Re: Unresponsive client after the work is don...

acd683c9 · ‎01-16-2021

Hi,

I am new to Upwork, joined last year in December. Just recently I got a fixed contract. Since it was of less amount I didn't set any milestone and after completing what was his issue, I pushed the code. I tried to be a good freelancer and advised him I will change some of the code for good. He was very unresponsive from the beginning. Later even he told me to fix other things as well. I did that too.

Finally, when I told him "I think your initial issue is fixed, let's wrap this here." He told me my code messed their project even more! I asked him like what and tell me what's the issue? But he didn't respond. He is still not responding.

What can I do in this situation? Can Upwork help me? Should I submit and close the contract?

Sincerely,

Kakar

petra_r · ‎01-16-2021

Kakar N wrote:
What can I do in this situation? Can Upwork help me?

No. There isn't really anything to help you with anyway. You should have submitted the work when it was done. You can obviously submit it now, and if the client does not dispute or ask for changes, you get paid in 14 days.

If you submit, do not close the contract until you get the funds or the money goes back to the client.

acd683c9 · ‎01-17-2021

Can I close the contract without submitting the work? It's just $10 and I don't want to be greedy and lose my reputation, because I think he will certainly leave bad feedback no matter what.

ashrafkhan81 · ‎01-16-2021

If you start or complete the work without a milestone and funds in Escrow for whatever reason, whether it is because you trust the client, or you feel the amount is too small you should be prepared to lose that amount!

If there are no funds in Escrow submitting the work will have no impact. Had there been funds in Escrow you'd automatically get the funds after 14days, if the client does not respond. Take it as a lesson and move on and since the client now blames you for messing up the project even if he pays that "small amount" he will most certainly leave with bad feedback.

Be careful next time don't start work without funds in escrow in future and don't work beyond what has been agreed for that milestone unless the milestone is released and the next milestone funded!

petra_r · ‎01-17-2021

Ashraf K wrote:
If you start or complete the work without a milestone

You completely missed the point.

There is no such thing as a fixed rate contract without a milestone. There has to be at least one. What he (obviously) meant was that he didn't set several milestones and that the whole contract was one.

Ashraf K wrote:
Be careful next time don't start work without funds in escrow in future and don't work beyond what has been agreed

It isn't possible for a fixed rate contract to be started without funds in escrow. He didn't "work beyond what has been agreed"

He sinply hasn't submitted for payment yet.

Ashraf K wrote:
Had there been funds in Escrow

there are funds in escrow, of course

Ashraf K wrote:
you'd automatically get the funds after 14days, if the client does not respond.

not if he hasn't submitted, which he hasn't.

ashrafkhan81 · ‎01-17-2021

There are no completed or In-Progress projects on his profile. So, what's more, likely is that he started and completed the work without there being a contract in the first place.

As someone new to the Upwork or freelancing he may have just started working on the project, out of excitement for the first project, without a contract in place.

Or like you said there maybe, just maybe, a contract is in place and funds in Escrow, although unlikely, and it has not yet updated on his profile. So, in this case, he just needs to submit the work and wait patiently for 14 days keeping fingers crossed and hoping the client will not dispute.

Thanks!

petra_r · ‎01-17-2021

Ashraf K wrote:
There are no completed or In-Progress projects on his profile.

Because nothing has been paid yet. Contracts without payment yet NEVER show on the profile.

Ashraf K wrote:
So, what's more, likely is that he started and completed the work without there being a contract in the first place.

Nonsense. He is asking if he should submit, so obviously there is a contract.

Ashraf K wrote:
Or like you said there maybe, just maybe, a contract is in place and funds in Escrow, although unlikely

Unlikely? What are you talking about? How would he submit or close the contract if there wasn't one?

Ashraf K wrote:
he just needs to submit the work and wait patiently for 14 days keeping fingers crossed and hoping the client will not dispute.

Exactly, as he was already told before you started all that "no milestone" nonsense.

acd683c9 · ‎01-17-2021

Yes, I do have a contract. And yes, I have learned my lesson! I should have submitted my work when it was complete.

Now can I close the contract without submitting the work, so that nothing effects my rep? Because I think he might leave bad feedback.

petra_r · ‎01-17-2021

Kakar N wrote:
Now can I close the contract without submitting the work, so that nothing effects my rep? Because I think he might leave bad feedback.

You "can" and the result of doing so (best case scenario) might be that the client doesn't leave feedback. If you end the contract, the client can only leave private feedback anyway, but that's what drives the JSS.

acd683c9 · ‎01-17-2021

Petra R wrote:

Kakar N wrote:
Now can I close the contract without submitting the work, so that nothing effects my rep? Because I think he might leave bad feedback.

You "can" and the result of doing so (best case scenario) might be that the client doesn't leave feedback. If you end the contract, the client can only leave private feedback anyway, but that's what drives the JSS.

Meaning I am **Edited for Community Guidelines** anyway! Didn't think doing good would harm me instead. Can I tell Upwork about what's happened and maybe, maybe... they would consider my side instead of taking Client's side. Because they can see the messages and all that?

martina_plaschka · ‎01-17-2021

Kakar N wrote:

Petra R wrote:

Kakar N wrote:
Now can I close the contract without submitting the work, so that nothing effects my rep? Because I think he might leave bad feedback.

You "can" and the result of doing so (best case scenario) might be that the client doesn't leave feedback. If you end the contract, the client can only leave private feedback anyway, but that's what drives the JSS.

Meaning I am **Edited for Community Guidelines** anyway! Didn't think doing good would harm me instead. Can I tell Upwork about what's happened and maybe, maybe... they would consider my side instead of taking Client's side. Because they can see the messages and all that?

No, they will not do that, because that would mean they play referee for thousands of unhappy freelancers and clients every day. They don't get involved in the client/freelancer relationship.

Closing your contract in hope of not getting bad feedback is not "doing good" at all. It is quite unprofessional. I teaches clients that freelancers will work for free when they think they might get bad feedback. That hurts everybody. It is also unprofessional because when you believe your work was good, you should not give it away for free.

Finally it does not help you anyway because private feedback is what counts.

In short, client management is the secret of success for most people here. That and very wisely choosing which jobs to accept and which to decline.

petra_r · ‎01-17-2021

Kakar N wrote:
Can I tell Upwork about what's happened and maybe, maybe... they would consider my side instead of taking Client's side. Because they can see the messages and all that?

They don't take either "side!" They don't get involved in petty squabbles between freelancers and clients over $ 10 contracts they never earned a singe Cent on. It would be commercial suicide to get involved in nonsense like that.

You're (supposedly) running a business, using the Upwork platform to do so. Running a business includes choosing and managing clients and contracts carefully and competently.

Unresponsive client after the work is done