End Upwork's Disrespect of us

[alphazomgy]

If  you are a long-time forumer, you know how Upwork treats freelancers.

1. Need help? Better be worth something to Upwork.
2. Got banned unfairly?  Better write an article about it that goes viral so you can get unbanned. (This has happened, and the article was hilarious.)
3. Tired of annoying invites from talent specialists? Too bad.
4. Tired of being forced to beta test poorly thought out ideas and software updates? Too bad.

I could go on, but  I don't want to risk angering **Edited for Community Guidelines**

(Have mercy on my paint editing skills.) 

At least most of the forum mods on Upwork’s forum are cool and helpful.

(I have a solution to these things near the bottom of this post, keep reading!)

I am becoming alarmed at these things because we are the early adopters of Upwork.

If we don't do something now about this type of behavior, what will the status quo be in 30 years when Upwork has nearly 40 million or more users?

Upwork has an "investor day" where investors get to meet Upwork's leadership.

Why doesn't Upwork have a "freelancer day" where all the people who make the investors money get to meet leadership?

I'll tell you why. It's because at the corporate level, Upwork views freelancers as commodities.

If you want to know what happens when this type of thinking is allowed to exist openly, go make an account on Fiverr/ looks at Fiverr’s stock earnings statement.

To help get my point across, please also consider a situation that happened in the USA.

Let's talk about the The NFL player's association when **Edited for Community Guidelines**

The only way freelancers will receive better treatment from Upwork is if Upwork feels that we deserve better treatment.

Obviously, just like the American NFL organization, Upwork has to be “persuaded” to take action.

So here's the solution...

Fair warning: I am not about to suggest or threaten that anyone violate Upwork's rules. I'm simply pointing out what is happening and will become common place if Upwork doesn't change their attitude.

Keep freelancers satisfied or they will take their (not YOUR clients) outside Upwork.

That’s right, keep in mind folks, clients on Upwork care more about the people they work with than they do for Upwork.

Currently brand loyalty on the client and freelancer side is, to be polite, low.

That's why Upwork wants to bring in more enterprise clients. An employee at Microsoft can't just decide to stop hiring people from Upwork overnight, even if they get pissed off by Upwork.

I don't care what Upwork's client retention numbers say, most of my clients spit on Upwork's name.

As for freelancers, I have seen most of Upwork's highest paid freelancers spit on Upwork's name publicly.

Personally, I wouldn't say I'm loyal to Upwork. But I do respect and appreciate the platform, which is why I’ve written this.

With all that said, If Upwork doesn't keep freelancers (and clients) satisfied, the odds of them going outside the platform increase. (Duh?)

So Upwork, you better make sure we are satisfied.

Here are 4 suggestions you can implement now to increase client and freelancer satisfaction:

1. Tell people you're going to release an update or beta before you release it.
2. Train talent specialists and pay them more. (Clients get just as pissed as freelancers by these guys.)
3. Realize that unsatisfied clients and freelancers are hurting your business, and you are the cause.
4. Realize that there are things that can't be measured on a balance sheet at the end of a quarter.

I’m posting this all over the web. I will personally make sure that what I’ve written here gets thousands of views by the end of the week.

I like to think what I’ve written matters to at least a few people…

“The most common way that people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any”.

Whether you live in the Americas, Africa, Europe, or Asia, Upwork is the future of work, if Upwork gets their you know what together…

Together as freelancers (business owners), let’s make sure that we build a future where we get paid what we deserve and receive respect from Upwork.

Dear freelancers, clients, Upwork, and all HUMAN BEINGS, please remember:

We are NOT commodities!

We are NOT commodities!

We are NOT commodities!

EDIT:   Thank you for pointing out all the flaws and overall inadequacy of my post. I'll be back later with a solid plan, infographics and case studies, and I'll be sure to copy edit my own stuff next time. (Lol, really embarrassed on that last point since I'm a copywriter.) 

[lysis10]

I just think they think we're stupid, and i can't blame them with the questions you see here and on reddit. People are really reeeally dumb. lol Look at the guy in the recent thread who let someone create an account under his name to scam clients and now he really thinks someone is going to give him a clean slate because "ooopsie my bad." How stupid do you gotta be to do this?

Anyway, I'd be really happy if they took some of my fees and improved their approval process and got rid of 75% of their freelancers. I know. It'll never happen but then maybe train these people to do basic lookups on profiles to identify frauds like plagiarism or stealing portfolio items. Look at the "aussie voice" profiles. So easy to find. It took a thread on the forum for them to even see it.

[alphazomgy]

Lol they can't think we're stupid, especially with as much money as someone like you is making from Upwork. 

[lysis10]

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Alexander B wrote:

Lol they can't think we're stupid, especially with as much money as someone like you is making from Upwork. 

---

yeah but if I were to leave tomorrow, there would be 10000 more sweaties to replace me. I'm just as replaceable, really. They won't have my fun and humor on the forums though and I know they would miss me so v v much.

[feed_my_eyes]

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Alexander B wrote:

1. Got banned unfairly?  Better write an article about it that goes viral so you can get unbanned. (This has happened, and the article was hilarious.)

---

Could you please share the link to this article?

[alphazomgy]

I tried to find the article.

What happened was that Upwork settled with this guy and he either re-wrote his post or deleted it.

Or maybe I just can't find it.

It had the "Don Upwork" meme in it though. 

The article is on the guy's personal site, not SEO optimized. 

[feed_my_eyes]

---

Alexander B wrote:

To help get my point across, please also consider a situation that happened in the USA.

Let's talk about the The NFL player's association when **Edited for Community Guidelines**

The only way freelancers will receive better treatment from Upwork is if Upwork feels that we deserve better treatment.

Obviously, just like the American NFL organization, Upwork has to be “persuaded” to take action.

So here's the solution...

---

Not sure I understand where you're going with this. I mean, I admire Colin Kaepernick for taking a stand, but it ended his career. He's not the greatest example to get the masses fired up; more of a cautionary tale, unfortunately.

[alphazomgy]

That's a cowardly excuse.

I suppose if George Washington had said that the Brittish empire was simply too powerful and rich compared to the colonies than there'd be no USA today.

I suppose if people in India had said, "But the British have learned since their defeat by the USA, there's no way they'd let us be independent" India wouldn't be independant.

Lol you get it.

Better to live on your feet than die on your knees. I'm sure that most of us believe that, which is why we are on Upwork.

[feed_my_eyes]

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Alexander B wrote:

That's a cowardly excuse.

I suppose if George Washington had said that the Brittish empire was simply too powerful and rich compared to the colonies than there'd be no USA today.

I suppose if people in India had said, "But the British have learned since their defeat by the USA, there's no way they'd let us be independent" India wouldn't be independant.

Lol you get it.

Better to live on your feet than die on your knees. I'm sure that most of us believe that, which is why we are on Upwork.

---

What's a cowardly excuse? I still don't see exactly what you plan to do. If you think that complaining in the forum is an effective force for change, then I've already served my country to the best of my ability.

[mwiggenhorn]

 I have been on UW since it was ODesk.  I have never felt disrepected.  I have never been suspended or censured.  I opted out of the Talent Specialist bs years ago. While I certainly don't agree with a lot of what goes on, UW is better for me than any other platform.  I think if you act professionally, they tend to treat you as a professional.  Just my two cents.

[Anonymous-User]

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Mary W wrote:

 I have been on UW since it was ODesk.  I have never felt disrepected.  I have never been suspended or censured.  I opted out of the Talent Specialist bs years ago. While I certainly don't agree with a lot of what goes on, UW is better for me than any other platform.  I think if you act professionally, they tend to treat you as a professional.  Just my two cents.

---

Exactly. 

You get back what you put out. If you whine, it makes it so much harder to get work...anywhere. 

[alphazomgy]

Finding work is the easy part. Getting paid what you're worth, not so much.

Now, if you all settle for the treatment we currently receive, it will only be a matter of time before it gets worse.

And it will get worse if it means increased profits for Upwork. 

What have they got to lose if you all seem so content already? 

I suppose I should just be happy with what we have... 

[feed_my_eyes]

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Alexander B wrote:

Finding work is the easy part. Getting paid what you're worth, not so much.

Now, if you all settle for the treatment we currently receive, it will only be a matter of time before it gets worse.

And it will get worse if it means increased profits for Upwork. 

What have they got to lose if you all seem so content already? 

I suppose I should just be happy with what we have... 

---

I do get paid what I'm worth, actually. But am I happy about all of Upwork's policies? Absolutely not. I never told you that you shouldn't lead the revolution. Knock yourself out, and best of luck to you. So again I ask, what's your plan?

[alphazomgy]

No plan yet, we'll get there someday when I have the time to think one out.

I wrote this post "in the heat of passion" after staying up until 3am the day of. 

At least I got to test the waters.

Thanks for the replies. 

[versailles]

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Alexander B wrote:

I wrote this post "in the heat of passion" after staying up until 3am the day of. 

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I used to do that too, posting late in the night while being totally drunk. I feel you bro. Nowadays I only post when I'm sober. Needless to say, I'm not posting that much anymore for this very reason.

[lysis10]

ahh, drunk posting. I've been posting sober too and I bet most people can't even tell the difference. 😄

I built a gaming PC and now at the end of the day I've been enjoying PC gaming again. No more late night posting.

[versailles]

If my ISP wasn't so **bleep**ty, the link wouldn't go down each evening around 7 PM and I would be playing gmes too instead of drinking and filling the lawsuit so I can milk some money from them.

[lysis10]

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Rene K wrote:

If my ISP wasn't so **bleep**ty, the link wouldn't go down each evening around 7 PM and I would be playing gmes too instead of drinking and filling the lawsuit so I can milk some money from them.

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oh god, I know them feels. My old apartment was in a town where a small ISP was located, so the big cable companies couldn't come out and Uverse wasn't offered in my area. I would have entire weeks where they would drop from 10am to 2pm. You'd call them and say "ok, it seems you're doing maintenance. Can you tell me when it's over." And they would have no idea what you're talking about. I wound up needing to get cheap DSL backup just to make sure I had some kind of Internet connection.

I screwed them out of their last payment too and don't even feel bad about it. For all the times I lost connection, they can eat the $400.

[pinkmuffin]

drunk posting🤣🤣 yes-- i just have to say , we need to give love to upwork for giving us wonderful job.

[luce-neidert]

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Alexander B wrote:

Finding work is the easy part. Getting paid what you're worth, not so much.

Now, if you all settle for the treatment we currently receive, it will only be a matter of time before it gets worse.

And it will get worse if it means increased profits for Upwork. 

What have they got to lose if you all seem so content already? 

I suppose I should just be happy with what we have... 

---

The "current treatment", as you call it, has nothing to do with Upwork. To my mind, Upwork is trying to change the situation by making it a bit more difficult to bid for jobs, and I hope the number of low bidders (and clients looking for low bidders) is going to go down.  

[alphazomgy]

Yes in person-to-person interactions you will be treated professionally if you act profesionally, usually. 

[sergio-soria]

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Alexander B wrote:

Better to live on your feet than die on your knees. I'm sure that most of us believe that, which is why we are on Upwork.

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What? You twisted it on purpose? Saying is "Better to die on your feet than live on your knees."

[wendy_writes · Accepted solution]

Alexnder B, as long as we seem to be quoting and misquoting axioms ... ever heard the one about "the wisdom to choose battles you might win"?  

Present a solid plan if you want to be taken for more than a whiny FLer.

Don't expect people to flock to your cause but give them food for thought thru tangible propositions.

[alphazomgy]

Thanks I agree. Realized that after receiving a certain email this morning. 

All I'm saying is, it's in our best interest to have a better relationship with Upwork than what we have now. 

I'm not asking  for lower fees or something that would not be in Upwork's best interest. 

I always learn something from these forums 😄 

[alphazomgy]

Lol yeah that was actually a typo. I wrote this on the fly, it needs to be copy edited. Thank you for pointing that out! 

[purplepony]

Alexander, I know you know this so please simply accept this as reinforcement. None of us are trees; we're free to leave at anytime if we're ever dissatisfied enough to do so.

I sincerely don't believe that Upwork is perfect. However, I do believe that it's the best platform of it's kind and am confident I, nor anyone else for that matter, would ever believe any such platform would be perfect.     

[alphazomgy]

I know it's not perfect. Am I at fault for wanting something better for us all, Upwork and freelancers? 

[725ebd1c]

I agree with you.

4-5 days ago upwork made my this verified account "on hold" which I verified last year

then I needed to re-verify my account using the id card, transactions and live video. They just disrespects us.

[colettelewis]

We might not like it, but in fact, we are commodities and an endless supply of commodities at that. Sometimes good sometimes bad, but ever renewable. Some disappear, some get returned, some get used again, and some get taken off the shelves occasionally, to be  dusted down, and then put back again. 

Whichever way you look at it we are commodities. I would readily bet that, in sales meetings, we are called "the product". 

🙂

[luce-neidert]

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Nichola L wrote:

We might not like it, but in fact, we are commodities and an endless supply of commodities at that. Sometimes good sometimes bad, but ever renewable. Some disappear, some get returned, some get used again, and some get taken off the shelves occasionally, to be  dusted down, and then put back again. 

Whichever way you look at it we are commodities. I would readily bet that, in sales meetings, we are called "the product". 

🙂

---

We are "the product" to Upwork, we are "the automatic work dispensers" to clients. They don't disrespect us, they just forget that we are human beings, just like them. That's not a problem, because I know who I am and I don't get hurt by that kind of disrespect.

[alphazomgy]

I disagree, I am not a commodity.

Does anyone else work exactly the way you work?

Does anyone else make clients feel exactly the way you make them feel?

I could go on. 

[savysb]

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Alexander B wrote:

Does anyone else work exactly the way you work?

Does anyone else make clients feel exactly the way you make them feel?

I could go on. 

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Acoording to anyone else, anyone else works better than anyone else.
According to everyone else, everyone else makes the clients culminate with a few words.

Never think anyone is special or unique. Because that would make them ireplaceable.

We are all commodities in one way or another, but fewer and fewer remain. I just checked my feed, I was curious. $5-$10 jobs from the series "I need a rockstar designer from Marvel to work for the same payment as a janitor in some unknown tribe".