| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Poll: Do you ever offer free translations for regular clients? 投稿者: ProZ.com Staff
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I don't mind translating a sentence or a few word for free for regulars. Anything bigger than that - no.
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Armorel Young wrote:
For my main clients who regularly send me large documents, for which they pay well, I happily translate the occasional odd sentence or short paragraph for free - it would seem churlish not to. Otherwise, no.
| | | | DianeGM 
Local time: 23:04
2006に入会
オランダ語 から 英語
+ ...
| Very occasionally .. | Apr 27, 2015 |
I do translate the odd sentence or phrase free for regular clients.
[Edited at 2015-04-27 10:30 GMT]
| | | | Thayenga
ドイツ
Local time: 22:04
2009に入会
英語 から ドイツ語
+ ...
Michael Harris wrote: Armorel Young wrote:
For my main clients who regularly send me large documents, for which they pay well, I happily translate the occasional odd sentence or short paragraph for free - it would seem churlish not to. Otherwise, no.
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| When it takes longer to invoice than just do the translation... | Apr 27, 2015 |
Armorel Young wrote:
For my main clients who regularly send me large documents, for which they pay well, I happily translate the occasional odd sentence or short paragraph for free - it would seem churlish not to. Otherwise, no.
I hate invoicing, and I don't do much marketing.
The odd free translation for regular clients oils the wheels and keeps them coming back with real work that they pay for.
One client who hardly ever sends large jobs - often under 100 words and rarely over 1000 - pays a handsome minimum rate for all the small ones. He usually wants Trados files and TMs, and the end client discusses terminology, so I do NOT do that kind of thing for free.
| | | | | not offer, but it happens | Apr 27, 2015 |
I mean, I don't go out and offer to do free translations for anyone. But things come across my desk. This week-end a very good client sent me two gobbledygook English sentences and asked if I could turn them into anything sensible. They said I should add the fee to my next invoice. First I didn't think I could do anything with the sentences and said so. Later on it dawned on me what they were about, and sent my proposed rework and thinking about the same. It was almost like doing a jigsaw ... See more I mean, I don't go out and offer to do free translations for anyone. But things come across my desk. This week-end a very good client sent me two gobbledygook English sentences and asked if I could turn them into anything sensible. They said I should add the fee to my next invoice. First I didn't think I could do anything with the sentences and said so. Later on it dawned on me what they were about, and sent my proposed rework and thinking about the same. It was almost like doing a jigsaw puzzle, sort of fun. I will not charge them for it. Like others wrote - it's also goodwill. It's an excellent client. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | A short sentence, yes | Apr 27, 2015 |
Armorel Young wrote:
For my main clients who regularly send me large documents, for which they pay well, I happily translate the occasional odd sentence or short paragraph for free - it would seem churlish not to. Otherwise, no.
I couldn't agree more.
| | | | | Almost never | Apr 27, 2015 |
Yes, I have done some very short words/sentences as a favor.
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| Just because it's free, doesn't mean it won't cost you ;) | Apr 27, 2015 |
I think that there are several reasons to provide a translation "on the house." Right now I'm looking over a couple of potential projects that I would do for "free," but I'm also being a little demanding in the rights to use the translation and the source material that I will receive in exchange. The idea is for the exchange to be mutually beneficial - we're not slaves, we don't owe our clients anything, and we're definitively not nice enough to just give our work away... or maybe it's just me.
| | | | | sometimes, depending on various factors | Apr 27, 2015 |
Like others, as a gesture of food will (so they'll send more work and I can buy food, especially bacon),
I will give a client a sentence or two, no worries.
Also, I have a few school districts in a neighbouring state for whom I've been working for the past 5 or 6 years or so, who send regular work all throughout the school year, and occasionally entire student handbooks and stuff over the summer, so if they send something less than 200 words, and I have TMs that cover most of ... See more Like others, as a gesture of food will (so they'll send more work and I can buy food, especially bacon),
I will give a client a sentence or two, no worries.
Also, I have a few school districts in a neighbouring state for whom I've been working for the past 5 or 6 years or so, who send regular work all throughout the school year, and occasionally entire student handbooks and stuff over the summer, so if they send something less than 200 words, and I have TMs that cover most of it, which happens from time to time, I'll just do it.
I use OmegaT, and I can just add the new source document to an existing project and bang it out quicker than I could draw up an invoice, and schools don't have a lot of money anyway.
And these schools send regular work and keep recommending me to other school systems, so I feel good about doing it, and it pays off in the long run, anyway.
[Edited at 2015-04-27 19:05 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Sidney_1
シンガポール
Local time: 04:04
英語 から 中国語
| though i voted never | Apr 27, 2015 |
but yeah, a short sentence or two is totally okay
[修改时间: 2015-04-27 19:53 GMT]
| | | | | Yes, and I have clients that work for free for me too | Apr 27, 2015 |
Depending on the relationship, sometimes I do short texts for free. I also have a couple of agencies for whom I'll translate short texts for free if it isn't going to have an impact on any other projects/pending tasks.
I have two direct clients for whom I do a fair bit of work for free. But they do lots of free work for me too, so it balances out.
In general it all balances out; I only ever work for free for people that make my life easier when they can too.
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