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Poll: Is Instant Messaging necessary for your business?
Autor de la hebra: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
PERSONAL DEL SITIO
Mar 19, 2009

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Is Instant Messaging necessary for your business?".

This poll was originally submitted by Elías Sauza

View the poll here

A forum topic will appear each time a new
... See more
This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Is Instant Messaging necessary for your business?".

This poll was originally submitted by Elías Sauza

View the poll here

A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more information, see: http://proz.com/topic/33629
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LAURA TENORINI
LAURA TENORINI  Identity Verified
Italia
Local time: 00:07
inglés al italiano
+ ...
Skype chat Mar 19, 2009

Hi everybody!
Lately a lot of my direct clients/agencies are contacting me via Skype, in particular using its chat.
Are you experiencing this, too?

Have a good day,
Laura



[Edited at 2009-03-19 12:10 GMT]


 
Oleksandr Kupriyanchuk
Oleksandr Kupriyanchuk  Identity Verified
Estados Unidos
Miembro 2009
ruso al inglés
+ ...
NOT critically necessary (but it can be more distracting than helpful if used regularly) Mar 19, 2009

...sometimes clients are used to working in "conventional" personal communication (an increasingly RARE thing these days) / want to "feel out" a translator or simply do not wish (have no time) to write.
A warning: overworking in this kind of "open space" is not for translators (except for a tiny faction of translators - extraverts, who are actuallly interpreters in most cases...
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...sometimes clients are used to working in "conventional" personal communication (an increasingly RARE thing these days) / want to "feel out" a translator or simply do not wish (have no time) to write.
A warning: overworking in this kind of "open space" is not for translators (except for a tiny faction of translators - extraverts, who are actuallly interpreters in most cases )


[Edited at 2009-03-19 12:33 GMT]
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Karen Stokes
Karen Stokes  Identity Verified
Reino Unido
Local time: 23:07
Miembro 2003
francés al inglés
Useful but not essential Mar 19, 2009

I have a couple of clients who like to use Skype, one in particular, and we find it useful for quick queries etc. but I wouldn't say it's strictly necessary. Handy for sending files if one of us has a problem with email, though.

Best,

Karen


 
Angela Dickson (X)
Angela Dickson (X)  Identity Verified
Reino Unido
Local time: 23:07
francés al inglés
+ ...
No, but... Mar 19, 2009

I'd be interested to see the discussion about this poll. At the moment I use IM purely to chat to friends, and my clients don't have my IM ID.

If I'm at my computer I will reply to emails very quickly if I need to, and can let non-urgent ones wait. On IM, everything requires immediate attention, which I think would find very distracting. At least with my friends I can say 'I'm trying to work - talk later'.

So that's why I don't use IM for work, but I'll be interested to
... See more
I'd be interested to see the discussion about this poll. At the moment I use IM purely to chat to friends, and my clients don't have my IM ID.

If I'm at my computer I will reply to emails very quickly if I need to, and can let non-urgent ones wait. On IM, everything requires immediate attention, which I think would find very distracting. At least with my friends I can say 'I'm trying to work - talk later'.

So that's why I don't use IM for work, but I'll be interested to hear how others use it.
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Rebecca Hendry
Rebecca Hendry  Identity Verified
Reino Unido
Local time: 23:07
Miembro 2005
español al inglés
+ ...
Not essential, but.. Mar 19, 2009

It's certainly useful for quick queries or sending files. A few of my clients use it regularly to ask if I'm available, and I find it useful for quick questions.

That said, if I'm really busy and don't want to/can't be disturbed, I set my status to "invisible" so that people don't bombard me with messages I don't want to have to deal with at the time.

[Edited at 2009-03-19 12:38 GMT]


 
José Henrique Lamensdorf
José Henrique Lamensdorf  Identity Verified
Brasil
Local time: 19:07
inglés al portugués
+ ...
In Memoriam
Depends on which IM system Mar 19, 2009

MSN is a curse. It doesn't only impose a heavy drain on hardware resources, but tends to distract the human resources as well.

Skype is a bliss. In all aspects, both IM and voice resources, all too often it helps a lot.


 
Interlangue (X)
Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 00:07
inglés al francés
+ ...
Not "necessary" but useful Mar 19, 2009

Skype is much quicker to arrange details (deadlines, for instance) with several customers at the same time, in several chat windows. Also useful for job related chats with colleagues. Unfortunately it doesn't work as smoothly as it used to.

MSN is a pain, Yahoo messenger is used only with a handful of friends (on another machine) and gmail.com chat is usually switched off now


 
Amy Duncan (X)
Amy Duncan (X)  Identity Verified
Brasil
Local time: 19:07
portugués al inglés
+ ...
Handy sometimes Mar 19, 2009

I use Skype occasionally with clients. It's good for sending very heavy files, and also when you need to have back-and-forth on some project you're working on.

 
Wil Hardman (X)
Wil Hardman (X)  Identity Verified
Reino Unido
Local time: 23:07
español al inglés
+ ...
Just to echo... Mar 19, 2009

Skype = great for sending files and quick queries

MSN = Never

In my experience a lot of the younger translators and project managers I work with use Skype. It really is time saving on occasions and I just ignore anyone I don't have time to talk to.

Not necessary (like email probably is) but it is useful.


 
Mila Lozano
Mila Lozano
Alemania
alemán al español
+ ...
more approachable Mar 19, 2009

I normally use Skype to be in contact with translator friends.
It's very useful to help each other.

A private client who sends me regularly work gets in contac with me through skype. I guess clients get the feeling you're more approachable


 
m_temmer
m_temmer  Identity Verified
Local time: 16:07
inglés al neerlandés
+ ...
no Mar 19, 2009

I don't see how instant messaging would be faster or easier than just picking up a phone or sending an e-mail. When I'm working, I want to decide whether I respond or not. I don't want to be bothered by instant messages at the worst possible moment. If a customer needs me urgently, he or she can call me at home or on my cell phone.

 
LAURA TENORINI
LAURA TENORINI  Identity Verified
Italia
Local time: 00:07
inglés al italiano
+ ...
online Mar 19, 2009

I think the main reason why agencies contact me via skype is that, if they see I'm online, they want to know immediately my availability for a RUSH job, without having to wait for a reply by email.
I think I reply faster to skype chats rather than emails. In fact, when my status is "online" it means "don't worry, you can contact me". Otherwise I change it.

My two cents...

Laura


 
neilmac
neilmac
España
Local time: 00:07
español al inglés
+ ...
No Mar 19, 2009

Handy to check terms with clients, but not indispensable. Also useful for collaborating with colleagues on projects.

 
neilmac
neilmac
España
Local time: 00:07
español al inglés
+ ...
Sending large files Mar 19, 2009

Amy Duncan wrote:

I use Skype occasionally with clients. It's good for sending very heavy files, and also when you need to have back-and-forth on some project you're working on.


I've been using You-Send-It for large files and it's very good, the free version has worked well for me so far


 
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Poll: Is Instant Messaging necessary for your business?






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