Poll: Are some of your first-time clients still very wary about contracting your services online? Initiator des Themas: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Are some of your first-time clients still very wary about contracting your services online?".
View the poll results »
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In this day and age I don’t understand the question... I'm not actively seeking out new clients and in general when someone approaches me they have already done their homework or I have been recommended.
| | | | megane_wang 
Spanien
Local time: 11:31
Mitglied (2007)
Englisch > Spanisch
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| The "real" question is.... | Nov 29, 2018 |
.... "first-time" customers? -ok, just a joke!!-
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Strange question. The clients are contacting me. I am the one who should be cautious.
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DZiW (X)
Ukraine
Englisch > Russisch
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| locally : a business card is not a person | Nov 29, 2018 |
Unlike impersonated wannabes and virtual 'someones', there're still cautious people and those of the old school doing many things wisely and thoroughly--and personally. No matter how many credentials, testimonies, or references a prospect may post at her website, if among contacts there's no telephone or address, such clients just go away, considering it a gag or a fake. I find it's the right approach to the matter even in this semi-digitized era.
Once--a couple of years afte... See more Unlike impersonated wannabes and virtual 'someones', there're still cautious people and those of the old school doing many things wisely and thoroughly--and personally. No matter how many credentials, testimonies, or references a prospect may post at her website, if among contacts there's no telephone or address, such clients just go away, considering it a gag or a fake. I find it's the right approach to the matter even in this semi-digitized era.
Once--a couple of years after the graduation--my full tenured professor from the uni phoned me saying "some serious people asked about me", and soon I learned it was a prospect client, who wanted to check not only my credentials, but also to hear what some our lectures could say about me as a person. He made a very concrete proposal, asking specific questions and giving simple answers, so it was a good rich exp. Why, there're still people who take coming just a minute later as a personal offense, not to mention unethical behavior--from their 'old-fashion' perspective.
However, it's difficult to tell how many prospects wary contacting an LSP online, because (1) one at least should count unique visitors, (2) classify them as prospects, and (3) know the reasons of refraining from contacting
[Edited at 2018-11-29 12:22 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Paulinho Fonseca
Brasilien
Local time: 07:31
Mitglied (2011)
Englisch > Portugiesisch
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I don't know what to say, but since most customes make the first contact, I should be the one in danger, right? :/
| | | | Ricki Farn
Deutschland
Local time: 11:31
Englisch > Deutsch
I'm in IT translations, people would be seriously weirded out if they had to contract my services in person :D
(on the internet, nobody knows you're a squirrel)
| | | | | services online? | Nov 29, 2018 |
I don't offer "services online".
If the question means when they contact me by email, that is more or less the standard nowadays.
I don't remember when anybody last telephoned me to ask for translations.
Any new clients contacting me are usually recommended by other clients, or by translators in other language pairs whom I in turn recommend if asked.
And what is there for them to be wary about? More likely I should be aware of potential scams ....
[Edited ... See more I don't offer "services online".
If the question means when they contact me by email, that is more or less the standard nowadays.
I don't remember when anybody last telephoned me to ask for translations.
Any new clients contacting me are usually recommended by other clients, or by translators in other language pairs whom I in turn recommend if asked.
And what is there for them to be wary about? More likely I should be aware of potential scams ....
[Edited at 2018-11-29 16:34 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Chié_JP
Japan
Local time: 19:31
Mitglied (2013)
Englisch > Japanisch
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I think it is typical in countries where hoards of scammers are active. I am not surprised some people detest ProZ platform along with its users because this platform does not block users from very much risky regions. Aside from that, there are some "culture " where people tend to exaggerate their ability while ours tend to be humble and state much less than you actually can do. It is sarcastic when they trust "big mouth" that tells you all the good things, proud, confident and can actually do n... See more I think it is typical in countries where hoards of scammers are active. I am not surprised some people detest ProZ platform along with its users because this platform does not block users from very much risky regions. Aside from that, there are some "culture " where people tend to exaggerate their ability while ours tend to be humble and state much less than you actually can do. It is sarcastic when they trust "big mouth" that tells you all the good things, proud, confident and can actually do nothing at all - and disregard more number of honest people. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Location, location... | Nov 29, 2018 |
Not generally, but I do a lot of work for individual visa applicants, and when they look up a certified translator in the directory, they tend to choose someone who is near them. Since moving to an area of town with a much higher population of French residents my work in this field has significantly increased.
Since these are translations of official documents, some are not sure whether they need to show me original documents in person or whether they can do it all online. Some peop... See more Not generally, but I do a lot of work for individual visa applicants, and when they look up a certified translator in the directory, they tend to choose someone who is near them. Since moving to an area of town with a much higher population of French residents my work in this field has significantly increased.
Since these are translations of official documents, some are not sure whether they need to show me original documents in person or whether they can do it all online. Some people just like the idea of working with a 'local', however irrational it is.
I have to say I agree with DZiW about listing an address or location online. I know that when I look up a company I want to see address information. I don't know whether it is irrational to think that makes them more 'bona fide' or not, maybe it simply tells me what time zone they are contactable in, but if I want to see that information for others I assume others want to see it for me.
Melissa
Coogee, Australia ▲ Collapse
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Exactly! I don't know how many agency "packets" I've spent large amounts of time carefully filling out and then... I never hear back from them again.
Thank goodness after you finally get 3-5 clients who send you work regularly, you no longer have to respond to these strange offers.
Good luck, Poller, and just remember, if they don't respond, it's probably not a good match anyway and something even better is right around the corner! Happy Translating!
| | | | Kay Denney
Frankreich
Local time: 11:31
Französisch > Englisch
As a properly registered freelancer my address can be found just by googling me.
Most of my clients are former colleagues now working in other agencies, or people who already knew me.
The few I have picked up on Proz have chosen me out of all those bidding for a job so they ought not be wary, I'm the one who needs to look out for scams.
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Mario Freitas
Brasilien
Local time: 07:31
Mitglied (2014)
Englisch > Portugiesisch
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| It depends on the type of client | Nov 30, 2018 |
Clients that are not from the translation industry can sometimes have this type of issue.
Most clients, however, do some searching first. The ProZ profile all alone is good enough for that not to happen.
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