Comments on: When a Client Doesn’t Like Your Work http://freelanceswitch.com/clients/when-a-client-doesnt-like-your-work/ Freelance Advice and Freelance Jobs - FreelanceSwitch Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:11:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Bellatrix http://freelanceswitch.com/clients/when-a-client-doesnt-like-your-work/#comment-31821 Bellatrix Mon, 22 Dec 2008 01:02:44 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=1245#comment-31821 It is not nice when this happens. When I start a project I conduct a research first on the market I am targeting, that way I know better...no colors or design elements should have a reason behind it an idea, or concept. Anyhow, clients sometimes are super hard to deal with, and these types o clients that do not make us grow is better to politely put an end and leave behind. Thanks! Great article! Bellatrix It is not nice when this happens.

When I start a project I conduct a research first on the market I am targeting, that way I know better…no colors or design elements should have a reason behind it an idea, or concept.

Anyhow, clients sometimes are super hard to deal with, and these types o clients that do not make us grow is better to politely put an end and leave behind.

Thanks! Great article!

Bellatrix

]]> By: Carolyn Mabbitt http://freelanceswitch.com/clients/when-a-client-doesnt-like-your-work/#comment-27772 Carolyn Mabbitt Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:01:08 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=1245#comment-27772 Very helpful article and I couldn't have read it at a better time I am dealing with a difficult client myself and will use your advice. Thanks, Carolyn Very helpful article and I couldn’t have read it at a better time I am dealing with a difficult client myself and will use your advice.

Thanks,
Carolyn

]]> By: Chris http://freelanceswitch.com/clients/when-a-client-doesnt-like-your-work/#comment-27694 Chris Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:16:39 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=1245#comment-27694 Great Article! It's easy to get very defensive when they just tell you they don't like it. I actually had someone give me a lot of sh*t on a pro-bono project I did for a friend's girlfriend. Simple web-design for a makeup artist...yet she had no quality photos ready, no idea of what she wanted, no idea of a color scheme, no bio, nothing. Still not good enough....people can sometimes be amazing. Freelancing is certainly not easy, I'm sure everyone would agree to that. Just found this blog, but I'm RSS'ing it right now. - Chris <a href="http://www.guerrillared.com" rel="nofollow">guerrillaRed.com - Social Media Marketing on a budget</a> Great Article!

It’s easy to get very defensive when they just tell you they don’t like it. I actually had someone give me a lot of sh*t on a pro-bono project I did for a friend’s girlfriend.

Simple web-design for a makeup artist…yet she had no quality photos ready, no idea of what she wanted, no idea of a color scheme, no bio, nothing.

Still not good enough….people can sometimes be amazing. Freelancing is certainly not easy, I’m sure everyone would agree to that.

Just found this blog, but I’m RSS’ing it right now.

-
Chris
guerrillaRed.com - Social Media Marketing on a budget

]]> By: Stephanie http://freelanceswitch.com/clients/when-a-client-doesnt-like-your-work/#comment-27692 Stephanie Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:29:58 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=1245#comment-27692 I wish I read your email before I started my retaliation, but I think I was polite enough in my response. I did 11,5 days of work and I billed the client based on my previous email with regards to rates. He mentioned that even though they don't have a budget at the moment, they would have one by the time we met or negotiate a fee. Of course, we didn't talk money. As an established company with tons of experience, they were also evasive about talking about the bottom line. I turned down a couple of jobs to facilitate seeing the job from the beginning to the end. They have a follow up meeting coming up and have a second chance to pitch, of course there's a new brief all together and the request to design more pages than before; after sending them the draft versions to see the shape of the layouts (magazine design), they asked me to turn in the files and they'll ask an in-house designer to continue. Immediately I replied that I still have 4 days left and surely we could manage to sort something out, I felt unsettled especially because I didn't manage to fulfill their needs, but they persisted for me to hand over the work. So I billed them, and I received a snotty reply on the amount I billed (of course they would) and without discussing it before hand (telephonically) with the guy that hired me. I replied that I wasn't awarded a chance to revise and found it fitting to invoice as they asked me to hand over the work, without consulting telephonically with me and kept it in email format from a third party. My conclusion, this client would never have blinked an eye or picked up the phone to consult with me about remuneration if I didn't invoice to spur on a reaction. And maybe I should have picked up the phone, but he didn't to let me know they no longer need my services without an understanding of why, without an email of what they're doing. I think it was rude and cowardly to leave the dirty work for a third party to pick up on. How this will play out I don't know, I have a feeling I have burnt my bridges regardless. But I'll be writing the conclusion next week, and will try to save any damages by using the advice (where I can save my reputation). Thanks for a great column, I hope the heavens are opening their floodgates of mercy, but one thing I know for sure, the wise words have lifted my self-esteem and made me feel less disheartend and like a failure. Much appreciated! I wish I read your email before I started my retaliation, but I think I was polite enough in my response. I did 11,5 days of work and I billed the client based on my previous email with regards to rates. He mentioned that even though they don’t have a budget at the moment, they would have one by the time we met or negotiate a fee. Of course, we didn’t talk money. As an established company with tons of experience, they were also evasive about talking about the bottom line. I turned down a couple of jobs to facilitate seeing the job from the beginning to the end. They have a follow up meeting coming up and have a second chance to pitch, of course there’s a new brief all together and the request to design more pages than before; after sending them the draft versions to see the shape of the layouts (magazine design), they asked me to turn in the files and they’ll ask an in-house designer to continue. Immediately I replied that I still have 4 days left and surely we could manage to sort something out, I felt unsettled especially because I didn’t manage to fulfill their needs, but they persisted for me to hand over the work. So I billed them, and I received a snotty reply on the amount I billed (of course they would) and without discussing it before hand (telephonically) with the guy that hired me. I replied that I wasn’t awarded a chance to revise and found it fitting to invoice as they asked me to hand over the work, without consulting telephonically with me and kept it in email format from a third party.

My conclusion, this client would never have blinked an eye or picked up the phone to consult with me about remuneration if I didn’t invoice to spur on a reaction. And maybe I should have picked up the phone, but he didn’t to let me know they no longer need my services without an understanding of why, without an email of what they’re doing. I think it was rude and cowardly to leave the dirty work for a third party to pick up on.

How this will play out I don’t know, I have a feeling I have burnt my bridges regardless. But I’ll be writing the conclusion next week, and will try to save any damages by using the advice (where I can save my reputation). Thanks for a great column, I hope the heavens are opening their floodgates of mercy, but one thing I know for sure, the wise words have lifted my self-esteem and made me feel less disheartend and like a failure. Much appreciated!

]]> By: Kate http://freelanceswitch.com/clients/when-a-client-doesnt-like-your-work/#comment-27655 Kate Thu, 04 Sep 2008 21:14:44 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=1245#comment-27655 I've had a few people who were like this, and most are reasonable, one however just didn't like anything. A classic changing the parameters over and over again and wanting re-writes to suit 'The New Vision'. It got to the point where I had to tell him that I had delivered what he had asked and any re-writes would have to be billed as a new piece. Needless to say, the re-writes ended. I’ve had a few people who were like this, and most are reasonable, one however just didn’t like anything. A classic changing the parameters over and over again and wanting re-writes to suit ‘The New Vision’. It got to the point where I had to tell him that I had delivered what he had asked and any re-writes would have to be billed as a new piece. Needless to say, the re-writes ended.

]]> By: Link Love: 9.4.2008 | Nubbytwiglet.com http://freelanceswitch.com/clients/when-a-client-doesnt-like-your-work/#comment-27640 Link Love: 9.4.2008 | Nubbytwiglet.com Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:09:56 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=1245#comment-27640 [...] 4. Freelance Switch gives you some advice on what to do when a client doesn’t like your work. [...] […] 4. Freelance Switch gives you some advice on what to do when a client doesn’t like your work. […]

]]> By: Kristen http://freelanceswitch.com/clients/when-a-client-doesnt-like-your-work/#comment-27614 Kristen Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:08:29 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=1245#comment-27614 I'm very glad this was useful. I think it's good to shed light on some of these issues that we don't necessarily like to talk about... I’m very glad this was useful. I think it’s good to shed light on some of these issues that we don’t necessarily like to talk about…

]]> By: Link Love 9/2/08 | Write on the Edge http://freelanceswitch.com/clients/when-a-client-doesnt-like-your-work/#comment-27568 Link Love 9/2/08 | Write on the Edge Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:55:47 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=1245#comment-27568 [...] Fischer at The Freelance Switch wrote an article called When a Client Doesn’t Like Your Work. The article discusses how you should react, or not react - and the many reasons why a client may [...] […] Fischer at The Freelance Switch wrote an article called When a Client Doesn’t Like Your Work. The article discusses how you should react, or not react - and the many reasons why a client may […]

]]> By: James Tryon http://freelanceswitch.com/clients/when-a-client-doesnt-like-your-work/#comment-27534 James Tryon Mon, 01 Sep 2008 16:30:45 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=1245#comment-27534 Wonderful article Kristen. Thanks for the advice Wonderful article Kristen. Thanks for the advice

]]> By: Kari http://freelanceswitch.com/clients/when-a-client-doesnt-like-your-work/#comment-27485 Kari Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:08:33 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=1245#comment-27485 This article came along at just the right time - thanks for some excellent advice, Kristen! I actually posted in the FS boards about my own issue in order to get advice, because this is the first time it's happened to me (see http://forums.freelanceswitch.com/comments.php?DiscussionID=3810&page=1#Item_0). This article came along at just the right time - thanks for some excellent advice, Kristen! I actually posted in the FS boards about my own issue in order to get advice, because this is the first time it’s happened to me (see http://forums.freelanceswitch.com/comments.php?DiscussionID=3810&page=1#Item_0).

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