Is there an accepted procedure for requesting "wait time pay" for repeated late to arrive revisions? Thread poster: Adieu
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Adieu 
Ukrainian to English
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I've got a client who throws A LOT of revision work my way. However, they often book very short delivery windows and also employ a number of specific repeat offender slackers who routinely keep me waiting for several hours per week, every week on these supposedly-urgent jobs.
They seem in no hurry to deprioritize or dump these people.
Is there some accepted procedure to have them pay me for these waits, or better yet, dock the clowns' pay in my favor at my hourly rate?<... See more I've got a client who throws A LOT of revision work my way. However, they often book very short delivery windows and also employ a number of specific repeat offender slackers who routinely keep me waiting for several hours per week, every week on these supposedly-urgent jobs.
They seem in no hurry to deprioritize or dump these people.
Is there some accepted procedure to have them pay me for these waits, or better yet, dock the clowns' pay in my favor at my hourly rate?
It's really annoying when you're ready an hour early because it is a tight window...and then the dang thing shows up some 3-5 hours late.
Also, if penalties on late documents for revision aren't particularly customary, what's the normal "walk away and leave it for tomorrow" wait period? If I get booked for, say, 5 or 6 hours, with no response from email queries and no file to revise, at what point is it reasonable and professional to email them that I'm assuming that this became rescheduled to tomorrow and going to do other stuff/back to sleep?
[Edited at 2021-12-14 07:08 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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I think it is safe to assume the translation agency does not have the entire control of when documents to be revised are received and distributed across linguists.
However, it seems like you are expected to be available at any time they see fit, while you are not on their payroll.
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I would explain that in order to meet the pre-scheduled time sensitive revisions, you need to block your schedule, which makes you unavailable for other assignments. However, ... See more I think it is safe to assume the translation agency does not have the entire control of when documents to be revised are received and distributed across linguists.
However, it seems like you are expected to be available at any time they see fit, while you are not on their payroll.
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I would explain that in order to meet the pre-scheduled time sensitive revisions, you need to block your schedule, which makes you unavailable for other assignments. However, not receiving the projects to review on time or at the pre-scheduled/agreed-upon time impacts your profitability.
Make it clear that have a hard time bearing the opportunity cost.
Then, ask for things like the following:
- Projects to be received at the agreed upon time (more timeliness from theirs and their client's side)
- Prompt communication for scheduling changes/revision rescheduling
- If the project is not received within the hour (or whatever you think best), a next day delivery (or a larger deadline) should be agreed upon
- If you receive a request from another client past that hour, without communication from their part, you may take that instead, and send them an updated availability email
- If the project is really time sensitive for same day delivery, taking into account the above, going forward, you will apply a 20-50% extra charge to make it profitable.
In a nutshell, negotiate for: more respect and timeliness, better communication, better "compensation" for these time sensitive tasks and acknowledgment that you are a freelance collaborator (meaning it has a cost to hire you to wait). ▲ Collapse
| | | | | There are very few standard procedures in this business... | Dec 15, 2021 |
Cultures vary, so what may seem natural in one country is not necessarily the way to go in another.
E.g. how directly you say things, and which polite phrases you wrap around your message.
So you have to go with your gut feeling, but otherwise Jean Dimitriadis has explained very well.
Here in Denmark we would not beat about the bush. I would send a polite mail to start with, but the tone would become increasingly icy, or I might call the PM and say I was tired of... See more Cultures vary, so what may seem natural in one country is not necessarily the way to go in another.
E.g. how directly you say things, and which polite phrases you wrap around your message.
So you have to go with your gut feeling, but otherwise Jean Dimitriadis has explained very well.
Here in Denmark we would not beat about the bush. I would send a polite mail to start with, but the tone would become increasingly icy, or I might call the PM and say I was tired of waiting.
When I am booked in advance for a job like that, most of my clients keep me informed of any delays - I have ditched the others, but I know this is a luxury.
I would simply tell the client that repeatedly comes late, that I will take any other offers that come, and then do my best for them, but deadlines go both ways. If they do not keep theirs, then I reset mine.
We translators may be at the bottom of the pyramid, but we are also the foundation the whole structure is built on... ▲ Collapse
| | | | Adieu
Ukrainian to English
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TOPIC STARTER | It's a bit more complicated | Dec 15, 2021 |
The client is highly lucrative. It's a specific small share of their translator pool that are horrid slackers. They seem to like me for revision, probably because I ask for extensions only once in a blue moon and never miss deadlines.
Of course, it's the usual problem of balancing standing for contractor rights vs. maintaining client relationships.
I get far too much business from them to get into outright animosity territory or respond by becoming similarly lax with pu... See more The client is highly lucrative. It's a specific small share of their translator pool that are horrid slackers. They seem to like me for revision, probably because I ask for extensions only once in a blue moon and never miss deadlines.
Of course, it's the usual problem of balancing standing for contractor rights vs. maintaining client relationships.
I get far too much business from them to get into outright animosity territory or respond by becoming similarly lax with punctuality and reliability. And I wouldn't want to start rejecting revision offers, because some of their people DO produce translations that are almost free money to revise.
Ideally, I'd want to somehow nudge them to deprioritize or financially punish the unreliables.
If only there were an accepted mechanism to have them penalize (bill) late translators for wasted reviewer time, I somehow get the sense that the problem would vanish overnight.
Christine Andersen wrote:
Cultures vary, so what may seem natural in one country is not necessarily the way to go in another.
E.g. how directly you say things, and which polite phrases you wrap around your message.
So you have to go with your gut feeling, but otherwise Jean Dimitriadis has explained very well.
Here in Denmark we would not beat about the bush. I would send a polite mail to start with, but the tone would become increasingly icy, or I might call the PM and say I was tired of waiting.
When I am booked in advance for a job like that, most of my clients keep me informed of any delays - I have ditched the others, but I know this is a luxury.
I would simply tell the client that repeatedly comes late, that I will take any other offers that come, and then do my best for them, but deadlines go both ways. If they do not keep theirs, then I reset mine.
We translators may be at the bottom of the pyramid, but we are also the foundation the whole structure is built on... ▲ Collapse
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Alex Ossa
Chile
Local time: 00:53
Member (2017)
Spanish to English
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| Just write to them | Jan 3, 2022 |
Adieu wrote:
I get far too much business from them to get into outright animosity territory or respond by becoming similarly lax with punctuality and reliability. And I wouldn't want to start rejecting revision offers, because some of their people DO produce translations that are almost free money to revise.
Ideally, I'd want to somehow nudge them to deprioritize or financially punish the unreliables.
There's no need to get aggressive (or respond by becoming unprofessional, or reject work you want), but I'm not sure I understand why you haven't just contacted them to explain the issue. I communicate with my LSPs from the very beginning if I have an issue, always being polite but firm, and have generally had good responses from them all. They don't want to lose good freelancers, so they usually try to accommodate any reasonable request.
I would not recommend suggesting how to manage the issue (deprioritising or financially punishing the unreliable ones) because it's their business how they handle their workforce. Just explain what the issue is (delays), why it's a problem for you (time=$$) and ask them to manage the situation. If you're interested, suggest becoming one of those translators yourself so you are not subject to delays in the first place.
If it were me, I might also add a slightly passive-aggressive sentence that shows that I've been patient but I have my limits, such as "I've been trying to avoid charging you extra due to the extended hours I have to be available for these projects, but these repeated instances are having an impact on my income" - then apologise profusely for inconveniencing them. They'll get the message and manage their issues. Or if they don't, either put up with it or replace them, but saying nothing isn't going to change things.
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