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Poll: I go beyond translation when needed by my clients (formatting, DTP, consulting, etc.)
מפרסם התגובה: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
צוות האתר
Mar 31

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "I go beyond translation when needed by my clients (formatting, DTP, consulting, etc.)".

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Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
פורטוגל
Local time: 17:36
חבר (2007)
מאנגלית לפורטוגזית
+ ...
Agree Mar 31

I want to keep my clients happy and be paid accordingly. The services I have been offering to my customers are 1. Just good old translations for over 40 years; 2. Editing for over 20 years; 3. Proofreading (checking the DTP) for over 20 years; 4. MTPE for the last three years. I don’t do any DTP (I leave DTP to those who are good at it)…

Philip Lees
 
Marjolein Snippe
Marjolein Snippe  Identity Verified
הולנד
Local time: 18:36
מאנגלית להולנדית
+ ...
Agree Mar 31

Good clients sometimes ask me for my opinion, or for help with a quick translation of a sentence via email, or to take a quick look to see if the formatting of a translated document is OK.
As long as I don't feel they are trying to abuse me (asking me to invest significantly more time than they pay for), I am happy to provide small extra services of this type.

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Silke Walter
Christine Andersen
ipv
Ian Keith Jones Williams
Maria Laura Curzi
Sara Daitch
 
edna escalante
edna escalante  Identity Verified
פורטוגל
Local time: 17:36
חבר (2020)
מאנגלית לטגלוג
+ ...
Agree Mar 31

Going the extra mile is part of keeping my clients happy, as long as I know that I am not being abused as a professional.

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Silke Walter
Maria Laura Curzi
Philip Lees
 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
דנמרק
Local time: 18:36
חבר (2003)
מדנית לאנגלית
+ ...
Formatting and consulting, but not DTP Mar 31

I do not have the skills or the software for DTP, beyond tidying up a PowerPoint slide to make the text fit and look presentable.

If there is a lot of fiddly formatting, I do it, but I charge for my time!
Clients can not just assume it is included in the basic word rate for a 150-word certificate or diploma if it doesn't fit into a fairly simple Word table.

It also depends slightly on the client. If they have gone the extra mile for me for several years, or look l... See more
I do not have the skills or the software for DTP, beyond tidying up a PowerPoint slide to make the text fit and look presentable.

If there is a lot of fiddly formatting, I do it, but I charge for my time!
Clients can not just assume it is included in the basic word rate for a 150-word certificate or diploma if it doesn't fit into a fairly simple Word table.

It also depends slightly on the client. If they have gone the extra mile for me for several years, or look like an attractive long-term partner, then I make a real effort. I do not do as much for a new client who has tried hard to press my rate before we even started! ▲ Collapse


Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Philip Lees
 
Michelle den Boer
Michelle den Boer
הולנד
Local time: 18:36
מאנגלית להולנדית
I would, but it doesn't happen often Mar 31

One service I offer is editing large text files or spreadsheets using Python scripts. Which might be convenient for managing certain glossaries, for example.

I try to remind American clients of localization issues they may not have considered, e.g. pointing out that debit cards are the default in the Netherlands rather than credit cards.

In practice, clients are rarely looking for my advice. And as others said, DTP is a very different skill set.
 


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Poll: I go beyond translation when needed by my clients (formatting, DTP, consulting, etc.)






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