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Split shifts in office hours
Thread poster: Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 05:42
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
Feb 14, 2012

G'day everyone

Today I filled in my ProZ.com calendar again and I noticed that my office hours in ProZ.com can only be a single shift. This is somewhat unrealistic for freelancers, I think, except for translators who really do work at an office away from home. There is also the assumption at ProZ.com that a freelancer's office hours would be the same on each of the five (or seven) days of the week.

What I would like is to be able to specify my office hours in split sh... See more
G'day everyone

Today I filled in my ProZ.com calendar again and I noticed that my office hours in ProZ.com can only be a single shift. This is somewhat unrealistic for freelancers, I think, except for translators who really do work at an office away from home. There is also the assumption at ProZ.com that a freelancer's office hours would be the same on each of the five (or seven) days of the week.

What I would like is to be able to specify my office hours in split shifts (in my case, up to 3 shifts), and for each day of the week (including weekends). This should not be difficult to implement, I think.

To give an example, here are my office hours (for this month):

* Monday: 9:00-12:00, 13:00-15:00, 21:00-23:00
* Tuesday: 9:00-12:00, 13:00-15:00, 21:00-23:00
* Wednesday: 9:00-12:00, 21:00-23:00
* Thursday : 9:00-12:00, 13:00-17:00, 21:00-23:00
* Friday: 11:00-12:00, 13:00-15:00, 21:00-23:00

I think the point of stating one's office hours is to indicate to a client whether one would be able to answer in a short while or only in a long while. Stating my office hours as a single shift, e.g. 9:00-17:00, would create the wrong impression about my ability to answer mails, and might cause me to lose jobs if clients decide not to contact me after 17:00.

Your thoughts?

Samuel ▲ Collapse
 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:42
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Before Feb 14, 2012

I suggested this a while ago but the general response was "I never use the calendar anyway".

But maybe people don't use it (and clients don't consult it) because it's a blunt instrument that simply uses block days.

So I agree that it could be refined.

Despite my reminders, my clients never seem to bother checking my calendar and just go ahead and email me anyway - even on days when my calendar says I'm not available !

[Edited at 2012-02-14 08:43 GMT]
 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 05:42
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Whether clients consult it Feb 14, 2012

Tom in London wrote:
Despite my reminders, my clients never seem to bother checking my calendar and just go ahead and email me anyway - even on days when my calendar says I'm not available!


I would not be surprised if most clients or potential clients don't consult it, but some might, and some of those who might want a quick reply might give me a miss if they see that my office hours for the day are over.

Using the calendar in ProZ.com also helps me to think more carefully about my availability, so it has its uses.


[Edited at 2012-02-14 09:10 GMT]
 


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Split shifts in office hours






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