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katherine_1
Community Member

Milestone funded but client unresponsive about instructions

Hi everyone,

I've tried searching for this problem on the forum, but I can't find one with exactly the same circumstances. Apologies if it has been asked.

Some background:

I've been working with a client for several months now, writing one blog article per month. Everything has gone well and he has already given me a 5 star rating for previous work. He normally responds and pays promptly.

At the end of May, after a successful May article, he set up the next milestone (due in mid-June) and funded it. When he funded it he said he'd be in touch about the article topic as he needed to think about it. However, he never got back to me about the topic so I couldn't procede despite the milestone being funded.

I have messaged him twice to follow up with no response. I don't want to send more as it could be perceived as badgering.

I got a message from Upwork this week saying if there is no action on this contract in the next 2 weeks it will be automatically closed and I'll be sent a refund request (and my client has been notified by them too). I totally understand that and I'm fine with it. It's a small job and I'm not really bothered (plus I'm a bit miffed he isn't replying to me).

My question is, should I wait for Upwork to close the account? Or should I just issue a refund to the client now and leave it up to the client to either close the contract eventually or set up another milestone should he return in the future? Basically, which action would be better or worse for my success score -- it's 100% right now and (at the risk of sounding precious lol) I'm keen to keep it as high as possible.

I don't really want Upwork to close the contract for the client and then risk having "no feedback" left on my profile.

Thanks in advance!
6 REPLIES 6
gilbert-phyllis
Community Member

One 'no fb' contract will not hurt you, it's a pattern of them that can undermine your JSS. It sounds like this client might be more trouble than he's worth. I'd leave it alone and let UW close it. That way, it'll be crystal clear to the client what happened--that he ran afoul of UW process. You don't want him thinking you closed it out of pique. In any case, you already got a good fb from him plus a little more money. That might be all you get from this one. OTOH, he might come back around, eventually.

 

ETA: My (admittedly, somewhat limited) experience with clients and their blogs is that the blog rises and falls as a priority for them. They're really into it for a while, then they run out of things to say or competing priorities take over.

Thank you! Good advice, it will definitely send the right message if I allow UW to close it for me.

When you say I'll get a little extra money -- will I the money not automatically be refunded when UW closes the contract as the job wasn't done?

And just to clarify, if UW closes the contract and issues the client a refund (and he doesn't leave feedback), it won't impact my job score?


Katherine T wrote:
When you say I'll get a little extra money -- will I the money not automatically be refunded when UW closes the contract as the job wasn't done?

it will.

 


Katherine T wrote:

And just to clarify, if UW closes the contract and issues the client a refund (and he doesn't leave feedback), it won't impact my job score?

As long as money was paid under the contract at some point in the past, there is no issue at all. It will not affect your JSS.

 

It also makes no difference if you close the contract or Upwork do. All that matters is that there is payment under that contract. Contracts that close (or stay open long enough) with nothing ever paid, DO hurt the JSS,

Great! Yes, money was paid under this contract.

Just out of interest -- do you think it would be wise to contact him one more time (give him a chance to respond before the contract closes), or best to leave it?

Also, thoughts on me just refunding him for now without closing contarct? And sending a message along the lines of "I'm refunding this due to no response from you about the milestone topic. Feel free to set up another milestone should you want more work done in the future"....

So, just went to try and give a refund to this client and realised I can't refund money in escrow. Is that right?

I'll need to wait for UW to close the contract and request a refund? Or I'll need to close the contract completely.


Katherine T wrote:
1. So, just went to try and give a refund to this client and realised I can't refund money in escrow. Is that right?

2. I'll need to wait for UW to close the contract and request a refund? Or I'll need to close the contract completely.

1. Funds in escrow can not be refunded as such, because you never had them to refund in the first place. They can only either go to you or back to where they came from.

 

2. It doesn't really matter.

  • If you leave it be until Upwork close the contract, the money in Escrow goes back at that point. In that case, you need not leave feedback.
  • If you close the contract now, the money in Escrow goes back to the client right away. You do have to leave feedback in that case.

 

Neither will affect your metrics (unless the client suddenly appears and leaves feedback, in which case it affects your metrics for better or for worse, depending on the feedback, like any other feedback.)

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