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Freelancers can propose new contracts with existing clients

lenaellis
Community Member

A few months ago, we invited some of you to try a new function that lets freelancers suggest follow-up projects with clients you’ve worked with before.

 

We heard some great feedback from users here in the forums and through other communication channels.  You told us that although this was a good idea, you would rather propose a new contract on the Upwork site instead of through an email link as we were providing. You also wanted freelancers to have the ability to create a contract for hourly or fixed-price projects, which clients could simply review and approve.

 

We thought this would be a good idea too, and would perhaps reduce the friction that we sometimes hear from clients and freelancers when trying to rehire for another job. So, in the coming weeks we’ll be releasing a new feature that gives freelancers the ability to propose a new contract with an existing client, straight from the My Jobs page.

 

Freelancers, once you’ve discussed further opportunities and projects with your client and have agreed on starting a new contract, you can send them a proposed contract by clicking the “Propose New Contract” button from a contract in your My Jobs or All Contracts pages.

 

freelancerrehire.png

 

The contract form allows freelancers to set up the contract as hourly or fixed price with proposed milestones. Clients can then simply accept, decline or edit the proposal which will then send an offer back to the freelancer.

 

contractfreelance rehire.png

 

Thanks for your feedback, we hope you enjoy this new feature. Let us know if you have any questions.

 

 

 

48 Comments
AveryO
Community Manager

Hi Wilson, 

Thanks for sharing us your update here. I'll have someone from the customer support team reach out to you so that you can share your experience to them in detail. In the meantime, may I ask that you please take screen grabs of the issues you are experiencing so that you can share it to the team. 

elitegra
Community Member

You are welcome! Sure, check this one. 

 

**edited for Community Guidelines**

AveryO
Community Manager

Hi Wilson, 

 

Thanks for sharing it here. I had to edit it because it contained your complete name on it. But I'll make sure to share this with the team for their reference.

tlsanders
Community Member

Michael's post and Avery's response both raise a bunch of questions for me (not having used this feature).

 

Since it's brand new, how can we know that proposals aren't usually approved "at the first go"?

 

If the client doesn't like the specific terms, doesn't the client have the option of making a different offer, as he would if this were a proposal submitted in response to a job posting?

petra_r
Community Member

@Tiffany S wrote:

If the client doesn't like the specific terms, doesn't the client have the option of making a different offer, as he would if this were a proposal submitted in response to a job posting?


 Exactly... when setting up the offer the client can edit it to reflect what was discussed.

 

I would hazard a guess that most of those "propose a new contract" things are created following some preliminary discussions and things are pretty much decided at the stage of it being sent. I hope freelancers won't use this feature to bombard clients with tons of spurious  "Give me Job Please Sir!" proposals.

 

In cases where there are changes decided upon during the discussions following the proposal the client can work them into the offer.

tlsanders
Community Member

@Petra R wrote:

I hope freelancers won't use this feature to bombard clients with "Give me Job Please Sir!" proposals.

 


 This was my first fear when I saw the feature had been added.

petra_r
Community Member

@Tiffany S wrote:

@Petra R wrote:

I hope freelancers won't use this feature to bombard clients with "Give me Job Please Sir!" proposals.

 


 This was my first fear when I saw the feature had been added.


Mine too and if it happens that feature will vanish faster than you can write "spam!"

VladimirG
Community Manager

@Tiffany S wrote:

 

 

If the client doesn't like the specific terms, doesn't the client have the option of making a different offer, as he would if this were a proposal submitted in response to a job posting?


 

Hi Tiffany,

 

Yes, clients do have an option to edit the contract proposal they receive, in addition to approving it, declining it, ignoring it or communicating with the freelancer before they take any of the above actions.

VladimirG
Community Manager

@Petra R wrote:

I hope freelancers won't use this feature to bombard clients with tons of spurious  "Give me Job Please Sir!" proposals.


Hi Petra,

 

Our Product team considered this eventuality and in addition to declining a proposed contract, clients will also be able to use the checkbox option and block the freelancer from proposing further contracts.

greenb27
Community Member

Great feature! I seldom participate in community discussions. This feature is really worth my kudos and my time in providing feedback. 🙂