Guide contents
A client rejects a delivery, disputes an invoice or says an item is missing. Before defending the whole project, identify what is blocking it: an absent result, a different expectation, an added request or a payment status that still needs checking.
A useful record shows what was agreed, what happened and what each party is asking for now. It supports a measured response, a proposed settlement or an appropriate referral when discussion does not resolve the issue.
This guide offers a method, a diagnostic table and three messages to adapt. The aim is to make the disagreement manageable, without deciding too quickly who is right or turning a difficult commercial exchange into an accusation.
- The specific disputed issue and the response you need.
- The agreement, deliverable and version concerned.
- Dated facts, supporting records and remaining uncertainties.
- A proportionate next step to confirm with the right people.
Identify what is actually being disputed.
Do not treat “I am not happy with it” as a complete description of the problem. Ask what result was expected, which part of the delivered version is causing difficulty and how the difference could be checked. Several issues may coexist; separate them before suggesting one response to everything.
Separate reported facts from questions to resolve
| Reported issue | Question to clarify | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| “An item is missing.” | Was it included in the agreed deliverables? | Compare the request with the scope and the version sent. |
| “The result does not work for us.” | Which criterion or expected use has not been met? | Request a specific example and consider a correction or revision. |
| “The invoice is wrong.” | Is the amount, reference or service being disputed? | Reconcile the invoice with the agreement and previous payments. |
| “The payment is not available.” | Does this mean client payment, a transfer or bank arrival? | Check the relevant status with the provider instead of inferring it from a screenshot. |
For example, a logo supplied without an agreed variation raises a different question from a request for a new brand name. One may reveal a departure from the scope; the other may introduce a new requirement. Check that interpretation against the documents rather than classifying it from the word “correction” alone.
Keep undisputed points visible
Identify the deliverables, decisions and amounts on which your interpretations agree. You can propose dealing separately with an undisputed item, but do not present it as accepted by default. Also record what is missing before you can reach a conclusion: a version, a document or input from the person authorised to decide.
Compare the request with the agreement and the correct version.
Return to the accepted quotation, signed agreement, brief and changes confirmed during the project. Find the deliverables, formats, review criteria, revisions, dates and handoff conditions. An old proposal or an early discussion does not necessarily describe the latest agreed scope.
Examine a quality complaint through concrete criteria
Connect each comment to something you can check: a location in the file, expected behaviour, supplied copy or an approved reference. “The form does not send enquiries to the agreed address” can be tested differently from “we now prefer another visual direction”. Clarify the intended use rather than promising unlimited satisfaction.
Acknowledge an error when you identify one and explain how you propose to address it. A commercial revision allowance does not by itself settle a failure to meet the agreement. Equally, a new format or a different creative direction does not automatically fall within the initial price. Where the brief is ambiguous, set out both interpretations and the decision still needed.
Keep the existing conditions in view
Check what was agreed about payment, source files and access. Do not remove access or withhold an already due file as an improvised form of pressure. If suspension or another measure is being considered, have its basis assessed against the facts and your obligations before taking action.
For your next project in Dealokr, define the deliverables, revisions and review conditions in the signed agreement. That shared reference gives both parties something to return to when expectations change, instead of reconstructing the scope in the middle of a disagreement.
Build a timeline and preserve the original records.
Start with a one-page summary: the people involved, the purpose of the project, the disputed issue and a few decisive events. Give each event a date, a factual description and a supporting reference. “Version v03 sent” is a fact; “the client was already looking for a way not to pay” is an interpretation.
Connect each statement to its context
Keep the agreement, confirmed changes, presented versions, feedback, decisions and relevant payment documents. Preserve original files and exchanges; use working copies for annotations. A screenshot can help someone locate an issue, but it does not always replace the complete message, its attachments or the source document.
Mark missing information instead of filling gaps from memory. Retain material that qualifies your own position too. The guide to organising evidence for a freelance dispute develops the classification, references and selection of records in more detail.
What the French evidence rules mean for preparation
In France, Civil Code article 1353 allocates the burden of proof: a party seeking performance of an obligation must establish it; a party claiming to have discharged it must substantiate payment or the event that ended the obligation. Prepare the material relevant to your own claim rather than assuming the other party must prove the entire project alone.
Article 1366 recognises the evidential force of electronic writing subject to conditions concerning identification of its author and preservation of its integrity. An email, export or project history does not therefore win a case merely by existing. The context matters when the records are assessed.
If the project was organised in Dealokr, reconcile the agreement, previews, revision requests and timestamped history with your documents. They help reconstruct the operational sequence. Preserve useful originals and payment-provider information without presenting the history as guaranteed court evidence.
Ask for clarification before responding to the whole project.
Choose a channel and a contact who can move the discussion forward. A short message can identify the reference, isolate the point and request a concrete response. Avoid adding recipients to apply pressure, attributing motives to the client or sending a long list of complaints without a specific question.
A clarification request to personalise
Subject: point to clarify — [project], version [reference]
Hello [name],
Thank you for your feedback about [issue]. To examine it precisely, could you identify the part of version [reference] that is causing difficulty, the result you expected and the part of the brief or agreement you are referring to?
My understanding of the facts is [short, verifiable summary]. The point still to clarify is [question].
I suggest collecting the observations in [channel] and arranging a discussion on [proposed date, to confirm]. If that is not convenient, please suggest a suitable time.
Thank you,
[Name]
The proposed date organises the conversation; it does not create a legal deadline or acceptance through silence. If you need information before producing more work, identify it and explain its practical effect on the next step. Do not turn a missing response into an admission or approval of your position.
Confirm your understanding after a call
Send a short summary and invite the other party to correct inaccurate points. Separate decisions actually made from options only discussed. If the tone deteriorates, focus the next message on one issue; suitable support may be more useful than another immediate response written in frustration.
Propose an amicable resolution with explicit conditions.
The right proposal depends on the issue: a targeted correction, a revision included in the project, additional work to price, an adjusted schedule or an organised exit. Explain what the option resolves and what will remain open. A discount is not an automatic answer to every expression of dissatisfaction.
Offer an option the client can assess
Identify the affected items, responsibilities, information needed and dates to confirm. If a revised amount or refund is being considered, specify its basis and conditions before implementation. Check the implications for invoicing and payment with the appropriate people instead of assuming an adjustment happens automatically.
Subject: proposed resolution — [project]
Hello [name],
To address the disagreement about [specific issue], I propose [action and expected result]. This option concerns [deliverable or version]; the following points still need confirmation: [list or none].
The proposed sequence is [who does what, information needed and dates to confirm]. The proposed effects on scope, amount and handoff are [conditions].
Could you confirm whether this option works for you or explain the changes you would like? We can then record the solution selected before implementing it.
Thank you,
[Name]
Sending a message does not by itself establish acceptance or the scope of an agreement. Do not add a blanket waiver of the other party’s rights. An exit agreement, a settlement or a sensitive situation calls for wording adapted to the case rather than a formula copied without assessment.
Plan the follow-through as well: the corrected version to present, the decision required and the items to hand over. You can then check whether the agreed solution was actually carried out instead of closing the record on a promise to speak again.
Assess French business mediation when discussion stalls.
In France, the Médiateur des entreprises helps private or public economic actors seek an agreement. Its service is free, and participation is voluntary and confidential. The mediator supports discussion without judging the dispute or imposing a solution.
Check that the service fits the case
A contractual performance or payment dispute between professionals may fall within its remit. The official FAQ refers to organisations with an active SIRET registration and specifies a continuing business relationship. It generally handles amounts above €1,500, with particular situations also possible: the amount alone does not establish automatic eligibility.
Describe the relationship, the disagreement and the outcome sought so the service can confirm the appropriate route. Insolvency proceedings require a particular framework. Consumer mediation is a separate scheme; do not transfer this B2B route to a private consumer client without checking the applicable rules.
Prepare the discussion without promising its outcome
Bring a readable summary, relevant references and an outcome you would be willing to consider. Respect the confidentiality framework of mediation; do not assume its exchanges can later be published or freely produced in proceedings. Ask how documents should be handled if there is any uncertainty.
The other party must agree to participate, and a solution still needs to be developed together. If no agreement emerges, other routes may need assessment. Do not promise success or a resolution deadline. Check the deadlines in your own case separately: simply contacting the service does not mean every time limit has stopped.
Confirm the next step and choose suitable escalation if needed.
After a discussion, record what was decided, what remains disputed and the action expected from each person. If the exchange does not lead to agreement, retain the proposals and responses without reinterpreting them. A record ready to explain is more useful than another threat of proceedings.
A summary that separates agreement from open points
Subject: summary of our discussion — [project]
Hello [name],
Following our discussion on [date], my understanding is:
• Points confirmed together: [list].
• Points still to decide: [list].
• Proposed next action: [action, responsible person and agreed date or date to confirm].The reference documents are [agreement, deliverable and version]. Please correct anything inaccurate and confirm the points that still require your agreement.
This summary does not treat open points as accepted.
Thank you,
[Name]
Seek advice on the actual record
When the stakes, deadlines or measures under consideration justify it, take the summary to a suitable professional, or your insurer if relevant legal protection is included. The appropriate route depends on the claim, contract and parties. A formal demand or court action should not be selected solely because a fixed number of reminders has been sent.
If a payment provider is handling a dispute, check its request and deadline through the official channel. Prepare the requested material; commercial negotiation does not replace that response. Dealokr does not decide a Stripe or bank payment dispute or guarantee its outcome.
Prepare the next project more clearly
For fixed-price projects in Dealokr, the client pays 100% upfront through Stripe Connect. Preview review and revisions follow the project framework; you request the transfer under its conditions, then the client gains access to hosted final files after confirmation. Bank arrival is separate. This workflow and its history make the steps easier to follow; they do not decide a conflict or guarantee payment free of disputes. Permissions for external links remain managed by their provider.
A disagreement is easier to assess when you can name the issue, locate the records and propose a specific next step. Preserve originals, confirm decisions and have sensitive measures assessed before taking them.
- French Civil Code — article 1353: burden of proof
- French Civil Code — article 1366: conditions for electronic writing
- Médiateur des entreprises — mediation process and the mediator’s role
- Médiateur des entreprises — FAQ, eligibility and limits of the service
- Service Public Entreprendre — preventing and resolving commercial disputes
- Dealokr — Project agreement, preview, revisions and history
- Dealokr — Initial payment, conditional transfer and hosted final files
Adapt the methods to your documents and circumstances. References to evidence and the Médiateur des entreprises concern France and professional relationships; they do not determine liability or the outcome of a case. A consumer client, existing proceedings or another country requires separate assessment.
Practical guidance for clearer freelance projects and payments.