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» Forums » Freelancers » Re: The Upwork support is harassing me.
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2a05aa63
Community Member

The Upwork support is harassing me.

I had an interview a month ago, an hourly contract. The client wanted the best security, automated tests, advanced technologies. We've been decising over the proper software to use for it for 2 days. Once we had that and we could do estimates, which were around 8 hours, the client starts bargaining saying they want it to be done in 3 hours... First red flag. Next thay say they want it to be a fixed price... ar $165 which is my hourly rate x3.
Being annoyed of spending this much time on them, I politely declined the offer, and blocked them from writting me back, and withdrew my applications to that job. (we had no contract nor offer sent)

A month later, I'm getting a phone call from a US number, that my phone indentified as Upwork Support. I was confused why would be the reason, if this is some kind of scam. I wrote to the chat support. While I was doing that I was getting another call. I answered. The agent verified my name and asked if I have knew a specific client, because for some reason they are blocked and cannot write me. Well, duh, that's why I would be using a blocking feature in the first place. 

As for the chat agent, even if I said that I've resolved the issues, she was sending me emails about to schedule a call to about the call I receved. Twice. I replied, that I resolved the issues, and said shared my thoughts about maybe they should not be calling people out of the blue about these kinds of issues. Her reply was "if there are pending work to be submitted it is best to complete them first and send it to the client before blocking them in Messages.". Excuse me. what?

EDIT: Used actual support quote.

ACCEPTED SOLUTION
AleksandarD
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi Viacheslav,

 

I'm very sorry to hear about what happened. One of our team members will reach out to you directly to assist you further.

Thank you.

~ Aleksandar
Upwork

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16 REPLIES 16
alexandernovikov
Community Member

I think this is just a generational problem here. Millenials see a phone call as an extraordinary method of communication - they use it only for what boomers would use registered mail letter written by a lawyer.

 

For us X-ers, phone call is just a phone call. Relax, it's OK.


Alexander N wrote:

I think this is just a generational problem here. Millenials see a phone call as an extraordinary method of communication - they use it only for what boomers would use registered mail letter written by a lawyer.

 

For us X-ers, phone call is just a phone call. Relax, it's OK.


While true, I hate phone calls, I don't want to get phoned by the support each time I block a person. And get emails with wrong suggestions after I two confirmations that I don't need any help.


Alexander N wrote:

For us X-ers, phone call is just a phone call. 


Not for Upwork Support. 

petra_r
Community Member


Viacheslav K wrote:

... shared my thoughts about maybe they should not be calling people out of the blue about these kinds of issues. Her reply was that maybe I should not block clients I have unfinished work with. Excuse me. what?


You never (even previously) had a contract with that client, correct? 

 

If that rep really said that under the circumstances, that's unacceptable. Is the client super big or important (high spend)? 

2a05aa63
Community Member


Petra R wrote:

Viacheslav K wrote:

... shared my thoughts about maybe they should not be calling people out of the blue about these kinds of issues. Her reply was that maybe I should not block clients I have unfinished work with. Excuse me. what?


You never (even previously) had a contract with that client, correct? 

 

If that rep really said that under the circumstances, that's unacceptable. Is the client super big or important (high spend)? 


Correct, that was the first interview we had.
They've spend $300 and have a 16% hire rate.

petra_r
Community Member


Viacheslav K wrote:


Correct, that was the first interview we had.
They've spend $300 and have a 16% hire rate.


Then I'm nothing short of stunned that Upwork used phone support (Premium and expensive) to call you considering you declined the client and made it clear you're not interested. There was no issue to resolve. You weren't interested and that's that. There was no reason for a phone call. 

 

And this:  "that maybe I should not block clients I have unfinished work with." is completely inappropriate. 

 

 

2a05aa63
Community Member



Then I'm nothing short of stunned that Upwork used phone support (Premium and expensive) to call you considering you declined the client and made it clear you're not interested. There was no issue to resolve. You weren't interested and that's that. There was no reason for a phone call. 

 

And this:  "that maybe I should not block clients I have unfinished work with." is completely inappropriate. 


Agreed, I don't see any use of that.

Maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, the direct quote was "if there are pending work to be submitted it is best to complete them first and send it to the client before blocking them in Messages."

petra_r
Community Member


Viacheslav K wrote:

Maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, the direct quote was "if there are pending work to be submitted it is best to complete them first and send it to the client before blocking them in Messages."


OK, please don't do that. Support agents get enough flak for what they do say, it is entirely unfair to be dishonest in a public post on the web about what was said, just to make a story more dramatic. 

What was really said is still inappropriate considering there was no "pending work", what you said they said would have been rude enough for disciplinary action...

2a05aa63
Community Member



OK, please don't do that. Support agents get enough flak for what they do say, it is entirely unfair to be dishonest in a public post on the web about what  was said. 

What was really said is still inappropriate considering there was no "pending work", what you said they said would have been rude enough for disciplinary action...


Yeah, sorry. That's just how it sounded to me under that context.

Wow, that's bizarre. 

If only they paid that much attention to known scammers. 

The original poster is describing stunningly inappropriate behavior on the part of a Customer Support agent.

AleksandarD
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi Viacheslav,

 

I'm very sorry to hear about what happened. One of our team members will reach out to you directly to assist you further.

Thank you.

~ Aleksandar
Upwork


Aleksandar D wrote:

Hi Viacheslav,

I'm very sorry to hear about what happened. One of our team members will reach out to you directly to assist you further.


I would hazard a guess that this is the LAST thing he wants, considering the whole thread is about unsolicited and unwanted "reaching out" to him by Upwrk staff.

 

Maybe re-direct the "reaching out" in the direction of the staff who OVER-reached-out to a freelancer who had simply exercised their right to decline to work with a client they had no contract with.

They apologized for this, hope it will help improve the support. Case closed.

It should never have happened in the first place, and I hope they're ensuring it never happens again. I won't hold my breath, though. 

kinector
Community Member

OMG!

That's my only comment on the entire thread.

"This is not happening, this is not happening... Oh ***t it just happened!"
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