Poll: If you had to, which type of client would you choose between these two: Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "If you had to, which type of client would you choose between these two:".
This poll was originally submitted by Berenice Font. View the poll results »
| | | | | If I had to choose | Jul 25, 2015 |
between the two, I'll go every time with the first choice:
Higher rates: are always welcome!
Tight deadlines: it depends on what tight means exactly and deadlines can be negotiated!
Weekend work: I do it quite often anyway and I prefer taking days off when everyone else is "busy"...
P.S. I should add that as a service provider I'm the one stating the price for a particular job and not the client...
[Edited at 2015-07-25 08:59 GMT]
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I prefer high rates, generous deadlines and office hours. Why should this be a contradiction?
| | | | | Higher rates, tight deadlines, work on weekends | Jul 25, 2015 |
That's my modus operandi.
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neilmac
Spain
Local time: 15:14
Spanish to English
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I habitually work weekends and 99% of the time it doesn't bother me. My only problem with tight deadlines is that I need to accommodate my loyal, long-standing regular clients and when 2 or 3 of them appear at the same time with "urgent" requests, it can get a bit hectic.
My ideal client would be one that factored in translation time when planning (if they do actually plan things) their materials, and that made sure the texts were translated BEFORE putting them into a shiny yet larg... See more I habitually work weekends and 99% of the time it doesn't bother me. My only problem with tight deadlines is that I need to accommodate my loyal, long-standing regular clients and when 2 or 3 of them appear at the same time with "urgent" requests, it can get a bit hectic.
My ideal client would be one that factored in translation time when planning (if they do actually plan things) their materials, and that made sure the texts were translated BEFORE putting them into a shiny yet largely unworkable PDF format. Obviously high rates, prompt payment and flexible deadlines would be nice too, but you can't have the moon on a stick, at least not around here. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Patricia Charnet
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:14
Member (2009)
English to French
| lower rates better deadlines office hours | Jul 25, 2015 |
but that's because I do a lot of interpreting so it's easier to manage, and I've got the weekends to catch up with the translations if need be
| | | | Thayenga 
Germany
Local time: 15:14
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
| Not lower rates | Jul 25, 2015 |
Accepting lower rates means working more hours for the same income, e. g. including weekends. So it's better to choose the higher rates and work on weekends (which I do anyway), and keep on one's toes regarding the tight deadlines.
| | | | 564354352 (X)
Denmark
Local time: 15:14
Danish to English
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Decent rates (MY rates)
Appropriate deadlines
Reasonable working hours
I.e. I'd opt for a professional agreement any time...
Weird question 
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Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 14:14
Member (2007)
English
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| My view exactly! | Jul 25, 2015 |
Gitte Hovedskov, MCIL wrote: Decent rates (MY rates) Appropriate deadlines Reasonable working hours I.e. I'd opt for a professional agreement any time... Weird question
My rates are reasonable but they only relate to reasonable demands. If a client wants their particular job to jump the queue and/or expects me to take nothing more than minimum comfort breaks or to work outside normal working hours, then that client will have to pay a higher rate. That doesn't prevent me from choosing to work odd hours when it suits me, or helping regular clients out at no extra charge if I feel it's appropriate.
Actually, if some of the 'offers' I receive are representative, it's more normal for LOW rates to go hand in hand with tight deadlines. When your 'agency' client is third in line, there's little left for the translator in terms of money or time.
| | | | | I definitely agree with Gitte too | Jul 25, 2015 |
However, to answer the question, as a regular state of affairs I would generally prefer medium good rates and feasible deadlines, though not necessarily office hours, over tight deadlines and weekend work no matter how high the rates.
It would mean that sometimes I would simply turn down the jobs - as I did ten days ago, in spite of an offer of an extra bonus for weekend work. I often have other things to do with my weekends and I need to recuperate after a burst of rushed activity.... See more However, to answer the question, as a regular state of affairs I would generally prefer medium good rates and feasible deadlines, though not necessarily office hours, over tight deadlines and weekend work no matter how high the rates.
It would mean that sometimes I would simply turn down the jobs - as I did ten days ago, in spite of an offer of an extra bonus for weekend work. I often have other things to do with my weekends and I need to recuperate after a burst of rushed activity. Both were the case just then.
The overall earnings are probably better at the regular, steady rate, provided the rates are reasonable.
The quality of the output is definitely better when there is time to 'sleep on it' and check again before delivering a job. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Georgia Morg (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:14
Portuguese to English
| no problem with weekends | Jul 25, 2015 |
I hate "tight deadlines" because I hate to panic, when I realise, for example, that something is harder then I thought it would be, or that there weird formatting thingies. Working at weekends, however, is not a problem at all. I prefer to have time off during the week. Films are cheaper, dentists are available, beaches are not so crowded.......
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 09:14
English to Spanish
+ ...
| Incomplete, rather than weird | Jul 25, 2015 |
Gitte Hovedskov, MCIL wrote: Decent rates (MY rates) Appropriate deadlines Reasonable working hours I.e. I'd opt for a professional agreement any time... Weird question
The question assumes an either/or, black-or-white, for-us-or-against-us mentality. Humans have thoughts richer than that.
Agreed. Decent rates, negotiable and reasonable demands on deadlines and working hours.
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Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 10:14
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| This is not an actual choice, | Jul 26, 2015 |
It's our routine: reasonable rates, tight deadline, work on weekends, term for payment longer that we would like.
[Edited at 2015-07-26 23:05 GMT]
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