| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4] > | Handling Missed deadline and abscond linguist! Thread poster: Capita Translation and Interpreting n/a
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| A lot of deadline issues | May 26, 2010 |
[quote]ALSYI wrote:
Recently I have come accross a lot of Deadline issues, where the linuist has missed the deadline and often vanish before deadline by not answering any phone calls nor emails and sometimes contacts been removed from the Instant messengers(Like skype).
/quote]
Why recently - have you perhaps changed the way you do things, longer payment terms, cheaper tariffs?
Why a lot - is it one particular language pair, have you taken on new translators?
Has everything been confirmed in a PO, or does the word count suddenly increase but same deadline, deadline shortened?
Just wondering.
| | | | Laurent KRAULAND (X) 
France
Local time: 03:00
French to German
+ ...
Susanna Garcia wrote:
Just wondering.
| | | | | No IM please! | May 27, 2010 |
ALSYI wrote:
Some it shocks me the same person replies if we contact with the different email or IM!!
Please share your experience and ideas to handle these situation.
As a translator when doing large projects I always ask if I am expected to send partial deliveries. In fact I think partial deliveries works for the benefit of both the translator and the agency. Sometimes instead of partial deliveries the client prefers a short email once a week, something along the lines: "X pages done, Y pages left".
But why on earth would anyone want to use IM is beyond my comprehension. If I wanted to have a chat with someone I would choose other time when I am not in the middle of a translation project. This must be some new trend developing lately. On one hand I understand: international calls may be expensive, I get it. But then just send email, don't annoy the busy translator who is working on your assignment with this annoying IM messages.
Anyway, back to the topic: if I was a PM I would go for the interim deliveries. This gives you (as a PM) some perspective on how the project is progressing and at the same time it does not distract your translator.
And please do not use IM!
| | | | | My five cents | May 27, 2010 |
I would guess that the translator has felt behind for the delivery, has split the job to small parts but been let down by the buddies who decided to help him/her, has had an accident, etc, etc. Also, maybe an expected payment has been delayed on your side and he/she thinks that he/she can put some pressure on you.
One question: when the translator does respond via the alternate email, what is his/her explanation?
Also, for such a long job, have there been any queries? If not, I would... See more I would guess that the translator has felt behind for the delivery, has split the job to small parts but been let down by the buddies who decided to help him/her, has had an accident, etc, etc. Also, maybe an expected payment has been delayed on your side and he/she thinks that he/she can put some pressure on you.
One question: when the translator does respond via the alternate email, what is his/her explanation?
Also, for such a long job, have there been any queries? If not, I would fear the expected quality.
One way to avoid such matters in the future is to either ask for partial deliveries, or ask to receive an updated copy of the TM every x days.
In case I have a new client and they start calling every 2 seconds in the day of the delivery, I will tolerate since it is the first job for them. If they do it again in the future, I will not. ▲ Collapse
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| Why am I surprised without being surprised? | May 27, 2010 |
"Recently I have come accross a lot of Deadline issues, where the linuist has missed the deadline and often vanish before deadline by not answering any phone calls nor emails and sometimes contacts been removed from the Instant messengers(Like skype).
And most of them keep repling with the updates on how the project is proceeding positively and suddenly vanish before the dealine and leaving the situation worse for the PM's and the clients.
Some it shocks me the same... See more "Recently I have come accross a lot of Deadline issues, where the linuist has missed the deadline and often vanish before deadline by not answering any phone calls nor emails and sometimes contacts been removed from the Instant messengers(Like skype).
And most of them keep repling with the updates on how the project is proceeding positively and suddenly vanish before the dealine and leaving the situation worse for the PM's and the clients.
Some it shocks me the same person replies if we contact with the different email or IM!!"
Reading the comments so far, I am once again only half surprised at the way the translator community instantly ploughs in to defend its kind, who - if I read the topic starter's above statement correctly - have been failing to deliver and (deliberately?) going AWOL to avoid having to answer awkward questions. While I much admire your loyalty and solidarity, allow me also to say that not all translators are good, nor are they all reliable, and that defending your peers against hell and high water is not necessarily always right. Just imagine all doctors ganging up together to defend one of their kind, who had killed people through repeated and proven incompetence?
What point is topic starter making ?
1) there would seem to be an outburst of failures to meet deadlines. Some translators even "vanish" before the deadline and do not respond to enquiries.
Most of you seem to think that this statement infers that the translator is being pestered with questions. Why? Surely, especially if a deadline is looming up, it is normal that the agency or client should wonder about the status of his job? As I read it, failure to respond to a first message sows the seeds of doubt in the agency's mind, further messages and .... panic ! Sounds a normal human reaction to me. From your ivory towers of people who are reliable and always meet deadlines, spare a thought for those who - for whatever reasons (poor choice, cheap rates, or maybe even good people and good rates) find themselves let down at the last minute by the less scrupulous.
2) there are translators who string the client along saying all is OK and then still vanish without delivering.
Many of you seem to think you should be left alone to deliver but surely a project manager would be at fault if he or she did not at least keep an eye on what was going on?
As it happens, I have no answer to the basic question, namely is there an upsurge in people behaving (badly) this way but I am a little shocked by the outrage of so many translators, who don't seem to understand the importance of customer relations. If I am on a long job, I often even send a mail without being asked to give a progress report. But then, I wear both hats: I am also often a client. Maybe that enables me to see both sides of the coin ? ▲ Collapse
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[quote]Susanna Garcia wrote:
ALSYI wrote:
Recently I have come accross a lot of Deadline issues, where the linuist has missed the deadline and often vanish before deadline by not answering any phone calls nor emails and sometimes contacts been removed from the Instant messengers(Like skype).
/quote]
Why recently - have you perhaps changed the way you do things, longer payment terms, cheaper tariffs?
Why a lot - is it one particular language pair, have you taken on new translators?
Has everything been confirmed in a PO, or does the word count suddenly increase but same deadline, deadline shortened?
Just wondering.
RECENTLY...
These issues has always been there but dint push me to bring to a public forum, thats the way I have tried to express my situation! May be i found the time to bring it on and few incidents have caused brutal damage to the business!!
All terms have been clean and ethical!!!
Nothing has gone up or down with the deadline!!
Regards
Arun
| | | | | Same old story | May 27, 2010 |
polyglot45 wrote:
Reading the comments so far, I am once again only half surprised at the way the translator community instantly ploughs in to defend its kind, who - if I read the topic starter's above statement correctly - have been failing to deliver and (deliberately?) going AWOL to avoid having to answer awkward questions. While I much admire your loyalty and solidarity, allow me also to say that not all translators are good, nor are they all reliable, and that defending your peers against hell and high water is not necessarily always right.
Absolutely spot on.
See also:
http://www.proz.com/forum/business_issues/156776-what_can_an_outsourcer_do_when_the_translator_disappears.html
None of which, sadly, answers the basic question of what to do when the deadline has passed, the translation is not delivered, and the translator has gone AWOL. On that specific point, I am afraid I am as stumped as the OP.
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polyglot45 wrote:
"Recently I have come accross a lot of Deadline issues, where the linuist has missed the deadline and often vanish before deadline by not answering any phone calls nor emails and sometimes contacts been removed from the Instant messengers(Like skype).
And most of them keep repling with the updates on how the project is proceeding positively and suddenly vanish before the dealine and leaving the situation worse for the PM's and the clients.
Some it shocks me the same person replies if we contact with the different email or IM!!"
Reading the comments so far, I am once again only half surprised at the way the translator community instantly ploughs in to defend its kind, who - if I read the topic starter's above statement correctly - have been failing to deliver and (deliberately?) going AWOL to avoid having to answer awkward questions. While I much admire your loyalty and solidarity, allow me also to say that not all translators are good, nor are they all reliable, and that defending your peers against hell and high water is not necessarily always right. Just imagine all doctors ganging up together to defend one of their kind, who had killed people through repeated and proven incompetence?
What point is topic starter making ?
1) there would seem to be an outburst of failures to meet deadlines. Some translators even "vanish" before the deadline and do not respond to enquiries.
Most of you seem to think that this statement infers that the translator is being pestered with questions. Why? Surely, especially if a deadline is looming up, it is normal that the agency or client should wonder about the status of his job? As I read it, failure to respond to a first message sows the seeds of doubt in the agency's mind, further messages and .... panic ! Sounds a normal human reaction to me. From your ivory towers of people who are reliable and always meet deadlines, spare a thought for those who - for whatever reasons (poor choice, cheap rates, or maybe even good people and good rates) find themselves let down at the last minute by the less scrupulous.
2) there are translators who string the client along saying all is OK and then still vanish without delivering.
Many of you seem to think you should be left alone to deliver but surely a project manager would be at fault if he or she did not at least keep an eye on what was going on?
As it happens, I have no answer to the basic question, namely is there an upsurge in people behaving (badly) this way but I am a little shocked by the outrage of so many translators, who don't seem to understand the importance of customer relations. If I am on a long job, I often even send a mail without being asked to give a progress report. But then, I wear both hats: I am also often a client. Maybe that enables me to see both sides of the coin ?
=============
Customer satisfation gives the value for the coin!!
Do you think, we just need to take the damage and move?
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| Risk is always involved | May 27, 2010 |
I absolutely understand your position, but as you probably know, risks are always involved in business done over the Internet. Translators often complain they are not paid (in time or at all) and, on the other hand, translation agencies may run into problems with unreliable/irresponsible translators.
The way you asked your question does not leave any space for a definite answer, I'm afraid.
OT:
Nicole Schnell wrote:
Im close to 50, I have been handling international accounts when most of the PMs that I am working with were still in Kindergarden. Also, I do not require much of hand-holding and nurturing mental backup.
I'm sorry, Nicole, but I don't think this has anything to do with age. The PM is my client and I'm not interested in his/her age. Would you use the same argument if you are fined by a police officer in his/her early twenties?
Nicole Schnell wrote:
I once agreed to a brutal deadline and I had 24 hours for the translation of a 7800 words contract. I can do that at times, no CAT tools. While I was double-checking and proofreading my work, the PM started to make phone calls every 10 minutes. Then every 5 minutes. Before deadline. "Are we there yet?", "Are we there yet?". Due to this annoying disruption I had to deliver the last pages without being double-checked. For the first time in my life.
I'm 100% with you on that one, if the deadline had not passed before these disrupting calls. Anyway, in a situation like that, I would simply switch of my phone and refrain from replying to any e-mails; stressing, once again, that the calls/messages would come BEFORE the deadline.
[Upraveno: 2010-05-27 09:34 GMT]
| | | | | How to Handle? | May 27, 2010 |
I understand the risk factor involved!!
But there should be something to do about these situations. I have even tried the WWA, but I have seen some unknow linguist posting a negative comment on Blueboard asking for a payment issue! Which puts me in a very scary situation at times to think about posting a negative feedback!
Regards,
Arun
| | | | | Re: How to handle? | May 27, 2010 |
Hi Arun,
no need to use so many exclamation marks and shout at the other posters.
Anyways, if I were in your shoes, honestly, I couldn't think of anything else than posting a negative WWA. If the person involved replies with a negative LWA, you can always provide the server admins with evidence to support your position and I am sure such negative posts will be removed.
Also, as a Czech saying goes, prevention is better than treatment. In other words, you should ha... See more Hi Arun,
no need to use so many exclamation marks and shout at the other posters.
Anyways, if I were in your shoes, honestly, I couldn't think of anything else than posting a negative WWA. If the person involved replies with a negative LWA, you can always provide the server admins with evidence to support your position and I am sure such negative posts will be removed.
Also, as a Czech saying goes, prevention is better than treatment. In other words, you should have an agreement (either a general or a project-specific one) with terms, conditions and fines for non-fulfilment and defaults. The enforceability of such agreement in certain countries may be a different topic, but at least you would have something to base your claims on.
Quite frankly, I would think that an agency as large as ALS has similar procedures in place...
I hope this helps at least a little.
[Upraveno: 2010-05-27 11:59 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Review vetting process | May 27, 2010 |
There's no excuse for a translator going AWOL, but if it's suddenly happening a lot, across multiple translators, I think you probably need to have a look at the vetting process you use to select them. Are these experienced colleagues with whom you have longstanding relationships, or are you giving large projects to untried, green translators? Otherwise I agree with previous posters: intermediate deadlines and greater time buffer so if they do deliver a day late, you can hopefully still manage t... See more There's no excuse for a translator going AWOL, but if it's suddenly happening a lot, across multiple translators, I think you probably need to have a look at the vetting process you use to select them. Are these experienced colleagues with whom you have longstanding relationships, or are you giving large projects to untried, green translators? Otherwise I agree with previous posters: intermediate deadlines and greater time buffer so if they do deliver a day late, you can hopefully still manage to deliver on-time to the end client. ▲ Collapse
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Stanislav Pokorny wrote:
Hi Arun,
no need to use so many exclamation marks and shout at the other posters.
[Upraveno: 2010-05-27 11:59 GMT]
Sorry if my exclamations sounded rude to you.
Stanislav Pokorny wrote:
Anyways, if I were in your shoes, honestly, I couldn't think of anything else than posting a negative WWA. If the person involved replies with a negative LWA, you can always provide the server admins with evidence to support your position and I am sure such negative posts will be removed.
[Upraveno: 2010-05-27 11:59 GMT]
Support request has been helpful at time but not very much favoring the outsourcer.
Stanislav Pokorny wrote:
Also, as a Czech saying goes, prevention is better than treatment. In other words, you should have an agreement (either a general or a project-specific one) with terms, conditions and fines for non-fulfilment and defaults. The enforceability of such agreement in certain countries may be a different topic, but at least you would have something to base your claims on.
[Upraveno: 2010-05-27 11:59 GMT]
All in place my friend, I would like know the public view and was wondering if I could add more or update our existing term!
Regards,
Arun
| | | | Laurent KRAULAND (X)
France
Local time: 03:00
French to German
+ ...
| Prevention & due diligence | May 27, 2010 |
ALSYI wrote:
Customer satisfation gives the value for the coin!!
Do you think, we just need to take the damage and move?
Certainly nobody will advise you to do that, although at times there is no other choice. But from my point of view, and to agree with Stanislav's post, business involves risk. In order to reduce this risk to an acceptable level, prevention and due diligence seem the best ways to go.
I think this industry could avoid 50 to 70% of miscellaneous complaints, bad BB ratings, flaming etc. if we took only 30% more care and attention when choosing our future business partners.
| | | | | Thank you for the suggestions! | May 27, 2010 |
Michele Johnson wrote:
There's no excuse for a translator going AWOL, but if it's suddenly happening a lot, across multiple translators, I think you probably need to have a look at the vetting process you use to select them. Are these experienced colleagues with whom you have longstanding relationships, or are you giving large projects to untried, green translators? Otherwise I agree with previous posters: intermediate deadlines and greater time buffer so if they do deliver a day late, you can hopefully still manage to deliver on-time to the end client.
Thank you for the comments.. highly appreciated
Laurent KRAULAND wrote:
Certainly nobody will advise you to do that, although at times there is no other choice. But from my point of view, and to agree with Stanislav's post, business involves risk. In order to reduce this risk to an acceptable level, prevention and due diligence seem the best ways to go.
I think this industry could avoid 50 to 70% of miscellaneous complaints, bad BB ratings, flaming etc. if we took only 30% more care and attention when choosing our future business partners.
Much appreciated!!
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