ProZ.com Translation Forums

Poll: How do you get feedback on your work? | No news? Get them a lot!

Sam Berner (X) — Sun, 25 Sep 2005 00:42:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How do you get feedback on your work?
Poster: Sam Berner (X)
Post title: No news? Get them a lot!

I usually write these guys off. Don't have many of them, though, because in the initial stages of negotiating the assignment I make sure to establish rapport. It costs nothing to be nice to others, even if they don't give you the job. They will remember and maybe come back in the future (heaps did). So be charmin' :-)

I have so many emails with positive feedback that I am tempted to start putting the stuff as testimonials on my website ;-) Only I don't believe in scrolling :-)

Seriously, though, you CAN elicit positive feedback. Ask for it by being nice. It's a psychological principle: if you are nice to X, you put X under the emotional obligation of being nice to you. It's unconscious, unless the person is a total ***** and then you don't want them anyway, right?

Poll: How do you get feedback on your work? | Actively try

Parrot — Sat, 10 Sep 2005 10:57:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How do you get feedback on your work?
Poster: Parrot
Post title: Actively try

on challenging translations. In particular, publications. And more specifically, considering that an attempt at translation can actually improve an original in bilingual editions.

Otherwise, clients don't actually seem to care. But the agencies do take notice and inform me whenever there's feedback.

Poll: How do you get feedback on your work? | Just the fact that the client comes back

Elena Pavan — Sat, 10 Sep 2005 10:35:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How do you get feedback on your work?
Poster: Elena Pavan
Post title: Just the fact that the client comes back

I never ask, but the fact that I keep the same clients for many and many year and that they always come back is already a positive thing! It might be an option to be added to the poll.

Poll: How do you get feedback on your work? | Actively seeking testimonials

Özden Arıkan — Sat, 10 Sep 2005 00:22:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How do you get feedback on your work?
Poster: Özden Arıkan
Post title: Actively seeking testimonials

is a good idea, I think, both for having feedback and for marketing purposes. There were some guidelines on it [url= [url removed] ]in this thread[/url].

[Edited at 2005-09-10 00:23]

Poll: How do you get feedback on your work? | I ever ask

Julio Torres — Fri, 09 Sep 2005 21:23:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How do you get feedback on your work?
Poster: Julio Torres
Post title: I ever ask

Two sentences I often add in my e-mails when I send a translation:

Please tell me if it's OK for you.

and

I will thank any comment from you.

Poll: How do you get feedback on your work? | One of the worst facets of this industry

Mats Wiman — Fri, 09 Sep 2005 20:14:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How do you get feedback on your work?
Poster: Mats Wiman
Post title: One of the worst facets of this industry

No news is good news? Very doubtful. It could be anything from that to the nagging thought that the person/agency/client in question does not really care.
In our tenth year we do not care so much as we once did but some sort of non-public feedback system would be good.

I think I just said it: Non-public, i.e. privately to the translator. Just a thought.

Mats Wiman

Poll: How do you get feedback on your work? | No news is good news...

Christine Andersen — Fri, 09 Sep 2005 14:57:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How do you get feedback on your work?
Poster: Christine Andersen
Post title: No news is good news...

Or is it?

Just occasionally the client does send thanks or say they liked the way I did the job. It happened a couple of days ago - and it made my week! :-) :-) :-)

Another kind of feedback is when a client asks the agency for the next job to be done by the same translator. There is more to consistent style and follow-ups than just using a TM!

It happens of course, that feedback is negative - and here I really try to get into a dialogue with the client. I remember once I had got my terminology mixed up, but the source was the client's own company website! She was able to get that corrected, as well as being reassured that I did my best to get my information from reliable sources. I did several more jobs for that client.

Other times there has simply been some misunderstanding, or I have been too busy and made some stupid mistake. I call or mail and apologise and tell them the facts without feeble excuses. It clears the air, and I have learnt to say no to jobs I cannot do well. There is always another translator who can.

It is better when I can explain why what I wrote was not what the client expected. One client was upset about the word 'immaculate' used about his product. He thought only the Virgin Mary could be immaculate... but in the end he agreed it fitted well with sparkling, precision-cut glass.

It is our business to know more about language than our clients - or else they could do the jobs themselves instead of paying us! Several times I have been able to reassure a client that I do know what I'm doing.

There is rarely time for a lot of feedback, but it is worth turning it into a dialogue when it does come.

Have a nice weekend!

Poll: How do you get feedback on your work?

ProZ.com Staff — Fri, 09 Sep 2005 14:09:26 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: How do you get feedback on your work?
Poster: ProZ.com Staff

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How do you get feedback on your work?".

View the poll here

A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more information, see: [url removed]