No feedback contracts no longer impact Job Success Score (JSS)

mitchell-jason · ‎10-21-2020

I am excited to announce a new change to the Job Success Score (JSS). We know that JSS is a hot topic. This post aims to provide transparency into the changes and answer any questions you might have.

On November 8th, 2020, we updated the JSS calculation process to exclude contracts that ended without feedback. Before, if a freelancer or agency had a large number of contracts that ended without feedback, those contracts could have negatively impacted their JSS.

What is JSS?

Your JSS measures and reflects your Upwork clients’ satisfaction with the projects you complete for them. You can view your score on your My Stats page and learn more about JSS here.

What does this mean?

We removed projects where clients didn't leave feedback from consideration in the JSS calculation in November. This means that it will no longer negatively impact your JSS if a client does not leave feedback at the end of a project. Note that, as a result of this change, a small set of professionals no longer had enough outcomes with different clients to earn a JSS. To minimize this impact, we reduced the minimum number of distinct clients required to earn a JSS from 3 to 2.

What’s the problem with including contracts that end without feedback in the JSS calculation?

Picture a contract where a professional and a client work together, and at the end of it, the client does not leave feedback. Before the change, if the professional already had a high percentage of completed contracts without feedback, the professional’s JSS could have been negatively affected.

The original design was based on a study that found clients who had negative experiences would often avoid filling out the feedback form altogether instead of giving negative reviews. More recent analysis suggests this may no longer be true. As a result, we are changing the calculation to reflect today’s reality.

How does this change affect you?

If you had contracts before the change where a client did not leave feedback counting against your JSS, you may notice a boost in your score from this change.
If you do not have sufficient outcomes from at least 2 distinct clients, you may no longer meet the threshold for JSS, and you may see your JSS go away. Getting more jobs can help minimize this impact.

What’s next?

This is just one of several changes we’re planning to implement in the coming months, so stay tuned!

This post itself is in response to your feedback that you want to be informed when changes are made. Thanks to everyone who has offered feedback on JSS communication through our customer surveys and social media, through the Upwork Community, and directly to our team. Be on the lookout for more changes to JSS and other aspects of the Upwork experience in the near future.

We are all looking forward to this next chapter together!

tlsanders · ‎10-27-2020

So, a freelancer with four 5-star ratings with great private feedback and 96 no feedback contracts will get the same score as a freelancer with 96 5-star ratings with great private feedback and four with no ratings? Sounds absurd.

abinadab-agbo · ‎10-27-2020

If the JSS of the first freelancer will be easier to tank than that of the second freelancer, it would still be absurd but not that much.

abinadab-agbo · ‎10-27-2020

Lauren A wrote:
Great, when will this take effect?

Given Upwork's propensity to launch things in the first fortnight of the month, I'm wagering on Nov. the 8th.

abinadab-agbo · ‎10-27-2020

Lauren A wrote:
Great, when will this take effect?

Lauren, have you not noticed how the apostrophe bug ruined ya profile?

The bug has since been fixed so you should edit your profile and reintroduce the apostrophes

researchediting · ‎10-27-2020

Tiffany S wrote:
So, a freelancer with four 5-star ratings with great private feedback and 96 no feedback contracts will get the same score as a freelancer with 96 5-star ratings with great private feedback and four with no ratings? Sounds absurd.

More absurd than rating freelancers based on client inaction rather than client action? I suspect there are entire swaths of the market where hire/pay/forget is the norm.

Upwork claims its latest data demonstrates no difference in profitability—always their touchstone—between the two cases you propose.

repon85 · ‎10-27-2020

Hi Enaiyat Ghani,

I have already talked about this type of contract. This month I have two canceled contracts. And my JSS dropped down to 73%. I have not known about this system of Upwork.

Here is a description of the canceled contract:

1. I have read the client requirement after getting an interview from him. The Budget was right for that (integrated payment gateway) requirement. The client offers me and I accepted. But after getting login information and checking the platform, I have asked for increasing budget. But he did not agree with me. So I have politely asked for a cancel this contract and he did. We discussed and no bargaining within us

2. After successfully completed a job client had not to leave feedback. After a day client offers me a long-term job and I have accepted. But after 4 hours the client canceled this contract.

May I know what is my fault? But my JSS now at 73%.

Upwork should change the calculation system. No eaning no impact on JSS.

kempol181 · ‎10-27-2020

Finally, this is good news. Now I can close inactive contracts without worries.

9aa6cf66 · ‎10-28-2020

As a freelancer who commonly has very happy clients who are just too busy and dont leave feedback, I want to say THANK YOU.

This is a HUGE change that I am actually very excited to see UpWork make.

kochubei_valeria · ‎10-28-2020

Hi Serg and Repon,

While the parties won't be able to provide public feedback on a contract that didn't have any payments, they can still provide private feedback. Just as it currently works, if the client provides positive private feedback on a contract with no earnings, that contract will be excluded from JSS. If the client specifies in their feedback that the contract had a negative outcome, that will be counted in the score.
With the upcoming change, however, if the client doesn't provide any private feedback on a contract with no earnings, that contract will be excluded from the JSS calculation.

richard_wein · ‎10-28-2020

Valeria K wrote:
Hi Serg and Repon,

While the parties won't be able to provide public feedback on a contract that didn't have any payments, they can still provide private feedback. Just as it currently works, if the client provides positive private feedback on a contract with no earnings, that contract will be excluded from JSS. If the client specifies in their feedback that the contract had a negative outcome, that will be counted in the score.
With the upcoming change, however, if the client doesn't provide any private feedback on a contract with no earnings, that contract will be excluded from the JSS calculation.

Are you sure that's correct, Valeria? This wasn't mentioned by Jason.

Will clients still be forced to leave private feedback if they close a no-earnings contract? If so, this will only help in cases where it's the freelancer who closes the contract.