Asking for WWA entries Thread poster: clairetransl (X)
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clairetransl (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:52
French to English
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Hi everyone,
Just wondering what the protocol is for this? Do you ask clients you've been working with for a long time, or can you ask after just one/two jobs? I've had some nice feedback from a couple of clients, but as I've only done one or two small jobs for them, I'm not sure whether or not it's appropriate to ask!
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I appreciate your opinion although I'm a newcomer here!
[Edited at 2013-04-29 19:47 GMT]
| | | | Sarah McDowell 
Canada
Local time: 14:52
Member (2012)
Russian to English
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| I think you should wait until you complete several jobs for a client | Apr 29, 2013 |
Based on my own experience, I think it is best to wait until you complete several jobs for a client (at least 5 or 6) before asking for feedback. Unless the project is a huge (several hundred pages long) translation and in that case it would be OK to ask for feedback after one or two projects. Also, I do not think it is appropriate to ask for feedback about you as a translator if you only completed editing projects for them. Maybe it would be best to specify what kind of project it was within th... See more Based on my own experience, I think it is best to wait until you complete several jobs for a client (at least 5 or 6) before asking for feedback. Unless the project is a huge (several hundred pages long) translation and in that case it would be OK to ask for feedback after one or two projects. Also, I do not think it is appropriate to ask for feedback about you as a translator if you only completed editing projects for them. Maybe it would be best to specify what kind of project it was within the feedback area.
The same thing goes for leaving entries in the Blue Board. I would never submit an entry after only one project with a company. I would wait until several projects have been completed before leaving feedback.
[Edited at 2013-04-29 20:35 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:52
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| The process... | Apr 29, 2013 |
... is very off-putting. You have to first explain to your client what WWA is, and then describe what they need to do. Frankly I don't feel like asking anyone to spend time on it. Perhaps the process could be simplified down to a one-click thing?
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Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 20:52
Member (2007)
English
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| I would never ask for WWA | Apr 30, 2013 |
Tom in London wrote:
... is very off-putting. You have to first explain to your client what WWA is, and then describe what they need to do. Frankly I don't feel like asking anyone to spend time on it. Perhaps the process could be simplified down to a one-click thing?
I've never asked a client to leave any, and I suspect some have thought about it but haven't known how to. I've helped a couple through the rather complicated process though, when they've asked me how they can leave feedback.
I would only feel happy about asking for WWA entries from clients if they were free to enter whatever feedback they thought appropriate. Restricting them to "Yes, I'd be happy to work with this translator again" makes me extremely uncomfortable. It makes me feel as though I'm going to them with a begging-bowl, or I'm like a dog licking its masters boots, hoping for a pat or some food. Believe me, I'm not expecting anything but compliments  but I think clients should be free to speak their minds, as we do on the Blue Board. It's something I don't understand about ProZ.com: it's politically correct to the point of absurdity sometimes!
| | | | EvaVer (X)
Local time: 21:52
Czech to French
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| And they need to register! | Apr 30, 2013 |
Which is the main problem, as most my clients are not ProZ members. I have good relationship with my long-standing clients and no problem to ask them for references in a national system where they only need to fill in a form (and it offers other options than "excellent", too), but asking them to register for the purpose is unthinkable. As to the ones who are members, the only one that I have worked for enough is a huge agency with hundreds of PMs - I really don't know whom I should ask in there... See more Which is the main problem, as most my clients are not ProZ members. I have good relationship with my long-standing clients and no problem to ask them for references in a national system where they only need to fill in a form (and it offers other options than "excellent", too), but asking them to register for the purpose is unthinkable. As to the ones who are members, the only one that I have worked for enough is a huge agency with hundreds of PMs - I really don't know whom I should ask in there, as there are not many of them that I have worked with more than once. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Good question | Apr 30, 2013 |
When I started on Proz, I was reluctant to be overly pushy with any customers I found. These days, however, my attitude is that it all comes down to timing. While being conscious of the relationship that you have with the client (not nagging about this issue), I would encourage you to seek recommendations when you have had a mutually beneficial interaction.
| | | | | If you don't ask, you don't get | Apr 30, 2013 |
I would ask everyone I've worked for who has an account on Proz. Most won't bother or will be put off by the complicated system but there are some who only remember when asked. I don't think it's begging. It's marketing. After all, if a client's happy with your work, why wouldn't they want to say so. I say so when I'm happy with an agency.
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Laurent KRAULAND (X)
France
Local time: 21:52
French to German
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| Absurdity... | Apr 30, 2013 |
Sheila Wilson wrote:
(.../...) It's something I don't understand about ProZ.com: it's politically correct to the point of absurdity sometimes!
Absurdity IS politically correct!
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