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Poll: How many projects does a client have to assign you before you consider them a regular client?
Autor de la hebra: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
PERSONAL DEL SITIO
Jan 17, 2015

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How many projects does a client have to assign you before you consider them a regular client?".

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Julian Holmes
Julian Holmes  Identity Verified
Japón
Local time: 21:35
Miembro 2011
japonés al inglés
Other N/A Jan 17, 2015

For argument's sake, a client could give you, say, 7-9 or > 10 jobs and then completely disappear from the face of the planet for any reason whatsoever. You wouldn't call the client regular then, would you.

A 'regular' client is one who gives you work on a regular basis, whichever your criterion for 'regular' is, be it every month, every week or every day. For me, it's one who keeps yours truly pretty busy over the year and the following years. IMHO

Small addition
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For argument's sake, a client could give you, say, 7-9 or > 10 jobs and then completely disappear from the face of the planet for any reason whatsoever. You wouldn't call the client regular then, would you.

A 'regular' client is one who gives you work on a regular basis, whichever your criterion for 'regular' is, be it every month, every week or every day. For me, it's one who keeps yours truly pretty busy over the year and the following years. IMHO

Small addition

[Edited at 2015-01-17 09:45 GMT]
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neilmac
neilmac
España
Local time: 13:35
español al inglés
+ ...
Other Jan 17, 2015

For me it's not question of "how many projects". If they keep coming back to me over the years, they end up being regulars.

 
Michael Harris
Michael Harris  Identity Verified
Alemania
Local time: 13:35
Miembro 2006
alemán al inglés
Other Jan 17, 2015

Good question....

 
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Yetta Jensen Bogarde  Identity Verified
Dinamarca
Local time: 13:35
Miembro 2012
inglés al danés
+ ...
Maybe 7 - 9 Jan 17, 2015

Depending on the timespan and recent history

 
Gudrun Maydorn (X)
Gudrun Maydorn (X)  Identity Verified
Alemania
Local time: 13:35
inglés al alemán
+ ...
May depend on the size of the client's projects Jan 17, 2015

One page, 10 pages, a week's work, a month's work or more ...

A direct client who trusts me with a very large project and happily comes back with the next one (even if only once a year) might be considered a regular client sooner than an agency that occacionally sends me half a page to translate.

[Bearbeitet am 2015-01-17 10:12 GMT]


 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
Estados Unidos
Local time: 04:35
Miembro 2003
español al inglés
+ ...
Other - consistency over time Jan 17, 2015

Like Neil. I think that says it all.

 
EvaVer (X)
EvaVer (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 13:35
checo al francés
+ ...
Yes Jan 17, 2015

neilmac wrote:

For me it's not question of "how many projects". If they keep coming back to me over the years, they end up being regulars.

And how do you define a project? Some clients may send me several "projects" per day, 100 words or so each.


 
José Henrique Lamensdorf
José Henrique Lamensdorf  Identity Verified
Brasil
Local time: 09:35
inglés al portugués
+ ...
In Memoriam
Complex metrics for an objective classification Jan 17, 2015

To do it mathematically, I'd need frequency, volume, and an equation to set a regular/non-regular clients threshold.

So I prefer a subjective approach... I consider a client "regular" when, after having used my services at least once, I'll be their first option whenever they need them again.


 
Leon Ivanihin
Leon Ivanihin  Identity Verified
Local time: 15:35
inglés al ruso
Other N/A Jan 17, 2015

Good question? Bad question!
In my practice I did not notice ANY relation/link between a number of assignments from client and becoming the 'regular client' at all.
At time the client, which I believed regular one, suddenly disappears forever. Or some forgotten 3-years ago contact brings new set of orders.


 
M. Anna Kańduła
M. Anna Kańduła  Identity Verified
Reino Unido
Local time: 12:35
inglés al polaco
Other Jan 17, 2015

It's not a matter of a number of projects but frequency over a span of time.

 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Dinamarca
Local time: 13:35
Miembro 2003
danés al inglés
+ ...
Other Jan 17, 2015

I have one or two who send me work every month or several times a year.

I have quite a large number who send work when they have anything in my language pairs, not exactly regularly, but I enjoy workking for them and regard them as regular clients.

But clients come and go. Some I regarded as regulars for years have disappreared, and some turn up again after breaks.

I keep a list and note who is who (especially all the Global ones - I do NOT want to get them
... See more
I have one or two who send me work every month or several times a year.

I have quite a large number who send work when they have anything in my language pairs, not exactly regularly, but I enjoy workking for them and regard them as regular clients.

But clients come and go. Some I regarded as regulars for years have disappreared, and some turn up again after breaks.

I keep a list and note who is who (especially all the Global ones - I do NOT want to get them mixed up).

And then there are the ones who regularly try to recruit me, and I am usually too busy for their paperwork and tight deadlines, or else I have to find another excuse.
But they are not really clients.
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Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 07:35
inglés al español
+ ...
Volume, frequency, rapport, etc. Jan 17, 2015

José Henrique Lamensdorf wrote:

To do it mathematically, I'd need frequency, volume, and an equation to set a regular/non-regular clients threshold.

So I prefer a subjective approach... I consider a client "regular" when, after having used my services at least once, I'll be their first option whenever they need them again.



...unless they try to lowball you, like one client did to me 2 weeks ago. Good regular clients don't do that, I think.


 
José Henrique Lamensdorf
José Henrique Lamensdorf  Identity Verified
Brasil
Local time: 09:35
inglés al portugués
+ ...
In Memoriam
No chance Jan 17, 2015

Mario Chavez wrote:

José Henrique Lamensdorf wrote:

To do it mathematically, I'd need frequency, volume, and an equation to set a regular/non-regular clients threshold.

So I prefer a subjective approach... I consider a client "regular" when, after having used my services at least once, I'll be their first option whenever they need them again.


...unless they try to lowball you, like one client did to me 2 weeks ago. Good regular clients don't do that, I think.


If they are my regular clients, they know my rates. If they are returning, it's because they think the value I deliver is worth the price I charge. They just ask me for a cost estimate to make sure they counted it right.

To give an example, there is one regular direct client who shows up usually only twice a year... every year. Once I asked him "Should I ... or ...?", and he replied, "Your call. I know all about my business, but you are my expert in translation. Do whatever you'd do if you were in my place, and bill me for that."


 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brasil
Local time: 09:35
Miembro 2014
inglés al portugués
+ ...
I'm giving up Jan 18, 2015

considering the questions made in the Quick Poles lately. Does any asker ever read his/her own questions before posting them? I doubt it.

 
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Poll: How many projects does a client have to assign you before you consider them a regular client?






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