i'm a freelance dev, i code ios/android/web based apps. i have had a major client for the past year. pays very very well but is a total asshole.
not the kind of asshole who just insult you. the kind of asshole who reviews your code before it's not ready for testing, ask stupid questions because hey he's a dev too! and always takes days to reply to my call or messages YET he tells me that I AM hard to reach and that he's tired of giving me chances (LOL)
I used to have a few more clients, so one asshole didn't count for much. But now I have all eggs in the same basket, a high paying basket but a basket that is currently destroying me mentally.
There's no winning with him, even his wife who is product manager for his company tells me he doesn't know how to manage, micro-manage everything so much that every time some shit hits the fan he needs to pause everything to go fix it himself so meanwhile everybody waits. Yet HE hired me because he told me "you are more knowledgeable than all my employees so you will be lead developer" yet I'm here dealing with only shitty secondary PHP3/4 coded abominations.
You read right: the codebase has critical errors hidden, an error? fuck it the code continues. He NEVER heard about debuggers, which is the only tool making me able to code in that shitty project.
I have nice offers on the table, not paying AS WELL but I'm considering doing something else and dumping him. WAT DO?
TL;DR am dev; have client with shit attitude; pays very well; can't take his shit anymore; should I dump him?
That's how I feel inside desu... What sucks is: he's the only BIG local client I have in my state. More and more people know me because I code projects for a few "famous" people here. I fear he's going to talk shit about me since he lives in a "big city" of my state, I could talk the "famous" people to talk shit against him though. Or maybe I simply shouldn't care about it all.
Usually all of my clients are outside the state or even outside the country... I thought I'd like having clients I can really meet IRL but maybe not after all...
Document your code better OP so he stops asking questions.
Brayden Collins
You shouldn't drop a client simply for being an asshole, you should drop him if you notice his asshole-behaviour is going to cost you more money than he's worth.
Luis Rivera
good idea
i do, i even comment stuff to HIM in the code lol
at this point it's starting to cost me a lot since i waste so much time
Carson Wood
You're fired. I knew you posted here and now I see what you really think of your clients. Don't turn up to work tomorrow. Your final payment for work already done is being sent now.
Nolan Kelly
lol nice larp user
Colton Price
bump
Grayson Cooper
I've taken a pay cut for more peace of mind and never regretted it user.
Nathaniel Bell
thx so much for this reply
Liam Martin
Up your price to make it worth your while. I drop stupid huge estimates on people I sense are going to be a living pain in the ass all the time. If they pay then so be it
I've been in a similar position, finally dropped the client six months ago (after 2+ years). I was worried about getting more clients too, but even in a small town I'm getting more offers than I can accept. That original asshole client is now back after six months, offering me more money to come back to work, and with a much better attitude.
My main problem really was saying yes too often - some assholes respect you more if you say no, then you can take control over how you work with them.
Ethan Allen
I'm right there atm. I charge an insane price to him, he tried to reduce me last week and I told him no. He was okay it with it. He seems to really want me yet is clueless about how to properly manage with freelancers.
Thanks for sharing this. Glad it works for you user! I'm sure something similar will happen to me. Saying yes too often has been my problem has well. It's getting better since I started being an asshole which kinda sucks but I see it as "me" vs "them" it seems there's no way everybody will be ever happy lol
Don't refuse him, Tell him the quasi truth, this project is taking up too much time versus other projects and you would like to continue with it, but you can't unless your rate is increased, otherwise you can't compensate for the lost work. He's probably going to try to drop you (give him like 1.3 or 1.4 times the rate you had before)
Offer to send him towards replacements, this way you keep a good relationship but can basically just walk.
Anthony Rivera
Maybe you should try escorting.
Owen Cox
first and only good response. Do this, with emphasis on finding a good replacement. Minimal bridges burned and hopefully everyone ends up happy.
