Customer posts 2 negative reviews about worker, then tries to hire them again: 'I ended up giving them a discount just to get rid of them'

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Jan 22, 2026 3:00 PM EST

This customer must have forgotten that they burned bridges with a contractor, because they just reached out again. 

We all know that our reviews are public-facing, correct? Every time you use Yelp or Google Reviews, your name is attached to it, possibly even your picture. 

And I don't know if customers understand this or not, but a lot of employees do Google their own company, just to see what the tea is. Sometimes you come across hilariously bad reviews that you can share with your coworkers and commiserate. Especially if you work somewhere where you wear a name tag or your name is easily available for customers to access, you might literally get called out by name. Not to mention that a lot of companies have social media staffers who monitor this and respond to customer complaints. So it'd be easy for that person to reach out, either to you or your boss, and share the specifics of what made that customer unhappy. 

Other companies' reviews come in either anonymously or pseudonymously — but if you work with like, 10 clients a month and someone named April S. or Jared L. comments on your page, it's completely obvious who's ratting you out to the boss. April and Jared, how could you?! 

For this person, though, customer reviews are no laughing matter, because their complaint led to that customer being given a discount. This unfortunate "life hack" is easy for customers to use against workers. And for this type of customer, if you give them an inch, they'll take a mile. If they get a discount once, they'll want it every time. Instead of appreciating the value of your work, they'll devalue it each and every time. And unless you're really strapped for cash, you don't need that kind of negativity in your life. If that customer can literally look you in the eye (or inbox) and ask you to perform a job for them after leaving a scathing review, they're either lacking in brainpower or they're asking to get half-baked results from a worker who couldn't care less. 

Check out the full saga below, as well as the comments from multiple people who shared excellent ways to respond to this customer. These responses range from polite to scorched Earth, and I hope this person reports back to share which level of spice they went with in reply. 

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  • 01

    'Customer posted two terrible reviews about me, yet wants to hire me again 😂'

    Woman with curly brown hair sits on windowsill holding laptop and looking at woman with long blonde hair across from her in business setting
    via Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02
    Unbelievable. I did some work for a customer a while back. They were pretty difficult to work with, always unsatisfied, and I ended up giving them a discount just to get rid of them.
    via u/LostLuminary4254
  • 03
    They posted a bad review about me (a month ago), unfairly accusing me of a bunch of issues. Then out of the blue yesterday for some reason they posted another bad review about the same job.
    via u/LostLuminary4254
  • 04
    Now today they contacted me asking me to do another job for them. I haven't responded yet. SMH. LOL.
    via u/LostLuminary4254
  • 05
    Woman in white shirt and black jacket types on laptop while looking at woman in gray suit across from her
    via Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 06

    Commenters had lots of advice for how to move forward with this client

    Fun_Tra... Screenshot the requests and attach them to the bad review.
    via u/
  • 07
    curious_... They obviously still have a beef, and are probably fixing to screw you over.
    via u/
  • 08
    Avoid them, but perhaps respond to the review stating the request and asking why they want to rehire you?
    via u/
  • 09
    dadsgoi... They just want another discount. Tell them you're booked.
    via u/
  • 10
    integrity... As a contractor myself, I would advise to run a away as fast as you can.
    via u/
  • 11

    As a few commenters pointed out, it's possible, if not likely, that the customer just totally forgot how they treated this person

    NikonSho... Man. Fuck that. Screenshot the review and tell them "the quality of my work as a professional apparently didn't meet your
    via u/
  • 12
    expectations and your quality as a client didn't meet mine. Best of luck."
    via u/
  • 13

    Instead of a discount, they should triple their rates and see how the client responds!

    New_He... They want a discount. They are going to behave the same way and hope you will discount them just to get them out of your hair.
    via u/
  • 14
    boomer... "That won't work for me". No apology. No explanation.
    via u/
  • 15

    Straightforward and to the point!

    Takeabre... Either don't respond or respond with "I feel you need to find another professional, you are not happy working with me and I am not happy working with you."
    via u/

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entitled customers mildly infuriating
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