Poll: Do you desert clients when you find better rates with new ones? מפרסם התגובה: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you desert clients when you find better rates with new ones?".
This poll was originally submitted by Elías Sauza
View the poll here
A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more inf... See more This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you desert clients when you find better rates with new ones?".
This poll was originally submitted by Elías Sauza
View the poll here
A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more information, see: http://proz.com/topic/33629 ▲ Collapse
| | | | Sonja Tomaskovic (X) 
גרמניה
Local time: 00:18
מאנגלית לגרמנית
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So far, I've only tried to get rid of one client. In this particular case, money wasn't the real problem. The client hired me for the translation of really badly handwritten documents and changed his demands on how the layout has to look like and what has to be inserted by me or them continually. Even worse, there was almost no communication so they always told me afterwards that my translation didn't meet their standards. When I had questions about how to deal with certain things, they would no... See more So far, I've only tried to get rid of one client. In this particular case, money wasn't the real problem. The client hired me for the translation of really badly handwritten documents and changed his demands on how the layout has to look like and what has to be inserted by me or them continually. Even worse, there was almost no communication so they always told me afterwards that my translation didn't meet their standards. When I had questions about how to deal with certain things, they would not respond only to get back to me afterwards saying that this or that wasn't as they expected it to be.
Once they claimed that I had not followed they standard guidelines. When I pointed out that their guidelines did not mention a thing about the problem they were complaining about, they just provided me with a new set of guidelines, telling me to keep strictly to those and change my translation accordingly.
In the end, I just told them that I was busy with other work (which was true). They still come back from time to time, but I usually have other jobs so this is no real loss.
I lost so much time reconstructing the original layout that I honestly do not regret I dumped them. Having said that, I am worried that I might "miss" them once the jobs don't flow that easily anymore.... if that happens.
Sonja
[Edited at 2005-10-18 10:13] ▲ Collapse
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Sometimes yes, sometimes no.
It all depends on why.
I have a basic standard rate and clients with whom I have been working for a while are informed when I raise my basic rate. That way, most clients are in line. I do negotiate special rates for large volumes and/or speedy payment.
But I am not in the habit of dropping clients unless they systematically pay late. I'm running a business not a charity.
Small one-off freebies are done from time to time. I much prefer that t... See more Sometimes yes, sometimes no.
It all depends on why.
I have a basic standard rate and clients with whom I have been working for a while are informed when I raise my basic rate. That way, most clients are in line. I do negotiate special rates for large volumes and/or speedy payment.
But I am not in the habit of dropping clients unless they systematically pay late. I'm running a business not a charity.
Small one-off freebies are done from time to time. I much prefer that to negotiating rotten rates as the day they come back with a big job they will not understand why you suddenly want to charge so much more ! ▲ Collapse
| | | | tazdog (X)
ספרד
Local time: 00:18
מספרדית לאנגלית
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| not exactly "deserting" | Oct 18, 2005 |
Rather than "deserting clients" when I find better rates with new ones, I have stopped working with some whose rates have not kept pace with my own.
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| No, but I do give preference in scheduling jobs | Oct 18, 2005 |
I've never dropped a client, and never (yet) raised rates on a regular client. And once I accept a job, I do it as promised (including deadlines). But if I'm fairly busy with better-paying jobs and something comes in from a low-paying client, I don't knock myself out to squeeze him/her in.
| | | | Сергей Лузан
הפדרציה הרוסית
Local time: 02:18
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| busy working | Oct 18, 2005 |
I am too busy working then. Sometimes I can accept lower rates to receive an assignment for simultaneous interpreting but with familiar clients only.
| | | | | deserting clients | Oct 18, 2005 |
[quote]ProZ.com Staff wrote:
"Do you desert clients when you find better rates with new ones
The short answer is no, clients are more faithful than agencies who drop me without a single explanation (even if its the quality of my work it deserves some comment), but I am almost sure it is because they find freelancers who will accept much lower rates (e.g. the average rates I see on proz.com regularly of less than 5 cents or 0.04euros).
| | | | | Kicked out an unpleasant client | Oct 18, 2005 |
I got rid of a rather big client this summer. Payment was good and always on time. But the relationship was not. We just did not get along well. I always dreaded the calls, which were long-winded and not to the point, and we always had discussions about things that should happen but never happened. In the end, I decided I would feel much better without this client and that I would rather search for another one. I do feel much, much better now, and I was able to find other and more pleasant clien... See more I got rid of a rather big client this summer. Payment was good and always on time. But the relationship was not. We just did not get along well. I always dreaded the calls, which were long-winded and not to the point, and we always had discussions about things that should happen but never happened. In the end, I decided I would feel much better without this client and that I would rather search for another one. I do feel much, much better now, and I was able to find other and more pleasant clients. ▲ Collapse
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| Refuse to work with customers who always pay late | Oct 18, 2005 |
As regards "deserting" customers: there are a few former customers we no longer accept work from because they were constanly late with their payments.
May I point out that professionals do not "find" rates, they "set" them: this is an important distinction, since it determines who
is actually in control of prices.
| | | | | Conditions, not rates | Oct 18, 2005 |
The only client I've ever deliberately dropped was my highest payer. The problem was that the paperwork they required for payments to be processed gradually became more and more complex, and when it reached absurdity, I judged that it wasn't worth it any more.
| | | | Henry Hinds
ארצות הברית
Local time: 16:18
מאנגלית לספרדית
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נזכור | Who sets the rates? | Oct 19, 2005 |
My policy has been that I set the rates, not anyone else. Of course I do have to set them in accordance with the market because if I am too high then I will lose clients. There are also some clients to whom I give reduced rates because of non-profit status or for other reasons.
But I think that the measure of our independence is when we say, "I set the rates", because that is what other independent professionals do, and it is what we need to do.
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