RANT ALERT! :angrysoapbox_sml:
Fell through on an article writing job for a client (was unable to write). Client paid $300 in advance. Took me 3 tries to refund that money, because of how easy paypal is to use, but the money was refunded. Not only this, but I refunded more than the original amount, to cover any fees that Paypal would take off once the original client received the money back.
The client was mad, wanted answers, and kept getting more steamed up. :angryfire:
So I offer to write them the original articles for free. That's not enough, still steamed up. :angryfire: So I offer another 50+ free articles on top of this. :angryfire: Not enough still. So guess what? #*ck it, I throw in 400 free articles, NO joke.
Client gets happy. Client thinks that is how things should be done. Client accepts, although they are still nosing around for more answers.
So what does client do? Client decides that it's ok to request a few articles. I say my max output for now is about 15 per day (@ 500 words each). So what does client do? Client starts sending out requests from every which way....not only for articles, but for their damn COLLEGE HOMEWORK!
No joke, the client asked me to write up an analysis of an analysis of various analysis' of Hitler's foreign policy, and related economical theories. AND include a powerpoint presentation.
I told them, that I wasn't even sure if I could do this, but ended up doing it anyways. After doing that, I noticed they had sent me another email requesting re-writes. (Basically to spin articles now). I am sure that many people here could agree that article spinning is no easy feat for most writers....and here this person is asking for that now.
Not only this, but guess what the next email was requesting? A damn ebook. No joke....a full damn EBOOK related to internet marketing. So I'm supposed to sit here for free, research everything, and write up a whole ebook? For free?
Anyways, I ignored this client for a few days....contemplating whether or not I should take up those requests. Originally I offered to write some articles...simple, right? Now, suddenly I am being bombarded with complex requests, like university level dissertation, or ebooks, or article spinning.
After consulting a few people, who all agreed that I was completely being taken advantage of in an unfair way....I finally just told the client that what I originally offered, is not what they are now requesting. They said they understood, and would find another writer.
So basically it ended, but then today....I get an email saying "What if I only send you, say, ebooks? (and those are for me)"......
HONESTLY....Hitting my head against a wall wouldn't be nearly as pleasurable as it sounds right now. It's also my fault, because I offered something of a large value for free to this client to make "ammends". I guess they figured they could get chocolate milk out of the cow. But cows don't give chocolate milk, no matter what you feed them.
Anyways, whole point of this rant, is to ask you....how do you take advantage of people?
Do you milk the cow while there's still milk? And if so, do you EXPECT chocolate milk?
Fell through on an article writing job for a client (was unable to write). Client paid $300 in advance. Took me 3 tries to refund that money, because of how easy paypal is to use, but the money was refunded. Not only this, but I refunded more than the original amount, to cover any fees that Paypal would take off once the original client received the money back.
The client was mad, wanted answers, and kept getting more steamed up. :angryfire:
So I offer to write them the original articles for free. That's not enough, still steamed up. :angryfire: So I offer another 50+ free articles on top of this. :angryfire: Not enough still. So guess what? #*ck it, I throw in 400 free articles, NO joke.
Client gets happy. Client thinks that is how things should be done. Client accepts, although they are still nosing around for more answers.
So what does client do? Client decides that it's ok to request a few articles. I say my max output for now is about 15 per day (@ 500 words each). So what does client do? Client starts sending out requests from every which way....not only for articles, but for their damn COLLEGE HOMEWORK!
No joke, the client asked me to write up an analysis of an analysis of various analysis' of Hitler's foreign policy, and related economical theories. AND include a powerpoint presentation.
I told them, that I wasn't even sure if I could do this, but ended up doing it anyways. After doing that, I noticed they had sent me another email requesting re-writes. (Basically to spin articles now). I am sure that many people here could agree that article spinning is no easy feat for most writers....and here this person is asking for that now.
Not only this, but guess what the next email was requesting? A damn ebook. No joke....a full damn EBOOK related to internet marketing. So I'm supposed to sit here for free, research everything, and write up a whole ebook? For free?
Anyways, I ignored this client for a few days....contemplating whether or not I should take up those requests. Originally I offered to write some articles...simple, right? Now, suddenly I am being bombarded with complex requests, like university level dissertation, or ebooks, or article spinning.
After consulting a few people, who all agreed that I was completely being taken advantage of in an unfair way....I finally just told the client that what I originally offered, is not what they are now requesting. They said they understood, and would find another writer.
So basically it ended, but then today....I get an email saying "What if I only send you, say, ebooks? (and those are for me)"......
HONESTLY....Hitting my head against a wall wouldn't be nearly as pleasurable as it sounds right now. It's also my fault, because I offered something of a large value for free to this client to make "ammends". I guess they figured they could get chocolate milk out of the cow. But cows don't give chocolate milk, no matter what you feed them.
Anyways, whole point of this rant, is to ask you....how do you take advantage of people?
Do you milk the cow while there's still milk? And if so, do you EXPECT chocolate milk?