to Upwork support for guidance and potential mediation.
  7. Terminate Contract if Necessary:

    • If the freelancer doesn't improve, consider terminating the contract per Upwork policies.
  8. Find a Replacement:

    • Begin searching for a replacement freelancer to minimize project delays.
  9. Learn for the Future:

    • Implement stricter vetting processes for freelancers in future hires.

It would be great to hear your original thoughts.

401d60e0
Community Member

If a Freelancer is not delivering what they promised, the practical thing to do is to end the contract. It's also advisable to hire multiple freelancers especially when you have a tight deadline, so if one is underperforming or not performing, others could save the day.

I think you are somewhat in this predicament because you let him bully you into thinking he's the best in the market, when millions and better freelancers are waiting for the opportunity.

ahmedshahzad45
Community Member

Hi Patrick,

 

My advice would be to calmly sort things out with the freelancer or otherwise close the contract to be on a much more safer side.

 

However, you can look more into newbies like me when next you intending posting a new job offer. Newbies like me tend to give every job our best, like our lives depend on it in order to ensure client satisfaction and getting good reviews and good completion rate of success.

Best wishes from me to you.

d46c043a
Community Member

Hey there,

When dealing with a freelancer who's not meeting your expectations, it's crucial to open up a dialogue with them. Rather than just labeling their work as "terrible," try to pinpoint specific areas where improvements are needed. Offering constructive feedback and giving them a chance to make things right can often lead to a better outcome for both of you. Effective communication is key in situations like these.

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