| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Freelance translators: Do you try to visit or meet your clients? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Freelance translators: Do you try to visit or meet your clients?".
View the poll here
A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more information, see: http://proz.com/topic/33629
| | | | | Where is the Poll? | Mar 2, 2006 |
ProZ.com Staff wrote:
This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Freelance translators: Do you try to visit or meet your clients?". View the poll hereA forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more information, see: http://proz.com/topic/33629
This is the first time I haven't found the polls! Is it possible?
A puzzled Inés
| | | | Henry Hinds 
United States
Local time: 12:58
English to Spanish
+ ...
In memoriam | It amazes me... | Mar 2, 2006 |
That so far 70% have said no. Meeting and knowing your clients is the very basis of a good relationship. Without that, how can we provide world-class service?
Of course the way many of us have to work, it may be impossible even though we would like to. Perhaps the poll should be modified; instead of just yes or no, it could also offer the options thus:
Yes
If I could, I would, but I usually can't.
If I could, I would not care to.
N... See more That so far 70% have said no. Meeting and knowing your clients is the very basis of a good relationship. Without that, how can we provide world-class service?
Of course the way many of us have to work, it may be impossible even though we would like to. Perhaps the poll should be modified; instead of just yes or no, it could also offer the options thus:
Yes
If I could, I would, but I usually can't.
If I could, I would not care to.
No.
I'm lucky to know most of my clients, many personally and including their entire staff, and others I may only know by phone or e-mail, but the relationship is there. It really counts. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Kunik
Local time: 20:58
English to Latvian
+ ...
| It depends on where your clients are | Mar 2, 2006 |
Henry Hinds wrote:
That so far 70% have said no. Meeting and knowing your clients is the very basis of a good relationship. Without that, how can we provide world-class service?
Many of my clients are located abroad. One day when I have earned enough money translating, I will make a trip around the world and meet them all. :)
[Edited at 2006-03-02 05:02]
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KathyT
Australia
Local time: 06:58
Japanese to English
| If someone can tell me how to write it off... | Mar 2, 2006 |
..... as a legitimate business 'expense', then I'd love to have the opportunity of answering "Yes!!"
It would be a lovely way to see the world!! :-):-D
I've met only a few of my clients, but have fairly good e-relationships with the rest, I'm happy to say.
It's no surprise to me that most people have answered "No." We are living in the age of globalization, after all!!
| | | | hamani56 (X)
Afghanistan
Local time: 00:28
| i would like to but the "global village" is much too vast. | Mar 2, 2006 |
ProZ.com Staff wrote:
This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Freelance translators: Do you try to visit or meet your clients?". View the poll hereA forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more information, see: http://proz.com/topic/33629
I wish i could , but i don't try to visit my clients because they are thousands of miles away and they may not have the time for a friendly chat.
On the other hand, when you meet people, especially in conferences, you learn in a shorth period of time what you may not learn in months or years.
(now my philosophical side) People were created to meet each other, to discuss with one another, to love each other (with the heart i mean) and to exchange their mutual experiences.
Shangri-la in this earthly world is an illusion.
Eden in the next is not.
omar hamani,
| | | | Robert Zawadzki (X)
Local time: 20:58
English to Polish
+ ...
| I work mainly through agencies | Mar 2, 2006 |
Some of them even expressly asked that I never contact clients directly (even when asking questions).
| | | | Rosa Enciso
Germany
Local time: 20:58
Member
German to Spanish
+ ...
| I answered yes | Mar 2, 2006 |
but in fact it is only true regarding my two main clients, because they live in the same town or in Germany.
It depends on the relationship you have with them. If you only work once for a company, I don't think you will have the idea of getting to know the people personally.
And unfortunately, the disadvantage of online business is that everything is getting more and more impersonal! Sometimes I have the feeling of only existing virtually, at least for them...
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Mariana Moreira
Portugal
Local time: 19:58
Member (2004)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| I did replied yes | Mar 2, 2006 |
In fact if the client is located nearby I certainly do and whenever he is in a foreign country and for some reason I visit it I always try to arrange a meeting.
I already had many good surprises:):) It pays off for a good partnership and cooperation to have a face linked to a name or an email address!!
| | | | Latin_Hellas (X)
United States
Local time: 20:58
Italian to English
+ ...
| Perhaps "try" is vague | Mar 2, 2006 |
Generally, I agree with Henry. It amazes me that so many people so far have answered no, but judging by the comments, they answered as if the question were "do you actually visit clients ... ".
As a practical question, it may be impossible to meet with clients gained through remote means, but, in my experience at least, most of the best clients are won through person to person contact.
| | | | hamani56 (X)
Afghanistan
Local time: 00:28
| why (agencies) don't want you to contact clients | Mar 2, 2006 |
Robert Zawadzki wrote:
Some of them even expressly asked that I never contact clients directly (even when asking questions).
...because if you do, they fear that you might take business from them. if the client can contact the translator directly, he'll be able to reduce the cost of the work and avoid the cost of intermediaries... but the latter are necessary, they organize the work, and distribute projects that may be too large for a single translator... and they handle administrative issues such as taxes and the like.
[Edited at 2006-03-02 15:00]
| | | | diana bb
Lithuania
Local time: 21:58
English to Lithuanian
+ ...
| Neither is applicable | Mar 2, 2006 |
... due to the wording - 'Do you TRY...'
I don't TRY to meet them, I HAVE to meet my clients, because mostly I work directly with them.
[Edited at 2006-03-02 10:05]
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Henk Peelen
Netherlands
Local time: 20:58
Member (2003)
German to Dutch
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER | Generally yes | Mar 2, 2006 |
Nearly all my clients are agencies and I think it's good to meet each other physically (just like your colleagues, actually it are colleagues), but not really necessary. It depends of course on the distance. Up to now I did meet about ten clients in The Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Finland.
[Edited at 2006-03-02 11:13]
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i'm going to the Netherlands later this month and I am definitely making a point of meeting 2 clients while I am there.
If you can, make the effort to meet them - it's usually not a problem for them to find 30 minutes to meet you for a coffee & a chat. It has paid off for me.
Because the nature of our job can be rather anti-social, I think it is important to get out of the house and put a face to the names. It is the same in other business sectors, why not for us?
| | | | | These agencies are your clients Robert :-) | Mar 2, 2006 |
It's a big exception when I meet a client of mine. My clients, most of them agencies, are located all over the world.
Robert Zawadzki wrote:
Some of them even expressly asked that I never contact clients directly (even when asking questions).
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