| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Loyalty versus money (potential jobs via multiple agencies) Thread poster: Samuel Murray
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Samuel Murray 
Netherlands
Local time: 11:29
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
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TOPIC STARTER | Feel obliged | May 28, 2008 |
Lawyer-Linguist wrote: Samuel Murray wrote:
I would have to give a reason for refusing, .... You'd have to or you'd feel obliged to?
Feel obliged. I forgot to mention that my old client did tell me in the past week about a potential job he's investigating and I was keen, but I didn't realise it was the same job as that of the new client. I'm also "the translator", not "a translator".
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 11:29
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | I don't have just one rate | May 28, 2008 |
NMR wrote:
I really don't see why someone would work for half of a quarter of his normal rates!!!
I have different rates for different countries. I know of many translators who are already giving clients from the USA a discount by default because of the weak dollar. So the same applies to other countries, yes?
But don't worry -- there is a rate below which I won't work, but it depends on many factors. The old client's jobs generally help stop quieter gaps and they are typically a joy to do, hence the low rate.
[Edited at 2008-05-28 15:32]
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Tomás Cano Binder wrote: I just wanted to say that in my opinion this would not honour one of our main obligations as translators: absolute confidentiality. I don't think we should be discussing our jobs from one client with another client... 
Indeed. But the situation here is a bit peculiar, in that the text is exactly the same and no customer name has been mentioned. I don't reveal anything about the text that is unknown to the the party and I don't reveal any of the customers I work with. The only breach of confidentiality I see is between myself and me.
Lying is much naughtier.
Philippe
OK, Now I understand what you mean. The end client may not want the first agency to know that they asked another agency for a quote. OK, it didn't spring to my mind that this could be the case.
[Edited at 2008-05-28 15:43]
| | | | | Thanks for clarifying about the rate issue, Samuel | May 28, 2008 |
- I still wouldn't work for half or quarter of my standard rate. I know that agencies in certain countries just can't pay you more - I tend to avoid work from these countries. I would rather spend my time marketing myself at a decent rate.
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| Thank goodness for that ... | May 28, 2008 |
Samuel Murray wrote:
Feel obliged.
You had me 'worried' there for a moment
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 11:29
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | This did occur to me | May 28, 2008 |
Philippe Etienne wrote:
OK, Now I understand what you mean. The end client may not want the first agency to know that they asked another agency for a quote. OK, it didn't spring to my mind that this could be the case.
This did occur to me, and unfortunately one has to make a decision about it. It would be difficult to make a general rule about it. A similar situation occurs when one agency sends you a text for translation, and then later another agency sends you your own translation for editing (it has happened to me more than once).
I firmly believe that confidentiality is very important, but so is integrity.
If two clients were to send me the same text for translation (and they are paid jobs, not merely tests to be used in a bidding process), then I would happily do the translation for both of them without telling either of them... and I don't regard that as dishonest. No client has ever asked me specifically for a *unique* translation.
I suppose now that I've told my old client that another client had given me the same text, I should also inform the new client that "another client" had given me the same text. What do you think about that?
| | | | | Excess of integrity, maybe? | May 28, 2008 |
Samuel Murray wrote:
I suppose now that I've told my old client that another client had given me the same text, I should also inform the new client that "another client" had given me the same text. What do you think about that?
If I understood you, this step would break even for both parties in terms of information disclosed. Wow.
First, I would rule out Tomas' objection as I understood it: disclosing potentially damaging information when saying "I've already done this test" to an agency is unlikely, even though the integrity-confidentiality-obligations exercise is always a good reminder.
Let's face it, if the end-client requires a test translation, it means that they don't know if the agency fits the bill. So I would be surprised if there were any previous relation between end-client and the first agency that contacted you. Consequently, it is unlikely that the end client wanted the call for bids to remain a secret between them and an agency unknown of theirs. They want this job done, don't they? Therefore Tomas' assumption would be irrelevant, unless the end-client promised to the first agency "yes, you'll get the contract because we contacted nobody else", which would be embarrassing for the end-client. But yet again, lying is naughty.
I wouldn't go as far as telling the first agency that the call for tender is out in the wild. They may look at you and think "Of course we know it is. Does he think we're dumb?". I would rather contact them every week/fortnight to ask for the bid's progress until it is closed.
| | | | Allesklar
Australia
Local time: 18:59
English to German
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| rates for different countries | May 28, 2008 |
I used to do this for a while, until I realised that I was working for end clients in Europe and US.
They send their work to China, India or Hong Kong, because they hope to pay less. The Asian agencies don't have enough qualified people, so they offer the job to a western translator such as myself, who has to pay Australian overheads.
If I work for them at Asian rates, who is the goose in the end?
Since then it's the same rates for all and I haven't looked ... See more I used to do this for a while, until I realised that I was working for end clients in Europe and US.
They send their work to China, India or Hong Kong, because they hope to pay less. The Asian agencies don't have enough qualified people, so they offer the job to a western translator such as myself, who has to pay Australian overheads.
If I work for them at Asian rates, who is the goose in the end?
Since then it's the same rates for all and I haven't looked back.
...but don't you shoot yourself in the foot if you quote for both? I mean, since the quality of the test translation is going to be equal, the price will be the distinguishing factor. Why would you be bidding against yourself? Go for the higher rate and tell the lower payer that you can't accept his job, because you are busy with a higher paid project. That's all they need to know.
[Edited at 2008-05-29 00:08] ▲ Collapse
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