ProZ.com Translation Forums

Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership: | mixed feelings re ProZ

Zea_Mays — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 11:12:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership:
Poster: Zea_Mays
Post title: mixed feelings re ProZ

I have been a ProZ member for a long time and have found very good clients here, some through job postings, some through my profile page. I still work with most of them. The mixed feelings come from how the platform has evolved, and that is why I have disabled the automatic renewal of my membership.
How has the platform evolved? My impression is that it has not evolved at all in the last 15 years, that there is a general "homemade" approach (which is also likeable, but only to a certain extent), and that the crucial aspects of customer satisfaction and retention are not (any more) given the attention they deserve. "The customer is king" has become an even more important business aspect in the Internet era.

There have been, and probably still are, technical glitches and bugs that potentially have caused and are causing significant losses to members (see the discussion on the Connect program in other threads), and it takes months or even years to fix them.
For an online platform of this size that is supposed to help its members succeed, top-notch technology and maintenance are key. Usability and modern design are part of that. The impression is that this is not being done professionally, with a clear plan and strategy to modernize the entire platform in one go, eliminating all the dead parts, duplicates and unneeded elements.
There is this AI push on ProZ, which seems like a double-edged sword to me. Is this actually a good strategy to attract and retain members? Is it just jumping on a supposed bandwagon? Is it something ProZ's clients and members actually need, or is it something they rather like themselves at ProZ? Does the approach attract more customers? Is ProZ's focus increasingly focused on agencies?
Is the translation contest being run in a professional and transparent manner? No, it isn't. No wonder fewer and fewer people participate.
The strategy when confronted with criticism, complains or suggestions seems to be to sit things out... Communication in general could and should be greatly improved.
Being a kind of monopolist (but for how much longer?) comes with great responsibility and challenges regarding passivity, care and relationships.
Without proper care and nurturing, the risk of becoming something merely tolerated is high. Shouldn't the goal be to be loved instead?

There has been also an increase in poor job postings, but in this we should also take into account the current difficult economic situation, which IMO is not mainly due to AI, but to high inflation rates, which are a consequence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Rather, one could argue that LLMs like ChatGPT have been launched precisely because of the economic difficulties - without the rise of semiconductor companies due to the AI hype, the stock market would look pretty bad. Take Nvidia and the like out of the indexes and see what the situation would be like. (End of digression)

[Bearbeitet am 2024-06-15 08:14 GMT]

Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership: | Other

Ana Vozone — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 16:55:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership:
Poster: Ana Vozone
Post title: Other

I am not sure what type of membership I have on Proz. I think Proz is quite useful and dynamic, in spite of all the glitches its website has been experiencing lately.
I am also a Qualified Member of ITI since 2008. ( [url removed] )

Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership: | not satisfied at all

Gjorgji Apostolovski (X) — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 16:36:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership:
Poster: Gjorgji Apostolovski (X)
Post title: not satisfied at all

I got ProZ Plus Membership this year, although I've been on this site for many years, I had another account, but I made new one, anyway... So far, only one small project job that is not renewed and a few little job offers from shady companies that I've never worked for any of them, who if you ask them something about volume of work or ask for better rate than theirs you will get ignored, put on silence treatment and they probably will try to get into your email. Check that guys on yours email hosting security tab (Outlook), I had couple of tries to get into my emails from IP's, well, from the same countries where I applied for a job, or the countries that visit my proz profile. No one ever get into it. 2FA.
So, I'll probably not renew my membership, cuz that's like yearly car maintenance money.
Thank you, ProZ staff, Jared and the rest...

[Edited at 2024-06-13 16:37 GMT]

Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership: | standard

Alexandra Speirs — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 15:25:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership:
Poster: Alexandra Speirs
Post title: standard

I had a paying membership for a couple of years but found very little benefit.
I got exactly one job from a client who never came back for more.
Attended 1 Powwow and met a few colleagues, leading to some small collaboration jobs.
I didn't think it was worth the expense and have not renewed it.

Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership: | The counterfactual is hard to know

Charlie Bavington — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:20:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership:
Poster: Charlie Bavington
Post title: The counterfactual is hard to know

[quote]Alex Lichanow wrote:

Ever since my original registration on ProZ, personally, I have found exactly one new client through this platform. [/quote]

I don't think I've had one, not in the sense of either responding to a job posting, or receiving a "Proz" labelled email making a proposal worth accepting.

I do know I've had referrals from people I "met" on here, though. That's the value I've had out of it. I mean, it's not impossible that would have happened without being on here, as I probably would have spent more time on T Café or something, but as you said, Proz was the biggest platform. And it was OK, back in the day (although even back then, I couldn't see the extra value gained in paying for it, having done so for a couple of years).

[Edited at 2024-06-13 13:21 GMT]

Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership: | No clients

Annette Fehr — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 11:51:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership:
Poster: Annette Fehr
Post title: No clients

ProZ's a lovely-looking platform except it doesn't deliver as announced: put me in contact with clients.

I've found more clients through my own personal webpage than through ProZ, and I don't even know or use SEO!

The world and the translation industry seem to have moved on while ProZ doesn't seem to have gotten the memo that encouraging agencies in a world of AI is AGAINST translators' interests, not in favour, since the race to the bottom knows no limits.

I won't be renewing my membership, and all of the above reasons, including those excellent comments listed in the other posts, are exactly why.

Somehow, however, I don't think that anyone at ProZ will notice or care, and that's symptomatic of the real problem: Once companies like ProZ become too large, they tend to stray away from their customer base unless they take proactive steps to stay on top of current trends and really listen to their customers' needs.

Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership: | Praying...

expressisverbis — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 11:03:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership:
Poster: expressisverbis
Post title: Praying...

I'm praying that everything will improve at ProZ.com, including our satisfaction with the membership.

Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership: | Proletarian Plus Package

Matthias Brombach — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 10:43:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership:
Poster: Matthias Brombach
Post title: Proletarian Plus Package

I'm quite satisfied with the above package as it allows to lead a decent living without PEMT or complicated terminology research for peanuts.

Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership: | See above (or below, depending on which way you hang)

The Shredder — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 10:42:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership:
Poster: The Shredder
Post title: See above (or below, depending on which way you hang)

[quote]Justin Peterson wrote:

Hmm. If no one seems to like proz ... why are they on proz? [/quote]

I think my post explained precisely that.

Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership: | Free

Jean Dimitriadis — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 10:36:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership:
Poster: Jean Dimitriadis
Post title: Free

[quote]Baran Keki wrote:

As a linguist I'm satisfied with my 'Turkic Philology Society' membership, but not that satisfied with my 'Mesopotamian Paleography Association' membership, which I found to be a poor return on investment.
As a translator, however, I'm not at all satisfied with my Trados ownership... but hugely satisfied with my Google Translate and MateCAT investments, as they paid dividends in spades.

[/quote]

Because they are (essentially) free! 😂

Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership: | ProZ bashing

Alex Lichanow — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 10:31:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership:
Poster: Alex Lichanow
Post title: ProZ bashing

[quote]Justin Peterson wrote:

Hmm. If no one seems to like proz ... why are they on proz? [/quote]

I can only speak for myself, but I originally created an account because ProZ was supposed to be the world's leading platform for connecting translators and clients (well, to be fair, it is).
The problem is that, over the years, it has become increasingly clear that ProZ, as the world's leading platform, does f*** all to support translators. While smaller platforms like TranslatorsCafe will at least remove job postings with insulting rates when those are reported, ProZ just lets them slide with the flimsy rationale that they are only offering a platform and everything else is up to their users.
Ever since my original registration on ProZ, personally, I have found exactly one new client through this platform.

Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership: | What's with the proz bashing?

Justin Peterson — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 10:11:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership:
Poster: Justin Peterson
Post title: What's with the proz bashing?

Hmm. If no one seems to like proz ... why are they on proz?

Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership: | I hear you, bro!

P.L.F. Persi (X) — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 10:06:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership:
Poster: P.L.F. Persi (X)
Post title: I hear you, bro!

[quote]Baran Keki wrote:

As a linguist I'm satisfied with my 'Turkic Philology Society' membership, but not that satisfied with my 'Mesopotamian Paleography Association' membership, which I found to be a poor return on investment.

[/quote]

I share the same level of dissatisfaction with my Magna Graecia Glottophile Union, they're the worst.

Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership: | Other

Baran Keki — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 07:53:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership:
Poster: Baran Keki
Post title: Other

As a linguist I'm satisfied with my 'Turkic Philology Society' membership, but not that satisfied with my 'Mesopotamian Paleography Association' membership, which I found to be a poor return on investment.
As a translator, however, I'm not at all satisfied with my Trados ownership... but hugely satisfied with my Google Translate and MateCAT investments, as they paid dividends in spades.

Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership: | ProZ is amazing

The Shredder — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 07:43:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership:
Poster: The Shredder
Post title: ProZ is amazing

I've already had £67 of work in just nine months!

I've learnt so much from all the inspirational trainings in how to use AI and avoid using my brain!!

The transformative (and free*) Pastey enabled me to earn that £67 in exactly eight seconds!!!

Plus I can't get enough of that lovely new green typeface on the front page!!!!

But the forums and the people on them are rubbish. Wouldn't touch them with a bargepole.

[Edited at 2024-06-13 07:45 GMT]

Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership: | Other

Alex Lichanow — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 06:23:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership:
Poster: Alex Lichanow
Post title: Other

My membership at a 24/7 self-service gym.
As for ProZ, I am yet to get any use from my membership. Definitely not going to renew my paid plan.

Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership: | None of the above

Anton Konashenok — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 22:31:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership:
Poster: Anton Konashenok
Post title: None of the above

I am willing to help my colleagues voluntarily, but definitely not willing to pay a fee for the right to do so.

Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership: | Other

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 22:15:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership:
Poster: Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Post title: Other

I’m satisfied with my ATA and APTRAD memberships. I’m still pondering if I will be renewing my Proz Plus membership…

Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership:

ProZ.com Staff — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 20:10:04 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership:
Poster: ProZ.com Staff

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "As a linguist I'm satisfied with the following membership:".

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