Poll: If you take days off for personal circumstances, do you tell the reason to your clients?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Aug 6, 2018

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "If you take days off for personal circumstances, do you tell the reason to your clients?".

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Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 21:38
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
No Aug 6, 2018

With one exception: when I relocated back to Lisbon in 2015, I took one week off to prepare everything and I informed all my clients of my new address. In other personal circumstances I just said that I wouldn’t be available from x until y…

 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 22:38
Member (2003)
Danish to English
+ ...
It depends on a lot of things Aug 6, 2018

These days, I may simply set up an 'out of office, back tomorrow' message on my e-mail and go out.

If I can make it sound good for work too, like a planned trip to the UK, I let regular clients know I will be making good use of my time in bookshops and listening to real English etc.

If it is an emergency, I simply say it is an emergency, and when I expect or hope to be back, probably in the 'out of office' message if it is really unexpected. Clients were very understand
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These days, I may simply set up an 'out of office, back tomorrow' message on my e-mail and go out.

If I can make it sound good for work too, like a planned trip to the UK, I let regular clients know I will be making good use of my time in bookshops and listening to real English etc.

If it is an emergency, I simply say it is an emergency, and when I expect or hope to be back, probably in the 'out of office' message if it is really unexpected. Clients were very understanding when my parents were ill, and we found ways of working around it as far as possible.
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Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Jennifer Forbes
Melanie Meyer
 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 22:38
Spanish to English
+ ...
Depends on the client Aug 6, 2018

I'm currently looking after my daughter following her cancer operation, which thankfully went ahead without complications and she is now recovering. Before going away, I told most of my clients that I might not be able to deliver my projects as quickly as usual for a couple of months or so, but I only went into detail about the reasons with the ones I have the closest and most personal relationship with.

As it happens, I haven't had to "take any time off" and have been able to cope
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I'm currently looking after my daughter following her cancer operation, which thankfully went ahead without complications and she is now recovering. Before going away, I told most of my clients that I might not be able to deliver my projects as quickly as usual for a couple of months or so, but I only went into detail about the reasons with the ones I have the closest and most personal relationship with.

As it happens, I haven't had to "take any time off" and have been able to cope with my usual workload at more or less the usual pace. I did refuse one job last week, because they wanted delivery within 3 days and I asked for 10, although I could have delivered it within the 3 days, but then again, I never know when a project from my regulars is going to fall into my lap... so I usually ask for a longer deadline just in case.
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Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 14:38
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
No! Aug 6, 2018

It's not their business. My mother used to say: "Never complain; never explain."

Explanations rub me the wrong way. I just want people to tell me they will or won't (be there, do this, etc.).


Axelle H.
Anna Herbst
TB CommuniCAT
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 21:38
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
@Neil Aug 6, 2018

neilmac wrote:

I'm currently looking after my daughter following her cancer operation, which thankfully went ahead without complications and she is now recovering. Before going away, I told most of my clients that I might not be able to deliver my projects as quickly as usual for a couple of months or so, but I only went into detail about the reasons with the ones I have the closest and most personal relationship with.


I wish her a speedy recovery!


Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Shiva Amin
 
Ricki Farn
Ricki Farn
Germany
Local time: 22:38
English to German
No Aug 6, 2018

I just set up an autoreply "I can't read my email from ... to", but I leave it open whether I'm physically absent or just unwilling to shuffle to the computer. Burglars have email, too!

I don't enjoy telling people much about my personal life because either it would make them jealous (taking the day off to buy craft material), make them pity me (sick day), or come across as just plain weird (most everything else I do). And I'm not going to make stuff up.


Michele Fauble
 
Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Germany
Local time: 22:38
English to German
In memoriam
Depends on the client Aug 6, 2018

When I have a longer relationship with a client (i. e. a PM of an agency in most cases), I treat them like a colleague, even though I never met them. As with a colleague, I will occasionally share pieces of personal info, like where I travel and such, or that I went to my little brother's wedding, as I did some months ago. It's okay to let the client feel that there is a real living person at the other end.
Of course, an absence autoreply is the professional thing to do in any case, so tha
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When I have a longer relationship with a client (i. e. a PM of an agency in most cases), I treat them like a colleague, even though I never met them. As with a colleague, I will occasionally share pieces of personal info, like where I travel and such, or that I went to my little brother's wedding, as I did some months ago. It's okay to let the client feel that there is a real living person at the other end.
Of course, an absence autoreply is the professional thing to do in any case, so that the client always quickly is informed about unavailability.
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Alexandra Speirs
Alexandra Speirs  Identity Verified
Local time: 22:38
Italian to English
+ ...
Depends on the client Aug 6, 2018

Right now I am at my daughter's to meet the new baby, so not available for work .... only certain clients know the reason!

 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 18:38
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Yes Aug 6, 2018

Transparency is an important part of a decent business/professional routine.

 
Maxi Schwarz
Maxi Schwarz  Identity Verified
Local time: 16:38
German to English
+ ...
I'm not sure it's pertinent in a freelance context Aug 7, 2018

If I'm employed, then I have committed my time say from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday. If I won't be there, then I must inform my employer, and the employment contract might stipulate that I must say why. As a freelance translator, I accept work from customers as they contact me, on an individual basis. Either I am available for the work, or I'm not. If I take some days off, as long as the work is still submitted by the stated deadline, it does not matter to my client how I spent m... See more
If I'm employed, then I have committed my time say from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday. If I won't be there, then I must inform my employer, and the employment contract might stipulate that I must say why. As a freelance translator, I accept work from customers as they contact me, on an individual basis. Either I am available for the work, or I'm not. If I take some days off, as long as the work is still submitted by the stated deadline, it does not matter to my client how I spent my time. However, if the WORK to which I committed is delayed, then the client should be informed, and the cause should also be reasonable.Collapse


 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 22:38
French to English
No Aug 7, 2018

it's none of their business!

 


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Poll: If you take days off for personal circumstances, do you tell the reason to your clients?






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