| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: What do you do when you haven't heard from a client in a while? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What do you do when you haven't heard from a client in a while?".
This poll was originally submitted by Stephanie Mitchel. View the poll results »
| | | | Mary Worby 
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:34
German to English
+ ...
Well, normally.
If it's a regular customer with a steady stream of jobs which has dried up, I might send a quick e-mail to see how things were. But a lot of my customers only send me work sporadically anyway, so I'll just carry on as normal. Which doesn't necessarily specifically involve hunting for new replacement clients. So I voted other.
| | | | | couldn't have said it better.... | Jan 27, 2011 |
Mary Worby wrote:
Well, normally.
If it's a regular customer with a steady stream of jobs which has dried up, I might send a quick e-mail to see how things were. But a lot of my customers only send me work sporadically anyway, so I'll just carry on as normal. Which doesn't necessarily specifically involve hunting for new replacement clients. So I voted other.
exactly the same
| | | | Samir Sami
Qatar
Local time: 06:34
Arabic to English
+ ...
| Other ... simply nothing | Jan 27, 2011 |
I don't send any mails nor reminders, though I considered this once. Yet never did. A couple of months later, they contacted me, and I replied in the negative.
Whatever the reason that held them back, it signals a negative attitude. Yet I guess we should be familiar nowadays with unorganized clients.
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Adnan Özdemir
Türkiye
Local time: 06:34
Member (2007)
German to Turkish
+ ...
| Nothing (tambien) :)) | Jan 27, 2011 |
Nothing.
Nothing.
Nothing.
Saludos desde Anatolia
Anadolu'dan selamlar
| | | | Michael Harris
Germany
Local time: 04:34
Member (2006)
German to English
| give them a ring | Jan 27, 2011 |
depending on how good the relationship was / is with the customer, but fortunately, has not happened yet:-)
| | | | Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 04:34
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Gianluca Marras wrote:
Mary Worby wrote:
Well, normally.
If it's a regular customer with a steady stream of jobs which has dried up, I might send a quick e-mail to see how things were. But a lot of my customers only send me work sporadically anyway, so I'll just carry on as normal. Which doesn't necessarily specifically involve hunting for new replacement clients. So I voted other.
exactly the same
I can only agree.
| | | | | Good point... | Jan 27, 2011 |
... I should have included that as an option because that's usually my experience too!
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Steven Capsuto
United States
Local time: 22:34
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Other - Nothing | Jan 27, 2011 |
As others have commented, I just keep doing my job as usual. If it's someone who's also a friend, I might drop a note to make sure they're okay and suggest meeting up. Otherwise, I don't do anything special in this situation.
[Edited at 2011-01-27 12:59 GMT]
| | | | maryblack
United States
Local time: 21:34
Member (2013)
Spanish to English
+ ...
| or maybe there's no work | Jan 27, 2011 |
Sam21 wrote:
I don't send any mails nor reminders, though I considered this once. Yet never did. A couple of months later, they contacted me, and I replied in the negative.
Whatever the reason that held them back, it signals a negative attitude. Yet I guess we should be familiar nowadays with unorganized clients.
I don't necessarily take it badly when clients don't contact me for a while, especially in this economy. Sometimes there's simply no work, or whatever work they get they can do in-house. Satisfied clients always come back, and I always take them back.
| | | | Rebecca Garber
Local time: 22:34
Member (2005)
German to English
+ ...
| Usually nothing | Jan 27, 2011 |
This past year I have also had some very large, very long term projects, so if I don't hear from regulars who supply small jobs, it simply frees up time for the larger projects.
Also, some translation is cyclical. So I expect downtime in Jan and Aug.
| | | | Abraham Abukar
United States
Local time: 22:34
Member (2005)
English to Somali
+ ...
| I don't, but I need to. | Jan 27, 2011 |
I think it is a good idea to remind that you are still out there and available. It makes good perfect sense. But, never done.
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| I remind myself | Jan 27, 2011 |
that they are a post-Lehman Brothers translation client...
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 04:34
Spanish to English
+ ...
I may say to myself "hmmm... haven't heard from X for a while, wonder if they've found someone else..." but in general I just carry on regardless, they will come back when they need me. I wouldn't contact them myself as I don't like to appear needy (whether I am or not) and many of my regular clients have varying levels of activity depending on the time of year anyway.
| | | | Joan Berglund
United States
Local time: 22:34
Member (2008)
French to English
I think with some of the clients I work with there is a sort of "inbox effect". I don't hear from them for a while, then they send something and I accept it. Over the next few days, the same company and usually the same PM sends several more jobs. Eventually I have to turn something down, and then I don't hear from them for a while. I think they may be sending the work to whoever accepted the last job I turned down. I used to do something like this when I was a PM, you get in the habit of c... See more I think with some of the clients I work with there is a sort of "inbox effect". I don't hear from them for a while, then they send something and I accept it. Over the next few days, the same company and usually the same PM sends several more jobs. Eventually I have to turn something down, and then I don't hear from them for a while. I think they may be sending the work to whoever accepted the last job I turned down. I used to do something like this when I was a PM, you get in the habit of calling whoever accepted the job first last time because, consciously or unconsiously, you believe they are more likely to accept the job this time and you just want to get it placed as fast as possible. Eventually they get around to me again. ▲ Collapse
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