Nov 22, 2019 12:02:33 PM Edited Nov 22, 2019 12:07:45 PM by Filomena S
Hi everyone,
How do you manage the negotiations with clients who want to send you all the details of the job to your email?
I prefer to discuss everything at the message system. I avoid to communicate outside UpWork, but if a client insists too much... I don't mind if he send me information through email. However, I always say that the contract must be done throught UpWork, only, and that for our protection, in case we find a agreement, our conversation will be attached at UpWork to keep the conversations at the platform. I don't know if it's because I say that or not, but most of the people:
1. Don't answer anymore;
2. Or they say that there is no need to post everything at UpWork, and I don't feel very comfortable with that.
I would like to read your thoughts about this. Thank you.
Nov 22, 2019 12:13:39 PM Edited Nov 22, 2019 12:15:16 PM by Preston H
Filomena:
This is up to you.
There is no rule prohibiting communication via email or other means.
I have had MANY clients with whom I communicated ONLY through the Upwork Messages tool.
I also have had MANY clients with whom I communicated ONLY through email.
If a client wants to use email, that's fine with me.
If you have a concern about providing a client with your contact information, if you're worried about that... then all you need to do is provide the client with a project-specific email address. No client cares if he has your "prime" email address. So if you're concerned at all, just create a throw-away email address and forward it or channel it through your regular email software.
Nov 22, 2019 12:34:15 PM Edited Nov 22, 2019 12:37:34 PM by Filomena S
Preston H wrote:If you have a concern about providing a client with your contact information, if you're worried about that... then all you need to do is provide the client with a project-specific email address. No client cares if he has your "prime" email address. So if you're concerned at all, just create a throw-away email address and forward it or channel it through your regular email software.
My concern is not about providing my email, but by discussing everything through email and loose protection in case of any problem with the contract, or other type of disagreement.
Nov 22, 2019 12:13:42 PM by Remi O
It's okay to communicate via email or any system that the client is comfortabe with as long as contracts and payments are set up through Upwork, as you said.
If a potential client has a problem with setting up the contract on Upwork, you don't want to work with them anyway.
Nov 22, 2019 12:37:04 PM by Filomena S
Remi O wrote:If a potential client has a problem with setting up the contract on Upwork, you don't want to work with them anyway.
I never had any problem with clients to set the contract on UpWork. I just want to be sure that I'm protected in case of any problem with my contract, since UpWord advises to establish all communitaction through the message system. That's why I say to my clients that all that we discussed will be attached at the message system.
Nov 22, 2019 12:40:26 PM Edited Nov 22, 2019 12:41:22 PM by Preston H
re: "My concern is not about providing my email, but by discussing everything through email and loose protection in case of any problem with the contract, or other type of disagreement."
This is a legitimate concern.
If there are never any problems with the client, then it does not matter at all if you don't communicate via the Upwork Messages tool.
Upwork personnel CAN read read messages from the Upwork tool if problems arise. The utility of that may not be all you hope, though. You already know that a freelancer can not assume that just because something was discussed via Upwork Messages that if he gets into a disagreement, Upwork will read what he and the client wrote and take the freelancer's side.
Nov 22, 2019 12:49:56 PM by Filomena S
Preston H wrote:This is a legitimate concern.
If there are never any problems with the client, then it does not matter at all if you don't communicate via the Upwork Messages tool.
Upwork personnel CAN read read messages from the Upwork tool if problems arise. The utility of that may not be all you hope, though. You already know that a freelancer can not assume that just because something was discussed via Upwork Messages that if he gets into a disagreement, Upwork will read what he and the client wrote and take the freelancer's side.
I understand what you are saying, but it's better if everything is written at UpWork. Even if UpWork don't read or take freelancer side, before that situation happens and UpWork has to do something about it, I can manage the conversation with the client in a different way. Imagine that a client is asking more work that was stated at our negociations/quotation, etc. If everything is written at UpWork I can make a reference on that, mentioning what we spoke before. Of course I can do it with the email too, but UpWork will never read it.
I don't know if I should be concerned about this or not. To be honest I never had any specific problem because of this, but I always try to keep a clear communication to avoid any kind of unpleasant situations.
Nov 22, 2019 01:03:00 PM by Filomena S
Preston H wrote:Filomena:
That is a very wise, professional approach.
Thank you. I really noticed that the way we communicate can make a positive change in the way we deal with the situations. I'm always trying to improve and learn even more.
Nov 22, 2019 12:45:26 PM by Iga F
Just looking throught the forum will tell you Upwork doesn't seem very helpful when it comes to solving any issues with clients anyway, so I don't mind it if clients want to use email, especially if it's something confidential. As long as they set up a contract on Upwork...
Nov 22, 2019 12:51:10 PM by Filomena S
Iga F wrote:Just looking throught the forum will tell you Upwork doesn't seem very helpful when it comes to solving any issues with clients anyway, so I don't mind it if clients want to use email, especially if it's something confidential. As long as they set up a contract on Upwork...
Oh, I see... Thank you Iga.