The many facets of client's feedback

[#1]

I have a weird/funny client feedback experience to share. 

A client said to be happy about my work (fixed price, one milestone) and wished to add a new milestone and have me travel on a research mission on his behalf. 

I would normally enjoy this, but felt uneasy as I never had any chances for a live briefing with him, did not know his name nor his background. I thought all this would emerge during the course of my work but it didn't. He found many excuses to avoid meeting with me online. He said we would, one day, but this never took place. As a professional consultant, this is a pretty essential piece to miss. 

Who would undertake a travel on behalf of a stranger, after all?

At that point, I diplomatically  told him that the travel restrictions caused by the pandemic would force us to postpone this exercise for months (which is true) and gently asked him to close our contract for the time being.

The work could have been resumed at a more appropriate time and I thought that I could then have a chance to negotiate to learn more and have an online meeting before accepting his offer.

Soon after this, he closed our contract as I had asked and publicly gave me 5 stars, but something happened with his private feedback as my JSS fell from 100 to 92. Quite a hit!

A few minutes later, I received a 50$ bonus from him and he messaged me asking to let him know when we could resume our work together. I replied diplomatically but was uncommittal and thanked him for his $50. Then I shut up in a dignified silence 🙂

One month later, he contacts me asking how I am and apologising for being "sometimes hard-headed". Then, he sends me another bonus: $100. All unsolicited from my end, I wish to say.

I have the funny feeling that the more money he is sending to me in an attempt to patch a negative feedback given on a whim, the worse his private feedback is going to hit my JSS, that I am working hard to recover from (I managed to get back to 96 over the last few days). 

I am not sure if the JSS measures bonuses and re-hires form a regretful client, if it doesn't, wouldn't it be good to re-think this? 

I am interested in your thoughts 😉

[#2]

JSS is weighted on value, so the more money this clients sends you, the more his bad feedback will count. Seems he blames you for the pandemic. Maybe not a person to work with.... 

[#3]

Yes, actually blaming me for the pandemic would give me a lot of power, wow 😄

I think he was childishly disappointed as I asked to close the contract, but as outlined, I had good reasons to do that. 

[#4]

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Deborah P wrote:

Yes, actually blaming me for the pandemic would give me a lot of power, wow 😄

I think he was childishly disappointed as I asked to close the contract, but as outlined, I had good reasons to do that. 

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I agree and it would be really nice if you stopped the pandemic now. I'd like to go outside again, thank you. 

[#5]

I will do my best to get the genius back in the lamp, I promise! 😄

[#6]

I'd likely return the second bonus, it's starting to feel a little creepy....

You can also block him.

And yes, just stop the pandemic, thanks a bunch

[#7]

I found your solution in a previous post and refunded his bonus. Thanks for your suggestion 😉

[#8]

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Deborah P wrote:

I found your solution in a previous post and refunded his bonus. Thanks for your suggestion 😉

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Good idea. Just creepy

Deborah P wrote:

I will do my best to get the genius back in the lamp, I promise! 😄

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The typo of the year award goes to Deborah! 😄

[#9]

On another funny note: the client is aware that I was not at ease with his lack of communication and offered his apologies and an explanation.

Allegedly his wife is not happy if he relates with other women on video even if it is for business.

I politely informed him that in the absence of a solution I am not able to offer my services.

I'm not going to wear moustaches to please anyone 😄

[#10]

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Petra R wrote:

I'd likely return the second bonus, it's starting to feel a little creepy....

You can also block him.

And yes, just stop the pandemic, thanks a bunch

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I searched for a tool for blocking a weird client but could not find that option. Is there such an option in the message room or somewhere else?

[#11]

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Melike E wrote:

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Petra R wrote:

You can also block him.

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I searched for a tool for blocking a weird client but could not find that option. Is there such an option in the message room or somewhere else?

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Sure! In the message thread, click on the client's photo and select "block XYZ"

[#12]

I tried it many times, both on the app and on the browser, but nothing appears when I click on the client's photo. I'll ask Upwork support too. Thanks a lot anyway, I thought we were not allowed to block clients. So managed to get myself blocked (by telling him not to contact me and I'd rather pay not to work with him). 

[#13]

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Melike E wrote:

I tried it many times, both on the app and on the browser, but nothing appears when I click on the client's photo. 

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In the actual message thread, not in the message list on the left? You have to be in the messages.

[#14]

Now I found it, thanks again!

PS: Community Gurus are so helpful that they should get some perks I think 🙂

[#15]

Petra knows more about Upwork, the platform, and freelancing in general than anyone else and graciously tries to help everyone out there, while still being incredibly successful in her personal business.  Wish we could clone her...

[#16]

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Mary W wrote:

 Wish we could clone her...

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The soft thump you just heard was all the mods fainting at the thought 😉

[#17]

I am seeking a way to reimburse his last bonus but could not find a way to do that. Any clues would help, please 😉

[#18]

It might be surprising but it happens to bump into prospective clients very eager to have a freelancer travel on their behalf in the middle of the pandemic.

They seem unware of the issue although they live in countries that are being hit quite hard (and even if they weren't, do they read the news???)

I turned down a couple of big jobs for this reason. One was determined that I should travel for business in Valle d'Aosta in October, when the 2nd wave emerged in Italy.

A recent one was equally eager to have me travel inter-regionally on his behalf and in the space of a week asked me twice if the issue was resolved.

Both were very disappointed when I politely and diplomatically disengaged and offered me more money (it didn't work).

At least the client for which I started this post did not insist and said that I have to stay safe (his bonus was named "stay safe in Italy"!)

I am currently sticking to local individual travel in my car when it's necessary (the groceries, etc.... ). I won't be taking any collective transport until this is over.

In my view, my safety and my family's are more important then their satisfaction.

Any similar experiences? 

[#19]

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Deborah P wrote:

It might be surprising but it happens to bump into prospective clients very eager to have a freelancer travel on their behalf in the middle of the pandemic.

They seem unware of the issue although they live in countries that are being hit quite hard (and even if they weren't, do they read the news???)

I turned down a couple of big jobs for this reason. One was determined that I should travel for business in Valle d'Aosta in October, when the 2nd wave emerged in Italy.

A recent one was equally eager to have me travel inter-regionally on his behalf and in the space of a week asked me twice if the issue was resolved.

Both were very disappointed when I politely and diplomatically disengaged and offered me more money (it didn't work).

At least the client for which I started this post did not insist and said that I have to stay safe (his bonus was named "stay safe in Italy"!)

I am currently sticking to local individual travel in my car when it's necessary (the groceries, etc.... ). I won't be taking any collective transport until this is over.

In my view, my safety and my family's are more important then their satisfaction.

Any similar experiences? 

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Nobody ever asked me to travel, except for a guy who wanted me to go to a place in Austria to personally check out a lace fabric. (not quite sure what was required, because he could have just as well requested a sample from them). Yes, Austria is small, but it was still on the other end of the country 700 km away so I declined... was real persistent, too.  

[#20]

Beautiful Austria. I miss the freedom of travelling.

My type of work in normal times actually requires personal networking and meetings. In a couple of days at a trade event I can get contacts and in-market insights that require months from my desk. But if sick in a hospital I wouldn't be able to assist anyone. 

[#21]

Nobody ever asked me to travel, except for a guy who wanted me to go to a place in Austria to personally check out a lace fabric. (not quite sure what was required, because he could have just as well requested a sample from them). Yes, Austria is small, but it was still on the other end of the country 700 km away so I declined... was real persistent, too.  

Sounds like a serial killer to me. 

[#22]

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@roberty1y wrote:

Nobody ever asked me to travel, except for a guy who wanted me to go to a place in Austria to personally check out a lace fabric. (not quite sure what was required, because he could have just as well requested a sample from them). Yes, Austria is small, but it was still on the other end of the country 700 km away so I declined... was real persistent, too.  

Sounds like a serial killer to me. 

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What's he going to do? Attack you with bobbins and a small stuffed cushion?

I sometimes get asked to travel to archives and libraries, but obviously they're all closed at the moment 😞

[#23]

True, I've been lucky in a recent research as my target archive was prepared to deliver scanned copies of documentation remotely, it took 6 months to complete the project though. They are flooded with requests of remote services at the moment as physical access is restricted.