| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3] > | Wow, I am no longer allowed to get a subscription to DeepL (‘due to internal policies’)! Thread poster: Michael Beijer
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Michael Beijer wrote:
Ice Scream wrote:
So now you might have to, like, translate stuff yourself? 
I'm a technical translator and do 4,000–5,000 words a day. I'd be a fool to manually type (or dictate) all that. However, let's try to stay on topic; there are already enough other threads on Proz on how terrible it is to use MT as a professional translator, blah blah bah. The reason I started this thread was to warn fellow translators about DeepL as a company. It's just not cool to refuse someone service but also refuse to tell them why.
for calling me a fool, sort of...
But indeed, this is another topic.
| | | | | Thanks for the Intento tip | Mar 2, 2023 |
Thank you Michael for your tip about Intento.
Michael Beijer wrote:
The only thing I can think of is that, when asked by their automated email asking me to rate the support I had been given, I said that 11 days is WAY too long to wait, and that I was in the meantime considering no longer using DeepL, and instead getting an Intento subscription, which gives me access to DeepL, plus a whole bunch of other MT services.
| | | | | 'aus Gründen' | Mar 2, 2023 |
Is 'aus Gründen' more or less equivalent to the modern English expression "because reasons"?
Thomas Pfann wrote:
Intriguing. But of course there are always two sides to every story. It would be interesting to know what you wrote before they told you "to eff off". Something must have triggered them.
| | | | Gitte Hovedskov (X)
Denmark
Local time: 21:15
English to Danish
+ ...
| Maybe they just don't like your attitude? | Mar 2, 2023 |
Thanks for making me aware of DeepL, looks worth a try.
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Michael Beijer 
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:15
Member (2009)
Dutch to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | I decided quite deliberately to throw all my toys out of my pram ;-) | Mar 2, 2023 |
Ice Scream wrote:
Michael Beijer wrote:
Ice Scream wrote:
So now you might have to, like, translate stuff yourself?
I'm a technical translator and do 4,000–5,000 words a day. I'd be a fool to manually type (or dictate) all that. However, let's try to stay on topic; there are already enough other threads on Proz on how terrible it is to use MT as a professional translator, blah blah bah. The reason I started this thread was to warn fellow translators about DeepL as a company. It's just not cool to refuse someone service but also refuse to tell them why.
The smiley was to make absolutely sure it was taken as a joke…
I imagine you’ve been turned down because of your reaction. So they cocked up; everyone does sometimes. You didn’t really need to throw all your toys out of the pram in public.
Over the years I have found that writing about stuff like this on a forum such as Proz.com is often a way to piss off a company enough to take notice. If enough people view and interact on a thread like this, DeepL might think, ‘Shit, perhaps we need to work on how we treat our customers’.
It's similar to those annoying clients who never pay on time, or don't pay at all, until you give them a bad (pulic) review on the Proz.com Blue Board, or Payment Practices. Anyway, I think you get the picture.
[Edited at 2023-03-02 11:58 GMT]
[Edited at 2023-03-02 12:05 GMT]
| | | | | I'll remember that... | Mar 2, 2023 |
what a fantastic reason not to give an explanation!
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 21:15
Spanish to English
+ ...
| | Use of internal policies in the client relations? | Mar 4, 2023 |
this is not quite clear
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| @Micheal, be carefull, you might get more you wish for! | Mar 5, 2023 |
[/quote]
Over the years I have found that writing about stuff like this on a forum such as Proz.com is often a way to piss off a company enough to take notice.
[/quote]
'A company' (as in 'one' company)? More companies might read your thread, and put you, before you know it, on their blacklist as a 'troublemaker'.
Remember that everything you put on the web, will be there forever. Always think twice before publishing anything.
Just a friendly a... See more [/quote]
Over the years I have found that writing about stuff like this on a forum such as Proz.com is often a way to piss off a company enough to take notice.
[/quote]
'A company' (as in 'one' company)? More companies might read your thread, and put you, before you know it, on their blacklist as a 'troublemaker'.
Remember that everything you put on the web, will be there forever. Always think twice before publishing anything.
Just a friendly advice. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Lieven Malaise
Belgium
Local time: 21:15
Member (2020)
French to Dutch
+ ...
| To each their own | Mar 5, 2023 |
To each their own, but as a translator I prefer neutral business-like communication, also in situations of discontent. It avoids burning bridges that you might come to regret.
Let's face it, what value does it have to tell a company that you will go to a competitor for the same product ? It's like children in the playground.
(for the exact same reason I also avoid to become familiar with my clients)
| | | | Michael Beijer
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:15
Member (2009)
Dutch to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Although I totally agree, in theory, I don't always manage, which is also fine. | Mar 5, 2023 |
Lieven Malaise wrote:
To each their own, but as a translator I prefer neutral business-like communication, also in situations of discontent. It avoids burning bridges that you might come to regret.
Let's face it, what value does it have to tell a company that you will go to a competitor for the same product ? It's like children in the playground.
(for the exact same reason I also avoid to become familiar with my clients)
Although I totally agree, in theory, I don't always manage, which is also fine. A few burnt bridges is OK with me.
But again, their automated system asked me what I thought of their service, and all I said was:
(1) I think 11 days to get back to me is way too long for a company of your type. They have all this money, and yet it takes them 11 days to answer a request for support (about how to pay for their product!)?
(2) I am seriously considering trying Intento, which allows me to access DeepL, plus a whole bunch of other MT engines, for basically the same price.
That's literally all I said. Their response to these two measly statements? They refuse to let me use their service, and refuse to tell me why. It boggles the mind.
As far as I am conscerned, those two statements were still professional. However, after being refused their service and being refused a reason why, they have pissed me off, and so now they can deal with the consequences of their stupid decision, i.e., the bad PR they are going to get from this.
And remember that this is a company you keep reading stuff in the news about such as:
• "DeepL, the AI-based language translator, raises over $100M at a $1B+ valuation" (https://techcrunch.com/2023/01/11/deepl-the-ai-based-language-translator-raises-over-100m-at-a-1b-valuation/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAF1my3g-ilbI9csN5wlPFhSvgV-WMEsun7t_6AkMFzgg-Dsfr5jDRfxZYXHg0UiHEyboWr9rSI7Bc9mJXH4O8e7sEuR0QObp3B0lZ4f1aZMlKiBJVOau6IJd-hvPGvx7YBL6Hhl11MWWy-VSXiU91uPtME455B1aa5fJBl2k0Oje )
• "DeepL Taps Investors in Round Valuing Machine Translation Firm at USD 1 Billion — Reports" (https://slator.com/deepl-taps-investors-in-round-valuing-machine-translation-firm-usd-1-billion/ )
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Also, I think it can actually work in your favour as a freelance translator to not just take shit like this and smile placidly and reply with some bland business cliché or other, but to stand by your guns.
| | | | | a secretive undertaking (Beethoven's Symph. 5 style) | Mar 6, 2023 |
plus, they impose on you the obligation to understand two basic things:
1. they can't disclose the internal policy according to which they strike out their customers
2. Germany-based DeepL is not disclosing the full amount that it’s raised
so, they seem to build a special secret team of DeepL users. We can draw a straight line across above two points.
my twopence
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Michael Beijer
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:15
Member (2009)
Dutch to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | very unprofessional, I know, but ... | Mar 8, 2023 |
I have put a curse on DeepL ...
… and am now patiently waiting for their demise ;-)
| | | | | A curse, like what? | Mar 9, 2023 |
"I put a spell check on you".
| | | | Michael Beijer
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:15
Member (2009)
Dutch to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Jean Dimitriadis wrote:
"I put a spell check on you".
Can't tell, as I don't want to jinx it.
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