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board-karen
Community Member

3 feedback questions about 3 different clients

Kinda new to Upwork -- less than a year, although did Elance before, then went in a different direction for awhile.  Anyway, I'm been blessed to have fabulous clients, most long-term, but several completed projects with good reviews, so I now (for the next few hours at least) hold "top-rated" status with 100% job satisfaction (although that might change soon....eerrggghhh).

 

So, here's my 3 questions:

1) Client 1 -- short job -- write 4 articles.   Got all 4 done before deadlines, she was happy, they got published, I got paid immediately.  But now that job is just sitting there as a "job in progress" but with no milestones for the past couple weeks.  I'm assuming she's planning to send me more work at some point (and I have several projects right now, so don't mind waiting).  My question on this one is...is it ok to just let that sit there for now.  Will it hurt me if it's inactive too long?  

 

2) Client #2 - I think I have a pending mediocre review.  It was a 24 hour turn-around, and darned if I didn't get really sleepy in the middle of it, and just didn't do as good a job as I would have liked.  She forgot to tell me she wanted me to track changes (and I forgot to ask).  I did miss one typo (in almost 11K words).  I proofed according to Chicago, per her instructions, but then there was some issue about comma placement (which I triple checked with my manual, and am sure I'm right, but offered to change according to her preference).  Anyway, she did pay me immediately, but didn't seem happy.  And I'm afraid to post my feedback (or even what to say) because then hers (which I'm assuming is NOT glowing) will pop right up there for all the world to see.  So, do I wait until 2 weeks are up (in about 3 days) for that review to pop up and then write a polite response, or should I go ahead and post feedback now?  I'm trying to figure out how to word it so I sound professional and not defensive.

 

3) 3rd client -- quickie job about a week ago.  Quick turn-around -- within hours.  Money in escrow.  I turned in the work, but it's been 6 days, and she hasn't approved it.  She's an established client on Upwork with pretty good reviews.  I know in another week, I'll get paid anyway (automatically) but what about the feedback?  That's actually what I was hoping for, in light of my less than stellar feedback I'm expecting from client #2.

 

Thanks for advice!

Karen

6 REPLIES 6
mystudiomke
Community Member

Hi Karen - here is my 2cents

 

1. Follow up and ask if they foresee any more work. If not in the next 30 days, then request to kindly close the contract. If they don't reply, just close it out. My technique is to always request to close it even they foresee work in the coming future (mostly because that always changes). You can always open a new contract and you get more feedback comments that will help your JSS.

 

2. Why does it matter if it's now or in 30 days? Why the fear? Give her the polite but honest feedback as you planned on. If needed, then respond to their feedback on your profile. If the feedback is really bad in your eyes then use your top rated perk.

 

3. First and always follow up. If you don't hear back then close it out. You will continue getting jobs as you go and hopefully, 90% are kind and respectful enough to close it out. No point in keeping it open.

 

Lila

Thanks Lila,  helpful info.  I'll go ahead and contact clients 1 and 3.  The reason I was delaying posting feedback on client 2 is that as soon as I post my feedback, then hers gets posted.  I was actively looking for work (and did take 2 short jobs and 1 longer job) in past week or so, so didn't want a negative feedback sitting there at the top (apparently it hasn't affected my JSS yet), because prior to that job I only had 3 feedbacks (all good, but most of my clients are ongoing).  Now I have at least one good feedback above hers.

Update -- I contacted client 1 & 3 and waiting to hear back.  Hopefully client 3 will pay and leave feedback, and client 1 will send more work (I really like her jobs).  

 

And...I bit the bullet and posted a polite feedback for client #2, AND guess what?  She gave 4.8 stars and a brief but nice note of feedback. NOT what I expected, since I really did have several screw-ups, but I'LL TAKE IT!!!   


Lila G wrote:

Hi Karen - here is my 2cents

 

1. Follow up and ask if they foresee any more work. If not in the next 30 days, then request to kindly close the contract. If they don't reply, just close it out. My technique is to always request to close it even they foresee work in the coming future (mostly because that always changes). You can always open a new contract and you get more feedback comments that will help your JSS.

 

2. Why does it matter if it's now or in 30 days? Why the fear? Give her the polite but honest feedback as you planned on. If needed, then respond to their feedback on your profile. If the feedback is really bad in your eyes then use your top rated perk.

 

3. First and always follow up. If you don't hear back then close it out. You will continue getting jobs as you go and hopefully, 90% are kind and respectful enough to close it out. No point in keeping it open.

 


1. First and always follow up
Following up us bad advise. There are freelancers that will use this advise as an excuse to harras clients with messages.

 

2. No point in keeping it open

No point of closing it. Too many closed contracts without feedback can have a negative effect on the JSS. Clients keep contract open to continue working with freelancers in the future. If a freelancer closes a contract, the client might get the impression he just got fire.

jr-translation
Community Member


Karen B wrote:

Kinda new to Upwork -- less than a year, although did Elance before, then went in a different direction for awhile.  Anyway, I'm been blessed to have fabulous clients, most long-term, but several completed projects with good reviews, so I now (for the next few hours at least) hold "top-rated" status with 100% job satisfaction (although that might change soon....eerrggghhh).

 

So, here's my 3 questions:

1) Client 1 -- short job -- write 4 articles.   Got all 4 done before deadlines, she was happy, they got published, I got paid immediately.  But now that job is just sitting there as a "job in progress" but with no milestones for the past couple weeks.  I'm assuming she's planning to send me more work at some point (and I have several projects right now, so don't mind waiting).  My question on this one is...is it ok to just let that sit there for now.  Will it hurt me if it's inactive too long?  

 

2) Client #2 - I think I have a pending mediocre review.  It was a 24 hour turn-around, and darned if I didn't get really sleepy in the middle of it, and just didn't do as good a job as I would have liked.  She forgot to tell me she wanted me to track changes (and I forgot to ask).  I did miss one typo (in almost 11K words).  I proofed according to Chicago, per her instructions, but then there was some issue about comma placement (which I triple checked with my manual, and am sure I'm right, but offered to change according to her preference).  Anyway, she did pay me immediately, but didn't seem happy.  And I'm afraid to post my feedback (or even what to say) because then hers (which I'm assuming is NOT glowing) will pop right up there for all the world to see.  So, do I wait until 2 weeks are up (in about 3 days) for that review to pop up and then write a polite response, or should I go ahead and post feedback now?  I'm trying to figure out how to word it so I sound professional and not defensive.

 

3) 3rd client -- quickie job about a week ago.  Quick turn-around -- within hours.  Money in escrow.  I turned in the work, but it's been 6 days, and she hasn't approved it.  She's an established client on Upwork with pretty good reviews.  I know in another week, I'll get paid anyway (automatically) but what about the feedback?  That's actually what I was hoping for, in light of my less than stellar feedback I'm expecting from client #2.

 

Thanks for advice!

Karen


Client 1: Since you received payment so you can just let the contract rest without worrying. If you feel, you can close the contract yourself, but I advise against messaging the clients too much. The contract has no negative effect on your JSS for the moment.

 

Client 2: There are always client that find reason to complain. There isn't much you can do about it. I would not leave a public reply to a feedback without calming down at least for a week. Stop thinking about this contract while it has not been closed.

 

Client 3: Do not reach out to the client. They are also busy. You will get paid by the system and the contract will stay open. Client might might consider it poor communication if you send unwanted messages.

 

Stop worrying about feedback and the JSS. Use the energy for something usefull. You are Top Rated and have a 100 % JSS.

Thanks...I was kinda feeling the same way about not wanting to bug a client, especially since I know I'll get paid.  But I did wait over a week before contacting either one, so I think it'll be ok.

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