1st Client Disaster! Need Help

trailblazr · ‎04-15-2021

What did I do wrong?? Would love to hear your feedback on my 1st client experience.

I helped a client. She hired me for a low rate and only paid me for one hour. I did a lot more hours of work to help them, with the understanding I could use the work as samples. Then they suddenly said I couldn't.

Upwork support had some good advice - but I'd love to hear your thoughts too.

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**Edited for Community Guidelines**

Thanks, Derek

prestonhunter · ‎04-15-2021

Derek:
You made mistakes. That's okay!

We all make mistakes. Especially when we are trying something new.

The important thing is to not dwell on those mistakes, but to learn from them.

It looks like you already know what you did wrong:

You worked without logging your time. Thus, you worked for free.

Question: How should freelancers log their hours?
Answer: Using Upwork's desktop time-tracker application.

Question: What if we need to use manually-logged hours?
Answer: You probably don't need to use manually-logged hours. Use the time-tracker application.

Question: Okay, but what if we really do need to use manually-logged hours. When should we record our time?
Answer: Immediately after the end of every work session.

Question: Is it okay to log our manual time at the end of the week?
Answer: It is not against Upwork ToS to do so. But it is tactically unwise. Because a client may end a contract at any time. When a contract is ended (or paused) it is not possible to log manual time.

Question: What if I spent more time working on the project than I was paid for? Because the contract ended before I could log time. Does the client own the work I did?

Answer: In my opinion, yes. The client has done nothing wrong. The client simply ended a contract. ALL contracts are supposed to end at some point. If the client hires a freelancer using an hourly contract, the client's expectation is that the freelancer is logging his time and getting paid automatically.

Based on your description of events, the client has done nothing wrong.

It is not the client's responsibility to log your hours.

In fact, the client can NOT log yours on your behalf.

Furthermore, a client may end a contract at ANY TIME. A client doesn't need to provide you with warning.

Do you have any other questions at this time?

trailblazr · ‎04-15-2021

Thanks for these tips, Preston. They are just what I need.

And I agree about my mistakes - with regard to Upwork.

But the client paid by the hour, and only for one hour. I provided significantly more than the 1 hour of work. And I have proof. Outside of Upwork they face copyright infringement issues.

If the client uses more than the one hour of work than they paid for - they use it at their own risk.

prestonhunter · ‎04-15-2021

re: "Outside of Upwork they face copyright infringement issues. If the client uses more than the one hour of work than they paid for - they use it at their own risk."

I believe that in this particular case, there is no risk whatsoever. Because the only person who might conceivably try to take action about this is you. And I don't think you are going to do that.

If you really wanted to make a deal about this, you could contact the client and tell him how you feel, and tell him that he either needs to pay you more money or refrain from using the work that you sent him.

Upwork won't stop you from doing that. But I would not do that if I was the freelancer. And I don't think you will do that either because you are likely putting yourself into the client's shoes and considering how he would feel about that.

trailblazr · ‎04-15-2021

Hi Preston, I agree completely. And I've already tried to reason with the client at length in Upwork. You sound reasonable. So, I think you would understand if I explained the entire situation. There's no point in me going into detail. Thanks for your input.

gilbert-phyllis · ‎04-15-2021

Don't work for free. And don't barter the way you did because -- as you discovered -- it's too difficult to suss out a client's true nature and intentions based on the limited interaction involved in setting up a small contract. If you don't value your work, nobody else will. If you're short on samples, create them specifically for your portfolio and/or look around your community for pro bono opportunities that will produce work samples.

Re. hourly contracts: Starting out, you should definitely stick to using the desktop time tracker because if you use it as directed, you have nearly bullet-proof payment protection. I have earned quite a bit on UW via manually logged hours but (1) I joined the platform with 20+years of freelance experience, (2) I have my own protocols for limiting my exposure with new clients, and (3) I recognize the risk I'm assuming.

As to who owns what you produced on this contract, if I were you I'd cut my losses and move on. On a fixed-price contract, the client pays for a specified deliverable and if they don't pay then you have a case to retain ownership. On an hourly contract, the client pays for your time regardless of what you deliver. You voluntarily charged only one hour and I think you'd have a hard time getting the resolution you want.

UW can be a great resource if it fits your business model or if you can adapt your business model to it. Good luck!

trailblazr · ‎04-15-2021

Thanks for the advice Phyllis,

I've been freelancing for 10 years, but typically on complex B2B projects. Upwork is a unique experience. I used the knowledge I gained from this experience to create several new Upwork Projects with a defined scope and upgrade options.

lysis10 · ‎04-15-2021

haha you didn't bill for your time. teeehee you worked for freeeee and put the freeee in freelancer.

trailblazr · ‎04-16-2021

Not quite, Jennifer. I did the research and writing for an interview for a quesiton script for a YouTube video. The research was 80% of the work, and that was what I did not get paid for as well as the intro script I was not paid for at all. I will contact YouTube about copyright infringement if the video is uploaded. It could end up costing the client more than me since they hired several other people to help create the video. So, it's really a no-win situation.

a_lipsey · ‎04-16-2021

Derek L wrote:
Not quite, Jennifer. I did the research and writing for an interview for a quesiton script for a YouTube video. The research was 80% of the work, and that was what I did not get paid for as well as the intro script I was not paid for at all. I will contact YouTube about copyright infringement if the video is uploaded. It could end up costing the client more than me since they hired several other people to help create the video. So, it's really a no-win situation.

I think you will find that effort fruitless. You had the opportunity to bill properly for those hours. You did not. You did not use Upwork properly, and now you want some kind of adjudication that goes outside the agreement you had with the client. It sucks that you did not properly bill all your hours, but you did get paid.

You seem like smart guy. It will cost you quite a bit to take that client to court. In terms of ROI and opportunity cost of getting better paying and more work, I think you would inherently know that wasting time on this is indeed a waste. You learned a lesson. Take it to heart, get new jobs, use Upwork correctly, and get paid.

trailblazr · ‎04-16-2021

Thanks for your advice Amanda. I have no intention of taking anyone to court, or wasting any time on the matter.