| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Poll: What would you do if you got sick while working on a project? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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| Maybe it depends on a lot of things | Dec 30, 2012 |
.... but I find honesty is the best policy.
If I can possibly sleep off my migraine (or whatever it is) and deliver on time without telling the client, then obviously I do so.
Migraine does not affect my work often, so normally when I do have to renegotiate the deadline, I already have a good relationship with the client. It is also a very common condition, so most of my clients know that migraine sufferers can be perfectly conscientious and reliable when not actually ... See more .... but I find honesty is the best policy.
If I can possibly sleep off my migraine (or whatever it is) and deliver on time without telling the client, then obviously I do so.
Migraine does not affect my work often, so normally when I do have to renegotiate the deadline, I already have a good relationship with the client. It is also a very common condition, so most of my clients know that migraine sufferers can be perfectly conscientious and reliable when not actually affected by an attack.
I am not aware of having lost any clients because of admitting I had a migraine attack. But I would not like to risk a good client's confidence by delivering substandard work.
Obviously, you have to decide what you tell the client in your own circumstances, but most clients are human, and I know that on other occasions I have picked up half-finished jobs when colleagues have been ill, and been glad to help out. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Jenn Mercer 
United States
Local time: 16:09
Member (2009)
French to English
| Use the margin | Dec 30, 2012 |
For smaller projects I try to bull through and for larger projects, I work overtime to make up for the days or hours I was not up to snuff. I have found that the longer the project, the more likely there is that some calamity will strike so I try to build in a certain flexibility in my schedule. Even on rush assignments, I have found that I can achieve astonishing word counts after having translated 20k + words for the same project. Also, if I am just a little under the weather, I try to work on... See more For smaller projects I try to bull through and for larger projects, I work overtime to make up for the days or hours I was not up to snuff. I have found that the longer the project, the more likely there is that some calamity will strike so I try to build in a certain flexibility in my schedule. Even on rush assignments, I have found that I can achieve astonishing word counts after having translated 20k + words for the same project. Also, if I am just a little under the weather, I try to work on the easier parts of a project so that there will be that much less to do when I feel better.
In the case of utter disaster (which has not struck yet, but who can say what the future will hold?), I would contact the client and ask what his/her preferred strategy would be. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 16:09
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Press on and deliver the project, no matter what | Dec 30, 2012 |
For me, nothing short of brain death would be an acceptable excuse to not meet a deadline, so I would have to say that working through health problems like colds, flus, dysentery, cancers, heart trouble, and the like are simply par for the course. The same goes for any personal issues like deaths or illnesses of family members, personal crises, or any natural disasters that might impede normal work flow.
Customer deadlines are sacred and inviolate, and if I ever am in the dread circ... See more For me, nothing short of brain death would be an acceptable excuse to not meet a deadline, so I would have to say that working through health problems like colds, flus, dysentery, cancers, heart trouble, and the like are simply par for the course. The same goes for any personal issues like deaths or illnesses of family members, personal crises, or any natural disasters that might impede normal work flow.
Customer deadlines are sacred and inviolate, and if I ever am in the dread circumstance of one of my clients having to be informed that I could not finish a project on time--and in accordance with the highest and most pristine standards of the translation profession--well then it will have to be because it literally was impossible to do so. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | It happened already | Dec 30, 2012 |
Once, I did a job for a colleague who got sick and the opposite also happened
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Robert Forstag wrote:
For me, nothing short of brain death would be an acceptable excuse to not meet a deadline, so I would have to say that working through health problems like colds, flus, dysentery, cancers, heart trouble, and the like are simply par for the course. The same goes for any personal issues like deaths or illnesses of family members, personal crises, or any natural disasters that might impede normal work flow.
Customer deadlines are sacred and inviolate, and if I ever am in the dread circumstance of one of my clients having to be informed that I could not finish a project on time--and in accordance with the highest and most pristine standards of the translation profession--well then it will have to be because it literally was impossible to do so.
You're a translator. You meet deadlines. End of.
Steve K.
| | | | | Try to renegotiate the deadline | Dec 31, 2012 |
This is the only answer I can give to this poll. The sooner you tell the client that you might have a problem delivering the project on time, the better for everyone involved.
Clients are human, and freelance translators are human also. The concept that we as freelance translators are supposed to deliver no matter what, is very flawed, unreasonable and not in line with other subcontractor fields. Let's be realistic, someone just diagnosed with cancer, is not going to deliver their b... See more This is the only answer I can give to this poll. The sooner you tell the client that you might have a problem delivering the project on time, the better for everyone involved.
Clients are human, and freelance translators are human also. The concept that we as freelance translators are supposed to deliver no matter what, is very flawed, unreasonable and not in line with other subcontractor fields. Let's be realistic, someone just diagnosed with cancer, is not going to deliver their best translation work. Neither is someone with migraine, influenza, bronchitis or a stomach virus. Just let your client know of your situation. There is no need to hide it. If you don't have that kind of relationship with your clients, then something is either wrong with your approach to clients, or you have clients not worth having.
My 2 cents.
Solfrid ▲ Collapse
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Robert Forstag wrote:
For me, nothing short of brain death would be an acceptable excuse to not meet a deadline, so I would have to say that working through health problems like colds, flus, dysentery, cancers, heart trouble, and the like are simply par for the course. The same goes for any personal issues like deaths or illnesses of family members, personal crises, or any natural disasters that might impede normal work flow.
Customer deadlines are sacred and inviolate, and if I ever am in the dread circumstance of one of my clients having to be informed that I could not finish a project on time--and in accordance with the highest and most pristine standards of the translation profession--well then it will have to be because it literally was impossible to do so.
(Client) Dear xxx, I just wanted to know where you're at with this project since I haven't heard from you in a while, will you still meet the deadline?
(Translator): Yes of course, I just had some personal issues to take care of. Sorry, I should've contacted you earlier.
(Client): Oh? Anything serious?
(Translator): Nono, just a few minor things. My kids and my wife were brutally murdered a few days ago and a tornado completely obliterated our home. Also I apparently have cancer.
(Client): Oh my god!? Your home was wrecked? What about the computer, did you save it?
(Translator): Yes, of course, it was the very first thing on my mind. Don't worry, the deadline is sacred to me, I will make it in time!
(Client): Thank you so much xxx!
I think I'll agree with Solfrid on this one
| | | | Simon Bruni
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:09
Member (2009)
Spanish to English
I'm astonished at some of the answers posted here. Some things in life are more important than work (or money). Health is one of them. In my experience clients are perfectly happy to renegotiate deadlines and/or find someone else to do a job when there are extenuating circumstances. After all, they are just human beings like us, with the same capacity for suffering; I don't see why we should assume they have a complete lack of compassion. Moreover, I'm sure they would rather find another solutio... See more I'm astonished at some of the answers posted here. Some things in life are more important than work (or money). Health is one of them. In my experience clients are perfectly happy to renegotiate deadlines and/or find someone else to do a job when there are extenuating circumstances. After all, they are just human beings like us, with the same capacity for suffering; I don't see why we should assume they have a complete lack of compassion. Moreover, I'm sure they would rather find another solution than receive work from someone who is under-performing because they are debilitated by some illness. Translation is a very difficult process that requires all one's mental faculties. I find the idea that one should work through any circumstances pretty archaic. ▲ Collapse
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