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chandradev819
Community Member

what are the tips to recognize bad client ?

Hi All,

 

Could you please share secret tips to recognize the bad client on freelance field. I know there will be only few bad client. How to handle this type of client without impecting our JSS ?

 

ACCEPTED SOLUTION
a_lipsey
Community Member

1. Client who asks you to take payment off platform.

2. Client who asks you to communicate off platform pre-contract.

3. Client who doesn't agree to a firm scope of work. 

4. Client who asks for work outside of scope and pushes back when asked for additional payment to add to scope. 

5. Client who is unresponsive. 

...and many more. 

 

The best thing you can do is look at the client's review from freelancers, if they have any, and look at how they've reviewed previous freelancers. If they have no history, vet them extensively and make sure you understand exactly how they like to communicate, and make sure they understand their responsibilities to the project (timely response to questions, clear instructions, etc.). 

 

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6 REPLIES 6
a_lipsey
Community Member

1. Client who asks you to take payment off platform.

2. Client who asks you to communicate off platform pre-contract.

3. Client who doesn't agree to a firm scope of work. 

4. Client who asks for work outside of scope and pushes back when asked for additional payment to add to scope. 

5. Client who is unresponsive. 

...and many more. 

 

The best thing you can do is look at the client's review from freelancers, if they have any, and look at how they've reviewed previous freelancers. If they have no history, vet them extensively and make sure you understand exactly how they like to communicate, and make sure they understand their responsibilities to the project (timely response to questions, clear instructions, etc.). 

 


Amanda L wrote:

1. Client who asks you to take payment off platform.

2. Client who asks you to communicate off platform pre-contract.

3. Client who doesn't agree to a firm scope of work. 

4. Client who asks for work outside of scope and pushes back when asked for additional payment to add to scope. 

5. Client who is unresponsive. 

...and many more. 

 

The best thing you can do is look at the client's review from freelancers, if they have any, and look at how they've reviewed previous freelancers. If they have no history, vet them extensively and make sure you understand exactly how they like to communicate, and make sure they understand their responsibilities to the project (timely response to questions, clear instructions, etc.). 

 


3. Client who doesn't agree to a firm scope of work. 

4. Client who asks for work outside of scope and pushes back when asked for additional payment to add to scope. 

 

>> How to handle this 3 and 4 senario  ? If freelancer refuse to work for out of scope then client will give bad feedback and freelance will loose JSS score. 

 

Have you handle this type of suituation ?

 




Chandradev S wrote:


3. Client who doesn't agree to a firm scope of work. 

4. Client who asks for work outside of scope and pushes back when asked for additional payment to add to scope. 

 

>> How to handle this 3 and 4 senario  ? If freelancer refuse to work for out of scope then client will give bad feedback and freelance will loose JSS score. 

 

Have you handle this type of suituation ?

 


That's completely up to you. I have a top rated score so that means I can remove a bad feedback - so I personally would rather get paid for my time than worry about feedback. If you value feedback more, you can just keep doing more work, but typically if you give an inch, they will take a mile.

The real answer is to set VERY clear boundaries before starting the project, and remaining firm on the fact that if anything outside of this is asked for, it will result in increase.

I personally include this in all of my quotes:

"All pricing is based on project moving forward only - any backtracking, such as dimension changes, retractions (a file being approved, then unapproved), and more than 3 minor revision rounds may result in a price increase)."


obviously this is very specific to my field (design) but something like this makes it clear that you won't be taken advantage of before the project even gets started. and as soon as they ask for something outside of that scope, a gentle comment like "unfortunately this goes outside of the scope I originally quoted for - this would result in an upcharge of x amount of dollars and I want to run that by you in advance rather than you being surprised by it" can go a long away.

Thanks for reply. I also same faced senario, I refused to work for unfunded milestone, Client created dispute return the previous paid money. Upwork support team contacted me and i shared all completed task proff, Then they closed the dispute ticket.

 

I was also top rated freelancer, but that feedback bring my jss down from 100 to 80. Now i m normal freelancer.

 

I know that pain. I hope that eventually Upwork will make freelancer's lives easier and better protect them from abuse 

gina-herrera
Community Member

To add to the list - a client who has invited over 10 people to their job post (even 5+ rubs me the wrong way to be honest)

 

I have noticed potential clients sending out over 50 invites - that tells me they have no clue what quality work is and I don't want to work with them / they are shopping around for the best price.

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