Solange Estrada wrote:
How is the process since we quote and get an order?
I assume you're talking about the Job Board. The clients who post on the job board are independent of ProZ.com. ProZ.com merely makes it easier for clients and translators to come into contact with each other. When you contact a client via a job post on the Job Board, you should assume that it's the same as if you're contacting them via e-mail. Indeed, after the initial contact, all subsequent contact between you and the client is likely to be via e-mail, or possibly via a client's own portal.
When the customer post the work, will they place an order or assign it to me?
Each client has its own procedures.
Is the communication with the customer by email?
For some jobs, you will be asked to submit a quote via ProZ.com itself. For other jobs, you will be asked to send a quote to the client via e-mail or via the client's own portal. Subsequent communication with the client will likely be outside of ProZ.com, e.g. via e-mail.
What if they don't pay our services, and all the communication is by email?
The fact that you only communicated with a client via e-mail has no effect on what you can do about it if they don't pay. You should carefully consider whether a client is honest before you do work for them. You can also request to be paid in advance. You can also check the Blue Board if any other translators had made comments about them.
Is this site offering payment protection?
Nope. The role of ProZ.com is to help bring clients and translators together.
Edward Potter wrote:
Many jobs are given out behind the scenes. A customer will search for someone with the characteristics they need and contact them directly. That is why it is essential to have your profile as complete as possible.
I agree. In fact, according to ProZ.com's staff, most jobs that translators get on this site are from when a client visits your profile page and contacts you directly, without using the Job Board. The Job Board is simply an easy way for clients to get in contact with multiple translators simultaneously. Clients can also send e-mails to multiple translators simultaneously via ProZ.com, so if you get an e-mail from a client that was sent via ProZ.com itself, that same e-mail may have been sent to other translators as well.
[Edited at 2022-02-01 09:37 GMT]