Overview

It’s normal for clients to become unresponsive at times. What you should do depends on where you are in the engagement. In some cases, the system will handle things automatically, including sending reminders to the client. In others, you’ll need to follow up or pause work until you hear back.

Best practice:
At the start of any engagement, we recommend collecting a phone number or backup email address from your client. This gives you another way to reach them if they go quiet on the platform.

1) If you’ve submitted work (Project marked complete)

Example:
“The work was submitted last week, and the client is still unresponsive.”

What happens automatically:

• After you mark a Project complete, the client has 3 business days to:
  • Approve the work, or
  • Request revisions
• The system sends automatic reminder notifications to the client during this time
• If they do nothing → the system auto-approves the project
• Funds are automatically released to your wallet

What you should do:

• Send 1–2 polite follow-ups in the project chat
• Optionally remind them of the 3-day approval window
• No further action is required

Key takeaway:
You do not need to chase indefinitely. The system handles reminders, approval, and payment.

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2) If your client is unresponsive mid-project (before completion)

Example:
“My client is ghosting me. What do I do?”

What to do:

• Follow up clearly and politely in the project chat
• Ask for a specific next step (feedback, approval, assets, etc.)
• Use any backup contact info you’ve collected (phone/email) if appropriate
• Offer to get on a quick call if helpful

What happens automatically:

• The system may send reminder notifications to prompt the client to respond

If the client remains unresponsive:

• Pause work until you receive direction
• Do not continue working without alignment on next steps

Important:

• Keep all communication on Storetasker when possible
• This ensures there is a clear record if support is needed later

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3) If they’re opening messages but not responding

Example:
“I did 3–4 follow-ups, they’re opening emails but not responding.”

This typically means the client is busy or has deprioritized the work.

What to do:

• Send a concise message with a clear ask or deadline
  • Example: “Please confirm if you’d like me to proceed with X by [date]”
• Try an alternate channel (phone or backup email) if available
• Avoid excessive follow-ups

Best practice:
After a few attempts, give the client space. Repeated messages rarely improve response rates.

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4) If a lead is unresponsive (before work begins)

Example:
“What if a lead is unresponsive?”

What to do:

• Send 1–2 follow-ups via the platform
• If no response, move on to other opportunities

What happens automatically:

• The system may send reminder notifications to the client

Important:

• No need to worry — unresponsive clients are already accounted for in how expert close rate metrics are calculated.
• Unresponsive leads do not negatively impact you. This is already factored into the metrics on our back end. While you cannot currently see this in your KPI dashboard, it is informing our system. 
• While individual instances can’t be removed from your dashboard stats, Storetasker’s expectations reflect that some clients won’t reply.
• We’re continuing to refine close-rate metrics to further exclude non-responsive clients over time.
• You are not expected to convert every lead.

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5) Do I need to do anything, or is it automatic?

Short answer: It depends on the stage.

• Project completed:
  → System sends reminders
  → Auto-approves after 3 business days
  → Funds released automatically
• Mid-project (waiting on client):
  → System may send reminders
  → You should follow up, then pause work
• Lead stage:
  → System may send reminders
  → Follow up briefly, then move on

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6) When to involve Storetasker

If communication has fully stalled and you’re unsure how to proceed:

• You can reach out to Support for guidance
• We can help with next steps or suggest how to re-engage the client

Note:
Storetasker does not manage or arbitrate projects, but we can support with guidance and best practices.

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Best Practices

• Collect a phone number or backup email at the start
• Set expectations early around response times
• Keep communication on the platform whenever possible
• Tie progress to clear approvals or checkpoints
• Avoid continuing work without client confirmation
• Keep follow-ups polite, concise, and actionable

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Key Takeaway

Unresponsive clients are a normal part of freelance work. For completed Projects, the system protects you by sending reminders, auto-approving the work, and releasing payment. For everything else, follow up a few times, use alternate contact methods if needed, and focus your time where there is active engagement.

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