1 or 3 hours turn-around time from project confirmation? -> No thank you.
Thread poster: TTilch
TTilch
TTilch  Identity Verified
Local time: 11:21
English to German
+ ...
Sep 15, 2020

From a project description/request received, I quote:

"-Average word count per task is from 500-700 words;
-Turnaround time for translation is 3 hours starting from deadline
confirmation;
-Turnaround time for proofreading is 1 hour starting from the
deadline confirmation."


Really, nobody seems to have time to wait any more.
If you do not want to die of stress and heart attack, then say "no" to such requests. They are just ridiculous
... See more
From a project description/request received, I quote:

"-Average word count per task is from 500-700 words;
-Turnaround time for translation is 3 hours starting from deadline
confirmation;
-Turnaround time for proofreading is 1 hour starting from the
deadline confirmation."


Really, nobody seems to have time to wait any more.
If you do not want to die of stress and heart attack, then say "no" to such requests. They are just ridiculous.

(Quality will be very poor anyway when you just have the time to rush through it only once.)

Regards,

Tanja
Collapse


Jocelin Meunier
Marina Taffetani
Susan Murphy Lamprecht
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Elena Feriani
Robert Rietvelt
Philip Lees
 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 11:21
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
@Tanja Sep 15, 2020

Tanja Tilch wrote:
"-Average word count per task is from 500-700 words;
-Turnaround time for translation is 3 hours starting from deadline
confirmation;
-Turnaround time for proofreading is 1 hour starting from the
deadline confirmation."


I have no problem with this, but: the key phrase is "deadline confirmation" -- I can accept it if this means confirmation by the translator, not confirmation by the client. If I'm not available for the job, then it must be understood that I simply won't do it (i.e. I won't "confirm the deadline"). What I can't accept (though not because I find it objectionable but simply because my lifestyle does not allow it) is "starting from the client's deadline confirmation", i.e. to be always on-call and ready to drop everything else as soon as a job from this client comes in.


Susan Murphy Lamprecht
Darius Sciuka
ahartje
Kuochoe Nikoi-Kotei
John Fossey
Anton Konashenok
Robert Rietvelt
 
philgoddard
philgoddard
United States
German to English
+ ...
I'd be perfectly OK with this... Sep 15, 2020

...provided they were willing to pay for the urgency, or were sending me lots of work.

Every industry has some jobs that are more urgent than others.


John Fossey
Vi Pukite
Philippe Etienne
Robert Carter
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
Robert Forstag
P.L.F. Persio
 
Edward Potter
Edward Potter  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 11:21
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Seems OK to me Sep 17, 2020


"-Average word count per task is from 500-700 words;
-Turnaround time for translation is 3 hours starting from deadline
confirmation;
-Turnaround time for proofreading is 1 hour starting from the
deadline confirmation."


I would be fine with these conditions. There are many translators who wouldn't accept them, which makes it more likely I would get the work.

If I were not available, I would just tell the client that I can not do it this time.


Jorge Payan
 
jyuan_us
jyuan_us  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 06:21
Member (2005)
Chinese to English
Right Sep 18, 2020

Edward Potter wrote:


"-Average word count per task is from 500-700 words;
-Turnaround time for translation is 3 hours starting from deadline
confirmation;
-Turnaround time for proofreading is 1 hour starting from the
deadline confirmation."


I would be fine with these conditions. There are many translators who wouldn't accept them, which makes it more likely I would get the work.

If I were not available, I would just tell the client that I can not do it this time.


Urgent jobs generate easy money.


 
jyuan_us
jyuan_us  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 06:21
Member (2005)
Chinese to English
I got more than 2000 words with a three-hour turnaround time several times Sep 18, 2020

Tanja Tilch wrote:

From a project description/request received, I quote:

"-Average word count per task is from 500-700 words;
-Turnaround time for translation is 3 hours starting from deadline
confirmation;
-Turnaround time for proofreading is 1 hour starting from the
deadline confirmation."



I got paid 30% higher. My agency clients got their files ready to meet their end clients' deadlines.

Everybody is happy.

How I wish this would happen everyday!



[Edited at 2020-09-18 03:51 GMT]


 
jyuan_us
jyuan_us  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 06:21
Member (2005)
Chinese to English
I also have a client who sends me small jobs with a 2 to 3 turnaround time everyday Sep 18, 2020

Although I don't get a rush fee for these jobs, the income from this client accumulates itself quickly. I have got used to this practice, and if on a day the client tells me that the job is due the next day, I would start to feel anxious.

Adieu
 
WS McCallum
WS McCallum
New Zealand
Local time: 23:21
French to English
Nothing new Feb 4, 2021

I was seeing the same timeframes in the 1990s. Some clients then wanted delivery of short texts within an hour, although they tended to be shorter texts - 1 page of correspondence for example.

 


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:


You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

1 or 3 hours turn-around time from project confirmation? -> No thank you.







Protemos translation business management system
Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!

The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.

More info »
Wordfast Pro
Translation Memory Software for Any Platform

Exclusive discount for ProZ.com users! Save over 13% when purchasing Wordfast Pro through ProZ.com. Wordfast is the world's #1 provider of platform-independent Translation Memory software. Consistently ranked the most user-friendly and highest value

Buy now! »