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rebazatz
Community Member

Just got my first client - not sure how to handle this

Hello,

I'm new to UpWork and just got my first client. However, from the onset of the project, I feel that he has been very difficult. He is trying to make a 3-part video resume of sorts to talk about how he wants to be an executive with a large production company. I have tried to gently make suggestions, but he seems very married to an abstract idea, which in turn makes my job difficult. He also claims to value my feedback, but I feel that he isn't really listening to me. With the constant mind changing, I'm honestly not sure what it is he wants and it's very frustrating.

I really don't want to disappoint because it's my first client, and I know you only get one chance to make a good first impression. But I feel he isn't respecting my time or my process.

1 REPLY 1
prestonhunter
Community Member

Reba:

 

Tell him:

 

"Harold: I appreciate the opportunity to work on this project. I want you to be able to achieve your goals with this. The work we are now doing is now quite out of scope. If you would like me to continue helping with the project, please go ahead and close the current fixed-price contract and set up an hourly contract. That will be flexible enough for you to continue."

 

And don't do any more work.

Be polite. But if the client asks for anything else, tell him that yes, you can do that after he closes the current contract and sets up an hourly contract.

 

If you ALREADY are working with this client using an hourly contract, then simply:

a) log every minute you spend doing anything on the project

[or]

b) close the contract whenever you want to stop working on it.

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