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Poll: Do you agree to provide free sample translations to potential clients?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
Magdalena Altieri
Magdalena Altieri
Argentina
Member (2010)
Italian to Spanish
+ ...
Of course, why not? Apr 14, 2015

If I have time and availability, I am always glad to carry out free tests for potential clients. My long-term relationship with my three best clients has started with some very accurately designed tests. Besides, in this highly volatile, virtual world, I think this practice is also a reasonable way for agencies to demonstrate they're really serious about their business.

 
Julian Holmes
Julian Holmes  Identity Verified
Japan
Local time: 20:51
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
Yes Apr 14, 2015

It's a good opportunity to showcase my skills and to prove that I actually know my stuff.

However, I ask the potential customer/client what their outsourcing rates are before I accept the sample translation and make sure that we are compatible in this respect.

So many times the customer and I have gone through the procedure of mailing back and forth, me doing a trial translation and getting it OKed only to find that we are incompatible price-wise and payment condition-w
... See more
It's a good opportunity to showcase my skills and to prove that I actually know my stuff.

However, I ask the potential customer/client what their outsourcing rates are before I accept the sample translation and make sure that we are compatible in this respect.

So many times the customer and I have gone through the procedure of mailing back and forth, me doing a trial translation and getting it OKed only to find that we are incompatible price-wise and payment condition-wise. This is both time-consuming and wastes a good deal of time for both parties.
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neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 12:51
Spanish to English
+ ...
No Apr 14, 2015

Those were the days. I suppose I might be prepared to do one if I really wanted the work, but nowadays it's usually the new prospective clients that have to convince me, not vice versa.

 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 07:51
English to Spanish
+ ...
Let's assume that a free translation sample makes sense Apr 14, 2015

After reading some intelligent remarks from my colleagues here, I'll assume that a free sample is in my best interest for a new customer.

Some of the questions that I could ask the customer:

1) How many words does the sample has to have?
2) How do you intend to test the accuracy and writing of my sample?
3) How many other translators are you asking for a free sample for this project?
4) Are you familiar with the concept of business expense appli
... See more
After reading some intelligent remarks from my colleagues here, I'll assume that a free sample is in my best interest for a new customer.

Some of the questions that I could ask the customer:

1) How many words does the sample has to have?
2) How do you intend to test the accuracy and writing of my sample?
3) How many other translators are you asking for a free sample for this project?
4) Are you familiar with the concept of business expense applied to free translation samples?

I like number 4 above. As our resident skeptic neilmac has indicated, it's the new prospective client who has to convince me. If I were running a translation company and a large project came my way, but with that free sample condition attached, I would do some due diligence first. If I had been running this company of mine for some time with a reasonable amount of financial success, I would already know that many translators don't care for free samples, discounts or that stuff.

So why ask for free translation samples in the first place?

Maybe this particular customer has already tried the established translators (who told him they weren't interested) and is now scouting around for cheaper fare, so to speak: less experienced or neophyte translators who are in acute need for a job and who are willing to part with a free sample of their work in exchange.

[Edited at 2015-04-14 14:20 GMT]

[Edited at 2015-04-14 14:21 GMT]
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Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
@Mario Apr 14, 2015

Mario Chavez wrote:

So why ask for free translation samples in the first place?



A lot of agencies have testing as part of their ISO-certified quality system

Alternatively, they might demand free samples simply to weed out awkward cusses like us who will give them grief at a later stage when they pay late or send jobs in the wrong format


 
Diana Obermeyer
Diana Obermeyer  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:51
Member (2013)
German to English
+ ...
I need a good reason Apr 14, 2015

Chris S wrote:

A lot of agencies have testing as part of their ISO-certified quality system


It could be as simple as my workflow slowing down and me applying for projects. In that case, I believe a short free test is perfectly justified.

I could be really interested in a particular project. For instance, I really like academic papers in my subject areas. Most students have a reasonable grasp of the English language and many may contemplate attempting a translation themselves, often not realising potential short-comings. I may even offer a short test, rather than just accept one. I may suggest they pick a random paragraph of a certain length, so that I can show them what I can do for them.

A free test may be perfectly justified. For instance, if a colleague is seeking collaboration on a larger project, or the project at hand is very specialised. If this is explained properly, I will be far more likely to agree.

However, I vehemently object to my time being taken for granted. And this is exactly what agencies are doing when they request free test translations for the sake of it. Most agencies that have pointed out to me that this is standard procedure have added a comment to say that it shouldn't take me long and they don't have a budget for test translations. Neither do I! Either I would be foregoing paid work (therefore effectively losing money) or leisure time (therefore being less rested for the next day of work, compromising my working speed and/oe motivation and therefore effectively losing money).

Chris S wrote:
Alternatively, they might demand free samples simply to weed out awkward cusses like us who will give them grief at a later stage when they pay late or send jobs in the wrong format


I really think you've hit the nail on the head with that one.
Maybe a lot of the requests for free test translations are actually tests for the level of desperation, rather than a linguistic assessment.


 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 07:51
English to Spanish
+ ...
Speaking of ISO-certified agencies Apr 14, 2015

Chris S wrote:

Mario Chávez wrote:

So why ask for free translation samples in the first place?



A lot of agencies have testing as part of their ISO-certified quality system

Alternatively, they might demand free samples simply to weed out awkward cusses like us who will give them grief at a later stage when they pay late or send jobs in the wrong format


I don't put much stock in the ISO-certified quality system of a translation agency. It's paperwork and it's expensive to maintain.

Having said that, some of my clients are ISO-certified and they haven't asked me for a sample, let alone a free one. Then again, free translation samples might not be part of their quality control.


 
Anton Konashenok
Anton Konashenok  Identity Verified
Czech Republic
Local time: 12:51
French to English
+ ...
Sometimes a sample is a necessity Apr 14, 2015

Mario, I am not sure about your language pair, but in other language pairs there are subjects where nine out of ten translators claiming to specialize in them are actually worthless or nearly worthless. Among the fields I work in, by far the worst situation is in aviation. In fact, to translate a complex aviation-related text properly, one had better be a pilot or an aircraft engineer. However, there are very few translators with a real background in aviation, and the only way I know to select a... See more
Mario, I am not sure about your language pair, but in other language pairs there are subjects where nine out of ten translators claiming to specialize in them are actually worthless or nearly worthless. Among the fields I work in, by far the worst situation is in aviation. In fact, to translate a complex aviation-related text properly, one had better be a pilot or an aircraft engineer. However, there are very few translators with a real background in aviation, and the only way I know to select a reasonably decent translator is to ask for a sample.Collapse


 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 07:51
English to Spanish
+ ...
Very specialized areas Apr 15, 2015

Anton Konashenok wrote:

Mario, I am not sure about your language pair, but in other language pairs there are subjects where nine out of ten translators claiming to specialize in them are actually worthless or nearly worthless. Among the fields I work in, by far the worst situation is in aviation. In fact, to translate a complex aviation-related text properly, one had better be a pilot or an aircraft engineer. However, there are very few translators with a real background in aviation, and the only way I know to select a reasonably decent translator is to ask for a sample.


You're right, Anton. By way of example, I worked with a team of Spanish translators with years of experience collaborating with my client. However, I noticed some oopsies (errors) in civil engineering terms throughout the translation memory I was given as reference.

I am no civil engineer or architect, but I know how to read descriptive documents in those fields. There are even AutoCAD abbreviations that one has to be aware of. It was not a matter of terminology but of knowing how to read the subject matter.


 
DZiW (X)
DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
as one's career portfolio Apr 15, 2015

Most specialists I know and respect neither 'do free samples for thank-you', nor demand something for nothing. Furthermore, many fair translation companies/agencies don't have time for 'free tests', that's why they ask for samples of previously done translation in a specific field. I think that's fair enough, because rather many incompetent clients and fraudsters still abuse 'free test translation' and 'probation' to exploit the naive.

Shortly, I don't do (mostly) free sample transl
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Most specialists I know and respect neither 'do free samples for thank-you', nor demand something for nothing. Furthermore, many fair translation companies/agencies don't have time for 'free tests', that's why they ask for samples of previously done translation in a specific field. I think that's fair enough, because rather many incompetent clients and fraudsters still abuse 'free test translation' and 'probation' to exploit the naive.

Shortly, I don't do (mostly) free sample translation, yet I'm glad to translate a paragraph or two in front of my potential client (or via phone or Skype), so he could decide and consider me. If a client needs to check my proficiency, he would need to check my portfolio.

On the other hand, before accepting a job from a new client or in a relatively new field, I always ask for a (free) sample from the project, which sometimes makes the client reluctant--to some extent...

Frankly speaking, even clients asking for a 'free sample translation' often agree to just have a look at the portfolio, because this will do to assess risks.
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Jennifer Forbes
Jennifer Forbes  Identity Verified
Local time: 11:51
French to English
+ ...
In memoriam
I sometimes wonder ... Apr 15, 2015

I usually agree to do a short free test translation (not more than 300 words) if a new client requests it and if I have time and I have acquired some good clients as a result of doing a test, but I sometimes wonder how the recipients of tests can be sure that they really are the work of the translator concerned.
We hear so much about scams and frauds here and elsewhere that I suppose it would be possible for an applicant to pass off a test by someone else as his/her own. I know it wouldn't
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I usually agree to do a short free test translation (not more than 300 words) if a new client requests it and if I have time and I have acquired some good clients as a result of doing a test, but I sometimes wonder how the recipients of tests can be sure that they really are the work of the translator concerned.
We hear so much about scams and frauds here and elsewhere that I suppose it would be possible for an applicant to pass off a test by someone else as his/her own. I know it wouldn't do him/her much good in the long run but it might land him/her a particular job.
I wouldn't do that, of course, (I don't need to!) but I do wonder.
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Suzan Hamer
Suzan Hamer  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 12:51
English
+ ...
I often offer Apr 15, 2015

to do a short sample, if it's a job I would really like to do.

I don't do samples for agencies; don't even work with agencies.

But if I come across an interesting job, or a potential client asks me about rates for translating or editing a text and it appears interesting to me, I will tell them I can't provide a rate or timeline without first seeing the text. I then offer to translate or edit 200-300 words or so, to give me an idea of what is involved in working on the
... See more
to do a short sample, if it's a job I would really like to do.

I don't do samples for agencies; don't even work with agencies.

But if I come across an interesting job, or a potential client asks me about rates for translating or editing a text and it appears interesting to me, I will tell them I can't provide a rate or timeline without first seeing the text. I then offer to translate or edit 200-300 words or so, to give me an idea of what is involved in working on the text and at the same time to give the client an idea of how I work.

Works every time.
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Poll: Do you agree to provide free sample translations to potential clients?






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