Client Asking About Time Count. Very Weird.

[nahid_hridoy]

So, I did some tasks for a client on her WordPress site. I fixed some bugs on her site. Did some edits here and there. Did some work on layout modifications and had to send her some videos tutorial on how to do some edits. Anyway most of the time I had to spend on bug fiixng since none of the plugins and themes are up to date and they were breaking the layout while updating to the latest version. I had to fix all that. Also did some work on security too.

Anyway, she was very happy with the work. But today she is asking why I charge 9 hours for that. It's a $10 per hour job... So she thinks $90 is too much for all these tasks.. I should charge half of that or half the hours because she is thinking I didn't do that much work on the site.

She is not that technical and I don't want to explain every single point where I had to do work what I had to fix. It's a very weird situation. What should I do? Any suggestion?

[prestonhunter]

Freelancer: "Thank you for your note. I'm glad to hear that these fixes are working for you and your system. It looks like you had a question about how much you were charged. You were charged $90. If that isn't a amount that will work for you right now, how much do you want to pay? Are you suggesting $60 in total?"

Client: "Yes. Can you do that?"

Freelancer: "Yes. I have refunded $30, so that the total amount you will pay will be $60."

[Then don't work for this person again.]

[This client is obviously being very silly. I don't have time for that.]

[feed_my_eyes]

---

Preston H wrote:

Freelancer: "Thank you for your note. I'm glad to hear that these fixes are working for you and your system. It looks like you had a question about how much you were charged. You were charged $90. If that isn't a amount that will work for you right now, how much do you want to pay? Are you suggesting $60 in total?"

Client: "Yes. Can you do that?"

Freelancer: "Yes. I have refunded $30, so that the total amount you will pay will be $60."

---

I disagree - if he caves that easily, it looks like he's admitting that he was initially trying to overcharge. I say, stick to your guns. She got her money's worth for $90 freaking dollars.

Nahid, if this was an hourly project and you used the time tracker, you can refer the client to your work diary, where she can clearly see what you were working on and how long it took. 

[feed_my_eyes]

Also, since you're a top-rated freelancer, you know that you can occasionally remove bad feedback reviews (if it comes to that)?

[prestonhunter]

Christine:
I think you are right.

But I think I'm right as well.

Personally, a $90 contract isn't worth my time to quibble about, and I would want to quickly conclude the manner and not think about it any more. But other freelancers might not make the same decision.

I'm certainly not saying that what the client did was okay. I just don't want to spend any more of my time on behalf of a client like that.

I don't mind taking on small contracts. Sometimes I work on small contracts whose total is $30 or even less. But I don't spend time quibbling about cost with those clients. I think those clients know that if they questioned costs, they would lose access to my services.

[feed_my_eyes]

---

Preston H wrote:

Christine:
I think you are right.

But I think I'm right as well.

Personally, a $90 contract isn't worth my time to quibble about, and I would want to quickly conclude the manner and not think about it any more. But other freelancers might not make the same decision.

---

$90 isn't enough for you or I to quibble about, but refunding even $30 represents 3 hours of Nahid's time. Definitely worth quibbling about. (If it were 3 hours at your own hourly rate, or $264, would you give in so easily?) Anyway, if this was an hourly project and he tracked his time properly, then he'll get paid whether the client quibbles or not.

[prestonhunter]

Christine:
Excellent point.

[petra_r]

---

Preston H wrote:

[This client is obviously being very silly. I don't have time for that.]

---

And yet you tell the freelancer to cave in and refund a third of the money he worked for. Shame on you. 

He can simply refuse, and if he logged the hours correctly, he will get paid. Your constant advice for freelancers to give up their hard worked for money hurts freelancers and trains clients to become bad clients. 

I really wish you would stop that, it is so damaging for the the entire platform and such horrendous advice. Stop it. Just stop it already.

Preston H wrote:

But I think I'm right as well.

---

You're not.

---

Preston H wrote:

Personally, a $90 contract isn't worth my time to quibble about,

---

You are not a $ 10 an hour freelancer. I find it utterly insulting when you make out, as you constantly do, that some amount is meaningless, when in the person's country that amount can feed them for a week. So you tell them to forsake a week's food because you are in a different, priviledged situation. Unacceptable. Deeply so.

---

Preston H wrote:

I don't mind taking on small contracts. Sometimes I work on small contracts whose total is $30 or even less. But I don't spend time quibbling about cost with those clients

---

You are not the OP. You live a different life. Your "advice" is not appropriate or fair to the OPs circumstances. 

Try to have a modicum of empathy!

[lysis10 · Accepted solution]

If you used the time tracker, tell her to go to the work diary if she wants to know why it took so long.