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Ethics of contacting client directly
Thread poster: nikia
nikia
nikia  Identity Verified
Local time: 22:55
Persian (Farsi) to English
Jul 31, 2007

I was getting great projects through an agency that solicited my services and was sending work my way for a number of months. It seems that the organization that needed translation services is breaking its relationship with the agency, and I'm wondering whether it is conventional and/or ethical to by-pass the agency and contact the client directly.
 
esperantisto
esperantisto  Identity Verified
Local time: 05:55
Member (2006)
English to Russian
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
Basically not, but Jul 31, 2007

how did you know about that organization? If you knew them other way than throught the agency, so, it would not be clearly UNethical to contact them directly. But no sooner they break with the agency.
 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 04:55
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
Not unethical Jul 31, 2007

nikia wrote:
It seems that the organization that needed translation services is breaking its relationship with the agency, and I'm wondering whether it is conventional and/or ethical to by-pass the agency and contact the client directly.


The ethics of contacting the client directly usually has to do with undercutting the agency, which is bad for the industry. In your case, however, the end-client had broken off its relationship with the agency with no declared intent to bypass it. I would therefore not regard it as unethical for you to contact and work for the end-client... although in fairness you should charge what the agency had charged.

But... read your contract with the agency first. There may be a clause in it prohibiting this.
 
nikia
nikia  Identity Verified
Local time: 22:55
Persian (Farsi) to English
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks! Jul 31, 2007

Thanks esperantisto and Samuel, your advice makes a lot of sense.
 
Textklick
Textklick  Identity Verified
Local time: 03:55
German to English
+ ...
In memoriam
Sure? Jul 31, 2007

nikia wrote:

It seems that the organization that needed translation services is breaking its relationship with the agency, and I'm wondering whether it is conventional and/or ethical to by-pass the agency and contact the client directly.


It might well "seem", but are you sure?

If the agency hasn't confirmed this to you, why not ask them and inform them of your intentions?

You might even learn something interesting, like: "We couldn't bear working with them any more, they are bad payers," or whatever...

Keep yourself covered for a possible direct appoach.

Good luck
Chris
 
nikia
nikia  Identity Verified
Local time: 22:55
Persian (Farsi) to English
TOPIC STARTER
Directly contacting agency Jul 31, 2007

Thanks, Chris. I think I will contact the agency directly. I have a good relationship with my project manager at the agency, and I'll run the whole thing by him.
 


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Ethics of contacting client directly







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