Client asking to come to his house

[#1]

Hi,

One of my clients hired me because I'm local, but it seems that the office address that he shared with me looks like a residence .

I do not want to go to his house and work there . Has this happened to anyone here and how do you handle this?

Any inputs would help me greatly!

Thanks,

Bernice

[#2]

Meet him at a nearby public place to discuss.  Most sit-down restaurants would work well.  He should understand and if he does not that is a red flag.

[#3]

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 wrote:

Meet him at a nearby public place to discuss.  Most sit-down restaurants would work well.  He should understand and if he does not that is a red flag.

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No, I would absolutely not do that, either. Even if it's a public place or a proper office, the guy could follow her home or behave like a creep. There's absolutely no reason why somebody in her niche would need to meet with a client in person. 

Bernice, does this person have a decent hiring history on Upwork - like at least 10 other hires with good reviews? If not, then I wouldn't even consider discussing this further. If he does have a good background, suggest a Zoom meeting instead.

[#4]

Thanks Christine! I think he has mixed reviews and mostly worked with males. I was really confused about making a decision but with all your replies, I have clarity in this situation. Was losing sleep over how to handle...

thanks I appreciate all your replies!!👍👍

[#5]

Got it, thanks William👍

[#6]

This has never happened to me. But if it did, I would not meet him at a local residence. I understand some people are better with face-to-face meetings, but I recommend avoiding in-person meetings when a virtual meeting will suffice.

I have several clients outside of Upwork and I have occasionally met company staff at local or remote offices due to the nature and complexity of the work. However, those clients are established businesses with dozens or hundreds of people around. Even so, I haven't met with any of them in-person for a few years now because Microsoft Teams and Zoom work perfectly fine.

I agree with Christine; suggest a Zoom meeting. If he balks or says "An in-person meeting is preferred or necessary," drop him and move on.

[#7]

Thank you Clark! I agree..nothing that cannot be handled over a Zoom call for sure. Thanks for your reply. 

[#8]

If it's a job you really think is perfect for you agree to meet this client at a busy local coffee shop, but only if you think there is a real need to meet in person. In my experience, there rarely is. And I want a written record (in the Upwork message system) of what we discuss and agree to.

Get there early and take a (male?) friend along, so when the client arrives your friend is sitting at the table with you enjoying a muffin and a coffee and can excuse him-/herself to another table not too far away to give you and the client some "privacy." Pre-arrange a sign (removing a hat, twirling a pen, etc.) that lets your friend know if they should come over and tell you they need to leave and you're their ride. At any rate, don't let the meeting last more than 20 or so minutes. This is a business meeting, not a date.

Safety first, last and always.

Good luck!

[#9]

Thank you Will! Yes safety first!

I will remember these tips!