Add Value
….And Start Collecting Your Money
Solutions to Common Problems for Freelance Translators
By Denise Boehning
Florida, USA
www.getscorp.com
dboehning@getscorp.com
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Working as a freelance
translator is often a solitary business and usually our direct contact with clients is
limited. Nowadays it is not uncommon to deal with our clients entirely over the internet;
never talking to them or meeting them face-to-face.
However, sometimes
situations force us to interact with people on a level that may make us rather
uncomfortable, such as calling a client about a late payment. In such instances it is
important that we know how to deal or talk to our clients without taking a risk of losing
them or even worse ruining our reputation. Therefore,
it is important to know how to handle certain situations and deal with them diplomatically
so both parties hang up the phone satisfied; leaving neither party angry or on the
defensive.
Everyone who is a
self-employed translator, writer, consultant or professional will have problems with a
client. Any freelancer who says “I never have any problems” is either not
telling the truth or has too little business that problems haven’t come up.
Most small problems you
will face do not become big ones if you know how to handle them correctly. Below are some
of the most common problems you may come across dealing with clients and how to handle
them.
1.
The client does not like your
translation!
Those are the most
dreaded words a translator could ever hear, but you may hear them someday or have already,
despite your credentials or background. Remember, translation does not only require a
knack and expertise for languages, but also good writing skills. So, if you hear the words
“the client was not satisfied with your
translation” do not throw in the towel, or start ranting and raving about having
this degree and that certification and that the client is wrong. The client will probably
think twice before dealing with you again, if you have an attitude like that. Instead, ask
the client what specifically he disliked. Get examples of sentences or words the client
“hated” so much. Once you have some concrete examples, study them carefully.
Chances are the client's dissatisfaction is a stylistic issue. Your best bet then is to go
over the text you translated and adjust your style to the style of the client. Make use of
the examples given.
If, however, the client
thinks there are mistranslations in your work and again, you have concrete examples,
review these with another translator before getting back to the client. If another
translator agrees with you and confirms the client is in the wrong do not immediately
“stick it” to the client. On the contrary, calmly and professionally tell the
client that you do not agree with his translation. Keep in mind that you are the expert
and that is what the client is paying you for. So, do not disagree but do not agree
either, simply explain why you know that your choice of word is the correct one. You may
then suggest having another translator review the text to reconfirm your statement.
Unfortunately, many
translation agencies try to get out of paying their translators by stating that a
translation was so bad that it needed to be re-translated. To protect yourself, always ask
for concrete examples and review them carefully. Regardless of why the client does not
like your translation, always handle the matter professionally and do not let your
emotions get in the way. You are working
together to achieve the same goal. This kind of attitude will have the client come back to
you.
2.
The Client Can’t Pay Your
Bill
Apart from the known nonpaying agencies (there is a list for those), sooner or later
we will come across a client or agency who does not have the cash to pay us. I have known
of translators who cursed agencies/clients or sent clients threatening letters that
eventually only made the translator look bad. Trust me, threats and screams will not get
you paid any sooner, on the contrary you will definitely lose a potentially good client
and may get a bad reputation on top of that.
The first thing to do
is find out what is the problem. Call the client and ask why and how you can help the
client resolve this matter. Remember you want to get paid and the client wants to pay you
and putting anyone on the defensive will not help. Let’s say Versacorp Translations
assigned you a 3000-word job. As always, you completed the job perfectly and on time. Then
you receive a call from Versacorp stating that their client Protégé Corp, who requested
the translation, actually only wanted 1000 words translated and will pay Versacorp only
for 1000 words. Of course, Versacorp is now in a pickle, since on one hand they owe you
for 3000 words and on the other hand they are only getting paid for a 1000 words. So what
do you do; say “too bad, I want my money", essentially saying I don’t care
about your problems just pay me? But is an attitude like that wise? Is this a great
customer who has been giving you a lot of work in the past and probably will in the
future? Not being flexible may hurt you. One way to resolve this issue is to suggest that
you will take payment for only 1000 words now. But, for all subsequent jobs you want to be
paid one or two pennies extra until the remaining 2000 words have been paid. Now you are
offering your client a solution. The client is happy, since he has some breathing room and
you are happy because you still get your money in the long run, kept a client and you
added value to your service.
Many translators may
not agree with solutions as this one above. There may be other or better solutions.
Consider your own life when, let’s say, you need to pay a $5000 doctor's bill and do
not have the cash or the room on your credit card. What do you do in your personal life?
Most likely, you would call the doctor's office to work out a payment plan. Granted, we as
translators cannot afford to do this all the time. However, if the client has sent a lot
of work our way and we want to keep this client, then we may want to think about making
allowances that really do not hurt our pocket in the long run. It does not mean that we
have to sell ourselves short! Ultimately, we want to win by providing high quality
services to our client, thus getting more work and maybe even a good referral for future
business.
3.
The Client Cancels the Job Midway
This thankfully does
not happen too often, but can especially with larger projects. For large projects that are
10,000 words or more I recommend adding a clause in your contract that outlines what
happens if a client cancels the project midway. For example it can say “Ivana Inc.
has the right to terminate at any time upon notice. In such event Ivana Inc. will
compensate the contractors for hours/words/lines completed.” Thus, if the client
cancels on Tuesday 9:00 am you have the right to bill him for your time (words) completed
up to that point.
Managing difficult
situations with clients or agencies can be frustrating, but we need to remember that we
work towards the same goal - to provide quality translations and of course make money.
However, no matter what the issue is with your client, if the client is late in paying the
bill, can't pay the bill, says your translation is bad, cancels the job and so forth,
always:
-
be calm
-
never threaten
-
never be on
the defensive or make the client be on the defensive
-
be friendly
and polite
-
be flexible
and offer solutions; add value
A good attitude and
professional behavior and some flexibility will get you a lot further and most of all it
will pay off in the end. A client will always remember the professional, helpful
translator, the one who seeks resolution, but know this, the client will never forget the
“uncooperative” translator, the one who rants and raves.
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