Client is extremely slow in replying

[coryn-macpherson]

Hi!

I'm working on an illustration job and the client is really slow in replying to me. I sent him the finished character drawings on Tuesday and he has not replied. He also wanted me to create a banner for him as well, but didn't respond to my asking what the specifications for it were. How should I handle something like this? He wants everything done by the end of June, but at this rate, there's just no way that's going to happen.

[prestonhunter]

Cients are not obligated to relpy to freelancers at all, much less reply within a particular timeframe.

If I have an hourly contract with a client, then the only thing I need to be concerned about is whether or not I fulfill my commitments within the timeframe that I commit to. If I do what I was asked to, and I'm caught up with my assignments, then it is fine if the client takes a day, or a week, or a month to ask me to do something else, or reply to my questions. It is the client's project, after all.

If I have a fixed-price contract, then the client NEVER NEEDS TO REPLY.

Because every time I accept a fixed-price contract, I have all of the information and input files necessary in order to achieve the task. Before I accept the contract.

When I finish, I use the submit button. If the client never replies, I get paid AUTOMATICALLY.

This can work fine for design work as well.

If the client wants you to design a banner, then get the specifications BEFORE you accept the contract. Then do the work, and submit the work, and get paid. Regardless of whether or not the client replies.

If there are multiple phases, and some require client feedback, then use separate milestones.

Do not do this: "Submit initial design. Get Approval. Do finished illustration."

INSTEAD: Break it up:

Task 1: Submit initial design.

[do that, and get paid automatically if the client doesn't reply]

Task 2: Do finished illustration

[do that, and get paid automatically if the client doesn't reply]

Wait: Where is the step where you get the client's approval?

That is the client's task to do. So you don't include that in a fixed-price milestone. Anything that relies on the client lies OUTSIDE of the fixed-price milestones. So that everytime you accept a task, you can submit the results and get paid, EVEN IF the client never replies.

[petra_r]

This whole "Clients are not obligated to reply to freelancers at all" mantra may be ok for a lot of jobs - but it does not work for a lot of others which involve and even require closer collaboration between client and freelancer.

"Clients can ignore freelancers and still get their stuff when they need it" may work when the job to be done is simplistic enough to not require any client input after a contract starts, but that is not the case for many.

---

Preston H wrote:

Do not do this: "Submit initial design. Get Approval. Do finished illustration."

INSTEAD: Break it up:

Task 1: Submit initial design.

[do that, and get paid automatically if the client doesn't reply]

Task 2: Do finished illustration

[do that, and get paid automatically if the client doesn't reply]

---

That all too often leads to the client deciding that the "draft or initial design" is good enough and the freelancer never getting paid for the rest, even though that first step is the main work. We have seen this time and time again and have seen those who are experienced in that field strongly advise against this approach for this very reason.

It is also worth remembering that "getting paid" is only one aspect of a contract.

When there is a deadline, freelancers and clients work together to make sure that both parties have what they need to get stuff done by the time it needs to be done. It isn't right for clients to not do their part and not give the freelancer what they need when they need it. After all, freelancers allocate time to their clients and schedule their availability. Clients not doing their part leads to idle time and then stress to meet the original timeframe.

There is no "clients are gods" pedestal that absolves half of a collaborative team (client and freelancer) from doing their part.

No, clients are not "obligated" to respond to freelancers, but if they want their stuff done within the original timeline they do have to respond. Please stop trying to drum it into the heads of freelancers that they are not worthy of a response from their client.

[lakitel]

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Petra R wrote:

This whole "Clients are not obligated to reply to freelancers at all" mantra may be ok for a lot of jobs - but it does not work for a lot of others which involve and even require closer collaboration between client and freelancer.

"Clients can ignore freelancers and still get their stuff when they need it" may work when the job to be done is simplistic enough to not require any client input after a contract starts, but that is not the case for many.

---

Preston H wrote:

Do not do this: "Submit initial design. Get Approval. Do finished illustration."

INSTEAD: Break it up:

Task 1: Submit initial design.

[do that, and get paid automatically if the client doesn't reply]

Task 2: Do finished illustration

[do that, and get paid automatically if the client doesn't reply]

---

That all too often leads to the client deciding that the "draft or initial design" is good enough and the freelancer never getting paid for the rest, even though that first step is the main work. We have seen this time and time again and have seen those who are experienced in that field strongly advise against this approach for this very reason.

It is also worth remembering that "getting paid" is only one aspect of a contract.

When there is a deadline, freelancers and clients work together to make sure that both parties have what they need to get stuff done by the time it needs to be done. It isn't right for clients to not do their part and not give the freelancer what they need when they need it. After all, freelancers allocate time to their clients and schedule their availability. Clients not doing their part leads to idle time and then stress to meet the original timeframe.

There is no "clients are gods" pedestal that absolves half of a collaborative team (client and freelancer) from doing their part.

No, clients are not "obligated" to respond to freelancers, but if they want their stuff done within the original timeline they do have to respond. Please stop trying to drum it into the heads of freelancers that they are not worthy of a response from their client.

---

On top of all that, there is the very real chance that the client suddenly gets notified that they need to pay money and then comes back and disputes everything. From what I remember, the client has up to 30 days (maybe 40, I can't remember exactly). So if you do a month's worth of work, and then they come at that end of the month and dispute everything, you as a freelancer are left in a difficult situation.

This may very well be mitigated by using the desktop tracking app (which I abhore), but the truth is that it can't track large parts of the creative process that invloves brainstorming, ideation, iteration and other things that mostly happen in your head. So again, you're left with the situation where you might possibly only get paid for the actual mechanical work you do, and not for all the prep and other things I mentioned.

[rolludesig]

and i hope you have an idea how long does it take to get paid automatically? it takes 14 days to have payment released and then another 5 days as per the upwork terms..

so client communication is very very important...we as a designer do need the feedbacks asap.

[gilbert-phyllis]

I second everything Petra said.

Meanwhile, if you haven't already, tell the client exactly what you need to complete the work and be specific that the project is at risk for missing the original target date for completion. Give him a deadline for providing what you need in order to get it done on time. Be cordial but clear and specific. That's all you can do, but hopefully he will either get off the dime and send what you need, or it'll turn out the end of June is not a "drop dead" date, or both.

[tlsanders]

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Coryn M wrote:

He wants everything done by the end of June, but at this rate, there's just no way that's going to happen.

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Say that.

Something like, "Hey, Joe...no rush on my end, but I'm getting concerned about the timeline. I know that you want to get this project wrapped up by the end of June, and I  need to have X and Y by Z date if we're going to meet those deadlines."