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Unprofessional agency
Thread poster: Julie Barber
Julie Barber
Julie Barber  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:46
French to English
May 8, 2020

Hi all

I was approached by a Zurich-based agency a few weeks ago to do a translation on the weekend. I provided a quote. No response. The next day he came back and asked if I would proofread the document. I said OK. When I got part way through I realised that it was most probably Machine Translation and it had various mistakes and chunks of text actually missing, not translated. As it was fairly short 4 pages of letters, I completed it for the same price and returned it. He paid pr
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Hi all

I was approached by a Zurich-based agency a few weeks ago to do a translation on the weekend. I provided a quote. No response. The next day he came back and asked if I would proofread the document. I said OK. When I got part way through I realised that it was most probably Machine Translation and it had various mistakes and chunks of text actually missing, not translated. As it was fairly short 4 pages of letters, I completed it for the same price and returned it. He paid promptly as arranged but didn't answer questions on the quality.
This week he offered me a short translation and tried to get the price down VERY low. I refused and he agreed to a price that was still very good value for him. When I returned the work he said they couldn't accept the translation due to 1 instance of the word "article" written without a capital A and an incorrect title (a very easy title that is correct). No response on my offer to correct the A

I was contacted by this agency via Proz, using a "Translation Agency / company employee or owner" account.
It seems that I can't review it on the Blueboard (the option doesn't come up for Switzerland or the Netherlands). They have a separate very basic (non business member) business page claiming to be in the Netherlands instead. I can't review that one either. It's not so much the money as it was a low amount, but the principle of being deliberately ripped off.

Is that correct that Agencies can switch the Review/BB option off? or am I missing something perhaps?
If anybody wants more details to avoid them, just send a PM.

thanks

Julie
Collapse


Inderbir Singh
Greatservice00
 
Lincoln Hui
Lincoln Hui  Identity Verified
Hong Kong
Local time: 07:46
Member
Chinese to English
+ ...
Create an entry May 8, 2020

You can create an entry for agencies not on the BB.

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Aline Amorim
 
Morano El-Kholy
Morano El-Kholy  Identity Verified
Egypt
Local time: 01:46
Member (2011)
English to Arabic
+ ...
Review/BB option... May 8, 2020

Julie Barber wrote:

Is that correct that Agencies can switch the Review/BB option off? or am I missing something perhaps?


As far as I know, all those registered in Proz either as members or non-members have the option of hiding their BB Review.

I just wanted to get this point noted.


 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:46
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Surely not? May 8, 2020

Morano El-Kholy wrote:

Julie Barber wrote:

Is that correct that Agencies can switch the Review/BB option off? or am I missing something perhaps?


As far as I know, all those registered in Proz either as members or non-members have the option of hiding their BB Review.

I just wanted to get this point noted.


Please tell me this isn't true.


Julie Barber
 
Julie Barber
Julie Barber  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:46
French to English
TOPIC STARTER
How? May 8, 2020

Lincoln Hui wrote:

You can create an entry for agencies not on the BB.


Thanks Lincoln. When I went to BB and to post and entry, you first select a country and then select the agency.

I couldn't find them on the list for the Netherlands or Switzerland.

thanks for you help


 
Julie Barber
Julie Barber  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:46
French to English
TOPIC STARTER
Tom May 8, 2020

Thanks Tom - yes I was very surprised that I can't review an agency, which is why I wanted to check and warn others.

I had presumed that it's "agency" page was a for a business that happened to have no entries (I found it a bit odd but thought that it was better than bad entries...).


 
Lincoln Hui
Lincoln Hui  Identity Verified
Hong Kong
Local time: 07:46
Member
Chinese to English
+ ...
. May 8, 2020

Untitled

Julie Barber
Josephine Cassar
Aline Amorim
Thayenga
 
Julie Barber
Julie Barber  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:46
French to English
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks! May 8, 2020

Lincoln Hui wrote:

Untitled


Brilliant, thank you very much!


 
Morano El-Kholy
Morano El-Kholy  Identity Verified
Egypt
Local time: 01:46
Member (2011)
English to Arabic
+ ...
I am not totally sure Tom.. May 8, 2020

Maybe I have missed-up between "BB" and "Feedback from
clients and colleagues" placed at the upper right in our profiles. Where there is a sign holding the "Hide from visitors" notion.

Sorry for this confusion.


 
Natalie
Natalie  Identity Verified
Poland
Local time: 00:46
Member (2002)
English to Russian
+ ...

MODERATOR
SITE LOCALIZER
Hi Julie May 8, 2020

I have just created a BB record - hopefully my guess is correct

You may search the BB by company name or take a look at the site homepage: in the left column there is a field named "Recent Blue
Board queries".

Natalia


Yolanda Broad
 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:46
Member (2008)
Italian to English
None May 8, 2020

Natalie wrote:

I have just created a BB record - hopefully my guess is correct

You may search the BB by company name or take a look at the site homepage: in the left column there is a field named "Recent Blue
Board queries".

Natalia


None of today's 7 entries are based in Zürich


 
Natalie
Natalie  Identity Verified
Poland
Local time: 00:46
Member (2002)
English to Russian
+ ...

MODERATOR
SITE LOCALIZER
Right now May 8, 2020

the call for entries for this company based in Zurich is in the top line in the field "Recent Blue Board queries" at the homepage.
Umlauts can cause errors.


Julie Barber
 
Julie Barber
Julie Barber  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:46
French to English
TOPIC STARTER
can't see it May 8, 2020

Natalie wrote:

the call for entries for this company based in Zurich is in the top line in the field "Recent Blue Board queries" at the homepage.
Umlauts can cause errors.


Hi Nathalie I can't see it sorry, but I will make an entry as soon as I get the chance.
thanks
Julie


 
Philippe Etienne
Philippe Etienne  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 00:46
Member
English to French
Risk mitigation May 8, 2020

Julie Barber wrote:
...do a translation on the weekend. I provided a quote. No response. The next day he came back and asked if I would proofread the document...


First-time clients:
- No urgent or weekend work. You don't know how they operate and you want to be able to contact them in case of trouble.
- No proofreading/editing/etc., even less so after your offer for translation is turned down. You're offered to cook a exquisite meal for a high-profile event and are actually hired to wash dishes and hoover the place instead. Ask yourself if you would have bothered to reply to a proofreading offer out of the blue from an unknown client.

The very few times I've broken one of these rules, let alone both of them, have developed into nightmares and straight one-offs in the end.
Losing a few months of life expectancy, increasing my blood pressure, getting my hair whiter, promoting ulcer eruption and earning a sub-standard hourly rate for nothing, all things considered.

Not worth the bother, do I repeat to myself again and again.

Philippe


Sheila Wilson
Robert Forstag
Jean Dimitriadis
Julie Barber
Morano El-Kholy
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
Philip Lees
 
Julie Barber
Julie Barber  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:46
French to English
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks May 8, 2020

Philippe Etienne wrote:

Julie Barber wrote:
...do a translation on the weekend. I provided a quote. No response. The next day he came back and asked if I would proofread the document...


First-time clients:
- No urgent or weekend work. You don't know how they operate and you want to be able to contact them in case of trouble.
- No proofreading/editing/etc., even less so after your offer for translation is turned down. You're offered to cook a exquisite meal for a high-profile event and are actually hired to wash dishes and hoover the place instead. Ask yourself if you would have bothered to reply to a proofreading offer out of the blue from an unknown client.

The very few times I've broken one of these rules, let alone both of them, have developed into nightmares and straight one-offs in the end.
Losing a few months of life expectancy, increasing my blood pressure, getting my hair whiter, promoting ulcer eruption and earning a sub-standard hourly rate for nothing, all things considered.

Not worth the bother, do I repeat to myself again and again.

Philippe


Hi Philippe, yes it's entirely true that I just shouldn't have worked with him again after the first time that he was dubious! I will be keeping it in mind for the future. Thanks


 
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