Poll: How do you handle clients who keep in touch with you though only send you very small requests? Persoa que publicou o fío: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How do you handle clients who keep in touch with you though only send you very small requests?".
View the poll results »
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I don’t care as long as they pay my minimum rate. One of my transcreation clients always sends small projects but they are rather interesting and well-paid…
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The obvious alternative is missing.
I demand a minimum rate and explain that it won't be worthwhile for me otherwise.
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100% of my clients come from other clients (and, in some cases, colleagues) who pass on my name. An artist who gives me a page or so to translate every four years might give my name to a gallery or a museum, so it's in my interest to keep them happy. And anyway, I like keeping people happy.
I have a "job" today - I've been asked if two slogans sound right in English (one doesn't, the other can be tweaked) - from a small advertising agency that used to be a good client but has downsi... See more 100% of my clients come from other clients (and, in some cases, colleagues) who pass on my name. An artist who gives me a page or so to translate every four years might give my name to a gallery or a museum, so it's in my interest to keep them happy. And anyway, I like keeping people happy.
I have a "job" today - I've been asked if two slogans sound right in English (one doesn't, the other can be tweaked) - from a small advertising agency that used to be a good client but has downsized considerably. I'm not going to charge them my minimum and indeed I haven't charged them anything since the pandemic. If they do come up with a proper job, they'll be paying 30 cents a word and I'll recoup everything. Plus the goodwill.
And if they don't, that's okay. ▲ Collapse
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Lingua 5B 
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 20:23
Membro (2009)
English to Croatian
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What's a small request? I don't work on small requests, and most of them don't accept my minimum fee on small requests.
So they definitely don't "keep in touch" for small requests as they know my policy.
| | | | Alex Lichanow
Germany
Local time: 20:23
Membro (2020)
English to German
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I don't have any clients that only send me small jobs. Obviously, there are going to be small jobs from existing customers every now and then, but that's what minimum charges are there for.
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I charge a minimum fee and that's that.
| | | | Natasha Cloutier
Netherlands
Local time: 20:23
Membro (2023)
Dutch to English
+ ...
I was recently onboarded in a rush by a company outside the country I work in for a big job. I filled in a ton of paperwork, a test, and the whole shebang, and once I was onboarded, the biggest job I was offered was about 69 words. I might as well look for change in my couch.
One day I emailed the PM who onboarded me and asked them why this was happening and if this was their idea of doing business, to remove me from their database. They had no clue this had happened! The other PM w... See more I was recently onboarded in a rush by a company outside the country I work in for a big job. I filled in a ton of paperwork, a test, and the whole shebang, and once I was onboarded, the biggest job I was offered was about 69 words. I might as well look for change in my couch.
One day I emailed the PM who onboarded me and asked them why this was happening and if this was their idea of doing business, to remove me from their database. They had no clue this had happened! The other PM who needed my expertise had a big job cancelled on them, which meant they didn't need me, and it looked like I was ghosted.
The PM who originally needed me might need me again this summer because that job was seasonal. Now we wait
[Edited at 2024-06-05 12:19 GMT]
[Edited at 2024-06-05 12:20 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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| Most of my jobs are small | Jun 5 |
Most of my jobs are small, so when do they become very small? If it's two quick lines in an e-mail, I might do them for free. Otherwise I charge my minimum fee.
The last two-liner I did took an hour's research to find the context, but it was for a very good client, and a couple of days later he sent a large job that was related, so it paid off.
I also like to keep people happy, as long as I don´t end up doing a lot of work for free. In practice, I have found that eithe... See more Most of my jobs are small, so when do they become very small? If it's two quick lines in an e-mail, I might do them for free. Otherwise I charge my minimum fee.
The last two-liner I did took an hour's research to find the context, but it was for a very good client, and a couple of days later he sent a large job that was related, so it paid off.
I also like to keep people happy, as long as I don´t end up doing a lot of work for free. In practice, I have found that either the client stops sending tiny requests, or they send a larger job. I have been known to ignore the mail for half a day or over a weekend, especially if I´m busy with more profitable work. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Small jobs are a PITA, end of | Jun 5 |
Unless you've got nothing on, even five words for a one-hour minimum charge ends up being a waste of time.
I used to think, oh, I'm earning like $500 an hour for those two minutes, or whatever, but over a period of time all those minimum charges add up to **** all. The real money is in decent-sized regular jobs for regular end-clients. I'll repeat that: The real money is in decent-sized regular jobs for regular end-clients.
Plus, if I've got nothing on, I want to go out... See more Unless you've got nothing on, even five words for a one-hour minimum charge ends up being a waste of time.
I used to think, oh, I'm earning like $500 an hour for those two minutes, or whatever, but over a period of time all those minimum charges add up to **** all. The real money is in decent-sized regular jobs for regular end-clients. I'll repeat that: The real money is in decent-sized regular jobs for regular end-clients.
Plus, if I've got nothing on, I want to go out and have some fun. I may or may not get dressed first. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 20:23
Membro (2006)
English to Afrikaans
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I assume a "small job" is a job of less than the minimum fee that the client expects not to be charged the minimum fee. I just keep doing them unless it becomes too difficult to do them, e.g. due to the client's cumbersome online job system. I have on occasion wondered whether it's worth continuing with such and such a client, but sometimes being an agency's "preferred translator" can land you that one big job that makes up for it. It also provides variation. It sometimes helps me to keep my... See more I assume a "small job" is a job of less than the minimum fee that the client expects not to be charged the minimum fee. I just keep doing them unless it becomes too difficult to do them, e.g. due to the client's cumbersome online job system. I have on occasion wondered whether it's worth continuing with such and such a client, but sometimes being an agency's "preferred translator" can land you that one big job that makes up for it. It also provides variation. It sometimes helps me to keep my skills sharp in a CAT tool that no other client is currently sending work in. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Kay Denney
France
Local time: 20:23
French to English
I have a client like that. I don't mind doing small jobs, it all adds up and it gives me a break from the larger jobs, in that a change is as good as a rest.
I don't charge a minimum fee though, I've noticed that clients don't like them. So I just tell them that I'll charge for just one hour instead. Somehow nobody balks at that.
(This is sneaky of me, because when I did charge a minimum rate, it was the same as what I charge for one hour).
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Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 21:23
Membro
English to Turkish
| It's a tough one... | Jun 11 |
I have a client like that too. Over the years I've become very friendly with the guy, talking about Arsenal, birds, boozing, music etc. He sends me 200-400 word articles once a month, and when you have this kind of banter going with the guy, it feels kind of wrong to ask for 30 EUR, so I usually 'forget' to send him an invoice and the bastard conveniently forgets to ask for it.
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