| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | "Cancellations" or getting booked for a time-sensitive job that... never arrives Thread poster: Adieu
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Adieu 
Ukrainian to English
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Hi
So I got the beginnings of a relationship freelancing for a certain big pharma firm. They send me jobs, it's automated through memoQ, everything works fine-ish... yesterday, they book me for a revision job. Immediate email from the translation manager, "this is super-important, very time sensitive, but the actual translation isn't done yet, we'll get it to you crack of dawn tomorrow and it's due 10am".
I'm not particularly happy, since the actual posted terms were qu... See more Hi
So I got the beginnings of a relationship freelancing for a certain big pharma firm. They send me jobs, it's automated through memoQ, everything works fine-ish... yesterday, they book me for a revision job. Immediate email from the translation manager, "this is super-important, very time sensitive, but the actual translation isn't done yet, we'll get it to you crack of dawn tomorrow and it's due 10am".
I'm not particularly happy, since the actual posted terms were quite different, but OK, let's do em a solid.
Set my alarm clock for 5-something AM.
Check memoQ, the project is with the translator, who is at 14%. Ugh.
2 hours later - 14%.
10 AM - still 14%....
Documented all that, fired off a couple emails with screengrabs documenting it and an offer to take over since the other guy is asleep at the wheel. Translation manager seems to also be asleep, no response. Sat around like a doofus for like 5 hours over a job that's less than 2 billable hours.
SO: WHAT ARE THE PROCEDURAL ETHICS HERE?
If the previous guy doesn't hand over the material on time, how long would it be reasonable to sit around and wait? Should I move on if I have no materials to work on once the time budgeted for the project overshoots the delivery time? Wait until delivery time? Once the due date and time pass, am I still waiting? How long then?
And can I bill em something for the epic waste of time and making me set alarm clocks, shift my schedule, and lose sleep over a super-important job that they care so much about they never prepared a document for me to do?
[Edited at 2020-12-30 19:36 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Edward Potter
Spain
Local time: 11:13
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Sorry to hear you lost sleep waiting on a potential job. The fact that you did this shows that you are eager to work and do a good job.
Unfortunately, this comes with the territory. Although your client seems to be annoying, they also seem to come up with the goods. I would say you should put up with them until you can replace them. That could be very soon, or much later.
I would look at it as one job that got away. Many jobs will slip through your fingers, but you wil... See more Sorry to hear you lost sleep waiting on a potential job. The fact that you did this shows that you are eager to work and do a good job.
Unfortunately, this comes with the territory. Although your client seems to be annoying, they also seem to come up with the goods. I would say you should put up with them until you can replace them. That could be very soon, or much later.
I would look at it as one job that got away. Many jobs will slip through your fingers, but you will end up landing some. It is a numbers game.
What should you do? I don't know your relationship with your client, but generally I would tactfully and directly mention that you were inconvenienced and see how they react.
Good luck! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Adieu
Ukrainian to English
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TOPIC STARTER | Is there a concept of standardized cancel fees and procedures for scheduled work in this industry? | Dec 30, 2020 |
Like, say, you order an Uber, it shows up and you don't... guy waits 5 minutes on a timer, then charges you $5 or $10 and moves on
Anything like that?
Because the thing here is that they booked me for a specific window of time (at which I'd normally be asleep) and re-iterated that this was super-important. So I really had no idea how to handle this...
if it had a normal 1-2 day window instead of a tight schedule, I'd have fired off an email saying "never g... See more Like, say, you order an Uber, it shows up and you don't... guy waits 5 minutes on a timer, then charges you $5 or $10 and moves on
Anything like that?
Because the thing here is that they booked me for a specific window of time (at which I'd normally be asleep) and re-iterated that this was super-important. So I really had no idea how to handle this...
if it had a normal 1-2 day window instead of a tight schedule, I'd have fired off an email saying "never got anything, please hurry up or revise the due date" and went back to sleep in half an hour.
But with these guys, they loooove their tight due dates and last minute stuff and love booking rush revision jobs for not-yet-completed translations. I get the distinct feeling I'll be in this situation regularly.
Or maybe they're just trying to close out year end business and will go back to normal behavior in January...who knows. ▲ Collapse
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I suggest you agree beforehand a compensation for such an eventuality next time.
Been there myself... This is extremely frustrating!
Hindsight is easier than foresight.
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Adieu
Ukrainian to English
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TOPIC STARTER
Christel Zipfel wrote: I suggest you agree beforehand a compensation for such an eventuality next time. Been there myself... This is extremely frustrating! Hindsight is easier than foresight.
What terms have you used for such eventualities?
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 11:13
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
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| The protocol. | Dec 30, 2020 |
That’s why a PO issued even for the smallest of jobs. If they cancel for whatever reason, they’ll still have to pay.
From your story, it seems you’re being on stand-by for this client for any job at any time and no separate POs are being issued? Or they are issued at very short notice, which is not uncommon and as such, some jobs just slip, especially those at weird hours such as yours. Nothing uncommon, focus on jobs during reasonable hours.
Regarding standardize... See more That’s why a PO issued even for the smallest of jobs. If they cancel for whatever reason, they’ll still have to pay.
From your story, it seems you’re being on stand-by for this client for any job at any time and no separate POs are being issued? Or they are issued at very short notice, which is not uncommon and as such, some jobs just slip, especially those at weird hours such as yours. Nothing uncommon, focus on jobs during reasonable hours.
Regarding standardized fees, not aware of them except in interpreting, which are set at 24 hrs, 48 hrs and 48 hrs+ which different %. However, I assume you can set them up with an individual client for translation if you see it fit.
Example:
24 hrs 100%
48 hrs 50%
48 hrs+ No compensation
This works just fine for interpreting clients. I am not sure it’ll work for translation client, and especially not the kind of translation client you described in the OP. They just rotate translators with lightning speed and won’t bother much if you set these terms.
[Edited at 2020-12-30 22:18 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Your normal hourly fee | Dec 30, 2020 |
Adieu wrote: Christel Zipfel wrote: I suggest you agree beforehand a compensation for such an eventuality next time. Been there myself... This is extremely frustrating! Hindsight is easier than foresight. What terms have you used for such eventualities?
that you would have charged, for the time you have been awaiting the job that didn't arrive - this seems appropriate to me. I have requested this once after my previous experience but in this case the job arrived in time.
| | | | Adieu
Ukrainian to English
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TOPIC STARTER
Christel Zipfel wrote: Adieu wrote: Christel Zipfel wrote: I suggest you agree beforehand a compensation for such an eventuality next time. Been there myself... This is extremely frustrating! Hindsight is easier than foresight. What terms have you used for such eventualities? that you would have charged, for the time you have been awaiting the job that didn't arrive - this seems appropriate to me. I have requested this once after my previous experience but in this case the job arrived in time.
...but alas probably too early in the relationship to just charge them $140 over a $60ish job I never actually got to do.
Although... they did also try to short me on rush rates just the other day. Perhaps a bit of pushiness is in order.
Idk, maybe my expectations of big name big pharma were rather loftier than the realities on the ground....
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Kay Denney
France
Local time: 11:13
French to English
It sounds like these people are bullies, you'll need to stand your ground if you want them to respect you. If they don't want respectable translators, you'll need to find other work!
| | | | | Bring it up with them | Dec 31, 2020 |
Adieu wrote:
...but alas probably too early in the relationship to just charge them $140 over a $60ish job I never actually got to do.
Bring it up with the PM. "I waited from X:00 to Y:00 for a job that never materialized. In the future I'll be charging $$$ for every similar incident." And next time they contact you for such a job, you can remind them, "As per my previous email, I'll be blocking out XY hours for this job and will charge $$$ in case of a cancellation. Please confirm these terms before we proceed."
That's all on you, though. Personally I learned long ago not to set aside any time for any unconfirmed jobs.
| | | | Adieu
Ukrainian to English
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TOPIC STARTER | I thought you were exaggerating... | Dec 31, 2020 |
Kay Denney wrote:
It sounds like these people are bullies, you'll need to stand your ground if you want them to respect you. If they don't want respectable translators, you'll need to find other work!
...after receiving an after the fact reschedule-again email for a 3rd due date now, with all three involving me being awake at 6 AM my timezone, I think maybe you have a point.
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 11:13
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
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| Are they mass emailing a lot of translators including you? | Dec 31, 2020 |
Adieu wrote: Kay Denney wrote:
It sounds like these people are bullies, you'll need to stand your ground if you want them to respect you. If they don't want respectable translators, you'll need to find other work! ...after receiving an after the fact reschedule-again email for a 3rd due date now, with all three involving me being awake at 6 AM my timezone, I think maybe you have a point.
Is this a mass email, first come first go thing? What will happen if you don't respond to the email? It's not clear what kind of relationship you have with them. These things are quite common, but freelancers only take jobs they see fit.
It seems like your client has 24 hr stand-by on you. I hope it's paid accordingly.
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Adieu
Ukrainian to English
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TOPIC STARTER
Lingua 5B wrote: Adieu wrote: Kay Denney wrote:
It sounds like these people are bullies, you'll need to stand your ground if you want them to respect you. If they don't want respectable translators, you'll need to find other work! ...after receiving an after the fact reschedule-again email for a 3rd due date now, with all three involving me being awake at 6 AM my timezone, I think maybe you have a point. Is this a mass email, first come first go thing? What will happen if you don't respond to the email? It's not clear what kind of relationship you have with them. These things are quite common, but freelancers only take jobs they see fit. It seems like your client has 24 hr stand-by on you. I hope it's paid accordingly.
Yes and no?
This thing is via up for grabs emails at a previous stage (less than mass, looks like a pool of 5-10 active people tops), but this particular annoying job was already clicked into and grabbed and reserved by me, then bait and switched from a 15hr window on an existing file to an urgent short window on a promised file - hence the problem
If it were a click-here-to-accept, with those silly terms, I'd be like "mmmm lol no".
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 11:13
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
So, by clicking on a button, you committed to be immediately/urgently available. Is there any clause in this button saying anything about cancellations? If not, tough luck.
And yes, it's a typical structure where you are practically always available, which is even beyond being an employee. An employee has 8 hr fixed schedule, freelancer has "whenever I want to work" schedule, and not sure what the thing that you have is called - emergency service?
This is quite common... See more So, by clicking on a button, you committed to be immediately/urgently available. Is there any clause in this button saying anything about cancellations? If not, tough luck.
And yes, it's a typical structure where you are practically always available, which is even beyond being an employee. An employee has 8 hr fixed schedule, freelancer has "whenever I want to work" schedule, and not sure what the thing that you have is called - emergency service?
This is quite common. And yes, emailing 5-10 regulars is mass emailing because it is based on response time, not on translator competence or preference. I had at least 10-15 such clients. I won't drop them completely, but I will definitely not stress about responding or working at weird hours. And nothing will happen if I miss a project, they will mass email again for the next one. Of course they are not the best or preferred clients and I am always looking to replace them.
[Edited at 2020-12-31 15:26 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Adieu
Ukrainian to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
I was not aware they did arbitrary schedule changes in a strictly notificational fashion.
But yeah, this 3rd reschedule on this teensy job had me fuming. Spent like an hour revising my email response from 'outburst of rage' down to 'snarky polite-ish rebuttal
Told em I can and will sometimes work at 6am for proper compensation if and when it suits me, but only if I so choose... and waking up at the crack of dawn for a 3rd time over a single job that's barely over 2 bill... See more I was not aware they did arbitrary schedule changes in a strictly notificational fashion.
But yeah, this 3rd reschedule on this teensy job had me fuming. Spent like an hour revising my email response from 'outburst of rage' down to 'snarky polite-ish rebuttal
Told em I can and will sometimes work at 6am for proper compensation if and when it suits me, but only if I so choose... and waking up at the crack of dawn for a 3rd time over a single job that's barely over 2 billable hours isn't something I'm ever gonna choose.
Lingua 5B wrote:
So, by clicking on a button, you committed to be immediately/urgently available. Is there any clause in this button saying anything about cancellations? If not, tough luck.
And yes, it's a typical structure where you are practically always available, which is even beyond being an employee. An employee has 8 hr fixed schedule, freelancer has "whenever I want to work" schedule, and not sure what the thing that you have is called - emergency service?
[Edited at 2020-12-31 15:21 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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