Client ask for changes after the work is paid

[thewijk]

Hi,
I did a job for a client, delivered the work and the client released the milestone, which is out of the security hold period since last Wednesday. Today the client contacted me I told me that the work was not good enough and wants med to re-write the articles. In my oppinion, the client has already approved the work as he has released the milestone and that it is too late to ask for changes. Can you give me some advice what to do, before I start arguing with the client?
Kind regards,
Therese Wijk

[valery221166]

Therese, just offer him to open other task or a new milestone. If he respects you and your work, he do. If not, we have to free our workspace from such type of clients IMHO.

[thewijk]

Thanks for your good advice. The client has sneaked in some extra work, which he is not paying me for, all the way and I am getting tired of it. I do not mind doing the linguistically changes he is asking for, that is my bad, but I will not re-write the articles just because the client suddenly changes his mind of what he wanted. He has approved ten articles written in the same style before, and that is what makes me the angriest.

[petra_r]

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Therese W wrote:

I did a job for a client, delivered the work and the client released the milestone, which is out of the security hold period since last Wednesday. Today the client contacted me I told me that the work was not good enough and wants med to re-write the articles. In my oppinion, the client has already approved the work as he has released the milestone and that it is too late to ask for changes.

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Is the contract still open?

Does the client have a point?

Bear in mind the client actually can dispute up to 30 days after the last payment. Personally I would discuss it with the client and keep an open mind to see if the client has a point and the work maybe wasn't as good as it might have been (in which case of course I would fix it immediately) or if this an out-of-scope request (the work is perfectly as agreed, but the client changed their mind what they wanted) in which case maybe negotiate a new milestone.

[thewijk]

The contract is still open. The client is very unclear about what he is not satisfied with "put some more effort when rewriting the task". This client sneaks in more work, which he does not pay me to do (and unfortunately he is not the first one that tires this out) so, to be honest, I am getting tired of this type of clients. I do not mind doing the linguistically changes he is asking for, but I will not re-write the articles just because the client suddenly changes his mind of what he wanted. He has approved ten articles written in the same style before.

[sbilu131521 · Accepted solution]

Hi Therese,

Probably most freelancers face the same issue, at least once in the entire career. Now here are some options:

1) You can ask politely to the client, what changes they need and if it is very minor,  you can do it. Tell clearly that this extra effort will cost little extra amount.

2) You just said to the client, this is unfair. You can flag the client and tell Upwork help about the entire situation with all messages as proof. And end the contract from your end. Yes, in that case, you have to take the risk of poor feedback. You know life is not fair.

3) You just said, "Go to h**l", and can refund the entire amount, if this suits you. In that case, don't forget to flag this client as inappropriate. Yes, you will lose your time and money, but no poor feedback will be on your profile.

Hope this helps.

Sagar

[petra_r]

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Sagar S wrote:

1) You can ask politely to the client, what changes they need and if it is very minor,  you can do it. Tell clearly that this extra effort will cost little extra amount.

2) You just said to the client, this is unfair. You can flag the client and tell Upwork help about the entire situation with all messages as proof. And end the contract from your end. Yes, in that case, you have to take the risk of poor feedback. You know life is not fair.

3) You just said, "Go to h**l", and can refund the entire amount, if this suits you. In that case, don't forget to flag this client as inappropriate. Yes, you will lose your time and money, but no poor feedback will be on your profile.

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1) Surely that depends on whether the client has a reason to ask for changes or not?

2) Flag the client for what? Surely that depends on whether the client has a reason to ask for changes or not?

3) But her JSS will take a hit. Great idea (not!)

[prestonhunter]

The original poster is a freelancer, and has already been given good advice.

I want to set aside things from a freelancer's perspective, and address things from a client's perspective.

After a freelancer has submitted work for a fixed-price milestone, the client has 14 days within which she may review the work. There is a button which she can use to ask for changes.

If the freelancer did the work that was ageed to, then the client should release payment for the work.

If there are mistakes in the work, then it is reasonable to request that the freelancer fix the mistakes.

If the client does not like the freelancer's style or creative sensibilities, then this is not the right freelancer for the project. Release payment and hire somebody else for the next project. Or hire somebody else to do this project over again.

If you hire Michael Bublé to sing at your wedding, you're not going to get him to sound like Darius Rucker, no matter what you do.

[feed_my_eyes]

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Preston H wrote:

If you hire Michael Bublé to sing at your wedding, you're not going to get him to sound like Darius Rucker, no matter what you do.

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If you hire Michel Buble because he claims that he can sing exactly like Darius Rucker [who?], but then it turns out that he can't, you've got cause to ask for a refund, IMO.

[hoyle_editing]

Agree with most of the above really.

Ultimatlely you need to look at exactly what extra work the client is asking of you, and decide

firstly -

Is it a fair request?  

and secondly -

How much work is the change in the scope of the whole project? (you mention rewriting articles but if its 1 or 2 in a batch of hundreds then maybe its not such a big thing? On the other hand, if it is ALL the work you have done it puts a different perspective on it.)

Personally I try to accomodate as much as possible - if the work was as agreed, but the client decided they just didnt like a couple of things (out of hundreds) then i would PROBABLY make the changes anyway. If however the changes were the whole project, but the project was done to agreement then i would be negotiating a new contract.

[thewijk]

He wants me to totally re-write 1/3 of the work (if he has told me everything he suddenly not is satisfied with, of which I am not sure) - not acceptable. He has approved 9 similar articles at the same topic and style before, without any suggestions. He has also sneaked in work that we have not agreed on, and do not pay me to do it, which is why I am quite pissed off. The job description is vague and I guess that it can be a strategy from the clients perspective. Do not get me wrong, I really enjoy working through UpWork but as well as they have done it harder to a freelancer to attempt, they should clearance unserious clients as well.

[feed_my_eyes]

Did you write these articles in English?