| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Would you work for a client with a poor Blue Board rating? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Would you work for a client with a poor Blue Board rating?".
This poll was originally submitted by Marjolein Snippe. View the poll results »
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 09:52
Spanish to English
+ ...
I have done in the past. I used to occasionally translate for one agency which tended to pay at sixty or ninety days, and sometimes later, which is probably the main reason for their poor BB rating. In fact, I think they were banned from proz at one point, and may still be. The documents they sent were sometimes a hassle, like scanned PDFs. They contacted me recently, within the past year, but I was too busy, so told one of my colleagues, who approached the agency and has occasionally done some ... See more I have done in the past. I used to occasionally translate for one agency which tended to pay at sixty or ninety days, and sometimes later, which is probably the main reason for their poor BB rating. In fact, I think they were banned from proz at one point, and may still be. The documents they sent were sometimes a hassle, like scanned PDFs. They contacted me recently, within the past year, but I was too busy, so told one of my colleagues, who approached the agency and has occasionally done some work for them since then. ▲ Collapse
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I am extremely careful (I don’t work if the BB has had less than a 5 in the last two years). When I’m contacted by a potential new client, I always look at their BB and I read carefully all comments (positive and negative). These days I rarely quote on jobs because apparently posters are looking for the cheapest translator, which I’m not. If the potential client doesn’t have a BB rating, I check elsewhere (LinkedIn, Payment Practices, TC, etc.). I must say though that some of my long-sta... See more I am extremely careful (I don’t work if the BB has had less than a 5 in the last two years). When I’m contacted by a potential new client, I always look at their BB and I read carefully all comments (positive and negative). These days I rarely quote on jobs because apparently posters are looking for the cheapest translator, which I’m not. If the potential client doesn’t have a BB rating, I check elsewhere (LinkedIn, Payment Practices, TC, etc.). I must say though that some of my long-standing customers (agencies) are not listed in the Blue Board. ▲ Collapse
| | | | matt robinson 
Spain
Local time: 09:52
Member (2010)
Spanish to English
I would state my terms, which would involve payment in advance, if payment was one of their issues, and I would start with small projects, and see what happened.
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Agneta Pallinder
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:52
Member (2014)
Swedish to English
+ ...
On a few occasions, when the bad BB record is due to payment problems, I have nevertheless agreed to do a job, but insisted on prepayment.
I had a nice run of translating tourism texts for a small agency on these conditions. A win win situation that lasted for a year or two. Then I think I just became too expensive for their budget and the jobs dried up.
| | | | Mihai Badea (X)
Luxembourg
Local time: 09:52
English to Romanian
+ ...
Lower than 5 or 4 does not imply non-payment, I think everyone knows that.
Lower than 5 or 4 can be due to various incompatibilities between the translator and the agency. It is always a good idea to read the comments carefully. There are clues ...
Of course, we all look for compatibilities, don't we ...
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 09:52
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
The rating itself is just one small part of the information that determines whether one is willing to take the risk of working with an unknown agency. Paying members of ProZ.com can see not only the rating but also the comments that individual translators wrote, and sometimes it is clear that the reason for the low rating isn't unreliability. Remember, translators can give bad Blue Board ratings for any reason under the sun, including that they were unhappy with the rate or that they were unha... See more The rating itself is just one small part of the information that determines whether one is willing to take the risk of working with an unknown agency. Paying members of ProZ.com can see not only the rating but also the comments that individual translators wrote, and sometimes it is clear that the reason for the low rating isn't unreliability. Remember, translators can give bad Blue Board ratings for any reason under the sun, including that they were unhappy with the rate or that they were unhappy with the payment terms, even if the company itself is very professional and proved to be very reliable. ▲ Collapse
| | | | allearz
Japan
Local time: 16:52
Japanese to English
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| I at least gave a client a chance. | Mar 8, 2022 |
I worked with a client I have recently rated 1.0 on LWA. The PM named V. has been neglecting to pay me the last project payment for the past 4 months while making every possible excuse or keep coming back asking me the same old question to buy time. I have also charged them the late payment fee but he would always ignore it. Earlier today I mentioned there is this poll going, and his company's LWA rating has been lowered by a group of translators (victims) who have been disrespected as well. He ... See more I worked with a client I have recently rated 1.0 on LWA. The PM named V. has been neglecting to pay me the last project payment for the past 4 months while making every possible excuse or keep coming back asking me the same old question to buy time. I have also charged them the late payment fee but he would always ignore it. Earlier today I mentioned there is this poll going, and his company's LWA rating has been lowered by a group of translators (victims) who have been disrespected as well. He says it is their loss because he paid eventually (after how many months?) and thinks those who got paid should revise their LWA rating up. He does not realize he is violating the payment schedule agreement. I gave the client a chance and he ruined it. Lesson learned. Will never work with him or any clients with low LWA. ▲ Collapse
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I would not take Blue Board ratings too seriously. My two biggest clients have dismal Blue Board ratings, one is even banned from posting jobs on ProZ, even though their ratings were better when I started working with them. If anything, I would give a lot more weight to individual ratings given by translators with lots of KudoZ points, and of course, I would just do my own due diligence. One can learn a whole lot from the initial communication with the client. Also, the client's location is impo... See more I would not take Blue Board ratings too seriously. My two biggest clients have dismal Blue Board ratings, one is even banned from posting jobs on ProZ, even though their ratings were better when I started working with them. If anything, I would give a lot more weight to individual ratings given by translators with lots of KudoZ points, and of course, I would just do my own due diligence. One can learn a whole lot from the initial communication with the client. Also, the client's location is important. For example, I am based in the EU, and if the client is also in the EU, it is relatively straightforward to collect the debts if the client is not insolvent. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Paul Lambert
Sweden
Local time: 09:52
Member (2006)
Swedish to English
+ ...
| Put them in your shoes | Mar 8, 2022 |
Well, look. I am inclined to say "no, never".
I appreciate that lots of you want to give particular clients a chance, and that is your prerogative.
However, consider your own case and how little you would get a break from total strangers if, for instance, you had a poor credit rating or too low an income to qualify for a bank loan. You might personally have changed your own situation and be able to handle a loan and make payments without any trouble. Still, the lender will hav... See more Well, look. I am inclined to say "no, never".
I appreciate that lots of you want to give particular clients a chance, and that is your prerogative.
However, consider your own case and how little you would get a break from total strangers if, for instance, you had a poor credit rating or too low an income to qualify for a bank loan. You might personally have changed your own situation and be able to handle a loan and make payments without any trouble. Still, the lender will have certain criteria in order to evaluate who is and who is not likely to pay on time. The end result is that you will be refused.
That's just one example.
Remember too that there is some truth to the old clichés about where there is smoke, there's fire. A rating of 4.0 or more for me is necessary to consider. Of course, I make an allowance for the odd disgruntled translator who leaves a "1", which throws off the score, but at the end of the day, I don't want to be the experimental guinea pig left to take a chance on a dodgy client and be left holding the bag (an empty one at that). ▲ Collapse
| | | | Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 10:52
Member
English to Turkish
I had an interesting experience last week. I was contacted by a British agency for a small job through Proz last week. Naturally I checked out their BB rating, and saw that they had only one rating, which was "1" (in the red), given by a certain Finnish lady who resides or resided in NZ. So seeing that, and as I was kind of busy at the time, I didn't bother to reply to their email.
Last night I saw that very same agency appear on the BB page and clicking on their name I saw that that sam... See more I had an interesting experience last week. I was contacted by a British agency for a small job through Proz last week. Naturally I checked out their BB rating, and saw that they had only one rating, which was "1" (in the red), given by a certain Finnish lady who resides or resided in NZ. So seeing that, and as I was kind of busy at the time, I didn't bother to reply to their email.
Last night I saw that very same agency appear on the BB page and clicking on their name I saw that that same Finnish lady improved her rating from 1 to 4! No longer in the red! How the f... is that even possible? She cost me a potential client. But really, can you change your rating after a few days or weeks? I mean, what kind of luck is that? ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mihai Badea (X)
Luxembourg
Local time: 09:52
English to Romanian
+ ...
Baran Keki wrote:
I had an interesting experience last week. I was contacted by a British agency for a small job through Proz last week. Naturally I checked out their BB rating, and saw that they had only one rating, which was "1" (in the red), given by a certain Finnish lady who resides or resided in NZ. So seeing that, and as I was kind of busy at the time, I didn't bother to reply to their email.
Last night I saw that very same agency appear on the BB page and clicking on their name I saw that that same Finnish lady improved her rating from 1 to 4! No longer in the red! How the f... is that even possible? She cost me a potential client. But really, can you change your rating after a few days or weeks? I mean, what kind of luck is that?
I must admit I did that, too. But I told the whole story in my new comment.
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Ivana Kahle
Germany
Local time: 09:52
Member (2007)
German to Croatian
+ ...
Everyone deserves a second chance. I gave a chance to a client with a negative BB rating. We talked, they explained what the problem was, they agreed to pay the first assignment in advance. After that first assignment I just switched to my standard payment terms. More than two years later, they are still my clients. The good ones!
| | | | | Probably not but… | Mar 8, 2022 |
… I’ve never checked
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 04:52
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| 4.5 is the limit | Mar 8, 2022 |
If the agency has less than 4.5 points in average, I read the comments to see why, but usually don't work for them.
If the average is less than 4.2, I don't even reply their emails.
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