| Pages sur ce sujet: < [1 2] | Translator has gone hiding - what should we (a company) do? Auteur du fil: Uldis Liepkalns
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Uldis Liepkalns 
Lettonie
Local time: 16:38
Membre (2003)
anglais vers letton/lette
+ ...
AUTEUR DU FIL | Thank you all | Nov 22, 2003 |
two2tango wrote:
3 - With all due respect, I am not impressed by an agency that delivers an all-important lengthy job to an untested translator, then keeps no monitoring on him/her until deadline,
Enrique Cavalitto
I would like to inform all that the issue (hopefully) is resolved, the translator sent me SMS that he has sent us the first file on Friday, packed his laptop and gone to the country (where GSM coverage is more absent than present) to finish the rest. We haven’t got the said file (possibly it got stuck in the wires somewhere, it seldom, but happens, as we all know), but he promised to resend it.
And to Enrique - it isn’t that we didn’t take interest in progress, before that we were in contact with the translator regularly- but not too often- after all, we all here on ProZ are grown-ups, have credentials, recommendations, if we would give you a 2 week job and start to send you daily inquiries, to what else if not your annoyance with us would it lead…
And thank you all for your thoughts; we have learned a lot from this.
Uldis
| | | | Irene N
États-Unis
Local time: 08:38
anglais vers russe
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| Some thoughts, maybe a bit harsh ones | Nov 24, 2003 |
All the above comments are very true. I would have had to include too many quotes so should I mention something that someone has already said, please just look at it as "agree" and not inattention.
1. Credentials mean nothing unless it is UN (real UN, not some local charity event under the UN slogan or patronage) or Olympics or an equal level. We had our share of trusting ATA etc. members blindly. Never again. Credentials cannot be trusted without at least one verbal confirmation ... See more All the above comments are very true. I would have had to include too many quotes so should I mention something that someone has already said, please just look at it as "agree" and not inattention.
1. Credentials mean nothing unless it is UN (real UN, not some local charity event under the UN slogan or patronage) or Olympics or an equal level. We had our share of trusting ATA etc. members blindly. Never again. Credentials cannot be trusted without at least one verbal confirmation from somebody you already know and respect. Or start with small no-rush jobs.
2. With all due respect, that translator does not exist in the 4th dimension. When you are a professional independent freelancer, you must have a point of contact ready to notify your clients in case of emergency. After all, he found you once with his digestion problem, 3 days late already, right? Did he tell you that he has no phone/computer in his restroom and he couldn't leave it for 3 days? . Yes, there might be different situations but this particular one does not sound like you should play Mother Teresa.
3. You don't owe him/her anything including explanations - "Sue me..."
4. A translator has no right "to hope" that he will get well and finish the job by the deadline. He either must be a 100 per cent sure or give it up, the sooner - the better.
As far as "what should you do" is concerned, it's very simple. Hire a new translator, pay him and forget about the whole thing (but not about the lesson learned) as soon as you can.
Good luck!
[Edited at 2003-11-24 16:54] ▲ Collapse
| | | | two2tango
Argentine
Local time: 10:38
Membre
anglais vers espagnol
+ ...
| I meant partial deliveries | Nov 24, 2003 |
Uldis Liepkalns wrote:
And to Enrique - it isn’t that we didn’t take interest in progress, before that we were in contact with the translator regularly- but not too often- after all, we all here on ProZ are grown-ups, have credentials, recommendations, if we would give you a 2 week job and start to send you daily inquiries, to what else if not your annoyance with us would it lead…
Hi Uldis,
Of course I don't recommend daily inquiries, but a 2-weeks 60-pages job is not done in a day, and it would not be unreasonable to deliver it in partial 12-pages stages.
This would give you an early warning if something goes wrong, even from a linguistic point of view, such as terminology or format differences that should be addressed asap.
I am glad to know the problem is being solved. Best regards,
Enrique
[Edited at 2003-11-24 12:15]
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two2tango wrote:
Hi Uldis,
Of course I don't recommend daily inquiries, but a 2-weeks 60-pages job is not done in a day, and it would not be unreasonable to deliver it in partial 12-pages stages.
This would give you an early warning if something goes wrong, even from a linguistic point of view, such as terminology or format differences that should be addressed asap.
I am glad to know the problem is being solved. Best regards,
Enrique
[Edited at 2003-11-24 12:15]
Sveiki Uldi and Enrique,
While it is a good idea to keep closer "tabs" on a new translator, I disagree with handing in translations in chunks and avoid that solution wherever possible. A translation is a continuous whole - how many times have you decided to re-word something at the beginning once you got to the end, even after careful reading and research. Seems like that could lead to a more choppy product, unless the sections are "self-contained."
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two2tango
Argentine
Local time: 10:38
Membre
anglais vers espagnol
+ ...
Daina Jauntirans wrote:
I disagree with handing in translations in chunks and avoid that solution wherever possible. A translation is a continuous whole - how many times have you decided to re-word something at the beginning once you got to the end, even after careful reading and research. Seems like that could lead to a more choppy product, unless the sections are "self-contained."
Hi Daina,
Of course a translation sent in block is likely to be more consistent than one sent in batches.
On the other hand working in batches allows proofreading to begin earlier in a form of parallel/processing with translation, and therefore generate more timely feedback.
Besides, how else can an agency keep closer "tabs" on a new translator?
Very interesting issue to discuss.
Kindest regards,
Enrique
| | | | Andy Watkinson
Espagne
Local time: 15:38
Membre
catalan vers anglais
+ ...
| I'm afraid I could not disagree more....... | Nov 24, 2003 |
......."4 - With all due respect, I am not impressed by an agency that trusts an all-important lengthy job to an untested translator, then keeps no monitoring on him/her until deadline, and has no b-plan at hand when the translator is not found"
---0---
I can only agree with Daina - unless at gunpoint, I NEVER hand in a translation in instalments.
60 pages - lengthy???
has no b-plan - I've worked for agencies for years ... See more ......."4 - With all due respect, I am not impressed by an agency that trusts an all-important lengthy job to an untested translator, then keeps no monitoring on him/her until deadline, and has no b-plan at hand when the translator is not found"
---0---
I can only agree with Daina - unless at gunpoint, I NEVER hand in a translation in instalments.
60 pages - lengthy???
has no b-plan - I've worked for agencies for years and they don't have a b-plan! No agency "expects" to be let down by a translator.
And I object (in the mildest terms) when anyone attempts to "monitor" me, or...
....am I the only person sick of hearing?:
Q. "How's the translation going?"
A. "It'd be finished if you stopped interrupting me with daft phone calls".
I think the question's a bit more simple.
Either the translator has a genuine motive or he/she doesn't.
a) Gets paid
b) Doesn't get paid.
Saludos,
Andy ▲ Collapse
| | | | Uldis Liepkalns
Lettonie
Local time: 16:38
Membre (2003)
anglais vers letton/lette
+ ...
AUTEUR DU FIL | Fully agree with Andy and Daina | Nov 24, 2003 |
indeed we have about 3 (or at least 2) such a “lengthy” jobs a day, not to speak of a heap of 1 to 10 page routine ones. Of course, it is different from individual translator’s standpoint, 3 such jobs a month and “I‘ve got 3 huge jobs”, which, of course, is correct and even can be considered an overload. But to monitor all these jobs daily or to demand deliverance by unfinished instalments, in my view, is an offence to the translator. And it’s also correct, on countless occasions w... See more indeed we have about 3 (or at least 2) such a “lengthy” jobs a day, not to speak of a heap of 1 to 10 page routine ones. Of course, it is different from individual translator’s standpoint, 3 such jobs a month and “I‘ve got 3 huge jobs”, which, of course, is correct and even can be considered an overload. But to monitor all these jobs daily or to demand deliverance by unfinished instalments, in my view, is an offence to the translator. And it’s also correct, on countless occasions we’ve experienced that translator, having reached the end of a translation, suddenly finds a better term for something repeating throughout the translation from the first page to the last.
andycw wrote:
I can only agree with Daina - unless at gunpoint, I NEVER hand in a translation in instalments.
60 pages - lengthy???
has no b-plan - I've worked for agencies for years and they don't have a b-plan! No agency "expects" to be let down by a translator.
And I object (in the mildest terms) when anyone attempts to "monitor" me, or...
....am I the only person sick of hearing?:
Q. "How's the translation going?"
A. "It'd be finished if you stopped interrupting me with daft phone calls".
I think the question's a bit more simple.
Either the translator has a genuine motive or he/she doesn't.
a) Gets paid
b) Doesn't get paid.
Saludos,
Andy
As to the last remark:
there is not a person in the world who has done a job for us and hasn't been paid. Anyone with an evidence to the contrary is invited to speak up
Sincerely- Uldis
[Edited at 2003-11-24 23:39] ▲ Collapse
| | | | aivars
Argentine
Local time: 10:38
anglais vers espagnol
+ ...
| Consider basing the relationship in something more than POs and contracts | Nov 25, 2003 |
All sorts of problems occur when you rely on people. We have experienced: translator's mum dies, translator breaks her wrist, translator has a miscarriage, translator leaves the job halfwaythrough because she doesn't knows how to translate way too many words, translator renders format useless, etc. The more projects you get involved, the more accidents will occur. I assume that an agency, being the strong part in the deal with the freelancer, must be ready to solve all kind of events. Not so lon... See more All sorts of problems occur when you rely on people. We have experienced: translator's mum dies, translator breaks her wrist, translator has a miscarriage, translator leaves the job halfwaythrough because she doesn't knows how to translate way too many words, translator renders format useless, etc. The more projects you get involved, the more accidents will occur. I assume that an agency, being the strong part in the deal with the freelancer, must be ready to solve all kind of events. Not so long ago, a client rejected a big translation done by one our translators and would not pay us a cent for it. After conducting the necessary reviews, which turned up that the translation indeed had problems, we decided to pay the translator half of the agreed money, although we would not see a dime from that translation and we had also lost that customer for good. We had taken the decision to give that translation to that translator, so we were accountable for that. It's common - and a disgrace - to focus only on the other party's responsabilities.
I would never handle 60 pages to someone I never worked with before. We try translators with small jobs, where all aspects can be evaluated: quality, formatting, time frame, etc. This process of building your network of trusty translators takes time.
Last but not least, be ready to lose some money in some transactions, it's part of business.
[Edited at 2003-11-25 04:59] ▲ Collapse
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two2tango
Argentine
Local time: 10:38
Membre
anglais vers espagnol
+ ...
| Interesting exchange of ideas! | Nov 25, 2003 |
While we enjoy the pleasure of a respectful exchange of ideas, let’s remember that we are talking about an agency giving the first assignment to a previously unknown translator.
When an agency contacts us for the first time we check the Blue Board and other similar tools, and we ask our colleagues and search the Web for references. If none can be found we may take a short job just “to test the waters”.
An agency should have a pool of translators with an overall ca... See more While we enjoy the pleasure of a respectful exchange of ideas, let’s remember that we are talking about an agency giving the first assignment to a previously unknown translator.
When an agency contacts us for the first time we check the Blue Board and other similar tools, and we ask our colleagues and search the Web for references. If none can be found we may take a short job just “to test the waters”.
An agency should have a pool of translators with an overall capacity well in excess of the agency’s normal throughput, for it may find a freelancer otherwise engaged or get a peak of requirements.
To add a translator to this pool, the agency may rely on the word of a trusted freelancer, or give him/her a short job “to test the waters” (symmetrical, isn’t it?).
60 pages - lengthy???
Like everything else in translation, it depends on the context. When deadline finds you empty-handed then yes, a 60 pages translation is lengthy.
has no b-plan - I've worked for agencies for years and they don't have a b-plan! No agency "expects" to be let down by a translator.
You fasten your seatbelt even when you don’t expect to have a crash. Once again, we talk about an unknown translator, uncharted waters... Not a “what if” provision?
Regards,
Enrique
[Edited at 2003-11-25 23:54] ▲ Collapse
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