| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3] > | Agency cheekiness Thread poster: Wendy Cummings
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Rad Graban (X) 
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:46
English to Slovak
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| Don't know... | Sep 11, 2009 |
I had a slightly similar request last week from an agency I'd never worked for before. They needed to know if the Slovak Romani was a written language and - if so - if I could do the job and what my rate would be.
I had no problem to explain to them that, as far as I know, there was no 'official' written form of Slovak Romani and as such I couldn't do it. (I don't understand or speak Romani either.)
There was no guarantee I would get the job (whether there was a written form of the l... See more I had a slightly similar request last week from an agency I'd never worked for before. They needed to know if the Slovak Romani was a written language and - if so - if I could do the job and what my rate would be.
I had no problem to explain to them that, as far as I know, there was no 'official' written form of Slovak Romani and as such I couldn't do it. (I don't understand or speak Romani either.)
There was no guarantee I would get the job (whether there was a written form of the language or not), but replying to them got me into the agency's books. Whether I will get any work from them or not is another question. ▲ Collapse
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I agree with Stedman. Goodwill shown will return tenfold. It'll take less than 20 seconds to count the words on one page.
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Option1 - Take a quick look at the file and respond with your comments
Total time - 5 mins max
Possible outcome - Agency which made you plenty of money in the past appreciates your good judgment and knowledge, and sends more work your way in the future, possibly even this very same job. Even if this does not happen, you didn't waste more than 5 minutes of your time.
Option2 - Be offended and decide to "educate" the client, write condescending emails and bogus overpriced ... See more Option1 - Take a quick look at the file and respond with your comments
Total time - 5 mins max
Possible outcome - Agency which made you plenty of money in the past appreciates your good judgment and knowledge, and sends more work your way in the future, possibly even this very same job. Even if this does not happen, you didn't waste more than 5 minutes of your time.
Option2 - Be offended and decide to "educate" the client, write condescending emails and bogus overpriced invoices for 30 seconds of your time
Total time - 30 - 40 mins
Possible outcome - PM gets annoyed by your behavior and avoids you in the future, successfully ruining a solid, long-established and profitable relationship. And you wasted 30 mins to achieve this.
[Edited at 2009-09-11 20:50 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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| No dilemma: great way to put it | Sep 12, 2009 |
I was thinking along the lines of Andreas. In this case it would take longer to complain than just count the words and be done with it. Most probably your contact lacks experience and is unsure of what to do. The ignorance of what's involved in a foreign language can be paramount. I've had clients marvel at how I could tell French from German or Greek from Russian if I didn't speak the languages.
Regards,
Daniel
| | | | Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 17:46
English to Spanish
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In memoriam | Someone Inexperienced? | Sep 12, 2009 |
Perhaps this is someone at the agency who is inexperienced. They had a question and maybe asked someone else how to deal with it. That someone else could have said, "Oh, ask Wendy, here's her e-mail, she might be able to help you with that. She's done work for us before".
So you get somewhat of an off-the-wall inquiry.
I would say be helpful if it won't take more that a few minutes of your time. It could pay off in good will and more work from this outfit in the future.... See more Perhaps this is someone at the agency who is inexperienced. They had a question and maybe asked someone else how to deal with it. That someone else could have said, "Oh, ask Wendy, here's her e-mail, she might be able to help you with that. She's done work for us before".
So you get somewhat of an off-the-wall inquiry.
I would say be helpful if it won't take more that a few minutes of your time. It could pay off in good will and more work from this outfit in the future. If not, so what? ▲ Collapse
| | | | Tatty
Local time: 01:46
Spanish to English
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| Ignore the word count request | Sep 12, 2009 |
I wouldn't provide an agency with a word count, they already do so little. I would simply state that it is 75% legible and advise them of my per word rate. Actually the fact that it was only 75% legible would put me off anyway.
| | | | | 75%? This is almost perfect for a Russian medical document! | Sep 12, 2009 |
I have never seen the way doctors outside the former USSR put anything on paper, may be this is universal... But people in Russia, Belarus etc feel that 'medical' handwriting is incomprihensible ~ 100%! When you look at the prescription or some specialist opinion you can decipher only several words. Still, the girl at the drugstore or the doctor you take the opinion to seem to have no problem understanding this.
Probably it would be wise to show this to a native Russian medical tran... See more I have never seen the way doctors outside the former USSR put anything on paper, may be this is universal... But people in Russia, Belarus etc feel that 'medical' handwriting is incomprihensible ~ 100%! When you look at the prescription or some specialist opinion you can decipher only several words. Still, the girl at the drugstore or the doctor you take the opinion to seem to have no problem understanding this.
Probably it would be wise to show this to a native Russian medical translator who is also a doctor - there are quite a few.
As for the PM's request... No, I see nothing cheeky here. Polite letter with a request which would take some minutes of your time - 'approx word count' won't take longer, will it? ▲ Collapse
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Mary Stefan
United States
Local time: 19:46
Italian to English
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| Unfortunately... I agree with Daniel | Sep 12, 2009 |
[quote]Daniel Grau wrote:
"Most probably your contact lacks experience and is unsure of what to do."
[quote]Tatty wrote:
"I wouldn't provide an agency with a word count, they already do so little."
Hello Wendy,
I believe Daniel is right - the PM might be a bit inexperienced and the e-mail came across as unprofessional (you mentioned this is the first time you're contacted by the PM in question). You can either provide the word count or ignore it and move on; no need to read too much into it. If you provide the word count and don't get the job, it's just another experience (and, yes, it would cost you few minutes); at the same time, you might get the job and the PM might like your responsiveness and prefer you over other vendors - I've done it myself! ; it's a two-way street and it's hard to predict the outcome.
Regardless of your decision, good luck!
To reply to Tatty's comment:
From my experience, some translators are a bit oblivious to the PM's role within a translation agency; while, as in any profession, some of them might not be all milk and honey, and are not able to conduct business in a professional manner, most of the PMs are actually quite busy and juggling multiple projects everyday is not as easy as it seems.
Finding vendors to suit your project's requirements, issuing POs, and trying to finally obtain those agreements which you were promised when you first contacted the vendors does not exactly mirror a Sunday morning.
When you deal with someone over e-mail it's hard to empathize and you, and I - as translators - think that the PM is only trying to rip you off and convince you to lower your rate etc.
YES, there are both "good" and "bad" agencies, as there are both good and bad translators; I guess we all have Pandora's box in mind when accepting a project from an agency for the first time.
Why the prejudice though? They're not all bad!
Hope your projects go smoothly,
Mary
| | | | jyuan_us
United States
Local time: 19:46
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
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| It should have taken only a couple of minutes | Sep 12, 2009 |
to finish the word counting. I guess much less time is needed for that than having the issue discussed here.
Considering that it is from one of your old clients, why not do them a favor?
[Edited at 2009-09-12 23:45 GMT]
| | | | Wendy Cummings
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:46
Spanish to English
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TOPIC STARTER | missing the point | Sep 13, 2009 |
Thanks for everyone's input, but i feel that many are missing the point. I believe there is a big difference between the letter I received and:
Dear Wendy,
Sorry to bother you but we've received this document for translation and, as you can see, its not the best quality. Would you possibly be able to help us out and provide a word count/quote? I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks
XY.
Had i received this, I would not have hesitated in responding positively... See more Thanks for everyone's input, but i feel that many are missing the point. I believe there is a big difference between the letter I received and:
Dear Wendy,
Sorry to bother you but we've received this document for translation and, as you can see, its not the best quality. Would you possibly be able to help us out and provide a word count/quote? I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks
XY.
Had i received this, I would not have hesitated in responding positively. It was more the tone of the letter that made me think it was "cheeky", not so much the actual existence of it. ▲ Collapse
| | | | juvera
Local time: 00:46
English to Hungarian
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| What is the difference? | Dec 12, 2009 |
Hi,
Would you be able to help me with something please? Can you check the document and let
me know if the handwriting is readable, and also provide me with an approx word count?
Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Kind regards,
XY
Project Account Manager
Dear Wendy,
Sorry to bother you but we've received this document for translation and, as you can see, its not the best quality. Would you possibly be able to help us out and provide a word count/quote? I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks
XY.
I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill.
The style and content of the letter you received may be slightly different from your version, but it is saying "please", "any help would be appreciated", and "thanks in advance". If that tone is "cheeky", so be it, carry on grumbling.
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blomguib (X)
Local time: 20:46
English to Flemish
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| question of manners | Dec 12, 2009 |
juvera wrote:
Hi,
Would you be able to help me with something please? Can you check the document and let
me know if the handwriting is readable, and also provide me with an approx word count?
Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Kind regards,
XY
Project Account Manager
Dear Wendy,
Sorry to bother you but we've received this document for translation and, as you can see, its not the best quality. Would you possibly be able to help us out and provide a word count/quote? I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks
XY.
I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill. The style and content of the letter you received may be slightly different from your version, but it is saying "please", "any help would be appreciated", and "thanks in advance". If that tone is "cheeky", so be it, carry on grumbling.
Practicality put aside, I agree with Wendy.....if you need "help", the first thing to do, is to make sure that the person who receives the actual request, is not feeling offended, put down, or whatever you might call it....for me this is a simple question of manners...or perhaps I am getting really old and need to start realizing that my generation is about to die....This is exactly the same reason why a person who addresses me with "Hey", is unlikely to catch my attention....sorry!
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 00:46
Member (2007)
English
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| One thing to add | Dec 12, 2009 |
Others have given advice for and against replying.
I'd just like to add that I personally would reply with something along the lines of "Hi, I don't think we know each other. I'm ..." I think that would convey the message (unless they're just plain thick-skinned) that this is a personal communication not just project manager "A" to translation provider "1".
I, too, would be offended by this approach but there could be many valid reasons for it - stress, overwork, shynes... See more Others have given advice for and against replying.
I'd just like to add that I personally would reply with something along the lines of "Hi, I don't think we know each other. I'm ..." I think that would convey the message (unless they're just plain thick-skinned) that this is a personal communication not just project manager "A" to translation provider "1".
I, too, would be offended by this approach but there could be many valid reasons for it - stress, overwork, shyness, insecurity, ... Still, a project manager shouldn't really suffer too much from any of them. ▲ Collapse
| | | | blomguib (X)
Local time: 20:46
English to Flemish
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Sheila Wilson wrote:
I'd just like to add that I personally would reply with something along the lines of "Hi, I don't think we know each other. I'm ..." I think that would convey the message (unless they're just plain thick-skinned) that this is a personal communication not just project manager "A" to translation provider "1".
I, too, would be offended by this approach but there could be many valid reasons for it - stress, overwork, shyness, insecurity, ... Still, a project manager shouldn't really suffer too much from any of them.
My experience lately is that there are a lot of plain thick-skinned people out there....and I no longer want to adopt an accomodating attitude....
I nevertheless admire people like Sheila who actually take the time and make the effort of drawing the attention to this kind of attitude....unfortunately, I don´t think it will have an effect....but then again, I am becoming a real cynic!
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