Unresponsive Client

mdaviscpb · ‎09-20-2019

Ok I am totally lost with two clients. One hired me to categorize her transactions and integrate her POS into QBO. I have done what I can and am waiting for some information so I can proceed. I have had no response to my messages in over a week. The other one is trying to keep accurate books in QBO but won't track inventory or products in it. His POS doesn't integrate with QBO and has to be imported by csv, but he says now he doesn't have a budget for me to set all this up and now seems to be saying that he can't pay me for some of the work I have already done. UGH! I need a couple of good clients LOL. Ok rant over.

prestonhunter · ‎09-20-2019

Clients are not required to respond to freelancers.

My philosophy: It is the client's project. She knows how to find me. If I send a message, and she hasn't responded yet, then that is her business. She is welcome to take a break, take the weekend off, take a vacation, etc.

I always get paid for my work regardless of whether or not a client responds to me, because I use either hourly contracts, or I use fixed-price contracts for which I have all necessary information before I start the work.

So when I finish a fixed-price task, I DO NOT ask the client about it. I know that the task is done, and I submit it. If the client doesn't respond, I get paid automatically.

True story: This morning I received a note from a client who I have not heard from in over a year. During this year I have continued to work on his project and bill time. He just wants to catch up on the latest developments. I have sent regular update messages, but he doesn't respond to them. This is a very hands-off client.

So when I say that clients are not required to respond to freelancers, I really mean that.

If it means (as in the original poster's situation) that a freelancer can't continue her work, then that is what it means. When the client wants work to continue, the client will contact the freelancer.

robin_hyman · ‎09-20-2019

Mary,

Are these projects hourly or fixed-price? If fixed-price, did you currently submit via the Upwork submission tool?

Hope to help you get paid for the work completed....

Best,

Robin

prestonhunter · ‎09-20-2019

re: "Are these projects hourly or fixed-price? If fixed-price, did you currently submit via the Upwork submission tool?"

I do both types of work.

With hourly contracts, I get aid automatically - even if a client doesn't respond for many, many months.

With a fixed-price contract, I get paid automatically because there is a set task, I do the task, and I use the green "Submit Work / Request Payment" button.

Then Upwork releases all escrow money to me automatically if the client doesn't respond.

robin_hyman · ‎09-20-2019

Thanks, Preston but my questions were directed to the OP.

gilbert-phyllis · ‎09-20-2019

Mary, you only have one job (in progress) on your profile. Are you sure you have contracts with two clients?

Strongly encourage you to read all the info available, in this forum and in the Help sections, about getting started and making sure you get paid for your work.

mdaviscpb · ‎09-20-2019

I have no idea why there is only one active job in my profile, I have two active contracts, both hourly.

As far as "Clients are not required to respond" that's a bit hard to accept when part of my job is to reconcile bank accounts and I have not been provided statements.

prestonhunter · ‎09-20-2019

re: "As far as 'Clients are not required to respond' that's a bit hard to accept when part of my job is to reconcile bank accounts and I have not been provided statements."

Maybe we could rephrase that and say:

"Upwork does not require that clients respond in order for freelancers to get paid."

and furthermore:

"Upwork does not have a rule that requires clients to respond to freelancers."

However:

That doesn't mean that there can't be certain types of jobs that a client would need to communicate with a freelancer in order for the work to be effective.

But as a practical matter, there is nothing you can do.

If your job requires you to obtain information from the clients, and the clients don't provide that information to you, then that is not your fault. Do what you can, and then wait.

kat303 · ‎09-20-2019

Mary D wrote:
Ok I am totally lost with two clients. One hired me to categorize her transactions and integrate her POS into QBO. I have done what I can and am waiting for some information so I can proceed. I have had no response to my messages in over a week. The other one is trying to keep accurate books in QBO but won't track inventory or products in it. His POS doesn't integrate with QBO and has to be imported by csv, but he says now he doesn't have a budget for me to set all this up and now seems to be saying that he can't pay me for some of the work I have already done. UGH! I need a couple of good clients LOL. Ok rant over.

---------------

You said that both of your contracts were hourly. That's good. Because with hourly contracts you get paid for the time you work, not for the work you produce.

And you will get paid either by the client or by Upwork for the hours you logged, PROVIDED that:

1. you used Tracker

2. You wrote meaningful notes in the screen shots it took

3. you Only logged the time you were actually working on the clients job

4. you had reasonable keystroke activity.

Hours you will not be paid for are:

1. Manual hours

2. No notations in the screenshots

3. Hours that show you were doing something else instead of working on the clients job, such as playing games, watching Youtube videos, reading/sending personal emails and unusually high or low keystroke activity.

petra_r · ‎09-20-2019

Kathy T wrote:
And you will get paid either by the client or by Upwork for the hours you logged, PROVIDED that:

1. you used Tracker
2. You wrote meaningful notes in the screen shots it took
3. you Only logged the time you were actually working on the clients job
4. you had reasonable keystroke activity.

Hours you will not be paid for are:
1. Manual hours
2. No notations in the screenshots
3. Hours that show you were doing something else instead of working on the clients job, such as playing games, watching Youtube videos, reading/sending personal emails and unusually high or low keystroke activity.

People get paid for manual time or time without memos every week.

The clients don't even have to turn up again, manual etc time is charged billed and paid in exactly the same way as properly tracked time. The only difference is that the hourly protection goes out of the window, so in the relatively rare case that the client either disputes or fails to pay, it is correct to say "Hours you will not be paid for (IF the client disputes or fails to pay Upwork) are"