| Páginas sobre el tema: [1 2] > | Poll: Do you deploy any ice-breaking strategies when you communicate with new clients? Autor de la hebra: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you deploy any ice-breaking strategies when you communicate with new clients?".
View the poll results »
| | | | | Vanilla every time | Jan 11, 2016 |
For some reason I misread the question as having something to do with ice-cream.
I don't really know what the question's getting at. Going to their offices armed with cake? Arriving in a Mr Whippy van?
I suppose I'm more likely to say yes to the first few texts a new customer asks me to do, and I might read the translation through an extra time. But no, I don't take them to the races or to a strip club.
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I understand that this question refers to phatic communication (for those not familiar with the term, see https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q="phatic%20communication").
My answer is 'No'. I may get friendly with a PM over time and "grease the wheels" with some off-topic friendly exchanges, but not at the beginning of our relationship.
| | | | John Cutler 
España
Local time: 00:50
español al inglés
+ ...
Professional cordiality is all I "deploy". Does that count?
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| hahahahahhaha | Jan 11, 2016 |
Chris S wrote:
I don't really know what the question's getting at. Going to their offices armed with cake? Arriving in a Mr Whippy van?
Love these polls, honest
| | | | | I don't see it that way | Jan 11, 2016 |
I'm very familiar with the techniques in face-to-face situations (15 years teaching English) but I don't see them in my exchanges. I do engage clients in several rounds of emails, but it's to get the terms straight and, to some extent, judge the way they feel about freelance translators and our respective roles. You can get a lot of information about whether a client will be domineering or respectful, or something else. But it isn't ice-breaking.
| | | | | Strategies? No! | Jan 11, 2016 |
I play it wide open with each and every client, give them options to choose, and the pros and cons of each alternative when these are not obvious. If they are not reasonable, however smart, they'll quickly drop me to seek a more gullible vendor.
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At the very beginning of a relationship with a potential client there’s no ice to be broken (have I ever started off the wrong foot?). Like Muriel, I have over the years developed a friendly and family-like atmosphere with some clients but this has nothing to do with strategy, just good old fashioned politeness and genuine care.
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| | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 18:50
inglés al español
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| Deploy? Are we military strategists now? | Jan 11, 2016 |
Dear quick poll author for today:
If you are a self-professed language professional (i.e. translator, reviewer, editor, proofreader, writer, etc.), you should know better than to borrow and/or co-opt misused and overused words such as deploy. Have you fallen victim of marketingitis? I'm afraid so.
May I recommend a slow-recovery strategy you can, ahem, deploy? Read more and better books. Stay away from websites, listicles and sundry articles written by marketing ... See more Dear quick poll author for today:
If you are a self-professed language professional (i.e. translator, reviewer, editor, proofreader, writer, etc.), you should know better than to borrow and/or co-opt misused and overused words such as deploy. Have you fallen victim of marketingitis? I'm afraid so.
May I recommend a slow-recovery strategy you can, ahem, deploy? Read more and better books. Stay away from websites, listicles and sundry articles written by marketing workers, unemployed salespeople and assorted types with too much time in their hands playing social media positions.
Or just take two good books and call me in the morning.
[Edited at 2016-01-11 11:21 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Helen Hagon
Local time: 23:50
Miembro 2011
ruso al inglés
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| I don't think so | Jan 11, 2016 |
I try to be polite and professional, making sure I tell the customer everything they need to know with regard to the project, and asking them for any information I require in order to get the job done. Apart from 'be nice but firm', I don't really have a strategy.
In my mind, 'ice-breaking' conjures up pictures of a party where no-one knows anyone else, and the conversation is very stilted (Have you travelled far? Lovely weather for the time of year, isn't it? and so on), so there ... See more I try to be polite and professional, making sure I tell the customer everything they need to know with regard to the project, and asking them for any information I require in order to get the job done. Apart from 'be nice but firm', I don't really have a strategy.
In my mind, 'ice-breaking' conjures up pictures of a party where no-one knows anyone else, and the conversation is very stilted (Have you travelled far? Lovely weather for the time of year, isn't it? and so on), so there is a need for some kind of activity to put people at ease and get the party going. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 18:50
inglés al español
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| Walking on stilts | Jan 11, 2016 |
Helen Hagon wrote:
In my mind, 'ice-breaking' conjures up pictures of a party where no-one knows anyone else, and the conversation is very stilted (Have you travelled far? Lovely weather for the time of year, isn't it? and so on), so there is a need for some kind of activity to put people at ease and get the party going.
Indeed. I think the question in this poll could have benefited from some serious rewrite, because it sounds very stilted!
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in fact, maybe even on the contrary.
I check them out, sign their contracts, but let them know I have my own rights (and procedures) too.
| | | | DianeGM
Local time: 01:50
Miembro 2006
neerlandés al inglés
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and I think this question is wrong on so many levels.
| | | | Erzsébet Czopyk
Hungría
Local time: 00:50
Miembro 2006
ruso al húngaro
+ ...
LOCALIZADOR DEL SITIO
I send all of them to see my ProZ.com profile.
I give myself how I am,
I give a full picture: translation rates, additional certifications rates, notary costs, apostille costs, No surprises later.
I make an excellent coffee/tea and have always a spare cigarette and some space on my balcony
(sometimes it helps to make a decision - if you do not smoke, you do not understand)
Last but not least, if the c... See more I send all of them to see my ProZ.com profile.
I give myself how I am,
I give a full picture: translation rates, additional certifications rates, notary costs, apostille costs, No surprises later.
I make an excellent coffee/tea and have always a spare cigarette and some space on my balcony
(sometimes it helps to make a decision - if you do not smoke, you do not understand)
Last but not least, if the client wants a very low rate and argues, I tell the following:
"It was very nice to meet you in person but I cannot offer you a cheap and bad quality service.
This is against the rules of my religion."
[Edited at 2016-01-11 14:40 GMT]
[Edited at 2016-01-11 14:40 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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