Pages in topic: [1 2 3] > | Urgent translations Thread poster: Heidi Fayolle (X)
| Heidi Fayolle (X) France Local time: 11:54 French to German
Sometimes my clients email me small translations to do that same day/afternoon etc. Until now I have been lucky (or better: they have been lucky) because I was always at home when this happend. But sometimes I am out of the office for an hour or two ore even more with no possibility to check my mail. How do you proceed in this case: an automatic e-mail response saying that you'll be back at xx o'clock, a message on your answering machine (but my clients don't even phone any more), or you just do... See more Sometimes my clients email me small translations to do that same day/afternoon etc. Until now I have been lucky (or better: they have been lucky) because I was always at home when this happend. But sometimes I am out of the office for an hour or two ore even more with no possibility to check my mail. How do you proceed in this case: an automatic e-mail response saying that you'll be back at xx o'clock, a message on your answering machine (but my clients don't even phone any more), or you just don't worry…
Heidi ▲ Collapse | | |
I have a Blackberry Torch with email and Internet access. I may not be able to do the job but I am always able to reply with my availability. Get a smartphone and get rid of your land line at home. | | | Aude Sylvain France Local time: 11:54 English to French + ...
Luisa Ramos, CT wrote:
Get a smartphone and get rid of your land line at home.
Agree with having a smartphone (or any other cell phone that can read and send emails).
However I would not recommend to give up the land line: the mobile network is not always that good in France (where Heidi lives) and for instance, while I live and work in a big city, my mobile does not work well in some rooms of my office, and in most cases the audio quality is not as good as with a land line.
Also, I think it looks more professional to be able to give a land line number to one's customers. But I might well be too traditional on this. | | | Nicole Schnell United States Local time: 02:54 English to German + ... In memoriam We have three landlines | Jan 24, 2011 |
...and getting rid of them would be silly. Why would any person of sound mind do that? | |
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John Rawlins Spain Local time: 11:54 Spanish to English + ...
I have never worried about this point. If I am working and a client sends a small urgent job then I will probably handle it quickly. If I am not at home, then the client will have to wait. I have never promised anybody an instant turnaround or 24/7 service.
With some clients I have learned to deliberately slow down my turnaround speed. If somebody believes you are on permanent standby and can handle a job in just a few hours, then they tend to only send 'rush jobs'. It is usually wo... See more I have never worried about this point. If I am working and a client sends a small urgent job then I will probably handle it quickly. If I am not at home, then the client will have to wait. I have never promised anybody an instant turnaround or 24/7 service.
With some clients I have learned to deliberately slow down my turnaround speed. If somebody believes you are on permanent standby and can handle a job in just a few hours, then they tend to only send 'rush jobs'. It is usually worthwhile discouraging this idea - unless the client is prepared to pay 300% rush rates.
[Edited at 2011-01-24 16:42 GMT] ▲ Collapse | | | Nicole Schnell United States Local time: 02:54 English to German + ... In memoriam Wise words, John! Thanks! | Jan 24, 2011 |
John Rawlins wrote:
If I am not at home, then the client will have to wait. I have never promised anybody an instant turnaround or 24/7 service.
With some clients I have learned to deliberately slow down my turnaround speed. If somebody believes you are on permanent standby and can handle a job in just a few hours, then they tend to only send 'rush jobs'. It is usually worthwhile discouraging this idea - unless the client is prepared to pay 300% rush rates.
I couldn't have said it better. | | | Not silly nor crazy | Jan 24, 2011 |
I am not either. I have an extremely reliable wireless service. All my business is done with my BlackBerry. Eliminating my land line was a well thought decision which has reported me significant savings. I never used it for business. How does that make me silly or not of sound mind? That is my advice and my opinion, as everyone here has theirs. I rather hear those, not insults. | | | Oleksandr Ivanov Ukraine Local time: 12:54 Member (2008) English to Ukrainian + ...
Luisa Ramos, CT wrote:
I am not either. I have an extremely reliable wireless service. All my business is done with my BlackBerry. Eliminating my land line was a well thought decision which has reported me significant savings. I never used it for business. How does that make me silly or not of sound mind? That is my advice and my opinion, as everyone here has theirs. I rather hear those, not insults.
I am using a slightly different approach: my cell is for business, my landline is for the family. If the rush job is sitting in the e-mail and nobody is calling you on your mobile, it means that the job might be not that urgent. I never promise instant turnaround: if I can do it, I will.
My advice to the TS is "just don't worry". | |
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Wolf Kux Brazil Local time: 07:54 Member (2006) German to Portuguese + ... Own a smartphone... | Jan 24, 2011 |
... and install MSN or Skype on it, and you may be always on line! | | | Erik Freitag Germany Local time: 11:54 Member (2006) Dutch to German + ...
Luisa Ramos, CT wrote:
I am not either. I have an extremely reliable wireless service. All my business is done with my BlackBerry. Eliminating my land line was a well thought decision which has reported me significant savings. I never used it for business. How does that make me silly or not of sound mind? That is my advice and my opinion, as everyone here has theirs. I rather hear those, not insults.
I fully agree with you, Luisa. Some people just know it all. For some people, having three landlines might be a good decision. I have only one landline, and I can probably count the number of business related calls I received via my landline in the last 5 years on the fingers of two hands. Still, business is going reasonably well. However, I'm not going to imply that people using a landline (let alone three) for their business have taken leave of their senses. | | |
Nicole Schnell wrote:
John Rawlins wrote:
If I am not at home, then the client will have to wait. I have never promised anybody an instant turnaround or 24/7 service.
With some clients I have learned to deliberately slow down my turnaround speed. If somebody believes you are on permanent standby and can handle a job in just a few hours, then they tend to only send 'rush jobs'. It is usually worthwhile discouraging this idea - unless the client is prepared to pay 300% rush rates.
I couldn't have said it better.
I can only agree!
Annett | | | Nicole Schnell United States Local time: 02:54 English to German + ... In memoriam
Luisa Ramos, CT wrote:
I am not either. I have an extremely reliable wireless service. All my business is done with my BlackBerry. Eliminating my land line was a well thought decision which has reported me significant savings. I never used it for business. How does that make me silly or not of sound mind? That is my advice and my opinion, as everyone here has theirs. I rather hear those, not insults.
A lot of people don't seem to know that land lines run on an independent power grid and will work during power failures while you will not be able to charge your cell. | |
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Erik Freitag Germany Local time: 11:54 Member (2006) Dutch to German + ... power failures | Jan 24, 2011 |
Nicole Schnell wrote:
A lot of people don't seem to know that land lines run on an independent power grid and will work during power failures while you will not be able to charge your cell.
I see, this might be a valid point (although modern telephone router systems (which you probably need if you have three landlines) still need power, even if the line itself is independent).
Apart from that - in all my life, I haven't yet experienced a single noteworthy power failure in the country I live in. | | | Nicole Schnell United States Local time: 02:54 English to German + ... In memoriam
efreitag wrote:
I fully agree with you, Luisa. Some people just know it all. For some people, having three landlines might be a good decision. I have only one landline, and I can probably count the number of business related calls I received via my landline in the last 5 years on the fingers of two hands. Still, business is going reasonably well. However, I'm not going to imply that people using a landline (let alone three) for their business have taken leave of their senses.
Before you make up your mind: Luisa is located in the US, so am I. You are not. You are not in the position to judge what is possible in terms of communication during hurricanes, tornados or blizzards.
Please refrain from any statements such as "Some people just know it all."
Highly ignorant and uninformed... | | | Nicole Schnell United States Local time: 02:54 English to German + ... In memoriam Addendum to efreitag | Jan 24, 2011 |
During a complete power failure you can plug in your battery powered laptop into a phone outlet and deliver your work via dial-up. Provided you have a working phone outlet, that is.
But, I guess, some people overseas just know everything better, heeheeee... | | | Pages in topic: [1 2 3] > | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Urgent translations TM-Town |
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