Story: My experience in September 2021

Since I reached +20K on Upwork in 1 year and 8 months, I have often invited the project. Most clients are nice, but I faced a red flag client in September 2021. This is the second time on Upwork. I had 1 or 2 experiences with local clients as well. I can find common or similar behavior in all of them. I don’t want to same experience again and I hope you do too.

So, I would like to make lists of the symptom of red flag clients.

*Updated: October 31, 2021

After terminating a contract with a red flag client, my success rate dropped 100% to 96%. I don’t know what the cause is. It would be a secret client’s review or action of terminating the contract.

Invited a project

This is not easy to clarify. Basically, I was invited a project when I worked with a red flag client. Invitation or inquiry itself does not indicate a red flag, but you have to be careful.

Please make sure the situation, why they invited you even they are a lot of choices in the market, and what they need. You may zoom call with a red flag client for briefing, but please keep the focus on fitting a project or not. Be a listener and ask questions.

If the client mentions asap/rush and negotiates the price persistently, please turn down politely during the zoom call or after.

Example
“I really appreciate your consideration of working with me. However, I feel like I am not able to deliver the quality of work that you’re seeking. There are a lot of talented people on Upwork. Please find the best candidate for this project. Once again, thank you for your consideration. Best Regards,”

Too long project description

This is the pros and cons. A client may know what they want clearly. Or a client may very picky and it will continue during the project. Long description sometimes indicates a client’s behavior, long email for feedback.

Please read a description carefully. What s/he needs, why s/he needs it now, when s/he needs it, how much s/he willing to pay to solve it, and analyze the way to describe it.

Ask for something to do for free before a contract

This is a clearly big red flag and no common sense. You should report a client to Upwork as soon as possible. Keep a record of the message for a report. Upwork should prohibit them to use a platform.

A client cannot ask for free work(or test) unless a freelance agrees with it. A client has to decide a freelance based on a portfolio, review and cover letter. There is no difference between online and offline. There is no guarantee for the result.

In the other case, a client may say, “I asked a project to some freelancers. I will pick the best one and pay for it.” This selfish behavior is also a red flag. In many cases, the price does not deserve for guarantee.

If you are in an early stage of Upwork, you may face this situation. I feel many freelance start working before contract when I use a client account. I understand their situation. Because I was that, but there is no $0 work on Upwork. It’s against the Upwork polity and these clients should be banned from the platform. If someone asks it, you should say no dignifiedly. It’s professional behavior.

Too high quality of references

Everyone tastes different. Therefore, I ask for references/preferences when I start a project.

The latest red flag client did not have a website. He sent me a website as a reference. I told him it’s over a $10K project. He did not understand the value of a website. Employee over 1500 people, global investment company. I said +$10K. It means not just $10K. This company paid $10K for only the discovery session. The total cost is over $50K easily, even 100K project.

I worked this red flag client. Because I made some conditions to protect my scope of work. However, he changed the condition over and over again during the project. So, I fired him after all.

In the other words, a red flag client compares your work with the north star website. S/he says a reference is for inspiration, but a reference is too good and not easy to create something beyond it. In many cases, it is developed by a web developer at a design agency, under the art/creative director. You cannot create it with just a WordPress theme. It requires to customize, but you cannot hire a good programmer in a red flag client’s budget.

So, it’s better to turn down the project at the beginning.

Suspended project

If a client worked with another designer and a project was suspended, you have to be careful. I faced 2 red flag clients and both apply this situation. A client may have a reason, but you don’t have to take a project. In this situation, a red flag client may be categorized as micromanagement. This types of client tell you the font, color, picture, alignment, etc. It is based on their preference and they deny your design plan.

So, I will listen to the reason to suspend, but I will tell them no in the end.

ASAP, rush or tight schedule

This sentence, ASAP(as soon as possible), shows that a client cannot manage their own project. I recommend don’t involve the project unless you can absolutely meet a deadline. Once you missed a deadline, the red flag client blames you and the red flag client does not pay. If you got a 1-star review, it’s not easy to recover to a 100% successful rate. So, it’s better you don’t take it.

Saying no is not rude. It’s the responsibility of professionals. Have confidence. You can find a client.

Negotiate budgets or budget cautious

Please keep in mind. This is very very true. I faced red flag clients 2 times and both negotiated the price. This is a common situation, human behavior. So, you may not realize it. Please listen to the client’s objection carefully. You should set a minimum engagement on your freelance project. In my case, it’s $2K-$3K. If negotiation is below it, just let them go politely. Freelance is everywhere. Red flag client can find someone. You don’t have to take it.

Once you agree on it, you will be required way more work rather than a fee. Therefore, you have to take a position that you can choose a client. It means you don’t have to look for a next gig. You are invited by a client on Upwork.

Firing a client is not easy for a freelance. Because there is a review online, Google review or Upwork. Please protect yourself carefully.

(Too) long or a lot of messages

The red flag client sends you a long message/email and it’s consume your time.

1st red flag client sent me over 150 emails in 2 months. In addition, he called and text me. He requires an in-person meeting a couple of times. 2nd red flag client sent me long messages during the project. Before that, he did not know how to feedback. Once I sent a design plan, he sent me a different idea. He told me only what he dislike, unconstructive. He did not know the difference between UX design and visual design, but he used both terms in the message. I sent him my opinion based on the UX principle and he did not understand at all.

The client should be busy with their business. If so, they don’t have time to write a long email.

Endless revision or don’t know how to feedback

This is related to the above, micromanagement and long email/message. A red flag client asks you for revision over and over again. I looked back on why this happened. Freelance needs to mention we can do revision at most 2-3 times before starting a project.

A red flag client does not know how to constructive feedback. When you submitted a design plan, they replay another idea, not based on your design plan.

The recent red flag client asked me to improve his PowerPoint and also asked me to integrate it from the north-star website. It is very difficult because the concept, contents and structure are totally different. At the same time, the reference website is a full-programming layout, not a WP theme. I could see what I cannot do on a layout. Therefore, I asked to compromise the interactive website before the contract and he agreed. He neglected agreement after all. This is the red flag.

Extend schedule

Once you start working with the red flag client, they may send you a lot of feedback, or feedback unconstructively after you proposed a design plan. For example, a completely different direction from the initial briefing. A client does not need to agree with a design plan, but I ask a client for constructive feedback in a timely manner. To avoid this situation, I ask for a reference or preference if a client has one.

The red flag client says it’s a rush in the beginning, but they easily extend the schedule. Because they are not busy on their business in daily life. It will be $3000 for 3 weeks to $3000 for 3 months. You cannot take(or hesitate) another gig during this time. You lose an opportunity more than money.

At this point, a red flag client is created mulch reasons. So, don’t contract with a red flag client. It’s a better way to protect yourself.

Use PowerPoint or other software to explain/feedback

The red flag client copies design for PowerPoint from the north-star website. They don’t know what WordPress can do/cannot do at the default, but they require development like that. It will be the issue.

His reference website was from a global investment company, over 1500 employees and a mulch office in the world. Company size was not the main issue, but it was developed by a suitable design agency for a global company, full programming on WordPress CMS. Default WordPress does not have such functions and layout flexibility which the reference website showed. In addition, it is not one website. He picks up mulch elements from the mulch website. There was no consistency on PowerPoint.

I told him, “your reference site is over $10K+ website and I cannot emulate it without a programmer. You also said the schedule is tight. We should compromise interactions.” He agreed with it. Therefore, I contracted.

Once the project had started, he kept requesting custom layouts and interactions. He asked to emulate from the reference website, but I could see that I cannot layout like the reference website without a programmer. I transferred PowerPoint to what WordPress theme can do. If I followed PowerPoint, he blamed, “you should add your idea as a designer”. If I changed it, he blamed, “why do you change it?”, etc. The latest red flag client updated after an initial briefing 3 times, a typical red flag.

The previous one was more hand-crafted, but he had a similar tendency. He referred to Cybertruck of Tesla. These high-quality references became a problem. They compared a design plan with these world-class websites. In the end, they ask me just copy them.

So, a client who uses PowerPoint for a design project may be a red flag. Be caucious.

Micro management

When you receive feedback, the red flag client tells you about design, 5 px up/down, text-align center, typography and color as well. The red flag client does not respect your expertise. For example, the latest red flag client chose a specific color. Because he likes it. Then he changed his mind a few days later, required modification.

This is just one example, but this behavior continues in whole projects. In this case, you should tell them, “I am not the right fit for this project.”. I will do it next time.

Excuse the issue as a communication

Both red flag clients used this excuse, communication. Both were English native speakers. One red flag client told this excuse during the trial, small claim BC. The latest red flag client told it very end of the contract to avoid payment. I terminated a contract myself. Basically, childish behavior and lacks of common sense. A red flag client lacks of project management experience. A red flag client does not accept their fault, only argues freelance fault for avoiding payment.

Therefore, freelance need to avoid contact with a red flag client. Fitting with a project and client is the most important rather than budget.

Bad Client Red Flags and Warning Signs

©The Futur

Both Chris and Jose exactly explained the behavior of a red flag client. I felt that they are explaining the latest red flag client, micromanagement, obscure feedback, unreasonable expectation, negative, everything is easy, indecisive, get personal. 

I think most people, including me, do not realize it until we face it.

Upwork Policy

Free work
All original work on the Upwork platform should be paid work. If you are pressured to create work without payment or secured funding, it is against our Terms of Service and you should flag it for our team.

Conclusion: No guarantee

There is no guarantee of the designer’s work. No one can use freelancers’ time for free without agreement. If you could not meet a client’s expectation, this is not only your responsibility, a client has a responsibility as well. They hired you somehow. If they complain like “I lost my time” or “I missed business opportunity” etc, these excuses are totally unreasonable. If a client requires a guarantee of what a client wants, they should hire a high-rate freelance. or Pentagram, Landor, IDEO or Collins. In most cases, their priority is budget rather than the quality of work.

In real life, HR/employer cannot excuse an employee’s performance after they hired. They have to teach and educate. They cannot avoid a payment even minimum wage. When we go to a restaurant, we cannot ask refund according to taste. We ate it. We chose it. What we can do is just don’t go there again. 

You are not in the business of subsidizing your client’s business. If they can’t afford to pay someone to solve their problem in relation to the size of the problem, it’s not your problem. Problem solved. – @Chris Do

You may or might face a similar situation. Red flag client does not understand above. You may compromise because of your online review. I totally get that. Therefore, please keep in mind the lists and avoid these red flags.

After Story

The day I terminated the contract with the red flag client, I was invited to a brand development project. I am an ordinally human. I am still frustrated. Therefore, I wrote what I faced to protect another freelancer.

After all, we, as a freelancer, have to move forward. We can treat our feeling only through good work and a client’s appreciation. Let’s keep up the good work.

Reference:

Forbes: 10 Red Flags To Look Out For In Potential Clients
Lifewire: 10 Early Warning Signs of a Bad Client
Unemployable: 9 Client Red Flags That Should Send You Running For The Hills

Futur Podcast: When to fire your clients — with Ben Burns