Steps before accepting a freelance jobs and receiving payments Thread poster: PRAKASH SHARMA
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Dear Friends,
I just wanted to find what my other friends do while accepting any job. What I do, are the followings-
1. After knowing about the job, Research for company details, which includes looking in Blueboard details specially.
2. Send the best possible quote for the job (low quotations for Indians, when availability can be ensured).
3. After job is finalised, ask for P.O.
4. Start doing job and try to finish it on time.
5. Once job is done, send ... See more Dear Friends,
I just wanted to find what my other friends do while accepting any job. What I do, are the followings-
1. After knowing about the job, Research for company details, which includes looking in Blueboard details specially.
2. Send the best possible quote for the job (low quotations for Indians, when availability can be ensured).
3. After job is finalised, ask for P.O.
4. Start doing job and try to finish it on time.
5. Once job is done, send the agency, an invoice.
6. Wait for the payment and due to excellent invoicing system of proz.com; it's easier now to track payments.
What all you do to increase your business or remain steady in business. Please share.
Thanks in Advance!
PS ▲ Collapse
| | | | Edward Vreeburg 
Netherlands
Local time: 07:29
Member (2008)
English to Dutch
+ ...
| ask for a PO before starting the job | Oct 13, 2009 |
in order to ensure a constant stream of happy clients, deliver a constant high level of quality at a reasonable price - do not translate outsite of your skill set....
Ed
| | | | | Thanks for sharing !!! | Oct 13, 2009 |
Thanks very much Mr. Shanidev for sharing your course of action. Freelancers may be doing the same all around, but differences do occur. For example, in many cases, invoices cannot be sent immediately after the job is done, and one has to wait until the outsources has finally accepted the translation - and it may take quite a few days!
By the way, I would like to learn some more points from you: firstly, which aspects do you particularly look for in the Blueboard records, and secondly, wou... See more Thanks very much Mr. Shanidev for sharing your course of action. Freelancers may be doing the same all around, but differences do occur. For example, in many cases, invoices cannot be sent immediately after the job is done, and one has to wait until the outsources has finally accepted the translation - and it may take quite a few days!
By the way, I would like to learn some more points from you: firstly, which aspects do you particularly look for in the Blueboard records, and secondly, would you quote lower rates only because the outsourcer is located within your own country? ▲ Collapse
| | | | PRAKASH SHARMA
India
Local time: 11:59
English to Hindi
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Reply to Quamrul | Oct 13, 2009 |
Quamrul Islam wrote:
Thanks very much Mr. Shanidev for sharing your course of action. Freelancers may be doing the same all around, but differences do occur. For example, in many cases, invoices cannot be sent immediately after the job is done, and one has to wait until the outsources has finally accepted the translation - and it may take quite a few days!
By the way, I would like to learn some more points from you: firstly, which aspects do you particularly look for in the Blueboard records, and secondly, would you quote lower rates only because the outsourcer is located within your own country?
Hi Quamrul,
If anyone can learn from learnings, it would be my pleasure to help out my friends.
In Blueboard records, I check if any translator has posted negative entry for the company or not and how many of them are there. Those translators, who have bad names or are not language efficient (can understand with the level of language they use while answering kudoz or posting in forums), I don't care for their negative entries because quality is the prime concern for any company and for translator, it should be.
I quote lower rates to Indians because of two reasons-
1. I love India and Indians
2. Agencies/outsourcers here grab their part of jobs from foreign clients. If I will quote them international standard rates, they may not have that much budget, moreover, in India, there are too many cheap stuffs lying here and there, which agencies can find without taking too much pain. Too compete with them, I have to keep rates low as well so that they don't go away because of the reasons of a paisa or two.
Take Care!
Regards
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| Marketing skills | Oct 14, 2009 |
JAI SHANIDEV wrote:
2. Agencies/outsourcers here grab their part of jobs from foreign clients. If I will quote them international standard rates, they may not have that much budget, moreover, in India, there are too many cheap stuffs lying here and there, which agencies can find without taking too much pain. Too compete with them, I have to keep rates low as well so that they don't go away because of the reasons of a paisa or two.
Regards
Dear Jai,
First of all, *some* agencies/outsourcers in India 'grab' their part of jobs from *other* agencies/outsourcers in India in addition to jobs from foreign clients. You, the hapless translator who does most of the real work, get to scrape the bottom of the barrel.
Why don't you ramp up on your marketing skills and approach foreign clients directly? While it is difficult to get direct clients abroad, you can surely work with agencies abroad who will ensure you are paid appropriately and not treat you as the last link in an iniquitous feeding chain.
[Edited at 2009-10-14 09:05 GMT]
| | | | | Pointing people in the right direction! | Oct 14, 2009 |
Hello Anil
I must say I was getting a bit "hot under the collar" from reading this post. I am positively relieved to see that you are pointing Jai in the right direction.
Jai, this guy know swhat he is talking about. Take good note!
Thanks for sharing your strategies. Wishing you "good look" but especially "good marketing" in the future.
| | | | PRAKASH SHARMA
India
Local time: 11:59
English to Hindi
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Thanks to Anil and Whither | Oct 14, 2009 |
Thanks to both of you. 'Marketing' is something that I didn't discuss earlier and wanted to make out if there is any different thing or way my friends use?
I know, about 'getting nothing after doing days of hardwork', that's surely, which I wouldn't like to do. And will give a serious thought to your suggestion.
Thank you very much friends for sharing! Would like to read from more and more from my friends.
[Edited at 2009-10-15 00:05 GMT]
| | | | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Steps before accepting a freelance jobs and receiving payments | Protemos translation business management system | Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!
The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.
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| | Trados Business Manager Lite | Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio
Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.
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