Your Client Hates Your Work? Here’s Why (And How To Fix It)

Have you ever had a client hate your work?

If so, you’re not alone. Even accomplished freelancers experience this from time to time.

But there’s a reason why it happens, and a lot of the time it’s because of something that has nothing to do with your work itself—something you can fix with a simple conversation.

Here are some common reasons your clients might hate your work, and what you can do about it:

Takeaways
Understand the reasons behind client dissatisfaction.
Actively listen to your client’s feedback and concerns.
Validate their feelings and show empathy.
Engage in a constructive dialogue to find solutions.
Offer revisions or alternatives to address their concerns.
Provide exceptional customer service to rebuild trust.
Maintain professionalism and avoid defensiveness.
Communicate effectively and keep the client updated.
Strive to exceed their expectations with your work.
Learn from the experience and use it to improve in the future.

9 Reasons Why Your Client Doesn’t Like Your Work

1. Bad Fit

Sometimes it’s just a bad fit. It happens to everyone who works with clients. We wish this could be avoided, but it can’t. A bad fit is when you and your client don’t vibe well together: you don’t understand each other’s communication style, you don’t share similar values or goals, or you just don’t get along as people. If this is the case, you might think about looking for a new client to work with next time and let this one drift away from your business.

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2. You Didn’t Give Them What They Asked For

This one might seem obvious, but sometimes we forget how important it really is to deliver on the promises we make to our clients early in their relationship with us. Don’t promise more than you can deliver! If you have trouble following through on commitments, you’ll need to evaluate whether or not your clients can trust what you say and change up your approach if they can’t.

3. They Have Unrealistic Expectations

If your client expects a heart-stopping transformation for $5, something isn’t going to add up. If they’re expecting something out of the ordinary for an ordinary price, take some time to educate them on appropriate pricing and their options for value-added services.

4. Your Design Doesn’t Reflect Their Brand Identity

Every company has its own identity and culture. If your design doesn’t match the company’s visual branding, they may feel like it doesn’t match their personality or values. Make sure you do research before beginning the project.

5. You’re Overcharging Them

If this is the case, it’s important to be transparent about your pricing and let them know exactly what they’re paying for so there are no surprises at the end of the project.

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6. You Didn’t Listen Carefully Enough

Like asking questions, listening carefully is an essential part of doing quality work for a client. If you don’t listen closely to what they’re saying and try to give them exactly what they need, there’s no way for you to ever know if you got it right—and one day they’ll say “I told you so.”

7. They Don’t Like Your Style

This is a tough one. If they didn’t see it until after they hired you and started working with you, then it’s their fault for not looking at your past work and considering whether or not they like your style before hiring you.

But if they did look at your style and thought it was what they wanted and then still didn’t like how it turned out? That could be on them for not giving good feedback about what kind of work they were actually looking for.

8. They Don’t Know What They Want

This is honestly the biggest reason why clients struggle with giving feedback or direction in the first place. Your job is to figure out what their goals are and create something that achieves those goals—but if your client can’t articulate them, it’s tough for you to do that! It’s like saying “I need something true” without specifying how true? Is it something true about reality? Or is it something true about their feelings?

9. They’re Busy

Don’t take it personally—they probably have a lot going on in their professional and personal lives. You can try sending them a friendly reminder email or DM, or if you’d rather not bother them, just move on to the next one!

What To Do If A Client Rejected Your Work

It happens to the best of us. You’ve spent hours on a project, and the client didn’t like it. It’s frustrating, but don’t worry—we’re here to help you move past it. Here are a few steps you can take:

First, give yourself time to be frustrated

It’s not fair when your hard work is rejected! Try to take some time to really let yourself feel that frustration. Don’t punish yourself, just allow yourself a little bit of space to sit with the negative emotions that come up.

Then, back up and look at the project from a distance

Is there any way you could have done it differently? Did you need more information? Did you miss something in the brief? Often, you’ll find that there is some way that you could have done it better.

If there isn’t a way that you could have done it better, go ahead and ask for more information from your client about why they chose to reject it. Try to get them to be as specific as possible so that you can learn from their feedback and do better next time.

Finally, don’t get discouraged! Everyone has bad days or works on projects that don’t end up quite right.

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7 Sample Replies For The Client Who Rejected Your Work

#1 “Thanks for the feedback, I’ll make those changes right away!”

#2 “I’m so sorry that wasn’t what you were looking for. How can I make it better?”

#3 “I’m sorry this didn’t work out, but I learned a lot from our collaboration. Thank you for that.”

#4 “I understand your concerns, but I believe these points are important to the overall message of the piece.”

#5 “Let’s set up a time to talk about this in more detail. What’s a good time and place for us to meet?”

#6 “What if we tried [idea], do you think that would work better?”

#7 “I understand that you’re looking for something different. Could you tell me what specifically about this draft isn’t working for you so I know what to address?”

How To Deal With Client Rejection Without Losing A Client

1. Listen To Their Concerns

When a client rejects your work, try to see the rejection as an opportunity for honest communication about what they want. Ask open-ended questions and strive to understand what’s making them unhappy before you try to fix it.

2. Be Understanding And Empathetic

If your client is upset or frustrated, they may not be hearing what you’re saying in the best way possible. Try not to become defensive or take it personally—it’s not about you! The more kind and understanding you are, the better chance you have of keeping the client on board and moving forward with something that works for both of you.

3. Offer To Fix It, Or Work With Them On A Different Approach

Ofer to fix whatever went wrong or work with them on a different approach that might be more agreeable for everyone involved. Rejection usually happens because of unclear expectations or miscommunication—and if this is indeed why your client rejected your offer, then it’s very possible for you to work together on that.

4. Thank Them For The Feedback

We’re so sorry to hear that you felt we missed the mark with your last project. We appreciate you taking the time to let us know and give us feedback on how we can improve. Taking the time out of your busy day to do this is such a kind gesture, and it will help us do better work in the future.

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5. Consider Who Rejected Your Work

If it’s someone who has little influence on the project, then you may want to seek another opinion from a higher-up in the company before making any changes at all to the work you’ve done so far. On the other hand, if it’s someone high up in the corporate hierarchy (like an executive or department head), then they probably know what they’re talking about and have given you great advice.

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6. Don’t Take It Personally!

This client has a reason for rejecting your work, but hopefully, they’ll tell you what that reason is. If they don’t, though—just ask them. Let them know that you want to understand what they didn’t like about the piece so that you can improve.

This sends two messages: first, that you appreciate their feedback and want to learn from it; second, that you want another chance to get it right. Even if they decline to work with you again in the end, most people will still give you feedback if you ask politely and sincerely.

7. Get Feedback From Another Freelancer

If you’re feeling down after being rejected by a client, don’t hesitate to reach out to another freelancer for help! It can be hard to see things objectively when we’ve been working on something for hours or days on end. Sometimes, all it takes is talking through the rejection with another person who can give us feedback and help us see things in a new way.

Further Reading

Fast Company: Your Boss or Client Hates Your Work? Here’s What to DoDiscover practical advice and strategies for handling situations when your boss or client expresses dissatisfaction with your work.

Freelance Writing: How to Handle Clients Who Hate Your WorkLearn effective techniques and communication strategies to navigate client dissatisfaction and turn negative feedback into positive outcomes.

Gigi Griffis: What to Do When Your Client Hates the WorkGain valuable insights and practical tips on how to address client dissatisfaction and salvage the client relationship when your work falls short of expectations.

FAQs

How can I address client dissatisfaction with my work?

When faced with client dissatisfaction, it’s crucial to:

1. Listen attentively: Understand the specific concerns and reasons behind their dissatisfaction.
2. Acknowledge their feedback: Show empathy and validate their feelings to demonstrate your commitment to resolving the issue.
3. Open a constructive dialogue: Engage in a respectful conversation to identify areas of improvement and potential solutions.
4. Offer solutions or revisions: Propose actionable steps to address their concerns and make necessary improvements to meet their expectations.
5. Provide exceptional customer service: Go above and beyond to exceed their expectations and rebuild trust in your work.

How can I turn negative client feedback into a positive outcome?

To transform negative client feedback into a positive outcome:

1. Maintain professionalism: Respond to feedback gracefully, avoiding defensiveness or taking it personally.
2. Seek clarification: Ask for specific examples or details to better understand their concerns.
3. Propose solutions: Offer alternatives or revisions that address their concerns and align with their vision.
4. Communicate effectively: Keep the client updated on your progress and demonstrate your commitment to meeting their expectations.
5. Exceed expectations: Deliver exceptional work that goes above and beyond their initial expectations to rebuild trust and satisfaction.

I spent a lot of time on this project. Why does my client hate it?

If you felt that the project was taking a lot of time, that could be part of the problem. Your client may have been expecting something simpler, or even just more straightforward. One-off projects should be treated with care because they are a chance to prove yourself and get more work. Try not to get too caught up in your own head when working on one-off projects. They should be simple, so they’re best kept short and sweet.

This is my first client—what am I doing wrong?

Sometimes it helps to step back from the project and ask yourself whether you are being realistic about it. Are you taking on too many clients? Remember, the key is quality over quantity when it comes to your work. When in doubt, refer back to our guide for freelancers about how to prioritize your projects based on their complexity and urgency. There’s also a handy checklist for keeping track of which projects need attention at any given time.

Why does my client hate my work?

There could be a million reasons why your client hates your work. Maybe you didn’t communicate enough with them, maybe your work doesn’t match their vision, or maybe they just had a bad day. The good news is that 99.9% of the time, this isn’t personal—it’s a problem that can be addressed and fixed.

How do I talk to my client if they hate my work?

Don’t panic. Chances are, if you’re dealing with a fair and reasonable person (which most clients are), they will be willing to give you feedback on what’s wrong and what they need from you in order to move forward. If they’re not like that... well, then it’s probably time to fire them as a client! But don’t worry, pretty much everyone else is.

What should I do if I’m afraid of talking to my client?

So what if our heart starts beating faster because we’re afraid to have a conversation about something potentially unpleasant? That’s normal! This is a great place for us to practice managing our fear and developing the ability to talk with people in real-time about difficult issues.

What do I do if my clients hate my work?

This is the worst feeling in the world, isn’t it? You put a lot of time into a project, and then your client just…doesn’t like it. It’s a gut punch.

First of all: breath. Then, try to figure out if there are any problems with the work that you did. Did you miss a deadline? Did you not include a key part of their brand or marketing plan? Did you overlook an important piece of information they gave you? These can all be fixed easily—just swallow your pride and correct them! If these aren’t the issues, it’s time to have a conversation with your client.

How do I talk to my client about why they don’t like my work?

It’s time to have an open and honest conversation with your client about why they aren’t happy with what you’ve done for them. You’ll have to decide how best to approach this conversation based on who your client is (or even what kind of client they are), and what type of feedback/reaction you normally get from them when discussing their project.

Why doesn’t my client like my work?

Here are the most common reasons:

-They’re not used to seeing the kind of work you produce (they usually work with another kind of designer/company, and they want what they’re used to).

-Your company is new (and your client hasn’t had time to get to know your style yet).

-There’s been a miscommunication somewhere along the line (it happens, especially if your client is working with several different companies at once).

Are there things I can do to make sure this doesn’t happen?

The best thing you can do is be sure that you have an in-depth understanding of what your client wants before you start working on their project. Find out about their company, their target audience, and why they’re hiring you. What kind of image are they looking for? If you can answer these kinds of questions before you begin, you’ll have a better chance of avoiding problems later on.

My client said they didn’t like my work—what should I do now?

Find out why! In many cases, it won’t be anything personal. Sometimes the business relationship just isn’t right for one reason or another.

How do I know if my client hates my work?

You’ll know by their tone and words, but you may also be able to tell by their body language. They may seem bored or disinterested, they’ll have trouble making eye contact with you, they may seem very fidgety, or they may not make any sort of physical contact with you (like shaking your hand).

What if they don’t give me any specific feedback?

Don’t panic! It may just take a little bit of time for them to be able to articulate what they’re not loving about your work. Remember—they may not have been thinking specifically about your project, and they may need a little prompting from you before they’re able to give you helpful information. Give them a few days before following up again with some more targeted questions.

What if I wrote a long article and my client hated it?

That can be a difficult situation to be in because you’ve already done the hard part. To avoid this problem, I recommend asking your client for a detailed outline of what they’re looking for.

It’s best if they give you this while they’re still excited about the idea before you put in any work. If they don’t want to give you an outline, ask them to give you some bullet points that they want to be covered.

If they don’t want to do that either, try making some suggestions yourself and ask them if they would like to see that type of content.

If you’re struggling with what types of posts or articles to suggest, try starting with questions like “What information is most important for your readers to have?” or “What do you think would be the most valuable information for your audience?” Either way, save yourself time by getting a strong sense of what your client is expecting before you get started.

Why do you think your client is unhappy?

If you’re not sure why your client is unhappy, try asking! Send a quick email to say that you’ve noticed that they seem unhappy with the work and would like to get an understanding of why that is. If they don’t respond, send a follow-up email or call them on the phone to ask again.

Why isn’t my client responding?

When clients don’t respond to our work, it can be frustrating. It’s one thing if they’re just busy and haven’t gotten around to responding yet—we all have those days where we read emails but never actually respond. But it’s another thing when our emails are clearly being ignored. The best way to solve this is to make sure you’re giving them an easy way out: in your email, create a clear and easy action for them to take (i.e. “Please let me know what I should do next”).

What should I do if my client hates my work?

The first thing you should do is ask them why, and with a calm and polite tone. That way you can learn what went wrong, what they didn’t like, and how you can avoid making the same mistake again.