New Feature Mid-Job Feedback

[Lena E]

Hi Skavko, 

JSS calculates from the end of contract feedback left. Mid-job feedback is not averaged into JSS scores. 

[Lena E]

Hi, Mary. Final contract feedback is only what's counted in the JSS score. If a client abuses mid-feedback by blackmailing of any sort this is prohibited just as it is prohibited now with the end of contract feedback. This would be reported to us and we would take necessary action. 

[Nichola L]

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Lena E wrote:

Hi, Mary. Final contract feedback is only what's counted in the JSS score. If a client abuses mid-feedback by blackmailing of any sort this is prohibited just as it is prohibited now with the end of contract feedback. This would be reported to us and we would take necessary action. 

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Hmmm. Client prohibitions are becoming fewer and fewer. I see that it is no longer "prohibited" to ask for a free test. Or at least - it is no longer in the list of options when flagging an inappropriate job. 

I would love to know how many clients have actually been suspended for blackmailing a freelancer. (Obviously, I do not expect an answer to the last sentence). 

[Natacha R]

This mid-feedback has removed my starting date! I don't like this.

[Douglas Michael M]

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Lena E wrote:

We also believe that multiple public feedback touchpoints will better communicate the progress of long-term ongoing contracts and reduce the number of contracts that close with no public feedback.

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I appreciate that this feature is optional. I think it is prudent of Upwork to have established a limit on the frequency of requests for mid-job feedback. But a month? Really? I find it hard to imagine any scenario in which monthly feedback requests of clients will not predictably become montly nagging by some subset of the freelancers who make up your stock in trade and are the face of your brand. I also find it hard to imagine circumstances under which monthly ratings, even if not resented, even if cheerfully granted, would be of any use to anyone. Oh, wait, I can: "jobs" with the brother/friend/cousin who just happens to be favorably disposed toward the freelancer, and is maybe looking for a little feedback love themselves.

Those kinds of hypotheticals aside, what about Upwork, which never tires of promoting its latest shiny stuff? Will Upwork be "helpfully" nudging longterm clients—you know, the kind of clients whose contracts are already, demonstrably, being successfully managed by freelancers—to leave feedback? If so, how often?

[Petra R]

Considering that most clients never click on "Jobs in Progress", all that mid-feedback won't be seen often by anyone anyway. Clients land on the main page and see the lost of completed jobs.

[Isabelle Anne A]

Echoing the concerns that others have already mentioned. Lena, there's one part of your post that I'm confused about:

"Here are details about the new experience from both freelancer and client views. Only public feedback is gathered from the client as part of this mid-contract feedback flow. When feedback is provided, it will be shown in a freelancer’s work history. There are no impacts to JSS since public feedback does not impact JSS."

Please clarify: you're referring to mid-contract feedback specifically, right? In general, public feedback left when ending a contract does impact JSS, correct? (I hope?!)

[Lena E]

Hi Isabelle Anne. Yes I’m referring specifically to mid job feedback not affecting the score. I’ll update the post to make that clear.

[Tom Z]

I don't see the point of this feature. But sure opens up the possibility of abusing as others have mentioned.

[Richard W]

The number of these new schemes seems to have gone up during the pandemic. I can't help feeling that there are some Upwork executives stuck at home with too much spare time on their hands.