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burton_kim
Community Member

Unresponsive client

I have a client who hired me for job. I accepted with the caveat that I would not start until they set me more details which they promised. He has not answered several messages sent and the deadline has passed. Do I keep trying or cancel the contract? Hate to damage Top Rating for a very small dollar amount client.

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robin_hyman
Community Member


Kimberly B wrote:

I have a client who hired me for job. I accepted with the caveat that I would not start until they set me more details which they promised. He has not answered several messages sent and the deadline has passed. Do I keep trying or cancel the contract? Hate to damage Top Rating for a very small dollar amount client.


Moving forward please don't accept jobs without having everything you need to start FIRST.  

 

Don't worry about the deadline.  It doesn't mean anything.  It's possible that the client is sick or had some kind of emergency.  I wouldn't cancel the contract just yet.  Give it a day or two and then try to contact the client again.  If he still doesn't answer after another week or two, you should consider cancelling the contract and biting the bullet on how this will affect your JSS.  Jobs cancelled without payment mean a big hit to your JSS.  

 

Good luck and please keep up posted!

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6 REPLIES 6
prestonhunter
Community Member

Is this a fixed-price or hourly contract?

fixed price - milestone 1

colettelewis
Community Member


Kimberly B wrote:

I have a client who hired me for job. I accepted with the caveat that I would not start until they set me more details which they promised. He has not answered several messages sent and the deadline has passed. Do I keep trying or cancel the contract? Hate to damage Top Rating for a very small dollar amount client.


____________________________

 

Did you actually accept the contract and receive an email from Upwork to say that it had started? 

 

ETA: Oops sorry, I didn't realize you are a veteran!! This is one is tricky, if you cancel the contract your JSS is likely to be dinged, but given your track record, probably won't be dinged very hard if you close the contract. If it were me, I think I would leave it until the client contacted me. What will happen if the client never comes back to you is that Upwork will eventually contact you to tell you escrow is dormant and ask you to refund the client. 

 

Yes, with a note saying that I would start when client sent me the requirements.  Then I asked a day or two later for the requirements and a couple times after that.  It was a test to see if they liked my writing.  Clearly in the future I will not accept until I have all information on hand to be successful, lesson learned.  Not sure what to do about this one now though.

robin_hyman
Community Member


Kimberly B wrote:

I have a client who hired me for job. I accepted with the caveat that I would not start until they set me more details which they promised. He has not answered several messages sent and the deadline has passed. Do I keep trying or cancel the contract? Hate to damage Top Rating for a very small dollar amount client.


Moving forward please don't accept jobs without having everything you need to start FIRST.  

 

Don't worry about the deadline.  It doesn't mean anything.  It's possible that the client is sick or had some kind of emergency.  I wouldn't cancel the contract just yet.  Give it a day or two and then try to contact the client again.  If he still doesn't answer after another week or two, you should consider cancelling the contract and biting the bullet on how this will affect your JSS.  Jobs cancelled without payment mean a big hit to your JSS.  

 

Good luck and please keep up posted!

Thank you, this is my inclination as well.  I'll keep trying to contact the client.  He's not new to Upwork, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

 

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