🐈
» Forums » Freelancers » Offensive Client Feedback
Page options
justin_porter
Community Member

Offensive Client Feedback

Hi - I have a quick question. I recently worked with a client who paused my contract and asked me to finish the rest work the work for free. Based on that, I ended the conversation, and she closed the contract.

 

Afterwards, she wrote a scathing review that was riddled with false statements. For example, she said I turned the material in a day before it was due, even though it was turned in a week before the deadline. She said my coding skills were very bad even though it a) was not a coding project, b) I didn’t write the code c) I used HER code examples as she asked. These are two of the many things she lied about, and they are obvious attempts at character assassination.

 

I hoping to dispute this to have the post removed. I'm not a top rated freelancer as I've just started using the platform, but I have a battery of evidence disputing her false claims. If you look at my track record, her review is an obvious outlier.

ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Justin:

The response you formulated is too long.

And you can't include links in a response.

 

Even if you COULD include links in a response, you wouldn't want to.

 

Remember that you are not creating a case that will be presented before a grand jury. You are thinking about a response that is going on a billboard. Billboards are put up for advertising purposes. People drive by them quickly.

 

Your profile page is a billboard, the purpose of which is to quickly advertise your services as a freelancer. So don't make a case out of this.

 

I would suggest that your optimal choices here are:

a) no reponse

[or]

b) a single sentence

 

 

And remember:

This isn't about fairness.

This isn't about justice.

This isn't about who is wrong or right.

This is about $$$

View solution in original post

13 REPLIES 13
petra_r
Community Member


Justin P wrote:

 

I hoping to dispute this to have the post removed. 


It's not possible. The only way to get rid of the feedback would be a full refund, which obviously I would not recommend.

 

You can write a short, factual, cool-headed, precise and polite response but be very careful and level-headed, as responses do more harm than good in more cases than not.

 

prestonhunter
Community Member

Justin:
Petra is correct that you able to write a response to a client's feedback.

 

The majority of the responses I have seen make the freelancer appear WORSE. Meaning: The freelancer would have been better off leaving no response at all.

 

If you want to write a response to the feedback, I would totally understand. You may want to HAVE HELP.

 

If you ran your ideas by us here in the Forum, I am sure that there are Forum participants who could weigh in on your ideas for the response before you actually post it... That could improve your chances of doing something effective rather than counter-productive.

feed_my_eyes
Community Member


Justin P wrote:

Hi - I have a quick question. I recently worked with a client who paused my contract and asked me to finish the rest work the work for free. Based on that, I ended the conversation, and she closed the contract.

 

Afterwards, she wrote a scathing review that was riddled with false statements. For example, she said I turned the material in a day before it was due, even though it was turned in a week before the deadline. She said my coding skills were very bad even though it a) was not a coding project, b) I didn’t write the code c) I used HER code examples as she asked. These are two of the many things she lied about, and they are obvious attempts at character assassination.

 

I hoping to dispute this to have the post removed. I'm not a top rated freelancer as I've just started using the platform, but I have a battery of evidence disputing her false claims. If you look at my track record, her review is an obvious outlier.


That's a shame, but Upwork won't intervene unless the client actually threatened you by saying something like, "do this work for free or I'll give you a terrible review." They're not going to get into a situation in which they have to read through messages, make judgments about work quality, and take sides every time a freelancer feels that they've been unfairly treated. Clients are allowed to have their say. All you can do is develop your instincts about whether a client is going to be difficult, and avoid accepting a project from them in the first place. But try to take comfort that if the review is an obvious outlier, then prospective clients will be able to see that, and won't hold it against you.

 

martina_plaschka
Community Member

Don't respond to the feedback, that would only make it worse. 

justin_porter
Community Member

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I've seen freelancer responses before and I agree that they seem, at best, passive aggressive. I'm thinking about itemizing the lies and disputing them with a link to proof.

 

For example:

 

"Freelancer submitted material 8 days before deadline. Click link for screenshot."

 

"Freelancer did not write the code and used client's code examples as asked. Click link for screenshot."

 

"Freelancer was reponsive until contract was paused and client requested work done for free without logging hours. Click link for screenshot."

 

"Freelancer included all itemized topics to be included in the deliverable. Click link to see the deliverable."

Of course, the links will link to the screenshotted proof. How does this look? Otherwise, I will take the other feedback given here and consider this one an unjustified loss. 

Justin:

The response you formulated is too long.

And you can't include links in a response.

 

Even if you COULD include links in a response, you wouldn't want to.

 

Remember that you are not creating a case that will be presented before a grand jury. You are thinking about a response that is going on a billboard. Billboards are put up for advertising purposes. People drive by them quickly.

 

Your profile page is a billboard, the purpose of which is to quickly advertise your services as a freelancer. So don't make a case out of this.

 

I would suggest that your optimal choices here are:

a) no reponse

[or]

b) a single sentence

 

 

And remember:

This isn't about fairness.

This isn't about justice.

This isn't about who is wrong or right.

This is about $$$


Justin P wrote:

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I've seen freelancer responses before and I agree that they seem, at best, passive aggressive. I'm thinking about itemizing the lies and disputing them with a link to proof.

 

For example:

 

"Freelancer submitted material 8 days before deadline. Click link for screenshot."

 

"Freelancer did not write the code and used client's code examples as asked. Click link for screenshot."

 

"Freelancer was reponsive until contract was paused and client requested work done for free without logging hours. Click link for screenshot."

 

"Freelancer included all itemized topics to be included in the deliverable. Click link to see the deliverable."

Of course, the links will link to the screenshotted proof. How does this look? Otherwise, I will take the other feedback given here and consider this one an unjustified loss. 


I would just leave it alone if I were you. A response - especially one that's that long - will only draw more attention to the review. 


Justin P wrote:

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I've seen freelancer responses before and I agree that they seem, at best, passive aggressive. I'm thinking about itemizing the lies and disputing them with a link to proof.

 

For example:

 

"Freelancer submitted material 8 days before deadline. Click link for screenshot."

 

"Freelancer did not write the code and used client's code examples as asked. Click link for screenshot."

 

"Freelancer was reponsive until contract was paused and client requested work done for free without logging hours. Click link for screenshot."

 

"Freelancer included all itemized topics to be included in the deliverable. Click link to see the deliverable."

Of course, the links will link to the screenshotted proof. How does this look? Otherwise, I will take the other feedback given here and consider this one an unjustified loss. 


Do you really think that a potential client will read the client's feedback, your response to it, and then sit back to quietly contemplate who might be right? Of course not. He will turn away in horror from exchanges like this. 

I understand you want to defend yourself. Don't. I looks bad on your profile. You need to think strategically, and forget about your bruised ego. 

tlbp
Community Member

I doubt if a prospective client is going to bother to read that entire feedback comment anyway. The facts that you are complaining about are minor issues. The real problem is that the client didn't like your writing. Accept that the deal went bad and learn from the experience. 

Not true - I'm a coder and that's how I get paid. She was very untruthful regarding my coding abilities which were not even utilized in this project. That has nothing to do with writing skills. A lie is a lie.  

Justin,

 

I recommend you give it a few days, so you can write and re-write your response to her feedback with facts-only comments and without rancor.

 

Since you cannot remove the feedback, you may not be able to avoid temporary harm to your Job Success Score.

 

But warning other freelancers about this client is a good thing for the community. And just letting unjustified criticism of your work stand as-is without your rebuttal is not the best approach.

 

Quality clients know that things sometimes go sidewise and are unlikely to avoid you if your response is professional and factual. And you might even scare off a few client clowns, who are used to being able to get their work done cheaply or for free by scaring their freelancers with the threat of unjustified low ratings, from even approaching you and wasting your time and effort on their projects.

 

Good luck!


Justin P wrote:

Not true - I'm a coder and that's how I get paid. She was very untruthful regarding my coding abilities which were not even utilized in this project. That has nothing to do with writing skills. A lie is a lie.  


The only time a response works, in my opinion, is if it's something like:

 

"I'm sorry that the work completed was not satisfactory. It  is my goal to ensure that I fulfill all the deliverables of a project as  outlined in the scope of work.  The contract was ended early; therefore, I was unable to offer further remedy. Should you change your mind, I'd like to find a resolution." 

 

Likely she'll never take you up on that, but also, even if she did, if the resolution doesn't work for you, then you don't have to do anything. But that kind of response (above) would show that  you want to resolve conflicts, but does not include any defensiveness or accusations. 

 

Otherwise, just leave it alone. 

Agree with the suggestions that your reponse should be quick, short, one sentence. Do not focus on truth and justice, it will only paint you in a bad light. Do not call attention to yourself and the poor review. Instead, spin it in way that makes you shine. Everything on your profile is about marketing, including your responses to poor client feedback. Upwork gave us that tool for a reason, use it wisely. But I would not ignore it as others suggested. Try again, I would love to see what you come up with. 

Latest Articles
Featured Topics
Learning Paths