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heatherfugate
Community Member

How did you handle your first 4 star rating?

So I just got my first 4.40 star rating and it kind of bums me out. How do you handle difficult clients and doing everything they ask at all hours for 4 stars? I know it isn't really a bad score but it just threw me off. Any advice on how you deal with ratings and not letting it bother you would be great. 🙂

45 REPLIES 45
lysis10
Community Member

I messaged them and said "Hello, I think you made a mistake. I'm a very famous Upwork forum guru and I will not tolerate this."

Smiley LOL That just may work lol 

humbled
Community Member

I dread this myself, there is a type of person out there who has their own way of scoring things. This person never leaves 5* for anything and their reason is "because I think there is always something you can improve" - they are the type of person who spends their days writing letters of complaints and wanthing everything at rock bottom price....... They drive me crazy but they exist

lysis10
Community Member


James M wrote:

I dread this myself, there is a type of person out there who has their own way of scoring things. This person never leaves 5* for anything and their reason is "because I think there is always something you can improve" - they are the type of person who spends their days writing letters of complaints and wanthing everything at rock bottom price....... They drive me crazy but they exist


It's more annoying in the workplace when they are killing your bonus because of that attitude. At least here it's just stupid stars.

Bravo.  Reviews in that workplace world come at times from two directions.  Reviews from your peers.  Which, in some consulting environments I am familiar with impact the promotion track and the bonus calculations.

Imagine, working in a world where each of your opinions of me might, in turn, impact my promotability and quarterly bonus.  LOL.  Now I need a drink.

prestonhunter
Community Member

4.4 is a good score. Why is this a question?

Preston it is a question because I can be a bit hard on myself on trying to make sure everything is exactly as it is supposed to be and I thrive to make others happy. So it was kind of like a dagger lol. I am in the process of still learning not to let the whole rating situation bother me. I over think everything on how it could have been handled.

If you know you did great work on this project, and the clients was pleased, and you were paid as expected, then there is really nothing to feel devastated by.

 

Upwork's feedback system is being misused in most instances when freelancers receive all fives. Some clients think about the ratings thoughtfully and use it as intended.

You have a great point and you are right. I did message him to make sure everything was okay or if he would liked anything done diffrenlty and his response "All good! You were a pleasure to work with and super professional. I got everything I need and am more than happy." 

 

I will grow thicker skin and put on my big girl pants and know not everyone is going to think I do 5 star work. It's something I am going to have to learn when freelancing. 


Heather F wrote:

You have a great point and you are right. I did message him to make sure everything was okay or if he would liked anything done diffrenlty and his response "All good! You were a pleasure to work with and super professional. I got everything I need and am more than happy." 

 

I will grow thicker skin and put on my big girl pants and know not everyone is going to think I do 5 star work. It's something I am going to have to learn when freelancing. 


I know it's very childish to care about these stupid stars, but whenever I don't get 5 of them, I feel let down. Can't help it.

I have found that some people just don't give 5 stars because that's the way they are. What I really hate is when I find out that someone who was very harsh is also on Upwork as a freelancer, and therefore is fully aware of the harm they're doing. This is pure treacheary, as stars can be used to hurt a fellow freelancer, therefore competition.

I handle them with a dash of humour, a pinch of aplomb, and a glass of wine. And then I go "cheers, chump"....and get on with the rest of my life.


Irene B wrote:

I handle them with a dash of humour, a pinch of aplomb, and a glass of wine. And then I go "cheers, chump"....and get on with the rest of my life.


Irene, I literally laughed out loud when I read your response. Wine has deffinitly been my friend more lately lol. 


Luce N wrote:

Heather F wrote:

You have a great point and you are right. I did message him to make sure everything was okay or if he would liked anything done diffrenlty and his response "All good! You were a pleasure to work with and super professional. I got everything I need and am more than happy." 

 

I will grow thicker skin and put on my big girl pants and know not everyone is going to think I do 5 star work. It's something I am going to have to learn when freelancing. 


I know it's very childish to care about these stupid stars, but whenever I don't get 5 of them, I feel let down. Can't help it.

I have found that some people just don't give 5 stars because that's the way they are. What I really hate is when I find out that someone who was very harsh is also on Upwork as a freelancer, and therefore is fully aware of the harm they're doing. This is pure treacheary, as stars can be used to hurt a fellow freelancer, therefore competition.


I never thought of buyers being Freelancers and being so vindictive because of  "compentition". That is horriable. It is probably going to take me a little while to learn not to let the star system bother me but it's worth a try. 



Heather F wrote:


I never thought of buyers being Freelancers and being so vindictive because of  "compentition". That is horriable. It is probably going to take me a little while to learn not to let the star system bother me but it's worth a try. 


The horrible thing happened to me at least twice (or I found out about it twice). I find it particularly disgusting as a client/freelancer knows that there's always a way to discuss whatever problem there is with the other freelancer, before rating him or her.

I don't remember exactly, but I probably shouted a torrent of expletives at my screen, questioning the client's parentage and making references to certain body parts. Certainly the most professional and constructive way to deal with such things. 

... before then getting on with whatever other work I had to do. 

Breathe in. Breathe out. Move on.

I'm pretty sure that's not what I did but it always sounds so cool to say that. 

Sometimes clients do not distinguish the importance of ratings and JSS.  They think of it like a college or high school exam.  No one gets a 100.

I have recommended in the past that consultants - excuse me - freelancers - do exactly as you did.  Message in advance, asking for the information you did.  "All okay?" in essence.  I take it one step further, don't you know that is my ultimate mantra in life.  Take it one step further.

I indicate directly to the client, that my ratings, meaning my Job Success Score is the most vital business asset I have.  Then I leave it at that.   Which is a tactic, to note, I get scorned for out here in forum-land, as apparently it is anathema to consider discussing the JSS score and its importance by many on this forum.

That score, and my JSS is the most important fixed business asset I have.  And I make sure my clients understand that so that when they are making that split second decision and are very happy with my work, they understand what that little scale of buttons means to me.

John.

 I support Heather's mindset.  A 4.4 indicates just a part of it.  Obviously the private ratings may have taken a hit.  Our JSS is our most important business asset, sans our capability to sell our services followed by our capability to deliver.  Top 3 position is the message.

I remember Heather's first note out here, or one of them at least.  A new-comer's JSS is highly vulnerable to non-5-0s and less-than-perfect private ratings.  It can impact or delay rising talent designations. It can delay top talent designations.  Anything less than a 5-0 and perfect back end scores can cost us money, opportunities, prestige, and sleep. 

 

Heather, I recommend you sweat out the details like no other time in your career.  Now is the time to plant the flag, circle the wagons, stock the cupboards, and fill the fridge with perfect ratings.  Chose clients wisely, as best you can.  "It is not the client we lose that can cost us dearly.  It is the client we win who can hurt us the most".

Parable from my consulting days.  I judge it correct.

tlsanders
Community Member


Heather F wrote:

So I just got my first 4.40 star rating and it kind of bums me out. How do you handle difficult clients and doing everything they ask at all hours for 4 stars? I know it isn't really a bad score but it just threw me off. Any advice on how you deal with ratings and not letting it bother you would be great. 🙂


I don't consider 4.x star ratings anything to "handle." That's a perfectly respectable rating. I have at least four or five 4.x ratings (one as low as 4.1) and they didn't stop me from maintaining 100% JSS for a very long time. 

 

One thing I would suggest, though, is that you stop doing "everything they ask at all hours." That sets a very bad precedent and isn't good for your life outside work or your other clients. 


Tiffany S wrote:

Heather F wrote:

So I just got my first 4.40 star rating and it kind of bums me out. How do you handle difficult clients and doing everything they ask at all hours for 4 stars? I know it isn't really a bad score but it just threw me off. Any advice on how you deal with ratings and not letting it bother you would be great. 🙂


I don't consider 4.x star ratings anything to "handle." That's a perfectly respectable rating. I have at least four or five 4.x ratings (one as low as 4.1) and they didn't stop me from maintaining 100% JSS for a very long time. 

 

One thing I would suggest, though, is that you stop doing "everything they ask at all hours." That sets a very bad precedent and isn't good for your life outside work or your other clients. 


I was just talking to one of my friends about that yesterday and they said the exact same thing about not always being avaliable. Yesterday I took the day off besides answering messages to clients that I already have to take time for myself to get in the right head space. I unistalled the app from my personal phone and only kept it on my business phone because I am also really bad at answering messages when I am out. I appreciate your adivce! 

 

I feel much better after hearing about everyone else and what they think on this subject. 🙂

I never put the app on my phone and I deleted my email from my phone as well. I am also not available over weekends, although I DO log in once during the day just to check on things. But work? No. NOT unless I CHOOSE to. You HAVE to draw the line somewhere otherwise you would have no family life.

 

Unfortunately client vindictiveness is all too common on Upwork - and it is something IMO that Upwork should address.

 

That said, we freelancers are neither perfect nor infallible, and when we get less than stellar feedback (when  perhaps we expected 5/5), we should check to see where the client thinks we have failed and, however unpalatable, admit that sometimes they may be right, and that we should address the problem.

 

It is of course, more difficult to define these areas (such as skills and quality) if the client is not more specific or more critical while the work is ongoing. However, taking a client's not-so-stellar rating into account, I think it is possible to adopt a self-analytical approach to one's  work retrospectively, in order to improve on work in the future.     

I agree, I think Upwork should add more features to get rid of this issue. I have only gotten a below 4.5 star rating on here 4-times in the last 3-years, twice it was a client trying to get back at me for moving on. One was simply a very bad client and my latest one, I suspect the client doesn't quite understand the rating system; I meet all deadlines, did whatever was asked of me, responded to emails timely; yet she put 4 in every category.

 

I think most of these reviews can weeded out if Upwork builds in automatic removal from the profile and JSS. At the end of a contract, we rate on recommendation on a scale of 1-10. If a client isn't averaging above 7, after say 5 reviews, their feedback should be removed entirely. Upwork should also make this number visible, so freelancers can vet their clients better. Every now and then, I come across a client who has a rating 4.7 or above and I have issues with them. We have a JSS score that is visible and is impacted by private feedback, yet there is no such thing for clients. Upwork should also disregard the feedback of clients who have their feedback removed more often that the average.

 

Upwork has expressly explained that it WANTS spread in feedback scores.

 

Upwork doesn't want most feedback to be 5's.

And it doesn't want all JSS to be 100%.

Upwork wants to have scores spread out considerably, to make the scoring system more useful for clients.

bizwriterjohn
Community Member

I go back and examine every step I took in the project.  I look for every potential mistake I made.  There are always multiple to locate and consider over time.  Then - I try to distill down what I could have done differently.  Sometimes it comes down to: I did not effectively screen the client and let some quirky habit of being unpleasable get past my checks and evaluations.  Then I tighten up the yoke and made it harder for clients to win work with me.

 

How do I handle it when I gain something less than a 5-0.  I take it very, very personally.  I look inward, examine me, personally and know I was the one who clicked the accept project button.  No one made me do that.

I admire a client who takes the time to give me a less-than-perfect score.

 

None of us are perfect.

 

These clients are being honest.


Preston H wrote:

I admire a client who takes the time to give me a less-than-perfect score.

 

None of us are perfect.

 

These clients are being honest.


I have to disagree with you. Many times, when I got less than 5, it didn't make sence at all. My best example is a repeat client who's always travelling the world and who has been known to take weeks to answer my messages. At one time, he marked me four for communication, which was a big surprise. I could give him a 2 for communication, but don't bother to, because we've managed to work together for over 2 years anyway.


Luce N wrote:

Preston H wrote:

I admire a client who takes the time to give me a less-than-perfect score.

 

None of us are perfect.

 

These clients are being honest.


I have to disagree with you. Many times, when I got less than 5, it didn't make sence at all. My best example is a repeat client who's always travelling the world and who has been known to take weeks to answer my messages. At one time, he marked me four for communication, which was a big surprise. I could give him a 2 for communication, but don't bother to, because we've managed to work together for over 2 years anyway.


I was once marked down for deadlines. 

Baffled, I had to ask to find out why. It seems the lady I was working for missed her own deadlines, despite me delivering on time. So, she decided to marke me down because she was late.

What can ya do? 


Jamie F wrote:

I was once marked down for deadlines. 

Baffled, I had to ask to find out why. It seems the lady I was working for missed her own deadlines, despite me delivering on time. So, she decided to marke me down because she was late.

What can ya do? 


Rings a bell! I was marked down for deadlines too, while I had delivered the work on time....

I'll likely get marked down for deadlines tomorrow...

 

Two weeks ago (Sunday) I was invited to a small gig with a deadline for 10 am GMT on Monday. It was only a little $ 80 contract and I had time, so I spelled it out to the client that I would do the translation that day (Sunday) and do the final edit Monday morning and would submit it before 10 am GMT. 

 

I woke up Monday morning to a stream of increasingly stroppy messages that started at 3.30 AM GMT asking where her translation was. I submitted by 7.30 am GMT

 

Of course that's also the first client in forever that became totally unresponsive after the work was submitted and made me wait the 14 days for my money.

 

Tomorrow will also be the first time ever in near 300 contracts that I will leave poor feedback for a client.

I am sad this has happened to a fellow Upwork professional.  I have never seen nor heard of the work "stroppy".  That's rare.  Learned a new word today.  Hope I don't feel the need to use it very much.

versailles
Community Member

What's a 4-star rating?

 

 

 

-----------
"Where darkness shines like dazzling light"   —William Ashbless


Rene K wrote:

What's a 4-star rating?


No idea... Never had one either


Petra R wrote:

Rene K wrote:

What's a 4-star rating?


No idea... Never had one either


I was just reading the Airbnb forum (I've been a host as well as a frequent guest) and came across this thread. It seems that freelancers on Upwork aren't the only people who get upset about four-star reviews.

 

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Types-of-guests-who-never-give-Five-Stars/td-p/476406

khan-dua
Community Member

Same! This client had no work for the longest time, so I asked them if I should end the contract. After a vague answer, I decided I should and asked them if they would be kind enough to give feedback. They replied, "I'll be honest with my feedback and give a 4." I mean, what?

re: "They replied, "I'll be honest with my feedback and give a 4." I mean, what?"

 

That is how the client felt.

 

Don't worry about it.

a_jeziorski
Community Member

I took it as a learning experience. The client was actually very nice and still paid me for the work even though I did not hit the mark with the logo they were looking for. After that project, I started to take a deep dive into the services I really wanted to offer. I thought about my strengths and what type of work I actually enjoyed doing. I ended up narrowing down what services I do for clients and since then I have not recived a 4 rating again.

nycjoseph
Community Member

I haven't gotten ANY ratings after 6400 hours! Well I got one 5-star, but that was for a 1 hour consulting job. I have like 5 "finished" jobs, all with hundreds and two over a thousand. I'd like my old jobs to close out and give me a rating, but for some reason they just want to keep the line open (maybe for the rate they got? administrative convenience if they want to do more work?).

 

I'm afraid to coax them into closing and giving a rating because it might be a 4! I mean I don't expect that, they were all happy with the work, but it's a risk.

You are working for money. Not working for stars.

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