| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Poll: Do you communicate with clients on the phone? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Michael Harris 
Germany
Local time: 07:30
Member (2006)
German to English
| Yes, frequently | Sep 23, 2014 |
I frequently call my customers, all over the world.
I do not talk to them for ages, but sometimes to quickly clarify minor issues.
I find it really great to have a "small" conversation with people around the world, and it does give a "personal" touch to things.
Julian, calls are expensive over there? I have 2 international flat rates for €10 / month and could keep the line on normal land lines burning all nght.
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 06:30
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
| I don't encourage it but it does happen | Sep 23, 2014 |
None of them are native English speakers and most aren't French speakers, either. So there's me, answering my phone with my best Spanish ¡Hola! and then "listening in Spanish", if you know what I mean. It's a language I don't speak at all well so already I'm stressed. Then they immediately give their name before I've even decided which language they're speaking. Needless to say, it never reaches a memory cell in my brain. So I'm completely wrong-footed, struggling to sort out who they are and w... See more None of them are native English speakers and most aren't French speakers, either. So there's me, answering my phone with my best Spanish ¡Hola! and then "listening in Spanish", if you know what I mean. It's a language I don't speak at all well so already I'm stressed. Then they immediately give their name before I've even decided which language they're speaking. Needless to say, it never reaches a memory cell in my brain. So I'm completely wrong-footed, struggling to sort out who they are and what they're talking about. My French goes to pieces and even my English suffers as I get more and more flustered.
It really doesn't have the polish that I strive to put in my emails. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Unfortunately, yes | Sep 23, 2014 |
I have a few clients that feel the need to call, and a couple of them never get into their head that I'm in a different timezone.
So I've had clients call me at 4-5 in the morning, wondering why I haven't replied to their e-mail yet, and recently I raised my voice to a client that claimed it was an emergency (file arrived in my inbox at 4 a.m.my time, no forewarning) at 7:15 a.m., and at that point I started yelling, that "this is not an emergency, just bad planning on your side, and I wil... See more I have a few clients that feel the need to call, and a couple of them never get into their head that I'm in a different timezone.
So I've had clients call me at 4-5 in the morning, wondering why I haven't replied to their e-mail yet, and recently I raised my voice to a client that claimed it was an emergency (file arrived in my inbox at 4 a.m.my time, no forewarning) at 7:15 a.m., and at that point I started yelling, that "this is not an emergency, just bad planning on your side, and I will not even look at this until I've finished my coffee."
[Edited at 2014-09-23 21:11 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Never, without exceptions | Sep 23, 2014 |
I'm not much of a speaker. I hate arranging anything over the phone even in my native language. For me one of the biggest benefits of being a written translator is not having to talk to anyone on the phone.
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Anthony Baldwin
United States
Local time: 01:30
Portuguese to English
+ ...
| Well, I never | Sep 24, 2014 |
ever call a client, unless there's some absolute emergency, like my house just burnt down or flew off in a tornado, with half of their urgent translation on my now melted hard drive (hasn't happened quite like that yet).
But I do get frantic calls from time to time at 3am from PMs desperate for someone to take an urgent translation for them. I only pick up if I am completely available and desperate for work, myself. Otherwise, I let them talk to the voicemail.
I prefer contact... See more ever call a client, unless there's some absolute emergency, like my house just burnt down or flew off in a tornado, with half of their urgent translation on my now melted hard drive (hasn't happened quite like that yet).
But I do get frantic calls from time to time at 3am from PMs desperate for someone to take an urgent translation for them. I only pick up if I am completely available and desperate for work, myself. Otherwise, I let them talk to the voicemail.
I prefer contact via e-mail.
I have some clients begging me for years now to "give them my skype",
but I absolutely refuse to use such things.
If I'm on the computer, I'm working, and need not be interrupted by skype.
I check my e-mail quite frequently when I'm not busy working already.
I should probably make myself more available and accommodating, but I've become a bit curmudgeonly in my old age, I suppose. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Gudrun Maydorn (X)
Germany
Local time: 07:30
English to German
+ ...
| Yes, with most of them | Sep 24, 2014 |
Michael Harris wrote:
I do not talk to them for ages, but sometimes to quickly clarify minor issues.
I find it really great to have a "small" conversation with people around the world, and it does give a "personal" touch to things.
| | | | | Some and some | Sep 24, 2014 |
Some clients I have never spoken to; one, on the other hand, only uses email to send documents and does everything else by phone. Apart from that one exception, my clients only ring when they want something urgently.
If I am the one to pick up the phone, it will be because there's something a bit complicated going on - either linguistically or administratively - and it seems to me that a conversation plus follow-up email will be both the quickest and the most efficient way to clear ... See more Some clients I have never spoken to; one, on the other hand, only uses email to send documents and does everything else by phone. Apart from that one exception, my clients only ring when they want something urgently.
If I am the one to pick up the phone, it will be because there's something a bit complicated going on - either linguistically or administratively - and it seems to me that a conversation plus follow-up email will be both the quickest and the most efficient way to clear things up whilst avoiding misunderstandings. None of my clients has ever given any indication of being unsatisfied: quite the contrary, in fact; they seem to appreciate it as an indication of my desire to make our working relationship as smooth as possible. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Not if I can help it | Sep 26, 2014 |
Besides the fact that I hate to talk on the phone, I want everything in writing so that it's clear and there are no misunderstandings. It annoys me no end to receive instructions on the phone. It means I have to be sure to remember what was said and remember it correctly. So much can fall between the cracks.
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