I work in UX design, been doing it for about six years. A guy I know through mutual friends, not a close friend, more like someone I see at group things a few times a year, found out what I do and asked if I could "just take a quick look" at his small business website. I said sure, did about two hours of work, gave him a detailed breakdown of what wasn't working and exactly what to fix. Didn't charge him. He thanked me, said it was super helpful.
Three weeks later I saw the site. He'd changed maybe one thing. Not one of the things I told him to fix, just moved a button somewhere worse. Everything else I flagged was still there, plus he'd added a new section that was somehow both visually cluttered and completely empty of useful information. Fine, his site, his choice.
Then two months after that he messages me again. The site "isn't converting" and he's losing potential clients and could I look at it again. I looked at the message for a while before responding.
I told him I'd be happy to help and sent over my standard consulting rate for a two hour audit, which is what the first session had been. He came back immediately with "oh I didn't realize you'd charge, I thought we were just helping each other out as friends." We have never helped each other out. I have never asked him for anything. The first time I helped him it was a favor and he ignored it completely.
I explained that the first session was a one time courtesy, that this would be a professional engagement, and that my rate was my rate. He said he'd "think about it" and then went and complained to the mutual friend who introduced us, who then texted me saying I was being weirdly transactional about it.
I haven't responded to either of them yet. My free advice didn't get used, his site still doesn't work, and now I'm the difficult one for expecting to be paid for a second round of work. AIW?