Very rude and unresponsive client

[magicmotion]

Need Advice.

I joined upwork literally 45 days ago. I've finished some jobs successfully, I worked very hard and always try to give my best support and all of my clients are happy with my works. Now I am woking with couple of clients and one of them is very unresposive and rude. After submitting 1st draft he told me he liked my work and asked for 1 change before submit the final video. I submitted his final work about 8 days ago with his changes for approve milestone. After 2 days he told he need another modification and I did it again but he did not approved milestone. Most important part yesterday he massages me and told me he need another modification of this video if i dont do this he will cancel the contract, how could he do this to me?

Please, somebody, help me. I need advice badly. I am more than happy to refund his all money but I am sure he will give me a poor feedback even I refund his money. At this point I don't care about money, I am worrying about my jss score. I think 1 negetive feedback can lower my jss significently. 

Sorry for my poor english.

[robin_hyman · Accepted solution]

Lesson: know how to manage client expectations. Before you start a contract, make sure you set a specific # of revisions. If you don't do this, you may be doing revision after revision for a very long time. 

Since this is a fixed-price project, why don't you submit your revision through the Upwork submission tool? Then in 14 days you will get paid (assuming the client doesn't release the funds before). 

I'm not sure how much time each "modification" takes you. At this point, I would do the last revision, submit via submission tool with the note: "Final version as requested." 

Enough is enough. Note there are no guarantees this client will give you good public and/or private feedback but when it's over, you can move on from this experience. And next time do a better job of interviewing clients and managing expectations.  

[farahzaki_k]

One more thing: refunding the money would cause damage to your JSS, BUT your client won't be able to leave public feedback on your profile.

[burdein_design]

I have a similar situation.
My client is very rude. Constantly insults me and my work. We worked on milestones. And one of the files I sent to him (there were more than 30 of them) was a text mistake. I asked him twice to check if there was anything wrong with these files. he said that yes, he paid for it and we continued working. A month passed and it turned out that there was a mistake in the text for which he blamed me completely. I am a graphic designer, I design stickers. And I asked him twice to check if everything was correct. He didn't do it and said he wanted to return all the money which he paid me for more than 30 designs. And he want to leave me very bad feedback. I am new to the platform. I already have 3 very good feedback from another client, but I'm afraid this bad will affect my jss.
I only gave him back the money for that file. That is, I refunded him back 1 milestone.
Can he leave me feedback now or not?
Is there any rule of communication between the freelancer and the client?
And what can I do if the client is very rude and constantly insults you and your work?

[g_vasilevski]

Hi Ira,

I`m sorry to hear about the bad experience you`ve had with your client. Our team reached out to you via ticket where you can share more details and evidence. Our team will investigate the client further and will take proper actions. Thank you.

[tlbp]

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Ira B wrote:

I have a similar situation.
My client is very rude. Constantly insults me and my work. We worked on milestones. And one of the files I sent to him (there were more than 30 of them) was a text mistake. I asked him twice to check if there was anything wrong with these files. he said that yes, he paid for it and we continued working. A month passed and it turned out that there was a mistake in the text for which he blamed me completely. I am a graphic designer, I design stickers. And I asked him twice to check if everything was correct. He didn't do it and said he wanted to return all the money which he paid me for more than 30 designs. And he want to leave me very bad feedback. I am new to the platform. I already have 3 very good feedback from another client, but I'm afraid this bad will affect my jss.
I only gave him back the money for that file. That is, I refunded him back 1 milestone.
Can he leave me feedback now or not?
Is there any rule of communication between the freelancer and the client?
And what can I do if the client is very rude and constantly insults you and your work?

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Anytime you enter into a contract with a client there are at least some feedback related consequences. 

If you receive any payment on a contract, it will appear on your work history with the feedback the client gives (if they give feedback). If a client closes the contract, payment or not, they can leave private feedback. If you close the contract, payment or not, the client has an opportunity to leave private feedback. 

If a client is rude to you once you have started a contract, you can fire them. Come up with a polite but quick way to explain that the relationship isn't going to work out and end the contract. If you need to get paid first, bide your time until you get paid, then fire them.

You are a freelancer, you don't have to work with anyone you don't want to. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean that you can avoid the feedback consequences. Leave honest but concise feedback about the client. If they leave negative public feedback about you respond by explaining that the client used inappropriate language or was abusive so you ended the contract. Don't engage in a fight or use hyperbole--just make it clear that you had a good reason for ending the relationship. 

ETA: I wanted to add that regardless of whether you asked the client to check the work, if they gave you specific text to incorporate and you didn't, then you made an error. The client's request for a full refund may be unreasonable, but you should accept responsibility for not delivering a project that was 100% correct. 

[feed_my_eyes]

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Tonya P wrote:

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ETA: I wanted to add that regardless of whether you asked the client to check the work, if they gave you specific text to incorporate and you didn't, then you made an error. The client's request for a full refund may be unreasonable, but you should accept responsibility for not delivering a project that was 100% correct. 

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I agree with everything you said, except the last paragraph. She's a designer, not a writer, and it says right in her profile that her English level is conversational; the client should have proofread his own work (especially since she reminded him more than once). In any case, she did take responsibility and refunded his money for that one milestone, so she shouldn't have to give him anything else.

[gina-herrera]

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Christine A wrote:

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I agree with everything you said, except the last paragraph. She's a designer, not a writer, and it says right in her profile that her English level is conversational; the client should have proofread his own work (especially since she reminded him more than once). In any case, she did take responsibility and refunded his money for that one milestone, so she shouldn't have to give him anything else.

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Agreed, anyone holding a GRAPHIC DESIGNER responsible for copy mistakes, regardless of their English level, is being foolish, hands down. Unless they agreed to also act as a copywriter.

People dont go to art school to learn English or how to spell... and people mispell and make typos all the time. This person would not get anything from me 

[prestonhunter]

The behavior of the client that Ira describe is completely unacceptable and unprofessional. This client should never have asked for any sort of refund.

[gina-herrera]

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Preston H wrote:

The behalf of the client that Ira describe is completely unacceptable and unprofessional. This client should never have asked for any sort of refund.

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It seemed like it was happening repeatedly too, the term "constantly" was used - I would end the contract, I learned from one very bad experience that it is not worth the anxiety worrying about feedback anymore. I rather teach someone that if you are disrespectful no one will work with you.