Why is odesk reinventing the wheel?

[hozy]

These premade Additional Questions here on odesk are just a huge facepalm. I only came here to connect with clients. But now you cannot start a meaningful 1 on 1 conversation with a client anymore, because right from the beginning there is a third party brought into that conversation. Odesk has basically nothing to do with my expertise, so why are you interfering? Why can't odesk learn from other freelance platforms. You bring clients and freelancers together as professionally as possible, take your percentage from it, and that's it. There is no need to interfere in conversations, and there is definitely no need to start one. If you think you are helping out by offering these premade standard questions, then please be so helpful and start answering them yourself. Every project is different, right? And even if there happens to be a very short job description, and a client who has no idea what to ask or say, then it's usually the perfect moment for freelancers to shine. Basically this is how freelancers get hired, by demonstrating their creative expertise, right? You are not helping out a client with those click and choose questions, you only make him look like a robot. Nothing unique about that, it starts to look like an assembly line, or even worse, like fiverr.

[kugrin]

To be fair, clients can easily remove the default/template questions and/or add their own. I personally like the ability to add a custom question or two because it helps me identify the strongest applicants. I do agree that there is 0 value in the standard questions so oDesk's default should be no question with the ability to add custom ones and if they insist on using their pre-made questions, have them show up as ideas but force the client to type them out to make sure they really do want that question answered and are not just accidentally adding it to their job post. As for reinventing the wheel - if only. oDesk realigned strategy and is now focused on breaking wheels. 😉

[suznee]

[quote=Krisztina U.] As for reinventing the wheel - if only. oDesk realigned strategy and is now focused on breaking wheels. ;)[/quote] Thanks for making my evening. I had to giggle .. but sometimes the truth is quite laughable.

[stephenbrightman]

I don't think they intend to break wheels - it's just that they seem to be focused on devising a brand new kind of wheel (yes, reinventing. So one of them comes up with an idea about a wheel with square edges made out of chalk because "hey, that would look cool - nice and white and funky"; so they roll it out (excuse the pun)and resolutely stick with it, despite the fact that it's crumbling away on the road...everyone tells them about it, and there's a telltale line of chalk away back down the road - but they're focused on moving ever onward and forward,so don't see any of it.

[kugrin]

[quote=Stephen B.]I don't think they intend to break wheels - it's just that they seem to be focused on devising a brand new kind of wheel (yes, reinventing. So one of them comes up with an idea about a wheel with square edges made out of chalk because "hey, that would look cool - nice and white and funky"; so they roll it out (excuse the pun)and resolutely stick with it, despite the fact that it's crumbling away on the road...everyone tells them about it, and there's a telltale line of chalk away back down the road - but they're focused on moving ever onward and forward,so don't see any of it.[/quote] You're right! LOL! And the end of that story will be that the chalk wheel wears thinner and thinner until completely gone at which point the oDesk team will throw up their hands in surprise. One dares to look back, but the mad robot washed away the trail, and oDesk will forever wonder what happened. The End.

[stephenbrightman]

While it's trundling down the road, passers-by notice the crumbling wheels and the line of chalk, and wave frantically at the driver to let him know what's happening. But the driver thinks they're waving in appreciation, because he's wearing earplugs and can't hear anything. He gets back to base and tells everyone proudly how well received and popular the new chalky wheels are....