| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Do you recommend a colleague to your clients if you cannot accept a particular project? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you recommend a colleague to your clients if you cannot accept a particular project?".
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Anyone good enough for me to recommend is a competitor!
| | | | Tim Drayton 
Cyprus
Local time: 00:32
Turkish to English
+ ...
I am sorry, but to be able to recommend somebody I would have to be very familiar with that person's work, and also with their track record in terms of reliability. As an individual freelancer, I do not feel it to be my business to know such things about other translators.
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If it is a good client, I might recommend a colleague.
I feel anyone I could recommend is more a colleague than a competitor - for instance when they are better qualified for jobs outside my comfort zones, or can help when I haven't got time within the deadline. And the traffic definitely goes both ways - sometimes they recommend me for comparable reasons.
Most of my clients are agencies and already know others they can send the job to, but I am occasionally asked to re... See more If it is a good client, I might recommend a colleague.
I feel anyone I could recommend is more a colleague than a competitor - for instance when they are better qualified for jobs outside my comfort zones, or can help when I haven't got time within the deadline. And the traffic definitely goes both ways - sometimes they recommend me for comparable reasons.
Most of my clients are agencies and already know others they can send the job to, but I am occasionally asked to recommend someone.
It is just as much a question of whether I can recommend the client to a colleague I like and trust! ▲ Collapse
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Gudrun Maydorn (X)
Germany
Local time: 23:32
English to German
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If it is not my language pair or my area of specialisation, then I will recommend a colleague whose work I trust. They will also recommend me in similar circumstances so it works both ways.
[Bearbeitet am 2014-10-14 09:04 GMT]
| | | | | I did exactly that a few minutes ago | Oct 14, 2014 |
As I'm fully booked, I recommended a colleague to another one whose direct customer is in need of a DE-FR translation.
As a rule, I only recommend a colleague (I know and trust) if explicitly asked for.
| | | | DianeGM
Local time: 00:32
Member (2006)
Dutch to English
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| Sometimes ... | Oct 14, 2014 |
I have a couple of trusty associates who I have worked with for many years who I would recommend for an urgent project which I could not undertake, in couple of my language combinations.
But for Dutch-Greek I've never worked with anyone else and the stuff I've proofread over the years generally hasn't impressed me much
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 23:32
Spanish to English
+ ...
I know a few translators that I can trust to do as thorough a job as I try to do myself. It also depends on the client. For example I have one colleague who handles the science/tecnical side of texts very well, but tends to let slip the occasional grammatical or stylistic faux pas, so I tend to recommend him to agencies rather than direct clients, as they usually have a proofreader to double check his texts.
In general, I am reluctant to let anyone at all near my best, direct client... See more I know a few translators that I can trust to do as thorough a job as I try to do myself. It also depends on the client. For example I have one colleague who handles the science/tecnical side of texts very well, but tends to let slip the occasional grammatical or stylistic faux pas, so I tend to recommend him to agencies rather than direct clients, as they usually have a proofreader to double check his texts.
In general, I am reluctant to let anyone at all near my best, direct clients and really only know one or two people I'd trust with their stuff. ▲ Collapse
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Julian Holmes
Japan
Local time: 06:32
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
Did I recommend an old friend of mine to a new customer/client. They were looking for other capable translators to help in the large automotive projects I've been getting over the past two years or so.
They got themselves a new translator who was far superior than some of their other ones - bar yours truly, of course. My mate got a new source of work - they have enough to keep me very busy. And, I got lots of brownie points and extra street cred in the eyes of my customer.
It ... See more
| | | | John Cutler
Spain
Local time: 23:32
Spanish to English
+ ...
Chris S wrote:
Anyone good enough for me to recommend is a competitor!
Or the corollary...
Anyone good enough for me to recommend is as busy as I am and won't have the time to help me out.
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only if I am specifically asked, and that is rare.
| | | | | Yes, all the time, and colleagues recommend me | Oct 14, 2014 |
I believe this is the meaning of being in a network.
I happen to know many fellow translators, some personally, others via Internet. I keep tabs in all those I have evidence to believe that are ethical and competent in what they do.
Being on the (translation) road for four decades and counting, I managed to learn some things I didn't know, in both senses, viz. a) to do video translation & subtitling work; and b) that I don't know/understand enough about certain subjects... See more I believe this is the meaning of being in a network.
I happen to know many fellow translators, some personally, others via Internet. I keep tabs in all those I have evidence to believe that are ethical and competent in what they do.
Being on the (translation) road for four decades and counting, I managed to learn some things I didn't know, in both senses, viz. a) to do video translation & subtitling work; and b) that I don't know/understand enough about certain subjects to translate these from/into any language.
So whenever I am requested to anything I can't for any reason, I refer to my reliable colleagues. No, I don't demand nor accept any payback, finder's fee, etc. I am merely bouncing the request to my network. Some are thankful, others have a hard time to discover that I was the one who sent it their way, and most will never know how that prospect found them. Likewise, colleagues in my network bounce clients my way too.
It is not a matter of mutual reward. I've routed jobs to colleagues who never sent me anything of the kind. Others have given me lifelong clients without ever getting anything in return. Our deal is with the network as a whole.
Some translators get really mad at - as they name it - losing a job to someone else, or even worse, having a job 'stolen' by another translator. I simply try my best, all the time and every time, both in getting the job, and in doing it. The client is king in choosing who will serve them. ▲ Collapse
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But If I am busy I tell the client that I can give tho job to a colleague, with my final check before delivery, and if the client agrees I will do that.
And this because everybody has a different style, so I need to be sure things are done as my client wants, so final check is my job.
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It's really easy for me, I just yell "honey!!" and wait for my wife to answer. The best part is that we work in the same language pairs, but in opposite directions, so we are able to share TMs and other resources.
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John Cutler wrote: Chris S wrote:
Anyone good enough for me to recommend is a competitor!
Or the corollary... Anyone good enough for me to recommend is as busy as I am and won't have the time to help me out.
I only know two or three translators I feel I can recommend, and they are usually at least as busy as I am.
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