| Páginas sobre el tema: [1 2] > | Poll: Do you always undertake a job after receiving a PO? Autor de la hebra: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you always undertake a job after receiving a PO?".
This poll was originally submitted by Mario Laima. View the poll results »
| | | | Carmen Grabs
Alemania
Local time: 15:46
Miembro 2012
inglés al alemán
+ ...
| No, if it means | Feb 22, 2014 |
that I always wait for a PO before I start a project.
Some customers send the PO first, some later, some very late.
| | | | Michael Harris 
Alemania
Local time: 15:46
Miembro 2006
alemán al inglés
not always, especially if the deadline has not been agreed and I do not have time.
It does not happen very often, but when it does, I negotiate a different date or unfortunately I have to reject it.
Most of the times, I am asked first - and once again, I am fortunate to have realy good and reliable customers
| | | | Mary Worby
Reino Unido
Local time: 14:46
alemán al inglés
+ ...
Some customers send out the PO with the original job enquiry, and I am not always able to obliged. But on the whole, if I have agreed date and deadline and am happy with the content then yes, I will proceed with the job.
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| You mean a FORMAL PO? | Feb 22, 2014 |
Of course, I don't get started on a job before the client clearly tells me to go ahead and do it.
Sometimes, after I have received the material, analyzed it, and sent an estimate, the PO may be just a phone or Skype call, or perhaps an SMS, saying that it has been approved. An e-mail saying so in one simple phrase will do.
On the other extreme, the PO may be a very formal legalese-ridden document describing in accurate detail each and every penalty I'll incur if I deliv... See more Of course, I don't get started on a job before the client clearly tells me to go ahead and do it.
Sometimes, after I have received the material, analyzed it, and sent an estimate, the PO may be just a phone or Skype call, or perhaps an SMS, saying that it has been approved. An e-mail saying so in one simple phrase will do.
On the other extreme, the PO may be a very formal legalese-ridden document describing in accurate detail each and every penalty I'll incur if I deliver the job more than umpteen seconds late, if they suspect there might be some minor slip in it, or if my tax paperwork fails to withstand scrutiny. Of course they refrain from touching the delicate issue of what would happen if they chose to pay me one year in arrears; this is deemed such a farfetched possibility, that in such cases it would happen every time, if I failed to constrain our business relationship to our very first 'incident'.
Between one and another, all shades of gray exist. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Sorry, can’t understand the question! | Feb 22, 2014 |
I have been working with a few long-standing and beloved clients (more than 20 years) without ever receiving a PO: they just send the file, ask if I am available and propose a deadline. For those agencies who do send a PO, this is the go-ahead signal after the original enquiry.
| | | | neilmac
España
Local time: 15:46
español al inglés
+ ...
As I rarely work with agencies, I very rarely receive a "PO" per se. In fact, of the three agencies I occasionally work with, only one of them actually bothers to send a PO.
However, if I were in a situation where all or most of my work was coming from agencies, I imagine that my answer would be no, because as it stands I have to refuse quite a bit of work anyway, and I'm afraid my direct clients have to take precedence over the agencies, for several reasons.
| | | | Julian Holmes
Japón
Local time: 23:46
Miembro 2011
japonés al inglés
| Different cultures, different customer relationships, different requirements | Feb 22, 2014 |
According to my own located-in-Japan benchmark
Almost 100% of the customers I deal with now have their whatsit together and issue POs, which clearly state what's to be done, by when, and by whom, etc. This is extremely comforting.
From experience, I have learnt that this saves a whole of aggravation later on and is strong evidence in a court of law.
However...
Like Teresa states, an e-mail indicating intent to place the order, volume, rates/cos... See more According to my own located-in-Japan benchmark
Almost 100% of the customers I deal with now have their whatsit together and issue POs, which clearly state what's to be done, by when, and by whom, etc. This is extremely comforting.
From experience, I have learnt that this saves a whole of aggravation later on and is strong evidence in a court of law.
However...
Like Teresa states, an e-mail indicating intent to place the order, volume, rates/costs, etc. is sufficient. And, this also serves as proof of order in place of a 'formal PO' per se.
I mentioned 'from experience' above. The worst experience I have had was because of a 'nod and a wink' agreement. Sorry, but once bitten twice shy.
At least, this is how things are done - or should be done - over here. 
HTH ▲ Collapse
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Büke (X)
Alemania
Local time: 15:46
inglés al alemán
+ ...
| My point of view... | Feb 22, 2014 |
İ'm new on ProZ, so i still didn't experience that but if you ask me i'd rather get the PO before i start a job just so i don't waste my time, especiallt when it's a company i haven't worked with before. But i'd still start a job before i get their PO, i just wouldn't hand the job over before i get the PO! İ guess that's fair.
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 09:46
inglés al español
+ ...
José Henrique Lamensdorf wrote:
Of course, I don't get started on a job before the client clearly tells me to go ahead and do it.
Sometimes, after I have received the material, analyzed it, and sent an estimate, the PO may be just a phone or Skype call, or perhaps an SMS, saying that it has been approved. An e-mail saying so in one simple phrase will do.
On the other extreme, the PO may be a very formal legalese-ridden document describing in accurate detail each and every penalty I'll incur if I deliver the job more than umpteen seconds late, if they suspect there might be some minor slip in it, or if my tax paperwork fails to withstand scrutiny. Of course they refrain from touching the delicate issue of what would happen if they chose to pay me one year in arrears; this is deemed such a farfetched possibility, that in such cases it would happen every time, if I failed to constrain our business relationship to our very first 'incident'.
Between one and another, all shades of gray exist.
As others have said, some clients (even new ones) may send a PO along with the first inquiry of availability. I have one client whose project managers almost always inexplicably send me a PO as if I were their employee. It's hilarious! Hilarious because I know them personally.
Now, a PO needn't be a formal document. As José Henrique said, it could be a simple text message or a phone call. Since I believe in paper trails, I always prefer the client who sends me a go-ahead in writing, whatever the format.
| | | | | Wrong way round? | Feb 22, 2014 |
It is always tough to post a question here. As linguists we have that niggling habit of looking for ambiguity and so we often find it.
It think that in this question, the items have not been placed in the right order of priority. Of course the job is always undertaken once a purchase order has been received, unless accident, ill health or some major unforseeable event arises.
I suppose the intention is to read this question as : do you only undertake a job if you have a... See more It is always tough to post a question here. As linguists we have that niggling habit of looking for ambiguity and so we often find it.
It think that in this question, the items have not been placed in the right order of priority. Of course the job is always undertaken once a purchase order has been received, unless accident, ill health or some major unforseeable event arises.
I suppose the intention is to read this question as : do you only undertake a job if you have a PO? ▲ Collapse
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It depends on the client. Most send something, or at least a confirmation. Some of my other clients just send me the document and the word "Help". I usually reply with the translation, my invoice and the word "Pay" ^_^
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| Sometimes I get the PO after the job is completed... | Feb 22, 2014 |
I often start a job before the official PO arrives.
Once I am certain that the client and I have agreed on terms, the deadline etc. I start work, as the deadline may be tight.
Several of my clients issue a PO that they need for their system, and ask me to quote its number on my invoice etc. But a couple of them need a final word count, and if the source was a scanned PDF, we use the target word count.
So I have to deliver before they can send a PO or Work O... See more I often start a job before the official PO arrives.
Once I am certain that the client and I have agreed on terms, the deadline etc. I start work, as the deadline may be tight.
Several of my clients issue a PO that they need for their system, and ask me to quote its number on my invoice etc. But a couple of them need a final word count, and if the source was a scanned PDF, we use the target word count.
So I have to deliver before they can send a PO or Work Order or whatever they like to call it.
With most other clients, the agreement is in place before the PO arrives.
So if I have not already done so, I start work when the PO arrives - it is a confirmation of the final terms and conditions we have agreed on. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Henry Hinds
Estados Unidos
Local time: 07:46
inglés al español
+ ...
In Memoriam
I very seldom get POs (Purchase Orders I assume), but when I receive a job I undertake it as soon as possible, bill for it and get paid. Most of my clients are direct, and those few that are agencies are good ones. They are all honest. When a job is received and authorized by the client (some wish a quote first), then I consider that to be a Purchase Order.
| | | | Allison Wright (X)
Portugal
Local time: 14:46
| I read this question differently | Feb 22, 2014 |
I have once accepted a job based on e-mail exchange, and subsequently rejected it when the PO was sent in reply because the PO had different terms to the ones agreed in the e-mail exchange. The PO was amended smartly, and I ended up doing the job anyway.
As José Henrique says, there are all manner of exchanges would would constitute acceptance and confirmation of one's acceptance of a job.
Not al... See more I have once accepted a job based on e-mail exchange, and subsequently rejected it when the PO was sent in reply because the PO had different terms to the ones agreed in the e-mail exchange. The PO was amended smartly, and I ended up doing the job anyway.
As José Henrique says, there are all manner of exchanges would would constitute acceptance and confirmation of one's acceptance of a job.
Not all "purchase orders" I receive are formal.
Here is an example of frequent e-mail correspondence between me and a small agency:
Agency: Would you be able to do this X-Y translation by 5 pm tomorrow?
Me: 5 pm tomorrow would be fine.
Agency: Thank you!
Sometimes we are more formal; it really does depend on how often we have communicated that day or that week.
When I deliver the translation, I always attach the documents to the original e-mail exchange.
Another agency sends the PO in the e-mail itself with the initial enquiry. If they ask me if I am able to do / am available to do the attached job by X date and time, then I reply that I am able to / am available to do the attached job by X date and time. If, however - and it has happened they ask, "Would you like to..."?, I respond in like fashion: "Yes, I would like to do this job. I confirm delivery on X date and time."
Another agency has a formal system which involves clicking "Accept" on a portal, which triggers a very formal PO being sent via e-mail to my address.
None of the above three examples ever require subsequent rejections, because I have always had sight of all files before acceptance of the job.
I suppose if I were faced a serious crisis (death of a close family member, accident) midway through a translation, I would arrange to be relieved of the job. I have worked through death/accident situations before and managed to produce decent translations, but I won't do it the next time.
[Edited at 2014-02-22 21:03 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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