Strategies For Handling Revision Requests
By Meaghan
Last week, I talked about how to communicate effectively with clients. Soliciting existing clients for DirectOrders is not only allowed, but it's one of the best ways to make them aware that you're available for steady work. Sending followup messages to clients thanking them for accepting your article and letting them know that you're available is a savvy way to get more work.
Another situation in which communication with clients on Textbroker is critical is when revision requests pop up. As long as you follow clients' specified instructions as conscientiously as possible, you probably won't get very many requests for revision. Sometimes, though – even if you follow a client's instructions to the letter – you'll still get that dreaded “Customer has a change request for an article” email in your inbox. In today's blog post, I'll take a look at how to handle various revision request scenarios so that you can keep your clients happy – while maintaining your sanity.
The Revision Request Has Nothing To Do With The Original Directions
Sometimes, you follow all of the specified instructions on an order, only to have it sent back for revision. Upon opening the revision requests, you discover that the client is asking you to add something that wasn't a part of his original instructions. Perhaps he suddenly wants you to include an additional keyword, or maybe he is looking for additional descriptions that weren't originally requested. Either way, you have a judgment call to make.
If the additional keywords or other requested information mean only an additional minute or two of work, it really isn't worth haggling over – doing that is a waste of time. Naturally, you're free to take a strict approach to the situation and let the client know that since these instructions weren't originally included, you'll be unable to satisfy the request. However, if it will only take a minute or two and will keep the client happy, it's usually best to step up and make the requested additions.
The Revision Request Is Vague/Non-Specific
When a client sends back an order for revision, he has to include specific instructions on what needs to be changed. If he doesn't – for instance, if he says something like, “This just isn't quite what I had in mind” - then you do have a leg to stand on. Send the client a message requesting clarification, but keep an eye on the countdown. You only have 24 hours to resubmit the article before it disappears into the ether. If the client isn't forthcoming about the specifics of his request, tweak the article a bit and send it back through. If additional problems arise, feel free to contact the Textbroker staff for assistance.
The Revision Request Will Exceed The Word Count
Another problem that sometimes occurs with revision requests is that, in order to make the requested revision, you'll have to exceed the allotted number of words. When a revision request makes your article “spill over” the maximum word count by a significant amount, you're within your rights to inform the client that they need to send through an additional order. Whenever possible, of course, try to make revised articles fit within the original word count. In cases where the requested changes require much more than was originally asked for, though, don't be afraid to draw the line.
It's worth noting, too, that clients can increase the word count for any given order at any time. Many of them are unaware of this, though, so keep in mind that you can always float that option by them in these situations. Offer to contact customer support on their behalf; a member of the Textbroker staff will assist them. If a deadline is looming and your client is unreachable, consider sending through what you have and asking for a DirectOrder to cover the balance instead. Finally, please keep in mind that clients can only modify the word count on OpenOrders; the ability to do so for DirectOrders is not currently available.
The Revision Request Requires A Complete Rewrite
Sometimes, the article that you come up with might not be quite what the client was looking for and he may pretty much ask for a complete rewrite. This may happen if you take the wrong slant – using a casual tone where a more formal tone was required, for instance – or when a sales pitch was needed but you wrote an informational piece. Whatever the specifics are, this is another situation where you need to decide if the revision is justifiable. If you clearly missed an important part of the original instructions, then you should absolutely do the rewrite and take it as a lesson learned. If the original instructions didn't specify what tone to take – or if the client is suddenly backtracking unfairly on you – then you should send an email to Textbroker support for backup. They will take a look at the situation and decide whether a rejection is in order. If not, you'll still receive payment and can blacklist the client if you'd like to.
Finally, no black marks of any kind are brought against writers for canceling revision requests. If you decide that it's not in your best interest to go through with a revision, cancel it right away so another author can get to work on it. You'll avoid a lot of hand-wringing, and clients won't be subjected to long, drawn out waits.
Be Prompt – And Don't Take It Personally
Above all, always handle revision requests as efficiently as possible. Clients are much more likely to be satisfied with the changes when they're made in a timely manner; if you push it until the last hour of the 24-hour deadline, patience will be wearing thin. Finally, remember not to take revision requests personally. It's strictly business, and it's part of being a writer.
Full Disclosure: Meaghan is a freelance writer. Textbroker is one of her clients and she receives payment based on the word count of her work.
posted by 8298 on 10/12/2009 - 03.28 | authors | comments: 25
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I can attest to the fact that writing Textbroker support over a questionable request for revision really works. I received one RFR that completely took me by surprise. I was given no new instruction, but told what I had done was totally subpar. I admit, I did take it a bit personally at first. The tone of the request itself made it a bit hard not to. Writing is who I am as much as what I do. However, I wrote to Textbroker and explained the situation. I asked for their opinion, if they felt that the client was justified in his statements or if they felt I had done as asked. They read through everything, gave me advice on approaching the client and said they would speak with him and I should know something soon. I never received a response from the client, but after a few days, I did receive payment.added by: author EloahJames on 10/12/2009 - 06.32
Good advice, especially the reminder about remembering that the client is working on a time line and needs the corrected copy back ASAP.
Not taking it personally is an important thing to keep in mind if it is a revision that seems unfair. They hardly ever happen anyway. I've found it's often more efficient to cancel the revision and move on with the workday if it is a revision that is totally out of left field.added by: author claritynow on 10/12/2009 - 06.37
Claritynow, the only problem with that approach is that you have basically handed the client free work. There is nothing stopping him from copying and pasting what you have written and using it, even if the order is canceled and he pays you nothing.
I can also attest to Textbroker support being on our side when it is warranted. I had one situation recently where someone requested two things out of an article, then sent it back for revision because what he really wanted was a list of the second thing. When I basically deleted the first part and sent it back through since it was still within the word count specified, while waiting for a response from textbroker support, he flat out rejected it. Textbroker looked it over and credited me half even though the article had been completely rejected by the client.added by: author Ferret on 10/12/2009 - 07.12
@Ferret There is nothing preventing a client from using any work that they receive -- except, of course, copyright protection laws. If a client doesn't pay for an article, they do not receive the copyright. You can sue if a client uses your work without compensating you for it. Usually, just a polite letter or e-mail mentioning a lawyer is enough to get the work removed or get you a credit. You can start with a message via our system and an e-mail to support.
However, clients are hardly the conniving Scrooges that many authors make them out to be. Clients have a specific goal when submitting orders. That goal is not to con authors out of work, but to get effective articles for their site or their clients' sites. If your submitted article doesn't reach that goal, you'll be asked for a revision.
From the client revision and rejection requests I've seen, 30% are because the understandability of the article was too low, i.e., the client couldn't read or publish the article because the grammar and spelling were that bad. 10% are because the client didn't provide enough information initially and 60% are because the author did not fully read and understand the directions. I'll admit, directions are not always clearly worded, so my next blog post will help authors get inside a client's head and more fully understand what a client is looking for in an article.added by: Textbroker on 10/12/2009 - 07.45
Thanks for the advice Meaghan,
Any advice on a client's lack of responding to a message, which might prevent the miscommunication leading to a revision?added by: author A-013487 on 10/12/2009 - 08.27
So far, I've only had one revision request and it was to add something that wasn't in the original request. It did make the word count go over by 35 words, so I let it slide.
I didn't know I could send it back and have the client ask for a direct order for the additional part.
It's far better to get clear instructions on what the client wants than taking a "stab in the dark," and it would be really nice if work requests were proofread for clarity before being submitted. This would do two things: the authors would know what is being requested up front, and the clients would get the work they want faster without revision delays.
Perhaps that could be looked into.
All in all, I think Textbroker is a fine place to write.added by: author TGallagher on 10/12/2009 - 09.15
I love my TB clients, and the one revision request I have had so far was polite and to the point, and once I sent the new text, I received an excellent rating from the client and kind words as well.
There are a few simple ways to minimize revision requests. One is to read the client's instructions fully and often. Once you have finished your article, read the instructions again to see if you have met the requirements.
Another way to avoid this heartburn is not to accept assignments that are too vague in the first place. I do see clients asking for articles while offering little or confusing guidance. I skip those. If I have to ask a lot of questions just to understand the client's needs for a 400 word article, well, it's just not worth it.
And finally, if you do accept an assignment that you really want to write but you have questions about what the client is looking for, email them and ask them! Most clients are happy to offer more clarity, and it can save you a lot of wasted time, provided they get back with you quickly.
Just gotta say, I LOVE TB! :) And no, I didn't get paid for that endorsement, but I do get paid for my work that I do on TB! Yippee!added by: author dalidal on 10/12/2009 - 10.36
This article hits home for me. I wrote lots of articles, and had a few revision requests that were very clear and I made the changes quickly and everything was good.
Then I wrote an article for a client who had a lot of very specific requirements in the order. I did my best to write a great article based on the requirements. Then a revision request came in that basically said that the work was not written well enough and that I should just let another writer take the job. This is after I spent time writing what I felt was an acceptable piece of work.
I admit that in fact my feelings were hurt by the tone of the revision request. It was dismissive and rude. I submitted a request to tech support and was basically told to "not take it personally."
I did take it personally though, and I felt the love in me to able to write anything for Textbroker since. Guess I am sensitive. Or perhaps I just like to be treated professionally with respect.added by: author A-006172 on 10/13/2009 - 09.11
I must have had a revision request from the same fellow as A-006172. It did get me upset. I am still learning to write in the style needed for these texts. I want to do well and I know that I am doing a better job than this revision request implied.
I used to sell insurance. Cold calling someone and trying to get an appointment to see them is much more traumatic. But you are told that every no puts you closer to a yes. They are right about that.
I do wonder if the fellow with these nasty revision requests is intending to use them just as written. He may just want you to cancel the order so that he can use the text for free. The nasty taste left in your mouth will keep you from pursuing the issue and that's what he's counting on.added by: author A-016588 on 10/13/2009 - 06.53
@Textbroker (Meaghan?) I fully believe those stats. Out of the 160+ articles I've done, that was the only bogus feeling revision request. There have maybe been four or five others where either the client needed some little something that he forgot to mention or I missed something in the instructions, and those have always been handled professionally by the clients. It was just that one. I guess that's what the blacklist is for. :Dadded by: author Ferret on 10/13/2009 - 07.42
I have has several experiences where the client will make a request that really doesn't seem warranted, but I usually go ahead and make whatever changes they request. I haven't had anyone have a huge problem so far. Thankfully I haven't been in a situation where I had to contest an article. My worst fear is doing a 4,000 word article exactly as instructed and having to e-mail support to fight for it.
Thanks for the post. I had no idea that a client could increase the word count. Had I known this earlier, it could have saved me a lot of trouble. I am sure it will in the future.
I have to admit, I have had a couple times where I did a large article and didn't read the instructions properly. I ended up canceling the orders out of frustration but I fixed that by reading the instructions very thoroughly before and after writing.added by: author A-017527 on 10/13/2009 - 11.04
Generally clients are a lot more fair to me than text broker is. I just wrote several articles which my clients rated excellent, yet of course because of a few "questionable" grammatical errors TB rated them 3s. Not every client wants their articles to be in a strict, prim and proper grammatical style. I really think that text broker should take into account what the clients rate the articles, and perhaps judge them by more than just grammar.
But that's just me.added by: author Nihilizo on 10/15/2009 - 02.11
I've been fortunate not to have many revision requests, and most have been fairly easy to fix and the client was happy with the results. I did have one I totally missed the boat on as I somehow veered off track when I wrote the article. I had somehow missed the specifics of the instructions and got a nasty message from the client. I admit it rattled me and made me feel sick inside. I intended to go ahead, suck it up, and rewrite the entire article as I was at fault for not writing according to the client's instructions. However, I was so frustrated and not a little angry at how they responded, very condescending and with an exclamation point to emphasize how peeved they were. Well, because I felt I deserved to be addressed with respect, and was not in this case, I decided to throw the article back in the pool. It was a lesson learned. As others who have responded previously in this blog have suggested, I read the instructions many times as I write and then read them again when I'm done to be certain I'm writing according to the client's requests.
Also, for me, I tend to avoid the articles with page-long instructions that are so convoluted that I'd spend half the day trying to understand every little instruction and specification request. I tend to gravitate toward the more vague ones as that has given me license to be a bit more creative in what I write. In most cases, I get an excellent rating from the client and those are the articles I most enjoy writing. I've received a few Direct Orders lately, too, and that just makes my day.
I really enjoy writing, and lately I've tried to be more creative in how I write an article, whether it be a formal or more conversational type piece. Presenting information in a way that will capture the reader is something I strive to do with every article I write, and some I feel are really great, though sometimes I get the dreaded "good" or "acceptable" ratings from the client. Oh well, you can't win them all. I know I'm a heck of a good writer most of the time, and a few less than "excellent" ratings aren't going to knock me down. I'm a "4 star" writer and have been consistently rated that by Textbroker, so I know I'm worth my salt. We can all have an "off" day now and then, so we all have to allow for that, learn from it, and move on.
I love writing for textbroker and will continue to for a long time to come. By the way, my 19 year old daughter signed up, was rated a "3 star" and is doing great on Textbroker, too! I'm so proud of her! Thanks, Meaghan, and thanks Textbroker!added by: author tophatdog on 10/15/2009 - 07.16
Wow! I learned a great deal that I did not know. I haven't received a revision request to date but I certainly feel prepared for it now. Meagan, thank you for taking the time to share your insights.added by: author KaO on 10/15/2009 - 03.40
@Nihilizo: I agree with you there, though Textbroker tends to look past tiny grammatical errors. I have always kind of wondered why Textbroker even bothers looking at articles that the customer scores "Excellent" or "Good". If the customer is happy with it, why waste the time looking it over?
Then again, it's not like I really know what it's like from their side of the table...added by: author Ferret on 10/16/2009 - 10.57
I just want to add that writers should not rely on MS Word for grammatical changes.
Nuff said!added by: author 3lans4hire on 10/17/2009 - 03.45
Another outstanding article chick. I hate to admit it, but these always give me SOMETHING to take away. I have been fortunate enough to have not received too many revision requests, and the few I have received were my fault. Sometimes though, the rejection is tough to take! NOT! Just chin up, and give the customer what they want, if you were paying and the piece didn't meet your needs, wouldn't you ask for revision?added by: author REDMAN on 10/19/2009 - 05.52
Megan,
Your advice is concise and your statistics are correct. The one rejection I received was well-deserved since I completely missed one of the client's instructions.
I agree with the fact that the client's rating should be taken into account when our articles are being rated.
Elizabeth
added by: author EHuffman on 10/23/2009 - 05.36
I think the reason that the client's rating doesn't necessarily hold a lot of weight here is because many times, the client isn't well-versed in the rules of grammar, spelling and punctuation themselves. * If they were, they'd probably write most of their content themselves, right? Textbroker must protect its reputation by adhering to certain legitimate standards. Also, how else would they be able to rate authors? Any other "rule book" would be quite subjective and unfair. Finally, Textbroker actually helps us all become better writers by pointing out our mistakes and offering advice on how to improve.
* A client might think "Your not going to believe this!" is a stellar sentence; the editors at Textbroker know better.added by: author meaghan on 10/23/2009 - 09.20
Another aspect of client ratings to be taken into consideration is that not all clients think the same way. One client may rate an article as "excellent", leaving a comment of "great job", while another would give the same article an "acceptable" rating simply because it was not exactly what he had in mind. While the majority of the articles I have written have received "excellent" and "good" ratings by the clients, there are 2 or 3 ratings of "acceptable" thrown in the mix. I will admit that these articles were not some of my best work. Thankfully, Textbroker saw fit to rate them all at a 4 star rating anyway, despite the "acceptable" ratings that mar my record. Perhaps the overall satisfaction of the clients, as a whole, should play a small part in determining an author's ranking, but I am thankful that Textbroker uses their own "rule book" in the final determination. A future blog on quality standards and strategies for reaching a 5 star rating would be welcomed by many I think! ;-)added by: author a.s.k on 10/23/2009 - 01.29
Meaghan,this is an eye-opener. Thanks for the great job. Keep it up!added by: author A-007579 on 11/06/2009 - 10.24
I find that textbook editors do not look past tiny grammatical errors most of the time. I also am concerned about the editor's correction of the way a sentence is written. All these minor corrections keep a rating score where it is, and does not allow the rating to increase.
I am not talking about a sentence that is written in slang, or in extremely bad grammar. I am talking about the writers methods of expression vs the editor's way of expression. Why is it always better the way the editor says it is? If the editor understands what I am saying, then why do I have to change it to the way the editor thinks it reads better?
Those that do not think the same way, are not able to write the same way. These are what makes us all different individuals. We all have our own method of walking, talking and writing.
None of us express ourselves in the same way or manner. We each have our own methods of saying something, orally or written. I wonder why an editor would suggest their way of writing a sentence as being the only way to write the sentence? If a client rates the article as excellent, I would think that they like the way the words are written and the way they are written.
I have not had one rewrite, my articles are written well, no spelling errors, and once in a while my [,] is double, but this should not bring down a rating score, or keep a rating score at the same level.
We are not writing a legal brief. We are writing for a blog for 2.50$. Unless an article is really a gramatical mess, I believe that we should be able to use our own methods of expression.
If we all wrote a sentence the same way, it would eventually be called plagiarism.
I truly enjoy writing on textbroker, and appreciate the editors, but sometimes, they just have to give a little...;)
added by: author SondraC on 11/13/2009 - 01.52
Thanks for this advice, it's what I really needed to read, as I am always nervous about the possibility of having to revise an article.added by: author Yazz on 02/03/2010 - 06.39
I've ghost-written many blog entries, so I'm surprised at myself for commenting on one, but some I've read here just poked me in the side just enough that here I am, typing away. (And for free, too!)
To the comments akin to the paraphrased "Adjust TB rankings to include client ratings" and "...overlook accidental grammatical and punctuation mistakes if the client likes the article,” I say simply, “Bull pucky!” I am not a perfect writer. If I were, past editors wouldn’t have so many grey hairs. But some of what I’ve read here irritates me to no end.
I'm pretty new to Textbroker, but I'm not new to writing, copywriting, and/or SEO specialization. Textbroker is, by far and without hesitation, the best freelance writing/content broker I've come across in the five-plus years I've been involved in this. Support here is unprecedented and unfailing, even if we disagree with their determination. And I'll be darned if I'll ever try to again work through a freelance broker who pays the same rate for Meaghan's "Your v You're" example as they do for "perfect" work. Personally, I'm a 'correct grammar and punctuation' fanatic, and it drives me nuts to read sloppy, careless work. (I have a bumper sticker that reads, "Literacy Begins at Home. IfUdon TLikeItt punktu8- T;iHS!!!") To those who believe “casual” means “okay to be careless,” you’re mistaken.
I wholeheartedly agree that clients' views on articles—their uninformed rating--should not be a consideration. Whether they're new to the Internet or old pros at SEO, they're not the professionals of the writing aspect. Clients may know when they like a piece, but very few of them know anything about “wordsmithing” beyond “Did Smith include my key words?”
Regardless of whether the piece you're writing is fiction or non-fiction, technical or creative, writing is not just an art. It is also a science. Form, structure, pattern, syntax, and yes, the dreaded spelling and punctuation monsters ARE important.
Every single one of us gets paid for what we write when an article is accepted. That makes us "professionals."
Revision requests probably won't ever disappear, but those that remain should be for things beyond our control. That's the mark of professional writing.
When you're writing for pay, standards are different for a client's blog than they are for a personal MySpace entry or emails to friends or family. The articles or product descriptions we write for Textbroker’s clients—they’re not ours; they’re Textbroker’s—aren’t going to be read once or twice by a few neighbors or e-friends.
To those naysayers, I ask one question: If you were being paid piece-work in, say, a factory, would you like getting paid the same rate per piece as the slob of a worker next to you?
Then why do you expect that rating equality here against writers who self-edit a little better?
added by: author A-035348 on 03/14/2010 - 12.25
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