Responding to Negative Feedback

reneeredding · ‎07-14-2020

Hello,

A couple of months ago, I worked with a client who really didn't know what he wanted. He didn't know how to start his project or how to explain what he wanted. He asked if we could talk via phone which I did. He was very polite and admitted that he had hired another freelancer who couldn't help him. He attempted to walk me through the work then just said that he didn't really know how to go about the project. So, he said he wanted to end our contract and pay me for my time (2 hours -- working alone plus the phone call). Then, he never ended the contract (started on May 7).

This morning (July 14), he has ended the contract. I responded and gave the guy 5 star feedback. He was nice and polite and paid for my time spent. What more could I ask for? Well, after I submitted that, I realized he left me 3 star feedback.

My question is this: Do I respond to his feedback? Or would you just let it go? I know it will impact my score as I always get 5 star feedback from my clients.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,

Sara

petra_r · ‎07-14-2020

Sara R wrote:
My question is this: Do I respond to his feedback? Or would you just let it go? I know it will impact my score as I always get 5 star feedback from my clients.

In almost all cases I have seen, the response does more harm than good and draws attention to the feedback.

If you do want to respond, write a VERY brief, absolutely unemotional, polite and factual response, and do not actually send it for at least 3 days.

I would suggest you make an effort to get some of your 30 active contracts closed, many of them look like they aren't actually all that active anymore. That's push that one down the page. (Don't close a huge bunch yourself, see if you can get a few clients to close idle ones.)

reneeredding · ‎07-14-2020

Thanks so much. I think I will not respond. It just blows me away when a client does that. If I'm correct, I can ask for it to be removed since I'm top rated. Isn't that correct --- one per three months?

Again, thanks so much.

petra_r · ‎07-14-2020

Sara R wrote:
Thanks so much. I think I will not respond. It just blows me away when a client does that. If I'm correct, I can ask for it to be removed since I'm top rated. Isn't that correct --- one per three months?

You could, but it would be replaced with "This feedback has been removed" which I personally think looks worse than a random 3 stars in a sea of happy 5 stars.

You do so many contracts that the effect on your JSS will be tiny. Unless you are really married to that 100% I'd not bother and just wait and see what (if any) impact it has on your JSS.

prestonhunter · ‎07-14-2020

You have 100% JSS.

You have completed 261 jobs.

You have a great job history and profile page.

You have nothing to prove and you definitely do not need to respond to one client's 3-star feedback.