Client being extremely difficult, how should I handle this?

[Bonaparte]

Hello BHW. I've recently offered to create a website for a client, I gave him some themes to choose from and he chose one. So I went with the one he first chose and showed him how the main page would look. He told me that he didn't like it, because it didn't seem like a site he'd spend money on. So I went ahead and showed him more themes, he chose one and he was sure that's the one he wanted. I entered all of the content that he gave me and inserted some pictures. He said he didn't like the front page layout, so I spent a few hours creating different home page designs for him off those themes. He then linked me to a website that he wanted to emulate and told me that he didn't like the website and that he was going to get someone else to do it.

He told me that to make things fair, I should create a different website for him in a different niche. He went on lecturing me and insulting me, asking me "So everything that you do is just insert content into a theme and that's it?" I agreed to creating his site on a different niche just because I couldn't be bothered anymore. He eventually e-mailed me back and said he wanted me to attempt to make the first website for him again with a different theme, before I could even start his 2nd request.

What should I do BHW? I feel like I've already completed my end and that I shouldn't do anything else. He has already paid me and all, but I don't know where to go from here. Also, it was a verbal agreement, I didn't do contracts or anything.

 

[Hogare]

Honestly,

If you're not desperate tell him to go fuck himself (politely or not - your call).

He pretty much considers you his bitch...and you allowed it.

That's what I'd do anyway.

 

[cevman1]

I wouldn't put up with it, he paid for the work you told him he would receive, you delivered that work, and now he is making you do more after the initial agreement. Take more money from him or layout the initial agreement in writing

 

[Hogare]

Either skin him or fire his ass.And if you didn't take money upfront,consider it a costly lesson.

Believe me you don't want fuckers like this one as clients.

 

[marishal]

I don't want to be captain hindsight but it was a bad idea to show him your theme "method" to begin with. Hopefully lesson learned.

Going forward I think that you should push back on the client and have a final written agreement (even through email is fine) as to what it will take to close this project off. If he suggests something that was outside of the original scope - DON'T DO IT. Eventually he will not have any excuses but to accept what he has agreed on. But if you keep the scope in the air he'll just continue taking advantage of you.

 

[techblog]

Be the Napolean!
tell him the context of the work, which shows you really did what he wanted to do. (hope you really did that way).

Try to explain it to him, the way things work , come up with your own terms and conditons, if he doesnt listen , tell him to f*** off!

And be wary of such clients . Finding difficult clients like this is common, the way you handle them is what matters.

Remember, some great person said , No one can insult you without your consent.

Stick to your ground. Be polite but firm!

cheers!!

 

[Bonaparte]

I don't want to be captain hindsight but it was a bad idea to show him your theme "method" to begin with. Hopefully lesson learned.

Going forward I think that you should push back on the client and have a final written agreement (even through email is fine) as to what it will take to close this project off. If he suggests something that was outside of the original scope - DON'T DO IT. Eventually he will not have any excuses but to accept what he has agreed on. But if you keep the scope in the air he'll just continue taking advantage of you.

I truly believe that there's nothing wrong with showing your clients that you use WP themes. I was upfront and honest with my dealings, he knew I used themes and he agreed to using one of them. There honestly wasn't room for surprises and I let him know exactly what he was getting. Even if it is a WP theme that I'm using, it's legitimate work which takes time to create. The reason he made the WP comment was because he wanted me to make a custom site for him afterwards, and I told him that's not what we agreed upon.

I will take your advice as far as a final written agreement goes. I did get the money upfront and I completed my side of the deal. I do feel like he's trying to take advantage of me, when I told him that "I already completed the first site." He told me to just do a different one for him in a different niche, and just throw any random theme on it and keep the original content, which I agreed to. I'll be calling him to bring closure to this today.

P.S. I'm not worried about his insults. He already paid me the money, I already completed the work, which I believe I did an extremely good job on. I couldn't care less what someone has to say about the way I do business. I just included the insults part to show you who I'm dealing with.

 

[oliver twist]

Mate, send him a final email with all that happened, explaining that you did what was in the agreement. Kindly tell him that you have many clients and you have to hurry to finish a job and don't have much time to finish his (since he's not sure what he want's, you spent a lot of time with his work). Ask him if he can wait for a couple of weeks, and then you finish his job.

If he says yes, forget about the guy and move on.
If he says no, tell him that you made what he asked for (and much more) and you will fulfill his demands if he's willing to pay you extra.

 

[danailo]

Fire him ASAP.

 

[Duffers5000]

Well you have been paid so its not so bad. Ive dealt with the general public for twenty years. Some people are never happy and will drive you up the wall, and the more you give the more they will take. Deliver a website to spec as promised and tell him this is the final draft and revisions are no problem but he will have to pay a set amount per change from here on. You will be suprised how quick he goes to bed.

 

[marishal]

That's why I insist on creating a scope of work document particularly for this reason and have the client sign it. I even tell the client that it costs $200 to create the scope of work and if they back out for any reason I will still invoice them for it. Thankfully I never had this situation but I will not hesitate to do that. Clients appreciate it and it builds value.

 

[marishal]

I truly believe that there's nothing wrong with showing your clients that you use WP themes. I was upfront and honest with my dealings, he knew I used themes and he agreed to using one of them. There honestly wasn't room for surprises and I let him know exactly what he was getting. Even if it is a WP theme that I'm using, it's legitimate work which takes time to create. The reason he made the WP comment was because he wanted me to make a custom site for him afterwards, and I told him that's not what we agreed upon.

The issue is that even though you meant well the client did not see the value in what you're doing. So I'd rather create quick and dirty mock-ups that will make the theme look outstanding once delivered as opposed to showing the client the final product and work backwards, because quite honestly the way some of these themes are showcased can be sometimes difficult to "mimic".

 

[imperial444]

Honestly, this client is a garbage, just move on. Forget about him.