Borderline harassing client

81328856 · ‎12-03-2022

Need advice. I completed an edit back in October for a client that ended up being way more than I bargained for because she kept changing the requirements, but I stuck with it because I'm new and I need good feedback. Anyway, she will go silent for weeks and then come back with more and more questions about the initial project, wanting other things done. We actually started a new contract and that one was completed as well. It's been probably a month since I've interacted with her at all, and all contracts are ended and feedback is left on one of them but not the other. She just messaged me this morning with yet more questions..... I do not wish to do any more work for her, nor do I want to go back and do any MORE work on what was already completed and paid for.

My question is.... how long does a client have to leave feedback and/or can she go back and change the feedback if I ignore her or block?

Thanks much!

sparkesusan · ‎12-03-2022

I don't know about the feedback, but I have had clients that tried to come back after the contract was closed and ask for more work. My answer is always: We will have to have a new contract for more work.

That's never been a problem, as they expect me to be a professional, meaning I don't work for free or without a contract. If they truly become an annoyance, you can block them. And I have done that a couple of times, too.

tlsanders · ‎12-03-2022

In this case, though, the very last thing OP wants is a new contract with a new opportunity to leave feedback. Currently, the client can't hold feedback over their head to push for additional work or leave retaliatory feedback when the freelancer finally draws the line.

lysis10 · ‎12-03-2022

When you have a client you don't want to work with anymore and your entire goal is feedback, you need to close the contract to get rid of them. You can ninja close it, which I like to call push and pray. Push the close button at a strategic time and home they ignore or miss the email. I've done it several times and it works out a lot.

81328856 · ‎12-03-2022

Both contracts have been closed for a while now. My concern is that they can go back and add or change feedback....?

lizablau · ‎12-03-2022

No, you'd have to give them permission to go in and change the feedback. And after 14 days, that option is gone. It sounds like these contracts have been closed longer than 14 days, so there's nothing they can do.

deborah-ponzio · ‎12-03-2022

It the contracts are close, you have no more obligations, not even to respond

lizablau · ‎12-03-2022

What are the best strategic times? I think Friday evenings or over the weekend as they'll be less likely to be working and notice it was closed, and then hopefully forget about it by Monday.

lysis10 · ‎12-04-2022

Lisa B wrote:
What are the best strategic times? I think Friday evenings or over the weekend as they'll be less likely to be working and notice it was closed, and then hopefully forget about it by Monday.

I do Sundays so they can't ruin my weekend if they are reading emails over the weekend. Sunday really late at night is my preference, because I hope that Monday they are too busy and have to go through email and deal with fires and can't deal with you and then forget about it.

df602768 · ‎12-03-2022

If the contract is still open, then that'd be an issue. Otherwise, you could politely explain that this time you'll do the edits for free, but next time the service will have to be charged because the free round of revisions is over.

colettelewis · ‎12-03-2022

I think that's bad advice. Why on earth do edits for free, when the contract has been closed? The OP has said she doesn't want to continue working for this client.

df602768 · ‎12-03-2022

Because this client may actually turn around and pay her for the new edits. It's worth the shot and shows professionalism.

If they don't, who cares. No harm done.

colettelewis · ‎12-03-2022

She might, but the client is clearly a bad communicator and clearly expects the OP to give free advice. Most importantly, the OP has said that she does not wish to continue with the client - end of. Also the OP's real question was about feedback,not how to continue with an unsatisfactory client.

tlsanders · ‎12-03-2022

Except the harm of continuing to waste time and energy engaging with a client the freelancer has clearly decided they don't want.

ashrafkhan81 · ‎12-03-2022

The clinet and freelancer both have 14 days to give a feedback and post review, after either of them closes the contract.

Nither of them can change the feedback unless the other party enables them to change the feedback. Even then, only yhr public feedback can be changed, private feedback cannot be changed.

If a client is not responsive I try to close a contract during weekends, I also consider my JSS at the time of xlosing, like at this very moment a clinet has ghosted me for over 2 months but my JSS is @95% now I'll wait untill it moves a few percentages like around 98-100 range and then close it...I don't want to take a risk when my JSS is already low

25005175 · ‎12-03-2022

You consider 95% to be low? Sure, not ideal. But low?

ashrafkhan81 · ‎12-03-2022

95 is not low, but a bad feedback can easily bring in under 90 and I may lose my top rated status.

So it's a critical point, if I am at 100 I won't give it a second thought and close the contract...

df602768 · ‎12-04-2022

Kind of agree to what Ashraf's saying.