Poll: Do you provide references if a new client requests them? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you provide references if a new client requests them?".
View the poll results »
| | | | Angus Stewart 
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:35
French to English
+ ...
| No, absolutely not | Jul 11, 2018 |
No, I have a policy of not providing references, because for me the overriding consideration is maintaining my clients' confidentiality. At the end of the day I am a business person looking for new clients and not an employee looking for a new job. The two situations are quite different.
I must say that I find it really strange some of the things that prospective clients feel that they can ask us freelance translators for. Recently, I even had a request from a potential client who ... See more No, I have a policy of not providing references, because for me the overriding consideration is maintaining my clients' confidentiality. At the end of the day I am a business person looking for new clients and not an employee looking for a new job. The two situations are quite different.
I must say that I find it really strange some of the things that prospective clients feel that they can ask us freelance translators for. Recently, I even had a request from a potential client who asked me for copies of invoices I had sent to my other clients. I had to be very firm and explain that I didn't even have the right to provide them with that. However, even if that hadn't been an issue I still would not have forwarded the invoices as I would not want them to see the different rates I charged different clients. There would have been the risk that they could have used that information to contact the clients paying decent rates and tell them that they could attempt to negotiate a better deal and that is not the sort of Dutch auction situation that I want to find myself in. ▲ Collapse
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I'm not actively seeking out new clients and in general when someone approaches me they have already done their homework or I have been recommended. If I’m very interested in a job I have no problem completing a short test or providing samples of work I have done.
[Edited at 2018-07-11 13:39 GMT]
| | | | | Proz profile | Jul 11, 2018 |
If asked for references, I usually refer the person to my Proz profile which includes several (unsolicited) favourable comments from existng clients.
[Edited at 2018-07-11 14:33 GMT]
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| Definitely NO! | Jul 11, 2018 |
I have my published policy on this matter: http://www.lamensdorf.com.br/non-disclosure.html
Once a prospect wrote me saying that they had a series of large jobs where I'd be the most suitable choice, and asked me to fill in their online application form. One peculiarity there was that it required "valid data" for contactable references, so I had to thwart it by giving e-mails... See more I have my published policy on this matter: http://www.lamensdorf.com.br/non-disclosure.html
Once a prospect wrote me saying that they had a series of large jobs where I'd be the most suitable choice, and asked me to fill in their online application form. One peculiarity there was that it required "valid data" for contactable references, so I had to thwart it by giving e-mails like none@zilch.net and links to my policy above.
They insisted, saying that they MUST have three valid, contactable references, or they would lose their ISO-whatever certification.
I got in cahoots with three loyal clients, and sent their details. In less than half an hour, all three contacted me via phone/e-mail/Skype to tell me that they had received from that very prospect:
a) An immense questionnaire on me, asking for so many details that even my close friends would not be able to answer easily; and
b) a message to the tune of "Whatever this jerk does for you, we can certainly do it cheaper, faster and better!"
As it turned out, they had NO job whatsoever, and were desperately hunting for leads.
If any prospect wants to check my WWAs, let them do it! After all, these clients volunteered that input.
It would be quite easy to "fabricate" references from colleagues who operate as translation firms. We could arrange a way to publicly pat each other's back, so these references would be thoroughly unreliable.
Therefore it is relatively safe to surmise that any prospect demanding references absolutely is either naive, or trying to poach a few clients, because they don't have any, at least for the time being. ▲ Collapse
| | | | EvaVer (X)
Local time: 23:35
Czech to French
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| It depends on... | Jul 11, 2018 |
how much I want the job, and whether it seems justified in view of the job. I used to provide them in the past, not recently.
Asking for other clients' invoices is very strange and I would never provide them. I happened to send new clients an empty invoice form, though, to ask whether the information provided there was adequate for them (especially if the client was from a country I hadn't worked with before).
[Edited at 2018-07-11 12:04 GMT]
| | | | Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 23:35
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
| My reference is | Jul 11, 2018 |
my ProZ profile. If that doesn't suffice, then a collaboration wasn't in "the stars".
In addition to providing this reference I also add that they would surely not want me to violate their NDA - which I would be doing if I provided any of my clients' contact details, aside from the fact that this would also be in violation of the latest EU's data protection regulations.
Personally, I wouldn't want to work with an LSP who breaks several laws before out collaboration even... See more my ProZ profile. If that doesn't suffice, then a collaboration wasn't in "the stars".
In addition to providing this reference I also add that they would surely not want me to violate their NDA - which I would be doing if I provided any of my clients' contact details, aside from the fact that this would also be in violation of the latest EU's data protection regulations.
Personally, I wouldn't want to work with an LSP who breaks several laws before out collaboration even begins. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | No, not any more | Jul 11, 2018 |
I used to when I first started out as a freelancer, because the director of my former in-house job had offered me his recommendations.
However, now I feel it is too long ago and if potential clients cannot do without references, I'll let them go.
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| references, meaning the names of my other clients, or.... ? | Jul 11, 2018 |
I tell my clients my background meaning my training and my experience. I will also point them to my professional organization, the ATIO, which checked my background and abilities, and then awarded me with certification after I passed the exam. Those are my references.
I would not dream of bothering my customers by having strangers phone them up or e-mail them. I'd never thought of it. I may ask friends and family for the name of a good dentist. But I would not ask my dentist to... See more I tell my clients my background meaning my training and my experience. I will also point them to my professional organization, the ATIO, which checked my background and abilities, and then awarded me with certification after I passed the exam. Those are my references.
I would not dream of bothering my customers by having strangers phone them up or e-mail them. I'd never thought of it. I may ask friends and family for the name of a good dentist. But I would not ask my dentist to give me the names of some of her patients. That's sort of how I see it. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Anne Bohy
France
Local time: 23:35
English to French
| No, and I don't see the point | Jul 11, 2018 |
Is this new customer considering calling my existing customers to ask them how good I am, and how much I charge them?
If my existing customers think I am very good, they will want to keep me, not tell others how good I am and run the risk that I get overbooked.
It's much more likely that they may agree on my rates, so that I can't charge more to a new customer (I usuallu keep my old rates as long as I can afford with my old customers). Just as ATA forbids to discuss rates among tran... See more Is this new customer considering calling my existing customers to ask them how good I am, and how much I charge them?
If my existing customers think I am very good, they will want to keep me, not tell others how good I am and run the risk that I get overbooked.
It's much more likely that they may agree on my rates, so that I can't charge more to a new customer (I usuallu keep my old rates as long as I can afford with my old customers). Just as ATA forbids to discuss rates among translators, I won't give translation agencies any opportunity to discuss together about my rates.
[Edited at 2018-07-11 22:17 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 19:35
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
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I don't like the idea, and I haven't done that in a long time. But I know I've done it for some of my good clients, which wouldn't be clients iff I didn't.
Currenltly, I paste the link for ProZ references in my page. Most of the time, its enough.
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