Monday, August 25, 2008

Freelancers Beware - 3 Signs Your Client is a Bully

As a freelancer, it is only natural to work with hard-to-please clients every now and then. However, sometimes the client's behavior is an indication of what's to come in the future. So when should you consider your client's behavior a red flag? Here are 3 signs to tell you it's time to cancel the task at hand:

1. Client Criticism is not Constructive

One sign that your relationship with your client is abusive pertains to constructive criticism. While notes are necessary to get the job done, unconstructive remarks such as "Haha, you don't know that..." or "Of course you wouldn't know because you're not...." are a definite sign of a bully. Constructive criticism is all about pointing out bugs that can be actually fixed or improved, not about ridiculing such mistakes.

2. Client's Refusal to Reason

If you've tried to reason with the client about a point with no success, you should know that clients that are insensitive to other opinion are mostly likely to give you a hard time later on. A freelancer's relationship with a client should be that of understanding and reasoning, don't let anyone convince you otherwise.

3. Client's Tone & Attitude

If the client approaches you in a condescending way or constantly snaps at you, this is definitely a red flag for you. Angry clients culminate in a stressful period of your life: never satisfied with the outcome, impatient, and nagging. If a client is demanding the work although your deadline is still weeks away, you should know the client is pushy and impatient, and will probably keep on nagging till you get the work done.

It is only natural to spot these traits in most of your clients, however; you should be alarmed if any of the signs look severe or abnormal. Depending on your intuition in such cases is crucial, since it will be the best judge!

Amino Zawawi is a full-time freelancer, internet entrepreneur, and playwright.

For more freelancing tips visit: Freelancer 2.0 - Make Money Online Without a Fulltime Job Today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amino_Zawawi

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As a freelancer, it is only natural to work with hard-to-please clients every now and then. However, sometimes the client's behavior is an indication of what's to come in the future. So when should you consider your client's behavior a red flag? Here are 3 signs to tell you it's time to cancel the task at hand:

1. Client Criticism is not Constructive

One sign that your relationship with your client is abusive pertains to constructive criticism. While notes are necessary to get the job done, unconstructive remarks such as "Haha, you don't know that..." or "Of course you wouldn't know because you're not...." are a definite sign of a bully. Constructive criticism is all about pointing out bugs that can be actually fixed or improved, not about ridiculing such mistakes.

2. Client's Refusal to Reason

If you've tried to reason with the client about a point with no success, you should know that clients that are insensitive to other opinion are mostly likely to give you a hard time later on. A freelancer's relationship with a client should be that of understanding and reasoning, don't let anyone convince you otherwise.

3. Client's Tone & Attitude

If the client approaches you in a condescending way or constantly snaps at you, this is definitely a red flag for you. Angry clients culminate in a stressful period of your life: never satisfied with the outcome, impatient, and nagging. If a client is demanding the work although your deadline is still weeks away, you should know the client is pushy and impatient, and will probably keep on nagging till you get the work done.

It is only natural to spot these traits in most of your clients, however; you should be alarmed if any of the signs look severe or abnormal. Depending on your intuition in such cases is crucial, since it will be the best judge!

Amino Zawawi is a full-time freelancer, internet entrepreneur, and playwright.

For more freelancing tips visit: Freelancer 2.0 - Make Money Online Without a Fulltime Job Today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amino_Zawawi

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