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m-myra
Community Member

Feedback Response

Hello everyone! 

 

A week or so ago, a I was applying for jobs, a client who interviewed me raised a concern that I have too many open contracts. He wondered whether I would have time to do his work. I explained that some were contracts clients chose to leave open so that they would simply update the milestone if they have future work for me. He was satisfied. 

 

I wanted to do something about it though, so I messaged some of my clients (who had said nothing about future work) and requested if we could close the contracts and open new ones when time came, if it did. Some obliged. They didn't leave me feedback. One of them, who had said they were extremely satisfied with my work, left me the lowest feedback I have currently - '3.75'. 

 

I messaged him to ask whether I missed something and how I could be of better service the next time. I mentioned how he was the one who was unavailable and yet he reviewed me as if that was a problem on my end (I don't think I was wise here). 

 

All these to say; I am now concerned about my JSS - that it would drop. I am currently top-rated. I need advise on how to move forward without harming my JSS and without 'appearing like I am harassing my clients'. What is the wisest thing to do? Should I use my feedback removal perk? Should I just wait? What do I do now, and what can I do differently, should I find myself in the same situation? (Now that I may have botched things now). 

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tlbp
Community Member

Well, this batch of contracts has already been closed so there's not much you can do. In the future, don't let your contracts remain open. If you contact the client once or twice and they don't close it, close it yourself. Consider it a "profile maintenance" task. 

 If you seldom encounter bad reviews, it might be worthwhile to use it to remove this one. You have a short window after you lose TR status to use the perk. So, you could wait until the next JSS calculation to make a decision if you aren't sure what to do. The last time I received a low-star review, I let it ride. It took my JSS down a few points but not below 90%. 

You have learned about managing your contract closures in a very unpleasant way. Sorry about that. But, you can get past this. Just continue to do good work for your existing clients and maybe search the forums for more tips on how to manage ending contracts. 

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12 REPLIES 12
tlbp
Community Member

Well, this batch of contracts has already been closed so there's not much you can do. In the future, don't let your contracts remain open. If you contact the client once or twice and they don't close it, close it yourself. Consider it a "profile maintenance" task. 

 If you seldom encounter bad reviews, it might be worthwhile to use it to remove this one. You have a short window after you lose TR status to use the perk. So, you could wait until the next JSS calculation to make a decision if you aren't sure what to do. The last time I received a low-star review, I let it ride. It took my JSS down a few points but not below 90%. 

You have learned about managing your contract closures in a very unpleasant way. Sorry about that. But, you can get past this. Just continue to do good work for your existing clients and maybe search the forums for more tips on how to manage ending contracts. 

m-myra
Community Member

This is helpful. 

 

Thank you! 

numbsain
Community Member

If I may make a suggestion: as my contracts are coming near closure I always remind my clients that it is very important to me that they are completely satisfied with the job I did for them. I tell them If there is any problem I'm happy to make it right. Then I remind them that ending a contract is a 3 step process:
1. Release the funds for the last milestone
2. End the contract 
3. Leave feedback 
I might mention how important it is to me and I might say that 5 stars is the correct rating for a job completed successfully. One client thought he was rating me against the best designers in the world so he gave me a 4.7 rating (facepalm). Lastly, I'll tell them I really enjoyed working for them and I intend to give them a great review.
i've never gotten a bad review when I follow those steps. Sounds to me like you are doing everything else right . my experience has been if I develop a friendly relationship with the client including very cautiously making them laugh with a joke or two they will feel comfortable telling me if they are not satisfied and giving me a chance to fix it or they will give me a rave review. I also tell them that a job left open too long hurts my JSS and that I am always available to help them after a contract ends. There are always going to be a small percentage of clients who just want to rip you off because that was their intention all along. They are just the cost of doing business and their comeuppance will come on judgment day haha!

m-myra
Community Member


Ray C wrote:

If I may make a suggestion: as my contracts are coming near closure I always remind my clients that it is very important to me that they are completely satisfied with the job I did for them. I tell them If there is any problem I'm happy to make it right. Then I remind them that ending a contract is a 3 step process:
1. Release the funds for the last milestone
2. End the contract 
3. Leave feedback 
I might mention how important it is to me and I might say that 5 stars is the correct rating for a job completed successfully. One client thought he was rating me against the best designers in the world so he gave me a 4.7 rating (facepalm). Lastly, I'll tell them I really enjoyed working for them and I intend to give them a great review.
i've never gotten a bad review when I follow those steps. Sounds to me like you are doing everything else right . my experience has been if I develop a friendly relationship with the client including very cautiously making them laugh with a joke or two they will feel comfortable telling me if they are not satisfied and giving me a chance to fix it or they will give me a rave review. I also tell them that a job left open too long hurts my JSS and that I am always available to help them after a contract ends. There are always going to be a small percentage of clients who just want to rip you off because that was their intention all along. They are just the cost of doing business and their comeuppance will come on judgment day haha!


Well received and very appreciated! I'll adopt that approach. 

petra_r
Community Member


Ray C wrote:

 Then I remind them that ending a contract is a 3 step process:
1. Release the funds for the last milestone
2. End the contract 
3. Leave feedback 
I might mention how important it is to me and I might say that 5 stars is the correct rating for a job completed successfully. I might say that 5 stars is the correct rating for a job completed successfully


... and this kind of stuff, boys and girls, is why we have a JSS now and why the average feedback across the platform from clients to freelancers is 4.9.  And why public feedback has been reduced to mere eye-candy and the JSS is determined by the private feedback.

 

I have never, in 10 years on this platform, mentioned feedback to a client or needed to. I also wouldn't. To tell a client what the "correct" feedback is crosses the line into "inappropriate territory".

 

 

m-myra
Community Member


Petra R wrote:

Ray C wrote:

 Then I remind them that ending a contract is a 3 step process:
1. Release the funds for the last milestone
2. End the contract 
3. Leave feedback 
I might mention how important it is to me and I might say that 5 stars is the correct rating for a job completed successfully. I might say that 5 stars is the correct rating for a job completed successfully


... and this kind of stuff, boys and girls, is why we have a JSS now and why the average feedback across the platform from clients to freelancers is 4.9.  And why public feedback has been reduced to mere eye-candy and the JSS is determined by the private feedback.

 

I have never, in 10 years on this platform, mentioned feedback to a client or needed to. I also wouldn't. To tell a client what the "correct" feedback is crosses the line into "inappropriate territory".

 

 




Petra R wrote:

Ray C wrote:

 Then I remind them that ending a contract is a 3 step process:
1. Release the funds for the last milestone
2. End the contract 
3. Leave feedback 
I might mention how important it is to me and I might say that 5 stars is the correct rating for a job completed successfully. I might say that 5 stars is the correct rating for a job completed successfully


... and this kind of stuff, boys and girls, is why we have a JSS now and why the average feedback across the platform from clients to freelancers is 4.9.  And why public feedback has been reduced to mere eye-candy and the JSS is determined by the private feedback.

 

I have never, in 10 years on this platform, mentioned feedback to a client or needed to. I also wouldn't. To tell a client what the "correct" feedback is crosses the line into "inappropriate territory".

 

 


It sounded like such good advice! Smiley LOL

petra_r
Community Member


Myra M wrote:

Should I use my feedback removal perk? 


How many completed contracts do you have, how old is your profile and what is your JSS now?

 


m-myra
Community Member

I have 37 completed projects; been around since 2017 and I have a 100% JSS. 

petra_r
Community Member


Myra M wrote:

I have 37 completed projects; been around since 2017 and I have a 100% JSS. 


OK, only the ones since the 3rd of March 2019 can count. Chances are you're on a 6 month calculation window. I'd wait until Sunday and see how far it drops (provided your eligible weeks are 15 or above) before you decide whether to use the perk or not. It likely will drop, but the drop may not be overly dramatic (depending on how many completed contracts are in your calculation window).

What was your worst JSS in the last 2 years?

m-myra
Community Member

My eligible weeks is 16. 

I'm not sure about the JSS. It's been at 100% for a while but I'm not sure how long. 

petra_r
Community Member


Myra M wrote:

My eligible weeks is 16. 

I'm not sure about the JSS. It's been at 100% for a while but I'm not sure how long. 


OK, great. In that case, wait until Sunday and see what happens with your JSS. The danger of it dropping below 90% is minimal, and even if it did, you could still use your perk then.

m-myra
Community Member



OK, great. In that case, wait until Sunday and see what happens with your JSS. The danger of it dropping below 90% is minimal, and even if it did, you could still use your perk then.


Thank you! 

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