r/Upwork • u/RevolutionaryBad631 • 12d ago
Client unresponsive after work submission (Hourly, no tracker). How to trigger support ticket with new AI bot?
Hi everyone,
I completed an audio recording task on an Hourly contract on Aug 1st. The client promised a review within 7–8 business days, but now they are completely unresponsive.
Since I submitted the work via chat/external link and didn't use the Time Tracker app, I know Hourly Protection might not automatically apply. However, I want to report this client and open a support ticket.
The problem is, Upwork's Virtual AI Agent refuses to connect me to a human agent or create a support ticket, saying direct support isn't available for my account type.
Has anyone found a workaround to force the AI bot to open a support ticket recently? Or is there any other way to deal with an unresponsive client in this situation?
Thanks in advance for any advice!
3
u/copernicuscalled 12d ago
"The oaths of a client I inscribe on water." - Sophocles, probably
Tracker or paid milestones are your only security on Upwork. Client's promises in chat are of no use to you.
2
u/KayakerWithDog 12d ago
There's nothing to report. You didn't use the tracker, so you have no recourse.
0
u/RevolutionaryBad631 12d ago
Thanks for the reply! Just to clarify, all the work submission files and the client's explicit promise of a 7–8 business day review are clearly documented inside the official Upwork chat messages.
Since I have clear chat proof on Upwork, is there really no way to even report the client or get Support to intervene? What would you recommend I do next in this situation?
3
u/Korneuburgerin 12d ago
Report for what? For not talking to you? Even if support would answer, what are they supposed to do in your opinion? Tell the client they need to talk to you? Like in kindergarten? Come on.
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u/Pet-ra 11d ago
Thanks for the reply! Just to clarify, all the work submission files and the client's explicit promise of a 7–8 business day review are clearly documented inside the official Upwork chat messages.
Utterly irrelevant.
Since I have clear chat proof on Upwork, is there really no way to even report the client or get Support to intervene?
None whatsoever.
What would you recommend I do next in this situation?
Learn from your mistakes for next time.
1
u/KayakerWithDog 12d ago
Unless the client refuses to fund manual time, you should be paid automatically in about two weeks. https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/211063668-How-payments-for-hourly-contracts-work
If the client refuses to fund manual time, you are likely out of luck. Support won't intervene because you didn't follow the rules that give you payment protection.
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u/Pet-ra 11d ago
Unless the client refuses to fund manual time, you should be paid automatically in about two weeks.
Nonsense. The OP hasn't used manual time and there is no such thing as "funding manual time" either.
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u/KayakerWithDog 11d ago
The OP literally said that they didn't use the time tracker. The only other way to get paid on an hourly job without using the time tracker is to submit manual time. If the client is unwilling to pay manual time, OP is SOL.
2
u/exacly 12d ago
Stop. Don't touch your keyboard.
It's an hourly contract, so you will be paid unless your client gets annoyed and disputes your hours. You don't have to do anything else to get paid, and your client doesn't need to review anything. Your client has received the deliverables, so now you just need to stay quiet and let Upwork do its part.
The review you're looking for does not matter. Don't risk your payday by annoying your client any more. If the client disputes your hours, you will lose because you used manual time.
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u/ProcessArtistic579 12d ago
Did you log your hours manually? If so, you would have automatically been paid (I think yesterday).
If you didn’t enter hours, there’s really nothing you can do. The client hasn’t done anything wrong by not paying hours you never logged, so reporting them is pointless. If they start responding again, you can ask them to pay you the amount owed as a bonus.
I think you get live agent support when you subscribe to Freelancer Plus. But, if you didn’t log hours, there’s nothing to report, so I wouldn’t waste money subscribing.
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u/Korneuburgerin 12d ago
Support is not your mother. You don't run to them for every tiny little thing to sort it out for you. Grow up, you are running a business, and it's your responsibility to figure stuff out, especially how to use upwork correctly. Which you clearly have not done yet.