Tricky situation with powerful clients....

[broguemum]

At the moment I'm freelance writer, marketing type person - have done lots of other things in my freelance career but this is the area I am focussing on at the moment.

I am very lucky in that I have more work than I can shake a stick at at the moment and so I've just had to terminate a contract with a client. The client that I terminated the contract with is (for want of a better word) difficult. The work is dull and it doesn't pay as well as the other work I have. So, I had a v. pleasant chat with my main contact at the company, handed in my letter and then spoke with her boss and all was v. jolly and nice, no angry words exchanged, a few laughs etc etc.

But then I received an e-mail from a v. senior person in the firm (same level as the boss of my main contact) apologising for driving me away (I paraphrase) and including in the body of the e-mail the e-mail they had received from the big boss basically saying, "You bastard, you have driven her away, you are pissing around." Or words to that effect. So... what do I do? I have a meeting tomorrow with both of these guys about a subject they are spoiling for a fight about. I feel I am the hapless pawn in the middle and I don't want to get it in the neck! Reputation is everything in my field you see.

So what do I do? Do I speak to both of them and set the record straight? Part of me wants to do this but part of me wants to run for the hills screaming. Do I act all innocent and pretend I know nothing of their barney?

Any of your freelancers had this kind of situation before? WWYD?

Help? Please?

Firstly, I don't have any direct experience to this , BUT, I am in the same field as you, and from what you have described, they seem very keen to keep you.
I don't mean to be blunt, but what has their internal barney-ing (is that a word?) got to do with anything?
You 'handed your notice in' and now they want to see you. They are no doubt expecting to offer you more than they are
already paying you non?
SO, I would weigh up whether a pay rise is worth the hassle (and yes, I have similar sounding clients!)or if not, don't even bother meeting them.
I just can't see why they would want to see you if they are not willing to 'fight' for your services..?

Thanks for your reply.
The meeting we had was actually about a job I am doing for them at the moment (implementation of a rebranding) which they are fighting about because one of them wants X and the other wants Y etc etc. Fortunately the meeting went OK and I got out of the room before any discussions of contracts came up but not before one of them tried to forbid the other one to talk to me about future work!!! The big boss wants to see me next week about my resignation and I know he's going to put the pressure on to stay.
You're right, their barney should have nothing to do with me but they are v. strange people and have been known to hold grudges and to damage people's reputations if they have disagreed with them and I don't want to get caught "piggy in the middle".
I really don't want to continue working with them as they are just too mad to deal with and I will be turning down the invitation to to discuss revised terms. I think my focus will be to extricate myself without getting drawn into their fight. And how easy will that be? Um....

just lie then!
Tell 'em your emigrating!

I work freelance and my motto is "I work on things I enjoy doing, with people I like working for"

This has stood me in good stead making decisions about pieces of work - it is nice and flattering to be asked back (and even offered more money) but tbh, if it is not motivating me and energising me, it's not really worth it.

These guys don't sound like a great bunch to work with - go with your initial instinct. (thank them and smile, and if you know other people in the field offer their names instead....some other poor freelancer might be desperate for the work)

You are a freelancer, you don't work for them, therefore their internal arguments are nothing to do with you!

It was incredibly unprofessional for one of them to show you details of an argument they've been having about you.

The joy of being freelance is not having to work with difficult people (or not more than once!) and they sound like trouble. With difficult clients that I want rid of, I always say I'm so sorry, it has been lovely working with them but I will have to say no or terminate a contract as I am so busy/I am having to scale down for a while/etc so it doesn't sound personal, and please stay in touch. I know what you mean about the reputation thing and it never does to tell someone that the real reason you can't work with them is that they are a nutcase or have been driving you mad (yes, I speak from experience! I have learned to be so much more dishonest cheerier than I used to be ) Also, you never know when you might be down on your luck one day and welcome any work, so don't piss them off.