Help. I'm working with a very "difficult" client.

Carlos Eduardo D · Jan 28, 2019 09:25:31 AM

So, I've made the mistake to accept this offer, now I don't know what to do.

This client is new to Upwork, I noticed he has only one job finished (for the same position I'm working on now) in which he gave the freelancer 2 stars (I can't see the feedback he received).

He already asked me to sign up for another platform, changed the deadline from 7 days to 2 hours (!!!) when I said I needed to rest a bit and is harassing me, to say the least. I don't know what to do.

I don't want to close the contract because I know it's going to hurt my JSS.

Help!

Lila G · Jan 28, 2019 09:55:26 AM

Carlos,

It sad to hear you are afraid to close ties with this client over the fear of hurting your JSS.

Don't just end the contract, tell him the honest truth and why you feel like you can't work with that person any longer. If you get no response from that then end the contract. My only advice to you is to not be afraid to say no. In the end, you will have a chance to reply to his feedback on your profile so other prospective clients can see both sides of the story. If in the future you become top-rated, you can remove it.

Hope that helps,

Lila

Carlos Eduardo D · Jan 28, 2019 10:06:21 AM

Sorry, if I close the contract I'm sure he's going to give me bad review. I'm between the devil and the deep sea right now, and I need to rest so much.

Preston H · Jan 28, 2019 10:27:58 AM

Carlos:

You have completed 34 jobs already!

You can take the hit from a job with a negative review.

Your Job Success Score will be okay if you:

- Close this contract and the feedback score isn't perfect

[or]

- Refund any money associated with this contract and prevent any mention of it from appearing in your work history.

As a general rule: If you have worked for a client, and your work as real work, then you should get paid for that work. So if you really did work for the client, but it is now time to stop working for the client (for whatever reason), then go ahead and close the contract.

If the client is being ridiculous, then block the client from communicating with you.

Tonya P · Jan 28, 2019 10:32:30 AM

Take a screenshot of the client asking you to go to another platform and report him to CS. Or if you don't want to go through the hassle of dealing with customer service, just close the contract. The so-called clients abuse freelancers because they are allowed to get away with it. You don't have to tolerate bad behavior.

Carlos Eduardo D · Jan 28, 2019 10:39:15 AM

Thank you for your replies.

Preston, are you positive that if I give him a full refund his feedback won't affect my score?

Preston H · Jan 28, 2019 10:43:08 AM

re: "Preston, are you positive that if I give him a full refund his feedback won't affect my score?"

If you send a full refund for any contract, then it means zero dollars were paid for that contract. That makes it impossible for the contract to appear on your work history.

But that doesn't change the fact that the client can leave private feedback.

Negative private feedback can have a negative impact on your JSS. A zero-pay contract can have a negative impact as well. But these are WITHIN THE CONTEXT of your overall work history. Because you have so many other completed jobs, with great feedback, this means that your JSS would be negatively impacted only a little, or not at all.

Petra R · Jan 28, 2019 11:17:20 AM

Preston H wrote:

Negative private feedback can have a negative impact on your JSS. A zero-pay contract can have a negative impact as well.

Please don't mislead him, Preston. He is trying to make an informed decision. There is no "can" about it.

YES, he has 30ish closed contracts, but less than a dozen in his 6 month window.

A nothing paid contract without or with poor feedback will, without a shadow of any doubt, affect his JSS and not just by a point or two. Poor feedback will do the same.

The advantage here of not getting paid is simply that there will be no visible feedback on his profile.

Carlos Eduardo D · Jan 28, 2019 11:13:57 AM

I told him he was being inappropriate now, he got really angry, called me a "stupid person", that I should "**bleep** off" and that "I'm fired".

That's my first bad experience on Upwork. Do you think maybe CS could do something about the (obviously) bad review I'm about to receive? I was really trying to become top rated again.

I'm going to give him a full refund, I don't want a penny from him.

Petra R · Jan 28, 2019 11:19:08 AM

Carlos Eduardo D wrote:
I told him he was being inappropriate now, he got really angry, called me a "stupid person", that I should "**bleep** off" and that "I'm fired".
That's my first bad experience on Upwork. Do you think maybe CS could do something about the (obviously) bad review I'm about to receive? I was really trying to become top rated again.
I'm going to give him a full refund, I don't want a penny from him.

REPORT the client, with evidence!

If you refund, there will be NO feedback showing on your profile but yes, unless the client actually gets kicked off the platform, your JSS will take a hit.