| Pages in topic: [1 2] > |
Off topic: BE POLITE, acknowledge receipt Thread poster: Claudia Iglesias
|
|---|
This is just to say that I'm fed up with those who don't have a few seconds just to say "thank you, I received your translation, I'll contact you as soon as I have checked it" or "sorry, Claudia, I'm not available for what you need" or "I received your invoice".
I always send my e-mails with receipt notification (receipt should be automatic) and some people don't send the automatic receipt nor answer a few words just to let me knowjust to let me know that the mail is working fine.
I just wanted to say that I consider that it's a matter of politeness.
Claudia ▲ Collapse
| | | |
Kirill Semenov 
Ukraine
Local time: 04:32
Member (2004)
English to Russian
+ ...
Dear Claudia,
I share your concern and resentment. I had thought to start such topic before. My experience shows that many people who post their jobs at proZ.com do not even bother to answer translators' bids. The situation is even more offensive if they ask to do a sample translation which, naturally, takes our time. And the worst thing is when you're awaiting for a reaction from your client who (as was stated) desperately needed your translation as soon as possible but is silent f... See more Dear Claudia,
I share your concern and resentment. I had thought to start such topic before. My experience shows that many people who post their jobs at proZ.com do not even bother to answer translators' bids. The situation is even more offensive if they ask to do a sample translation which, naturally, takes our time. And the worst thing is when you're awaiting for a reaction from your client who (as was stated) desperately needed your translation as soon as possible but is silent for several days after you have delivered your work.
My proposition is to allow proZians to add `non-grading' comments to the Blue Board if this or that client who posted a job at proZ, has never replied on a bid. Such a comment should go without any grade (like from 1 to 5), this should be just a notice that the company or the outsourcer doesn't always respond on bids, that's all.
We all know that waiting for a reply on your bid may be really frustrating...
[Edited at 2005-01-05 14:01]
[Edited at 2005-01-05 14:02] ▲ Collapse
| | | |
| I couldn't agree more! | Jan 5, 2005 |
Hi Claudia,
Claudia Iglesias wrote:
I always send my e-mails with receipt notification (receipt should be automatic) and some people don't send the automatic receipt nor answer a few words just to let me know that the mail is working fine.
I just wanted to say that I consider that it's a matter of politeness.
Claudia
This is exactly what I think everytime I send an email with something "acknowledgable" (if the word exists!!)
I even politely ASK for confirmation, and still there are the ones that don't...
Oh well...as it seems that some people will never learn, I downloaded this http://www.msgtag.com/home/ , which has a nice free version (no frills) and also a couple of not expensive upgrades that might worth their value.
It works for me as this doesn't give the option of sending the acknoledgement or not, it's automatic. Now at least if they don't confirm reception I know that the email has been received and opened, I have the proof!!
Saluditos!
Grace.
| | | |
| Where oh where has politeness gone? | Jan 5, 2005 |
I feel like you, Claudia. I'm always begging and going after clients to make sure that they receive my translation or invoice. It is sad to see that politeness is being lost to the internet. It's not only politeness that is being lost, it's just good business sense as well. We always confirm receiving a request for translation, but agencies don't seem to think that it's important to confirm receiving a translation that could may well be lost in cyberspace for all we know! I remember reading a... See more I feel like you, Claudia. I'm always begging and going after clients to make sure that they receive my translation or invoice. It is sad to see that politeness is being lost to the internet. It's not only politeness that is being lost, it's just good business sense as well. We always confirm receiving a request for translation, but agencies don't seem to think that it's important to confirm receiving a translation that could may well be lost in cyberspace for all we know! I remember reading about NancyLynn's fiasco with a translation that was not received by her client although she had sent it on time. Internet is not fail proof by any means, but some clients seem to think that it is.
I always add a little note to my mails now saying 'thank you for confirming receipt of my work (or invoice)'.
Gayle ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
Helmet80
Local time: 02:32
Spanish to English
+ ...
| This is a universal golden rule | Jan 5, 2005 |
This doesn't just apply to translators/interpreters, but to all sectors. I once rang a company up to ask if they'd received my application for a job a week after the deadline had passed, and they said they only contacted those who'd been selected for interview!! I did attempt to point out the error of their ways but was responded to with indifference.
Pathetic.
| | | |
NancyLynn
Canada
Local time: 21:32
Member (2002)
French to English
+ ...
MODERATOR
Gayle Wallimann wrote:
I feel like you, Claudia. ... I remember reading about NancyLynn's fiasco with a translation that was not received by her client although she had sent it on time. Internet is not fail proof by any means, but some clients seem to think that it is.
Gayle
Fortunately that client has since come back to me .
The worst is, as everyone says, the client who desperately need a job by a certain time, then fails to acknowledge receipt. This happens so often that I no longer sit, chewing my nails, staring at the monitor after delivery, waiting for a response. It's almost a pleasant surprise now to receive acknowledgement. Is everyone really so busy? Come on!
Thanks, Graciela, for your link. In light of the fiasco Gayle refers to above, I am definitely interested in finding a tool to counteract this problem.
Nancy
| | | |
| By the way...(about msgtag) | Jan 5, 2005 |
NancyLynn wrote:
Thanks, Graciela, for your link. In light of the fiasco Gayle refers to above, I am definitely interested in finding a tool to counteract this problem.
Firstly, I have NOTHING to do with them commercially!!
I was just using the free version for about 4 months and now bought the "plus" option to be able to customise the tags.
The free version works excellent, but if anyone is interested in the paid versions I have a discount code that will help reduce the bill.
Just contact me in private.
Grace.
| | | |
Javier Herrera (X)
Spanish
Once I was told by an agency that "they never acknowledge receipt since they deal with a zillion assignments a day". It wasn't a translation but a time sheet for an interpreting job. The funny thing is it's the interpreter's responsibility to post it and make sure it gets to the agency within two weeks, risking not getting paid if it doesn't, according to their terms and conditions. Do I need to wait up to two months -when payment is due- to learn whether the letter was delivered or not?
R... See more Once I was told by an agency that "they never acknowledge receipt since they deal with a zillion assignments a day". It wasn't a translation but a time sheet for an interpreting job. The funny thing is it's the interpreter's responsibility to post it and make sure it gets to the agency within two weeks, risking not getting paid if it doesn't, according to their terms and conditions. Do I need to wait up to two months -when payment is due- to learn whether the letter was delivered or not?
Ridiculous ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
it were that easy!
It works for me as this doesn't give the option of sending the acknoledgement or not, it's automatic. Now at least if they don't confirm reception I know that the email has been received and opened, I have the proof!!
Unfortunately it's not; many reasons can prevent an acknowledgement to be sent using this kind of software. Mainly, if your client does not use HTML or has external HTML images blocked you can forget about the acknowledgment. The same applies if good firewalls or anti-spam filters are in place, or if your client downloads his mails to read them off-line or has an text based preview in his mail server.
Mind you, I'm not saying that the software it's useless (not at all), just that it can be easily circumvented (unintentionally or otherwise).
I think the only real solution against this new internet-bred unpoliteness is to follow-up your emails. Not only do I ask for receipt confirmation very clearly at the end of every important email, but also after a reasonable time span elapses without further notice I email the client/agency again, asking whether they had any problems opening up the attachment since I didn't get any confirmation from them... etc. etc. And, if I still get no reply, I just phone them. Pre-paid cards for international calls are a must; I always used to have a few around!
| | | |
Javier Herrera (X)
Spanish
Thanks, Grace. I've just downloaded MSGTag and it's working. I didn't a few months ago, but now I've changed my mail server.
| | | |
Rosa Maria Duenas Rios (X)
Local time: 21:32
| Sounds interesting but... | Jan 5, 2005 |
Graciela Carlyle wrote: This is exactly what I think everytime I send an email with something "acknowledgable" (if the word exists!!) I even politely ASK for confirmation, and still there are the ones that don't... Oh well...as it seems that some people will never learn, I downloaded this http://www.msgtag.com/home/ , which has a nice free version (no frills) and also a couple of not expensive upgrades that might worth their value. It works for me as this doesn't give the option of sending the acknoledgement or not, it's automatic. Now at least if they don't confirm reception I know that the email has been received and opened, I have the proof!! Saluditos! Grace.
Hi Grace!
Just a question concerning msgtag, which sounds really useful: Does the client know that an acknowledge receipt is being sent? Might the system "bother" the client in any way? (I sometimes get annoyed at friends who keep sending jokes and other useless info with a receipt request.)
| | | |
NancyLynn
Canada
Local time: 21:32
Member (2002)
French to English
+ ...
MODERATOR | Nothing for them to click or touch | Jan 5, 2005 |
Hi Rosa,
As I've just installed this program and read the FAQs, I can tell you that they simply put a note at the bottom of the page:
"The sender will be notified" without having to do anything. You get the time (UTC) that the msg was read, but not when the attachment was opened, or any other info about the recipient.
In upgrade versions even this footnote is invisible, apparently.
Nancy
| | |
|
|
|
Gerard de Noord
France
Local time: 03:32
Member (2003)
English to Dutch
+ ...
| Automatic receipt notifications and politeness | Jan 5, 2005 |
Hi Claudia,
I always purge automatic receipt notifications. It used to be against netiquette in the days bandwith was an issue. Of course messages of a few KB aren't a problem anymore, now that people use the Internet to watch tv or download movies but I haven't changed my habits.
I was surprised - and a bit put off - to read about software that confirms receipt anyway.
I'm not an expert but I presume that e-mail is delivered to the addressee if I don't rec... See more Hi Claudia,
I always purge automatic receipt notifications. It used to be against netiquette in the days bandwith was an issue. Of course messages of a few KB aren't a problem anymore, now that people use the Internet to watch tv or download movies but I haven't changed my habits.
I was surprised - and a bit put off - to read about software that confirms receipt anyway.
I'm not an expert but I presume that e-mail is delivered to the addressee if I don't receive a message stating the contrary. I know this can take up to 24 hours when sending mail to e.g. university servers in South America etc. As far as I know e-mail doesn't get lost in cyberspace and those who don't receive your electronic mail are the same who didn't receive your snail mail in the past.
Of course I confirm receipt of any message that needs confirmation. That's business sense, not politeness.
Regards,
Gerard ▲ Collapse
| | | |
Hirschmann (X)
Local time: 03:32
English to German
+ ...
| I've just purchased MSGTAG Plus, and I like it | Jan 5, 2005 |
Graciela Carlyle wrote: Oh well...as it seems that some people will never learn, I downloaded this http://www.msgtag.com/home/ , which has a nice free version (no frills) and also a couple of not expensive upgrades that might worth their value.
Thank you very much for your hint concerning MSGTAG.
I think it will work fine for me although there are measures to block automatic receipts.
But most translation agency folks will not even detect the clandestine operation of MSGTAG Plus.
| | | |
Claudia Iglesias
Chile
Local time: 21:32
Member (2002)
Spanish to French
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | I feel better now :-) | Jan 5, 2005 |
At least I'm not alone!
When I wrote my posting I was particularly thinking of translations and invoices sent, but Kirill's !comment reminded me that once I did a free translation and I never received anything, not even a "thank you".
I know that some softwares don't allow sending automatic acknowledgment, I used to have Eudora and I had problems if I clicked on "yes" for acknowledging. But I also knew that the sender wanted to know whether I had received it, so I wrote... See more At least I'm not alone!
When I wrote my posting I was particularly thinking of translations and invoices sent, but Kirill's !comment reminded me that once I did a free translation and I never received anything, not even a "thank you".
I know that some softwares don't allow sending automatic acknowledgment, I used to have Eudora and I had problems if I clicked on "yes" for acknowledging. But I also knew that the sender wanted to know whether I had received it, so I wrote a small message.
Unfortunately I have had the proof that e-mails are not "unlosable". My service provider has been filtered because of spam or other problems, and usually the sender is notified after several hours that the message couldn't be sent, but not always.
I have a client who sends me a lot of work. I always answer immediately (I consider half an hour immediately). Last week she sent me several e-mails with different translations asking for quotes. I couldn't do them at that moment but I dropped her a line to tell that I would do it as soon as I could. She always thanks for my rapidity and reactivity but is unable to do the same.
Now I sent all the translations, in each message I asked to acknowledge receipt (because she never sends the automatic one), and she sends me new translations without even a word!
Sending e-mails for asking to confirm receipt for previous sent e-mails is waste of time, and always for the same one.
For calling clients I now use Skype for landline phones, it average costs 1 euro for 1 hour (www.skype.com).
I'll have a look at Graciela's link.
Thanks for your comments
Claudia ▲ Collapse
| | | |
| Pages in topic: [1 2] > |
Login to reply/comment 
