Star rating changes

[jessicasimko]

I have noticed lately that the presentation of the star rating has gone through some changes. The numeric value was removed for a a while.. now it's back and the stars are all spread out (which doesn't look good but I guess that is non-issue).  My concern is that the top rated feedback removal perk is supposed to remove BOTH the star rating (if freelancer chooses) and the JSS impact. Right now, the feedback removal perk is showing 0.0 stars from the client side (and I am sure it will show from the freelancer side shortly). That's not even a viable rating since 1.0 is the lowest you can get. A year ago, I removed a 4.0 (with lame comments) and it's now showing as a ZERO (see below).  This is no longer a perk...this makes it look SO MUCH worse and I'd rather have the 4.0 back. Upwork, please advise! 

[petra_r]

That is OUTRAGOUS!

I've never had one removed but having a great big fat ZERO showing on the profile is damaging as hell!

It is supposed to be a PERK, not profile-izide!

Whatever next??

[tlbp]

The number doesn't show when I view your profile as a client.  If I click on the job title, the details show your review of the client but not review (or star-number) for you. 

[jessicasimko]

this is my view... from the client side

[mthornton-cpc]

Really hoping a mod jumps in with an explanation about this. Zeros can't be heroes. That looks atrocious. 

[tlbp]

I wonder if only the account holder can see the number.  I don't see a number on either of the referenced accounts- just a notice that the feedback has been removed. 

[petra_r]

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@Tonya P wrote:

I wonder if only the account holder can see the number.  I don't see a number on either of the referenced accounts- just a notice that the feedback has been removed. 

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 Oh it's only shown to clients to make sure the freelancer is unaware of the fact that Upwork warns the client that this is a "ZERO STAR" freelancer...

Some perk.

[jmccpa]

Tonya,

The account holder doesn't see the 0 - only the Client.  BAD!

(I have a Client account used when I hired a Freelancer for a small project.)

[melaniekhenson]

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@Joseph C wrote:

Tonya,

The account holder doesn't see the 0 - only the Client.  BAD!

(I have a Client account used when I hired a Freelancer for a small project.)

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Wait, so then how did you guys see this? ETA: Oh, whoops, sorry, you saw it as your Client account.

Is this true for no FB due to refunds, or only if the Top Rated removal "perk" is used?

[jessicasimko]

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@Melanie H wrote:

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@Joseph C wrote:

Tonya,

The account holder doesn't see the 0 - only the Client.  BAD!

(I have a Client account used when I hired a Freelancer for a small project.)

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Wait, so then how did you guys see this? ETA: Oh, whoops, sorry, you saw it as your Client account.

Is this true for no FB due to refunds, or only if the Top Rated removal "perk" is used?

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I have a client account too....  it's only when you use the perk ... Not for refunds where in the end, no money was paid as nothing shows up in those cases.

[melaniekhenson]

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@Jessica S wrote:

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@Melanie H wrote:

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@Joseph C wrote:

Tonya,

The account holder doesn't see the 0 - only the Client.  BAD!

(I have a Client account used when I hired a Freelancer for a small project.)

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Wait, so then how did you guys see this? ETA: Oh, whoops, sorry, you saw it as your Client account.

Is this true for no FB due to refunds, or only if the Top Rated removal "perk" is used?

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I have a client account too....  it's only when you use the perk ... Not for refunds where in the end, no money was paid as nothing shows up in those cases.

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Thanks!

Although I haven't used the perk at this point, I have to say: this blows.

For the record.

Oh well!

[melaniekhenson]

Oh NO. Geez, why bother, then?

Just remove the perk. IMO it looks just as damning to say the feedback was removed, as it might be to just leave it. So..yeah.

[jessicasimko]

Thankfully, for me, its so far buried, unless a client searches by lowest ratings (and I am sure some do) but what about the freelancers who just used the perk?  This must change immediately. 

[tgano]

I have the SAME problem only mine is much more recent so will be visible at the top. 

This needs to be fixed ASAP!

[mthornton-cpc]

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@Jessica S wrote:

Thankfully, for me, its so far buried, unless a client searches by lowest ratings (and I am sure some do) but what about the freelancers who just used the perk?  This must change immediately. 

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Yuuuuup. Awful. If this isn't fixed it makes using the perk more of a detriment than (or at least equal to) the bad comments you took care of with your well-earned "perk" of removal. Especially right at the top of an otherwise well-rated freelancer's profile. Eek! 

[jmccpa]

We have observed a lot of absolutely dumb changes without any thought by Upwork but this has the about highest rank of dumbness.

You can only see the big fat O if you search as a Client, not looking at your own Profile as a Freelancer,  but that is what is critical.

And this is a "perk"?  It is more like a POKE!

[mthornton-cpc]

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@Joseph C wrote:

We have observed a lot of absolutely dumb changes without any thought by Upwork but this has the about highest rank of dumbness.

You can only see the big fat O if you search as a Client, not looking at your own Profile as a Freelancer,  but that is what is critical.

And this is a "perk"?  It is more like a POKE! 

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Ha! Good one, Joseph! I almost spit my coffee out.  

[jessicasimko]

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@Joseph C wrote:

You can only see the big fat O if you search as a Client, not looking at your own Profile as a Freelancer,  but that is what is critical.

Exactly! I don't really care what freelancers can see, I care what CLIENTS can see. Who gets a zero? You'd have to be a pretty pathetic freelancer.... 

[jmccpa]

Unusual absence of MOD responses to this critical issue.

[tlsanders]

They're in the back fighting over who has to come out here and try to explain this away.

[melaniekhenson]

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@Tiffany S wrote:

They're in the back fighting over who has to come out here and try to explain this away.

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(nodding) 

[jessicasimko]

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@Tiffany S wrote:

They're in the back fighting over who has to come out here and try to explain this away.

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hahahaha...

Sad but likely true. 

[datasciencewonk]

Awwwwww COME ON Upwork!

Think very carefully about the impact for *both* FL'ers and clients when you make such a change.  

ETA Update: Evidently, this is a glitch? But, still...a glitch that can increase the likelihood of negatively impacting FL's. 

[lenaellis]

Sorry for the delay everyone. I am hunting this down as we speak and will get more information to you as soon as I can. 

[jmccpa]

Lena,

Thank you.

But we don't need no 'splaining". (as said by Ricky Ricardo to Lucy).

We need this corrected asap.

It  has the potential to cause some major hurt to your Top Rated Freelancers.

[elastella]

Yeah, the irony that ONLY Top Rated providers can get a big fat 0.

Even the worst of the worst come away with at least 1 star....

[reinierb]

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@Ela K wrote:

Yeah, the irony that ONLY Top Rated providers can get a big fat 0.

Even the worst of the worst come away with at least 1 star....

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I used the perk to have the feedback from a slightly less than perfect star rating excluded from my JSS in August of last year. The star rating still shows for me, so maybe the zero star rating now only applies if you've had feedback removed?  

[petra_r]

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@Reinier B wrote:

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@Ela K wrote:

Yeah, the irony that ONLY Top Rated providers can get a big fat 0.

Even the worst of the worst come away with at least 1 star....

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I used the perk to have the feedback from a slightly less than perfect star rating excluded from my JSS in August of last year. The star rating still shows for me, so maybe the zero star rating now only applies if you've had feedback removed?  

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 The "This is a ZERO RATED FAILURE" mark only appears when someone had the feedback itself (rather than just the impact on the JSS) removed.

[jmccpa]

And to "rub the salt in the wound", the option when displaying your own Profile to "See it as others see it" a now a falsehood since it is not displayed with the 0 for Feedback Removed.

[holymell]

So… what are the perks of being top rated now? The badge?

I have yet to have to use that "perk" and now, I never will. If I get a bad review that I deserve, I'll leave it. If I feel I don't deserve it… I guess I'll leave it. Cool.

Thanks Upwork.

[wendy_writes]

While I agree with Melissa's comment above - this will certainly makeTop Rated providers even more cautious about bidding on and accepting offers. The end result > less $ in %s for Upwork.  

Seeing as a good percentage of RFPs are listed on at least one other site using escrow, it is safer to just bid on both sites for the same job. Connects by any name are cheap ... especially when it comes to FLer Reputation Management.

I for one am eagerly waiting to find out if this is the 2nd major glitch of the day or if it was intended.

[jessicasimko]

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@Joseph C wrote:

And to "rub the salt in the wound", the option when displaying your own Profile to "See it as others see it" a now a falsehood since it is not displayed with the 0 for Feedback Removed.

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i noticed, throughout all these weird changes that Upwork has made to these star ratings (taking off the numerical value and then adding it back.. spacing out the stars, etc.) typically starts on the client side and then gradually moves to the freelancer side. It does end up being the same - eventually - but over a period of weeks.. maybe months.

[researchediting]

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@Joseph C wrote:

And to "rub the salt in the wound", the option when displaying your own Profile to "See it as others see it" a now a falsehood since it is not displayed with the 0 for Feedback Removed.

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I don’t remember the specifics, but this is not the first time that a discrepancy between “see it as others see it” and what others actually see has been pointed out. 

[jmccpa]

Lena,

Have you find out what is the reason for this serious mistake by Upwork?

I just checked my own Profile as a Client and the issue continues.

Please advise us all.  As Top Rated Freelancers, we deserve better.

Joe

[tgano]

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Joseph C wrote:

Lena,

Have you find out what is the reason for this serious mistake by Upwork?

I just checked my own Profile as a Client and the issue continues.

Please advise us all.  As Top Rated Freelancers, we deserve better.

Joe

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Joseph,

Yes we do deserve better!! There is NO excuse for the long silence, there is NO excuse for the fact that it is even happening whether due to a silent change or a glitch.

We top rated freelancers work our butts off to try and keep clients happy and coming back. We deserve to not be sabotaged at every turn!!!

[jmccpa]

Top Rated Frelancers:

How should we interpret no further response from the Moderator?

[wendy_writes]

@ Joseph,  not kindly; not favorably; not transparently.  Me thinks all the mods are running for cover ...

[cylver1z]

Hello everyone,

We have escalated this issue to our team. The Top Rated one looks to be displaying correctly now but we are still addressing the issue with the feedback and spacing. We'll give you an update as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience.

[jmccpa]

Ryan,

It seems that you do not understand the major issue.

I just checked my own Profile using my Client Account:

Look at the star rating copied below of 0.00   ZERO   NADA.

This is what has many of your Top Rated Freelancers totally upset.

Why should a Top Rated Freelance be shown as a O Rating???

Commercial Real Estate Project Excel financial model analysis

• 0.00

• Dec 2017

This feedback has been removed

If we were to add up the Total Earnings of all of those who have posted today on this issue, I would guess it probably exceeds $500,000 or more.

This is an URGENT matter.  It is not a matter of "spacing".

Joe

[tgano]

Quite frankly, I do not think upworks give a rip how it affects us.