Upset or unsatisfied clients are something any freelancer has to deal with sooner or later. We have summarized five simple steps which will help you deal with unsatisfied clients and turn dissatisfaction into satisfaction.

1. FREELANCER TIPS
Five simple steps which will help
you deal with unsatisfied clients
© freelancermap.com 24.07.2013 Contact: info@freelancermap.com

2. How to deal with unsatisfied clients?
Upset or unsatisfied clients are something any freelancer has to
deal with sooner or later. No matter how professional or hard-
working you are, there will be someone who gets upset. It may
or may not be your fault, but that’s usually not the point. It is
important to act quickly and accordingly to your client’s wishes.
Following a couple of simple steps will likely help you change
their mood and turn that dissatisfaction into satisfaction.

3. 5 steps to deal with unsatisfied clients
 Stay calm
 Identify the specific problem bullet
 Offer solutions
 Get feedback
 Learn from your mistakes

4. 1. Stay calm
First and foremost, you should keep a cool head. Try to not get
personally involved, regardless of your client’s anger. Be the
neutral and calm listener, pay attention to what he or she has to
say. That kind of attitude will assure your client that you are a)
confident in your services and b) not afraid to admit a mistake.
Once you have shown that level of professionalism and kept a
neutral stance, your client is more likely to trust you with his
problem and explain it to you. This is when the next tip comes in
handy.

5. 2. Identify the specific problem
Identifying the problem at hand is the most important thing you
have to do if you want to salvage the relationship with your
client. Don’t be content with vague explanations about what
caused the dissatisfaction. Try to figure out exactly what worked
out and what didn’t. Miscommunication is often the cause of
your client’s anger. Communicate and find out where exactly
your expectations did not meet. Only by understanding what
went wrong can you fix it.

6. 3. Offer solutions
Now that you are familiar with the exact causes of the problem,
you have to come up with a solution. Offer to re-do the project,
maybe you have to fix a couple of details or maybe you have to
start from scratch. That really depends on the situation at hand.
What matters is that you show your client that you know what
you did wrong according to them and that you are confident you
can fix it. If you are, however, unsure if you can resolve the
problem, you can offer a refund and forward them to a
colleague of yours who can. That may not always be the perfect
solution, but it might save your reputation.

7. 4. Get feedback
Should you get the chance to amend your mistake, you have to
double-check with your client as soon as you think you have
fixed the issue. In case you identified the problem correctly by
communicating with your customer you will get positive answers
in most cases. Even then, try to exceed expectations by
following up with an apology and possibly, a discount or a gift
certificate of sorts.

8. 5. Learn from your mistakes
Once the crisis has been averted, you are almost ready to lean
back and take a break. However, there is one last step of utmost
importance. Think about your project and the things that went
wrong and try to use that information to improve your work.
Ideally, you are aware of the specific problem and its cause.
Regardless if it was a lack of communication, a technical error or
a time-management issue – make sure you learn from the error
and try avoiding it in the future. No freelancer makes it to the
top without dealing with unsatisfied customers. Bettering
yourself by utilizing the experience from your past is crucial for
success.

9. Futher freelancer tips available on http://www.freelancermap.com/channel/19-news.html
Contact
freelancermap.com
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Mail: info@freelancermap.com
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Twitter: freelancer_INT

10. Futher freelancer tips available on http://www.freelancermap.com/channel/19-news.html
Contact
freelancermap.com
Contact person: Doreen Schollmeier - International Affairs
Mail: info@freelancermap.com
Skype: doreen.schollmeier
Phone: +49-911-37750286
facebook: www.facebook.com/freelancermapInternational
Twitter: freelancer_INT