Is this normal freelancer behavior?

[Dear Summer]

I used elance to hire a web developer. He had great reviews from others so I felt that he was a good choice. The beginning started off fine but it started going downhill.

He rarely answers my calls even though we specially agreed on the time frame and day when I would call. He never returns my missed calls. Instead, he *sometimes* replies to my email from the day prior. I feel like I have to drag his feet through the whole process to get this done. He is uncommunicative and I have to repeat what I wanted on the webpage multiple times. Even in the emails, he doesn't even address or answer the questions I typed. He replies with simple one liner emails. I'm the one paying this guy except it has been mostly one sided communication and as if he's the client. The only reason why I haven't dropped this guy is because I want to get this done and he's half way there, but it has been me pushing it through the whole time. It might be tough to transition it out and go through the full process again. I don't think I did anything wrong so I'm not sure why he is behavior is so disappointing.

 

[Meractik]

ask him to put up what he has completed for you to test and mine the data, then once you get what he has done finished tell him its not working out and take said work to someone else to finish?

 

[SheHateMe]

Hmm, there's always two sides to a story.

It sounds to me like he might be busy (or not working on your stuff)..but knowing the nature of customers from my own experience..there could be a lot more going on here. For example, some people will send you a ton of emails, call you 24/7, and basically bug the hell out of you to see whats going on. It happens to me at work all the time. Now, if you set a time with him and he isnt picking up. Thats a problem... He could atleast let you know what is up with the project and explain why he hasnt been available.

Have you seen a demo of your site?

 

[xanis]

That's typical behavior for someone who's not a professional. Speaking from my own freelance experience (graphic design), I treat every client like my job depends on it, because, well... it does. Sounds like you just got a bad egg.

 

[highland145]

That's typical behavior for someone who's not a professional. Speaking from my own freelance experience (graphic design), I treat every client like my job depends on it, because, well... it does. Sounds like you just got a bad egg.

this.

 

[RichUK]

Have you raised this concern with him? If you have and had no response or an unsatisfactory response, get rid of him, simple - as a customer you shouldn't be accepting or putting up with this. I've got a number of independent contractors on my project (not quite the same situation) and if I had continual bad comms I would be planning their exit.

There's nothing more frustrating than bad comms.

 

[Dear Summer]

I'm going to give him one last chance. Until the end of this week and see how he delivers.