5 Signs Your Client is a Bully
Being a freelancer means that you are your own business owner, and that comes with its own issues. For the most part, the biggest issues you have to deal with are taxes and advertising. Once in a while, though, you’ll deal with a client who makes your life hell.
Those clients go by many names — Karens, Kens, jerks, bullies — but their goal is the same. They want to get a rise out of you by hurting you, berating you, and extracting as much work out of you as possible while paying you the bare minimum.
Bully clients are not clients you should ever keep. Unfortunately, assuming you are overreacting is an easy trap to fall into.
So how can you tell if you’re actually dealing with a bully client? These are the signs that suggest it’s time to re-evaluate your working relationship.
1. They always find a reason to be unhappy with your work.
You complete a graphic design to a client’s exact specifications, but you somehow get the feeling that you’ll still end up getting your work picked apart. Without fail, they always find some ticky-tacky little thing you “overlooked.” Or they say, “I *guess* this will do, but it’s not worth the price.”
After a while, you find yourself second-guessing your abilities. You were so confident before! What happened? Why are you suddenly unable to feel confident about anything you do?
You mention to the client that you’re not sure whether or not they should continue to hire you. Suddenly, they’re ready to “give you another chance again” or tell you that they are okay with working with you.
How to handle it:
Hint: if your work was really that bad, they wouldn’t keep hiring you. Next time they pitch a fit, simply turn their complaints around on them and say, “I don’t think I am capable of doing what you want. Please find someone more qualified as I am clearly not what you want.”
Watch them stammer as you tell them that you’re permanently banning them. Point to your contract, where you have a no refund policy.
2. You always get rude remarks from them.
Most of us have seen the trope of a customer who treats the hired help like trash. While a client may be the one who is paying you, the truth is that you don’t have to put up with people who act like you’re a peasant.
You do not deserve to be insulted while you do your work. If you wouldn’t say it to someone doing your cleaning, don’t allow others to say it to you.
How to handle it:
Wrap up the work, get paid, and then quietly ban the client from your practice. If they try to book you again, explain that you did not feel comfortable with the way they treated you and refer them to your competitors.
If you’re low on cash, you can also tell them your prices changed. Then, charge them triple the amount you normally would charge someone. It’s a Jerk Tax.
3. The company has a bad reputation among freelancers.
True, freelancing is a cutthroat world. However, even the most competitive freelancers don’t want others to suffer at the hands of a bully. If you notice that a client has been banned from most freelancing platforms or has terrible reviews online, you should rethink working for them.
How to handle it:
Reviews are the last defense many freelancers and day job workers have against bad clients. If you see those negative reviews, take heed. Do not agree to a contract with a client that others have had bad experiences with. Saying you’re too booked to work with them will save you tons of issues later on.
If you must work with them, get a contract that includes “easy out” clauses. For example, having a contract where you might get their ID and their signature on camera may help you if they dispute a payment with the bank. If you have a contract clause that says no refunds on deposits or similar, you can avoid chargebacks.
4. They dangle the contract in your face in exchange for a “meetup” or more.
Women in particular are likely to deal with “clients” who dangle money in their faces by “wealthy” clients who just want a date. They might talk about how they have connections to fancy hotel chains, how they’ll pay money for all these services, so, hey: why can’t we just talk business over dinner and drinks?
Speaking as someone who has been there, these talks are never business-oriented. The creep in question will keep dangling the contract in your face. Even if you capitulate, you will never actually see the money you need spent on your business. It’s a predatory move.
How to handle it:
Ghost these clients. Do not engage with them. Block them.
5. Getting paid is like pulling teeth.
Oooh, if there’s ever a way to get on the bad side of a contract worker, this is it. A client who pays late is not always trying to be a bully, but if you see them flashing cash while they tell you they will pay you “later,” you know what they are really doing.
They’re delaying payment because they want to see if you’ll forget about it. They want to watch you squirm.
How to handle it:
Start looking for other clients. If you haven’t gotten paid so far, send a legal demand letter. If you get no answer within a week, file in small claims court, which will usually fix everything.
W-2 workers should consider contacting your local Department of Labor or Labor Bureau. They will fight for you. Some freelancers might also benefit from calling them up, too.
Once you get paid for your last bit, tell these clients you are no longer willing to work with them unless they pay upfront. Also refer them to your competition because, honestly, life is too short for their BS.
On top of all the challenges of freelancing, dealing with the darker side of humanity in the form of bullies is never fun. Hopefully, these tips will help you feel more confident to handle whatever you may run into as you work with clients. You are worth more — stand up for yourself and your work.
Want more tips and tricks for getting through the harder parts of being your own boss? Follow Oba on Medium! If you’re dealing with a particularly difficult situation, feel free to reach out to some of the experienced freelancers on our Facebook community!
