Poll: After quoting on a project, do you usually follow up if you don't hear back? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "After quoting on a project, do you usually follow up if you don't hear back?".
View the poll results »
| | | | Muriel Vasconcellos (X) 
United States
Local time: 11:04
Spanish to English
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| It depends how serious they sound | Nov 28, 2018 |
If they sound really serious and I want to do the job, I may follow up. Most of the time they get back to me without prompting.
| | | | | It depends on... | Nov 28, 2018 |
...whether I've already worked with them. I follow up only with agencies I know (ie. trust), and only if there is a potential deadline conflict with a firm order landing on my desk.
When unknown agencies don't come back if I happen to have sent them an offer, I believe it's because they're not interested, the project was cancelled, it is a bogus project to help them price a potential project to their end-customer, they're rude, etc.
No point in enquiring further.
... See more ...whether I've already worked with them. I follow up only with agencies I know (ie. trust), and only if there is a potential deadline conflict with a firm order landing on my desk.
When unknown agencies don't come back if I happen to have sent them an offer, I believe it's because they're not interested, the project was cancelled, it is a bogus project to help them price a potential project to their end-customer, they're rude, etc.
No point in enquiring further.
I just keep the correspondence to remind them that we've already been in contact if they ask me for another quote months or years later.
Philippe ▲ Collapse
| | | | DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
It seems ok to [reasonably] follow up in the course of communication after a week or two just to maintain the dialog and get more specifics, but in modern biz such an approach--especially with new prospects--may depict you in a bad light--as a needy molester.
Therefore, when I miss some significant information, I ask for it immediately, if there're no simple answers for a while, it's high time to move on--the other party is "uninterestingly unsure", playing their games... See more It seems ok to [reasonably] follow up in the course of communication after a week or two just to maintain the dialog and get more specifics, but in modern biz such an approach--especially with new prospects--may depict you in a bad light--as a needy molester.
Therefore, when I miss some significant information, I ask for it immediately, if there're no simple answers for a while, it's high time to move on--the other party is "uninterestingly unsure", playing their games. Why, I do phone and send my several direct and old clients greeting on the events, but it's a different story)
[Edited at 2018-11-28 13:04 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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neilmac
Spain
Local time: 20:04
Spanish to English
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| Depends on... | Nov 28, 2018 |
... the client. In the past year, some universities have changed their billing systems so that their staff have to ask for an estimate before ordering any translation and similar or related services. This means that they need to apply for funding in advance, and often they don't get around to actually doing the research work in question or drafting the article or related texts. What I mean is that they may ask for a cost estimate for 10,000 words, but in the end are only allowed enough to cover ... See more ... the client. In the past year, some universities have changed their billing systems so that their staff have to ask for an estimate before ordering any translation and similar or related services. This means that they need to apply for funding in advance, and often they don't get around to actually doing the research work in question or drafting the article or related texts. What I mean is that they may ask for a cost estimate for 10,000 words, but in the end are only allowed enough to cover half of that, or they may simply end up with their funding applications rejected and not ordering the translation at all.
It's rather frustrating, as the estimates they ask for can lead you to think you're going to have more work in the coming months than you actually end up getting, but so far I've managed to handle it without throwing in the towel. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | It depends... | Nov 28, 2018 |
I don't follow up, unless it’s a regular client: if a project has been arranged and it hasn't arrived yet, I’ll ask what’s going on. If after my quote a potential client doesn’t get back to me promptly, I’ll assume he/she has found someone else (cheaper). Personally, I hate being hassled, so my golden rule is 'Do not do unto others what you would not want done to yourself'.
| | | | Susana C. DÃ (X)
Spain
Local time: 20:04
| I do follow up... | Nov 28, 2018 |
... Only if I consider myself the perfect candidate for the position and it fits me well, meaning that I can really make a difference in translating that content in particular.
| | | | | With direct clients only ... | Nov 28, 2018 |
... as from experience, I know that translation agencies usually either revert quickly or do not reply at all and outsource to someone else. Direct clients often do not ask for many quotes and if they don't reply quickly, it is usually because other projects got their immediate attention, they have to await feedback from a colleague about the budget and/or the source text is not yet final.
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| Normally I don't follow up | Nov 28, 2018 |
If I send a quote and don't hear back, I assume I am too expensive or that someone else was quicker.
However, only this week I did follow up - a regular client sent an enquiry. I knew enough to be sure of getting the job if I was available. Somebody had been busy with other things, and chasing up on the job meant I had more time to tailor the translation to the end client's style.
| | | | | It depends on... | Nov 28, 2018 |
... how busy I am and how much I like the looks of the project. A client who doesn't respond with 'gee, that's a little high/late/ etc.' or even a 'thanks but no thanks' is not sending signals that they will be rewarding to work with.
| | | | | It depends on.. | Nov 28, 2018 |
For example, I have translated tests for more than 2 big companies and after delivering the positive feedback and promise with the near upcoming project, they disappeared! And do not reply to my emails!
I think some companies are gathering data to market for the service, this my take weeks or months, therefore, I stopped following up with quotes or even the accepted test.
| | | | Vanda Nissen
Australia
Local time: 05:04
English to Russian
+ ...
| It depends on... | Nov 28, 2018 |
...how lucrative this particular project is. I followed up on a large legal project from a direct client last week (it turned out that their confirmation email got stuck in outbox), however I would never check with smaller projects. I just move on.
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Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 16:04
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
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I used to. But it has never, ever, led to a positive result. If you didn't get the reply for your quote, it means two things:
1. The job was given to someone with lower rates.
2. This client is not worth running after. They have already shown their lack of professionalism by not sending you a reply.
| | | | | Even simpler | Nov 29, 2018 |
Mario Freitas wrote:
I used to. But it has never, ever, led to a positive result. If you didn't get the reply for your quote, it means two things:
1. The job was given to someone with lower rates.
2. This client is not worth running after. They have already shown their lack of professionalism by not sending you a reply.
Quite right. In fact, I've simplified the process even further by not even quoting for a job unless I'm pretty sure the client is interested in having me do it.
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