Poll: Has a client ever asked you for compensation for quality issues? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Has a client ever asked you for compensation for quality issues?".
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The only serious quality-issue I recall having with a client (compensation wasn’t mentioned) was some 20 years ago and that's why I took the decision of using the services of a proofreader for longish projects. It really was the best decision I ever made!
| | | | | One end client | Feb 18, 2022 |
It happened once, and it was written somewhere in the style guide or a similar document. It was during the training process before the actual job. There were no actual limit to how much money they could take from you and there were other sketchy or outrageous expectations in the style guide. It seemed sketchy and I did not take the job.
| | | | Kay Denney 
France
Local time: 18:16
French to English
No, because I always tell clients they can come back and ask questions about my translation, and if there are problems I will fix them.
For those of you who might say "surely that goes without saying", I agree wholeheartedly. However, when working in-house, I sometimes had to contact a translator about a job I had proofread. On several occasions I was treated to a very rude rebuttal. My favourite was the guy who didn't see why he should incorporate my corrections because his transl... See more No, because I always tell clients they can come back and ask questions about my translation, and if there are problems I will fix them.
For those of you who might say "surely that goes without saying", I agree wholeheartedly. However, when working in-house, I sometimes had to contact a translator about a job I had proofread. On several occasions I was treated to a very rude rebuttal. My favourite was the guy who didn't see why he should incorporate my corrections because his translation was perfect. I needed him to incorporate them because it was a sworn translation, so he had to literally stamp the file. When I pointed out that the word "not" was missing in a sentence, he hung up on me in a huff. ▲ Collapse
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Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 14:16
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
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| Yes, it happened twice | Feb 18, 2022 |
In one occasion, they did make a discount on my payment, and of course never heard of me again.
In a second case, I did not accept it, and the agency tried several other "tricks" to shorten my payment. I worked for them for a while, despite all their useless trials to fool me, but I soon gave them up, too.
No discounts are acceptable over your payment, whatsoever, once you agreed on a quote or price. Except for the legal ones, like VAT in some cases for those who live in Europe.
| | | | Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 12:16
Spanish to English
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Normally, things are worked out in a satisfactory way along the lines that Kay has mentioned.
But there have been three or four occasions where I applied discounts (on my own initiative or in response to a client/agency's suggestion) to resolve some dissatisfaction.
Three or four times out of hundreds of projects over the course of 20 years. This seems more cause for celebration than for lament.
These things happen. The important thing is to resolve problem... See more Normally, things are worked out in a satisfactory way along the lines that Kay has mentioned.
But there have been three or four occasions where I applied discounts (on my own initiative or in response to a client/agency's suggestion) to resolve some dissatisfaction.
Three or four times out of hundreds of projects over the course of 20 years. This seems more cause for celebration than for lament.
These things happen. The important thing is to resolve problems expeditiously, learn from one's mistakes - and move on....
[Edited at 2022-02-19 20:12 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Edward Potter
Spain
Local time: 18:16
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Same here.
I will bend over backwards to resolve an issue with a customer. Once in a while I will offer a discount before they ask if I feel their issues are valid.
When I have an extreme deadline with high volume I will produce an excellent product for the conditions put to me. I am often showered with gratitude, even if there are some minor errors.
Reasonable quality and on time.
| | | | Muriel Vasconcellos (X)
United States
Local time: 09:16
Spanish to English
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In 55 years of translating, I've never had that particular experience. It could be because I haven't worked with many agencies. The bulk of my work is for international organizations, and the rates are fixed; project managers have no control over them.
[Edited at 2022-02-19 03:07 GMT]
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| I've only been a freelance translator for two years... | Feb 19, 2022 |
...so there's that.
In a predominantly in-house market things were done differently (as it's only possible and reasonable) than they're done now, when the agencies work mostly with freelancers and contractors.
I have never been asked to compensate the agency for anything, but I must say I am also very careful who I work with and try my best to produce my best work under the circumstances of the project.
As someone said, loads depend on the deadline, quali... See more ...so there's that.
In a predominantly in-house market things were done differently (as it's only possible and reasonable) than they're done now, when the agencies work mostly with freelancers and contractors.
I have never been asked to compensate the agency for anything, but I must say I am also very careful who I work with and try my best to produce my best work under the circumstances of the project.
As someone said, loads depend on the deadline, quality of the source, is there mistakes in the reference files, or perhaps a mistranslation that's everywhere in the medical leaflets already on the market, as well as in my reference file! A mistranslation that I did catch on to, thank goodness, but only after actually thinking, OK that has got to be some sort of synonymous compound name to the one I'd actually use because surely there can't be this much mistranslation everywhere on the market and in everything that's supposed to be my reference (as a reviewer!)...Having said all that and despite all my fortunate catching on to things, mistakes will be made. I wouldn't dream of claiming I am infallible and have little respect for people who choose just that as their marketing strategy, because it's utter blocks (to coin a phrase).
This brings me to the first point and the fact that I am very careful who I work with. I simply do not even try to work with agencies who send three types of contracts that all stipulate they can not pay me up to 100% based on anything from quality issues to PM missing the optimal drinking temperature of their cuppa the morning I've sent the work in!
I do firmly believe the whole "we will not pay if quality issues" strategy is simply wrong and utter tripe and hear me out why!
As freelancers working with agencies we take certain risks. From having our work changed in ways we'd never approve of, to not getting paid, to getting paid in a way that there are fees we have to pay we didn't count on or consider fair, to getting paid six months after we've sent the work in despite inflation raging...etc If I collaborate with a less than ideal agency and they try not to pay me my 1500 EUR every step of the way, and they have a BB record suddenly bursting with people marking them down and complaining, and I then have to hire a debt collector to get my money, I am legally not entitled to be compensated by this agency for the 10% the debt collector took. They were a risk I took and I chose to not take additional risks, like waiting for them to possibly pay (or go bankrupt and take my money with them), so I hired a debt collector and that's that!
By the same token, the agency takes certain risks when they hire a freelance contractor. They get the benefits of having to choose from a global talent pool, not paying my pension, medical and/or dental insurance, and the like, but they do take certain risks! One of the risks is they might hire a useless hack who cannot produce even passable work. In which case they are free not to work with that supplier ever again but they should first pay them for their hack job. Why? Well, nobody can have it both ways! So, if one wants to offer an absolute pittance of a rate—and make the fact that someone will accept bottom rates a top priority when hiring a contractor—organise their projects in a way that deadlines are far from reasonable, tolerate their PMs not being available to the translator on weekdays...Well, then what does an agency like this expect? Quality work? Well, yes, in my experience poorly run agencies do just that. They expect the translator to do their best work, despite a very poorly run project and low rates. They also expect the translator to be the only one taking risks. Translators shall take on the risk they must take but, also, take on the risk the agency should take! This is the crux of some of the contacts I've been asked to sign!
Well, I don't think so!
If I'm going to just blindly accept anything that comes my way, then I was better off as an in-house employee, at least I can choose a good or great agency to work for.
The problem with freelance translation, as I see it, isn't that anyone who speaks two languages can make a proz.com profile and pass themselves off as a translator, simply because I am not competing with amateurs. The problem is the mentality and the attitude of many professionals. Many translators who are good and even great at what they do, yet fail miserably at marketing themselves and negotiating at least reasonable rates and working conditions!
I read all sorts of opinions on this forum and sure, we all know the somewhat crude saying about opinions and what they are like...I don't mind people's opinions when it comes to anything, really, and the forum has been most helpful to me, especially a few seasoned freelance translators...But, oh my goodness, some of the things I read about rates and working conditions shock me!
Stuff like people from India work for chapatis, people from Eastern Europe and the Balkans consider 0.05 USD a great rate...etc These sort of opinions do bother me cos they affect the overall mentality and expectations of the market and my ability to negotiate a fair rate for the service I offer.
I will only say that I doubt that Sundar Pichai ever worked for chapatis! Any person who will reduce 1.56 billion Indian people (living on planet Earth at the moment) to simpletons who will work for chapatis tells me at least some things about themselves whilst saying exactly nothing about Indian people. Also, as a person of Eastern European descent, currently working out of Eastern Europe, I do consider 0.05 USD a good rate, for proofreading.
The point is, this is a global job market and we aren't competing with what we could get locally any more than the agencies are. Those who realise this use it to their own advantage and those who don't might look for the cause of their inability to do well in local rates, capitalism, Indians, Eastern Europeans, amateurs who lost their job in the pandemic pandemonium,..., and anything really. I really couldn't care less, if the same people—or rather their experiences in the profession compounded—weren't the reason why even a great agency will expect me to work for less than I actually should, just because it says "Korana Lasić Bosnia" and not "Korana Ashley somewhere lovely in Somerset" on my resume! Even so, I don't dwell on this fact but try and negotiate to the best of my abilities, despite the state of the market and the field I'm in, but no, I don't have to work with people looking to pay me a pittance, six months after the date on the invoice, half of the amount quoted because nya-nya and neither does anyone else.
Where anyone is from or currently residing in should make little to no difference in a global job market. Only the quality of services and our ability to negotiate our place in this market matter!
To the man who attempted a joke and ended up reducing all Indians to simpletons who you give some flatbread to and they dance for you, I am not looking to upset you or debate you. You obviously made an attempt at humour (and failed miserably) and it most probably has nothing to do with racism! Perhaps you simply never met any Indian people, and your experience with India and Indians is perhaps limited to some of the agencies on this platform, operating out of India, trying to offer you work for low rates. I do not think you are a bad person nor a racist one, I just think you are probably much better off as a freelance translator than a stand-up comedian and that's alright.
As an honorary Indian person I choose to say something, try not to take it too personally, I did the same with your joke! Please forgive my bluntness, since, as both an Eastern European and an Indian I simply do not know any better, but if you hand me a chapati I'll dance for you! Lol
Edit: Actually, according to official statistics, planet Earth is home to an estimated 1.56 billion Indians (India and diaspora), so I've corrected that. Not sure where I got the 1.9 billion figure, but hopefully soon.
[Edited at 2022-02-20 08:18 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Paul Lambert
Sweden
Local time: 18:16
Member (2006)
Swedish to English
+ ...
| The worst attitude | Feb 23, 2022 |
Kay Denney wrote:
No, because I always tell clients they can come back and ask questions about my translation, and if there are problems I will fix them.
For those of you who might say "surely that goes without saying", I agree wholeheartedly. However, when working in-house, I sometimes had to contact a translator about a job I had proofread. On several occasions I was treated to a very rude rebuttal. My favourite was the guy who didn't see why he should incorporate my corrections because his translation was perfect. I needed him to incorporate them because it was a sworn translation, so he had to literally stamp the file. When I pointed out that the word "not" was missing in a sentence, he hung up on me in a huff.
Bad attitudes are always the worst. I know it is not nice to get such criticism, but taking it personally and refusing to be cooperative never helps.
To answer the topic question: Yes. In the past 15 years, I think about 4 times I have had to take a discount. Translators are only human. In 3 of the 4 cases, I was the one to offer the discount when I saw upon closer inspection that the quality of my work was not what I wanted clients to expect from me. There was only one occasion that I remember the client demanding a 50% discount on no uncertain terms. It happened very early on, and it was absolutely heartbreaking. Criticism gets easier as time goes on ;0).
Perhaps your favourite guy was not used to being questioned. I take criticism seriously, but not personally.
The only time I find criticism especially obnoxious is when I am being Swede-rolled (some of you will know what I mean).
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