Having a Zoom Call (Voice/Video) is a Problem

[rabia_sabir]

I've completed over 500 orders on Fiverr & the most demanding function in Fiverr is the Voice/Video call with the client. I recently saw that whenever a Fiverr Business client starts a conversation, the chat has a by-default option to make Call using Fiverr platform.

BUT

What about those clients who are not having Fiverr Business subscription? Mostly the Good Clients with Giant budget & Complex Requirements demand to have a voice conversation for a better understanding. But there's no option for that. 

1) What do you recommend for such clients? To clearly tell them that they will have to join the Fiverr Business subscription?

2) Ask them to initiate a very small order for Consultation, so Fiverr order page will allow us to have a call

3) Or simply tell them it's not possible & keep chatting as we're doing right now

Please guide me if someone has a better solution to this little problem.

[newsmike]

3 hours ago, rabia_sabir said:

I recently saw that whenever a Fiverr Business client starts a conversation, the chat has a by-default option to make Call using Fiverr platform.

But charge for the time.  I charge $100 per hour for video chats. Otherwise, you will waste your day on it. 

[animie_video]

2nd one is the best approach in my opinion and as @newsmikesaid, you'll be paid for whatever time you're investing in that.

[fahadtech]

Well, what I do is that I give buyers an indication of a potential meeting while staying within Fiverr's ToS.

Something like, "and also we can always solve the complications and remove the confusions in a detailed one on one meeting during development" and most of the clients are like "what ? can we do it now ?" then I always say this "yes we can but I don't think I can share any details relating to extra-fiverr communication", sometimes they understand it and sometimes they don't but it doesn't matter because that is quickly followed by the next message "but you are the buyer I am not sure this applies to you, better check it".

And that my friends is mostly followed by a zoom meeting link etc though I have to admit sometimes the convo got very awkward and I had to start the meeting by saying "sorry about earlier for being awkward" lol.

At the end of the day you are not responsible for buyer's action and you are not supposed to fully understand buyer's agreement, I still don't know. But as a professional I know better not to violate any of seller's terms.

[lalitsdmittal]

I usually ask buyer to make an order for Zoom call. I record each and every video for the safety.

[visualstudios]

15 hours ago, newsmike said:

But charge for the time.  I charge $100 per hour for video chats. Otherwise, you will waste your day on it. 

I agree with this, but I'm having a hard time implementing it. That means opening an order. What if during the call I find the client is not the right fit, or they don't want to move forward after we discuss details, or they aren't willing to pay the price for the work itself? Then we have an order open, and to close I have to deliver something (which can be a rundown of the call, sure) and then be open to the possibility of a bad review if the buyer didn't like what they heard on the call, even if it's the truth. A lot of buyers are not reasonable, which makes charging for calls a risky proposition.

Edited June 2, 2022 by visualstudios

[newsmike]

1 minute ago, visualstudios said:

I agree with this, but I'm having a hard time implementing it. That means opening an order. What if during the call I find the client is not the right fit, or they don't want to move forward after we discuss details? Then we have an order open, and to close I have to deliver something (which can be a rundown of the call, sure) and then be open to the possibility of a bad review if the buyer didn't like what they heard on the call. Seems like a risky proposition.

Interesting point.  I have not used it to determine whether I would be a fit for a project, but that may very well come up.  So far, I have been lucky in that I included it in the charges for buyers who were ready to hire me, but wanted to chat to talk about style and delivery.  So in addition to the VO, and what ever gig extras, I add the conference call charge. 

[visualstudios]

Yeah, that's the challenge I'm facing. Given the nature of my work and my pricing, I already include calls as part of open orders at certain tiers, baked into the order price. In that case there are no issues. The issue is when people want a call to discuss project ideas, to know what direction to take it in, so we can price the project properly, etc. In that case, it's not a certainty they will move forward with us. So I have two options - either have the call for free and use it as a tool to try to sell, with the possibility of just wasting my time, or charge for it, and run the risk of getting bad feedback on something that is not really the work I'm offering. I sell video services, not calls, after all.

[fahadtech]

13 hours ago, lalitsdmittal said:

order for Zoom call. I record each and every video for the safety

You have me thinking whether I should too.
Question: Do you have a zoom subscription ?
Question: What % of your orders require meeting ?

[frank_d]

On 6/2/2022 at 7:16 PM, visualstudios said:

Yeah, that's the challenge I'm facing. Given the nature of my work and my pricing, I already include calls as part of open orders at certain tiers, baked into the order price. In that case there are no issues. The issue is when people want a call to discuss project ideas, to know what direction to take it in, so we can price the project properly, etc. In that case, it's not a certainty they will move forward with us. So I have two options - either have the call for free and use it as a tool to try to sell, with the possibility of just wasting my time, or charge for it, and run the risk of getting bad feedback on something that is not really the work I'm offering. I sell video services, not calls, after all.

It’s just a matter of how you set the expectations for the call.

You can definitely mention that it’s to establish project fit and figure out the direction but at the same time you will offer additional value by sharing ideas, educate them on the process, evaluate their existing footage, break down a competitor’s video production. Something that brings value even if they choose a different vendor after the call.

Charging for a call just to see if you want to take on their project alone may leave them feeling like it was a waste of money and it could possibly lead to a mediocre review.

You should start considering the overall strategy of offering consultation for two reasons:

a) it’s what experts do at a premium to create additional streams of revenue

b) maybe Fiverr will give you some new tools to better cater this type of facilitation 😉 

[sabihaafzal_1]

I usually initiate a $50 order to have a voice/video call. 

[visualstudios]

2 hours ago, frank_d said:

but at the same time you will offer additional value by sharing ideas, educate them on the process, evaluate their existing footage, break down a competitor’s video production. Something that brings value even if they choose a different vendor after the call.

The problem there is that value is in the eye of the beholder. For reasonable clients that can work, specially if I can indeed provide added value. Then we have the ones where I just find during the call I'm not a good fit and I can't be sure to have any great ideas on the spot like that, I get people contacting me where the only good advice would be "Yeah, you shouldn't make a video at all. That's not what you need". If they're reasonable, I'm actually saving them money, but many won't see it that way. And then there are the ones where I can actually give them some valuable information, but again, they won't look at it that way either. It's a very difficult line to walk in a platform like Fiverr. 

Just imagine if other consultation professionals worked like that. You go to an attorney, they give you their expert opinion, and you don't like what you hear (pretty common with attorneys lol). And then you leave them a bad review that tanks their business. Just imagine if that's how it worked lol. But it's not, they'll laugh in the face of your "review", because it means nothing for their business.

As an example, I know you also follow Chris. He would be completely screwed with his attitude (which is smart and correct, btw) if he worked on Fiverr. What's smart and correct doesn't necessarily work here.

Edited June 3, 2022 by visualstudios

[frank_d]

8 hours ago, visualstudios said:

The problem there is that value is in the eye of the beholder. For reasonable clients that can work, specially if I can indeed provide added value. Then we have the ones where I just find during the call I'm not a good fit and I can't be sure to have any great ideas on the spot like that, I get people contacting me where the only good advice would be "Yeah, you shouldn't make a video at all. That's not what you need". If they're reasonable, I'm actually saving them money, but many won't see it that way. And then there are the ones where I can actually give them some valuable information, but again, they won't look at it that way either. It's a very difficult line to walk in a platform like Fiverr. 

Just imagine if other consultation professionals worked like that. You go to an attorney, they give you their expert opinion, and you don't like what you hear (pretty common with attorneys lol). And then you leave them a bad review that tanks their business. Just imagine if that's how it worked lol. But it's not, they'll laugh in the face of your "review", because it means nothing for their business.

As an example, I know you also follow Chris. He would be completely screwed with his attitude (which is smart and correct, btw) if he worked on Fiverr. What's smart and correct doesn't necessarily work here.

I have been doing this for quite some time on Fiverr and I have to say that people are never mad at me or ask for a refund when I consult them and inform them that they are not ready to make a video just yet.

As for Chris, I’ve spoken to him enough to know that he would do just fine here, under any situation. The man can’t be phased.

 

[miiila]

On 6/1/2022 at 10:34 PM, rabia_sabir said:

3) Or simply tell them it's not possible & keep chatting as we're doing right now

Typically, about that. Because, typically, there really isn't any good reason for a video chat for me, but good reasons against it. There's hardly anything ever that a video chat would make easier versus communication in writing, and I'd lose time.

But that completely depends on what you offer, and your and your customers' requirements, workflow, communication style, and factors like that. From my point of view, that's something that each seller has to decide for themselves, according to their Gigs and circumstances, or even on case-by-case basis.

 

[olatundeolawuwo]

Does Fiverr charge Sellers for Zoom Video calls?

[safe_keeping]

always i meet in  zoom before taking order/