What is the best practice when PM keeps emailing you because of feedback Thread poster: cherrypick
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cherrypick
China
Local time: 23:57
English to Chinese
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My client made 40% discount of the project without negotiation. So I wrote a feedback. Then they start to send me emails.
1. What is the best practice to deal with the emails? Can you share your story if your have similar experience?
2. Is 40% discount a normal thing? I think it is too much though, what do you think?
| | | | Samuel Murray 
Netherlands
Local time: 17:57
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
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cherrypick wrote:
Is 40% discount a normal thing? I think it is too much though, what do you think?
Even a 1% discount is too much, if there had been no negotiation.
If the client applies a discount without there being something about automatic discounts in the contract, and without your permission or agreement, then you simply haven't been paid fully (and the client still owes you the outstanding amount).
Where did you leave them feedback? Were you truthful in your feedback? What kinds of things are they saying in their mails to you? I suspect they're unhappy. Do you intend to work for them again in future?
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cherrypick wrote:
My client made 40% discount of the project without negotiation. So I wrote a feedback. Then they start to send me emails.
1. What is the best practice to deal with the emails? Can you share your story if your have similar experience?
2. Is 40% discount a normal thing? I think it is too much though, what do you think?
... it's not normal or acceptable to unilaterally impose a discount (presumably after you have completed the work?).
But I think you will need to give us a bit more information if you want useful advice. Was the discount because they weren't happy with the work or for some other reason? What do the emails say? What outcome are you hoping to achieve?
| | | | | More details, please | Jan 12, 2023 |
Rachel Waddington wrote:
But I think you will need to give us a bit more information if you want useful advice. Was the discount because they weren't happy with the work or for some other reason?
As a translation buyer acting on behalf of my employer, an international law firm, I rejected the deliverables on two occasions and refused to pay anything for the complete f..k-up of a job. It was a bunch of contracts, agreements, undertakings, and deeds for a multi-million deal on the negotiation table.
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cherrypick
China
Local time: 23:57
English to Chinese
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TOPIC STARTER
Rachel Waddington wrote: cherrypick wrote:
My client made 40% discount of the project without negotiation. So I wrote a feedback. Then they start to send me emails.
1. What is the best practice to deal with the emails? Can you share your story if your have similar experience?
2. Is 40% discount a normal thing? I think it is too much though, what do you think? ... it's not normal or acceptable to unilaterally impose a discount (presumably after you have completed the work?). But I think you will need to give us a bit more information if you want useful advice. Was the discount because they weren't happy with the work or for some other reason? What do the emails say? What outcome are you hoping to achieve?
The discount was because they weren't happy with the work. The emails say they are surprised with the feedback. I want to end the conversation with the PM.
What is the best practice? Is there a way to end the email thread with less risk?
| | | | cherrypick
China
Local time: 23:57
English to Chinese
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TOPIC STARTER | Thanks for ypur reply | Jan 13, 2023 |
Samuel Murray wrote: cherrypick wrote:
Is 40% discount a normal thing? I think it is too much though, what do you think? Even a 1% discount is too much, if there had been no negotiation. If the client applies a discount without there being something about automatic discounts in the contract, and without your permission or agreement, then you simply haven't been paid fully (and the client still owes you the outstanding amount). Where did you leave them feedback? Were you truthful in your feedback? What kinds of things are they saying in their mails to you? I suspect they're unhappy. Do you intend to work for them again in future?
On proz. My feedback is they imposed 40% discount on my work without negotiation and I want people to know that may happen to them. They say they are surprised by my feedback. I don't think they will assign me work anymore. The discount was because they are not happy with the work.
| | | | cherrypick
China
Local time: 23:57
English to Chinese
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TOPIC STARTER | Thank you for your reply. | Jan 13, 2023 |
Vladimir Pochinov wrote: Rachel Waddington wrote:
But I think you will need to give us a bit more information if you want useful advice. Was the discount because they weren't happy with the work or for some other reason? As a translation buyer acting on behalf of my employer, an international law firm, I rejected the deliverables on two occasions and refused to pay anything for the complete f..k-up of a job. It was a bunch of contracts, agreements, undertakings, and deeds for a multi-million deal on the negotiation table.
The discount was because they are not happy with the work. I want to end the conversation quickly. Can you share your professional advice on how to do it properly?
| | | | | Best practice | Jan 13, 2023 |
When PMs keep emailing me with work because of good feedback from the end-client, I just say thank you and they pay me the full amount.
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| Tell them to stop | Jan 13, 2023 |
cherrypick wrote: Rachel Waddington wrote: cherrypick wrote:
My client made 40% discount of the project without negotiation. So I wrote a feedback. Then they start to send me emails.
1. What is the best practice to deal with the emails? Can you share your story if your have similar experience?
2. Is 40% discount a normal thing? I think it is too much though, what do you think? ... it's not normal or acceptable to unilaterally impose a discount (presumably after you have completed the work?). But I think you will need to give us a bit more information if you want useful advice. Was the discount because they weren't happy with the work or for some other reason? What do the emails say? What outcome are you hoping to achieve? The discount was because they weren't happy with the work. The emails say they are surprised with the feedback. I want to end the conversation with the PM. What is the best practice? Is there a way to end the email thread with less risk?
Less risk of what?
You are entitled to leave feedback about them and whatever the rights or wrongs of the work they weren't happy with it seems that that subject has been closed.
I would probably just send a note telling the PM what you have told us: you didn't agree with them unilaterally imposing a discount without discussing it with you, you are entitled to leave honest feedback about what has happened, and that you would now like to close the conversation.
If they keep sending emails after that, I would just block them.
| | | | Edward Potter
Spain
Local time: 17:57
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
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Vladimir Pochinov wrote:
As a translation buyer acting on behalf of my employer, an international law firm, I rejected the deliverables on two occasions and refused to pay anything for the complete f..k-up of a job. It was a bunch of contracts, agreements, undertakings, and deeds for a multi-million deal on the negotiation table.
I outsource on a regular basis. I have never been so dissatisfied with someone's work that I refused to pay anything. Once in a while I negotiate a discount with the provider if they do an unusually bad job.
I usually have my finger on things. If it is a short job, I let them finish and check the work afterwards. If it is a big job I have different ways to making sure the job is on the right track, such as checking in and asking for partial deliveries.
My risk is minimized because a new translator never does too much work without me checking in. I can give feedback on the fly or cancel if I see the work is not up to standard. Old trusted translators get a much longer leash.
When I want to get rid of someone fast, I pay them in full and then I'll never have to see them again.
| | | | Nicholas Miller
Czech Republic
Local time: 17:57
Member (2014)
Czech to English
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| Bad proofreading | Jan 20, 2023 |
I had a translation badly corrected by a non-native at an agency. He then expected me to review all his poor corrections (based on his lack of knowledge of English) at no extra cost. He also 'couldn't understand' my annoyance and gave the 'standard practice' bull. I don't mind the standard practice, but after a native speaker has proofread it!
In the end, I did a cursory review and said I didn't wish to work like this in future and would prefer not to be contacted next time. I was working... See more I had a translation badly corrected by a non-native at an agency. He then expected me to review all his poor corrections (based on his lack of knowledge of English) at no extra cost. He also 'couldn't understand' my annoyance and gave the 'standard practice' bull. I don't mind the standard practice, but after a native speaker has proofread it!
In the end, I did a cursory review and said I didn't wish to work like this in future and would prefer not to be contacted next time. I was working on something else 'for money' at the time. He continued the emails, saying that he couldn't understand why and that he certainly would contact me. I just had to stop answering them.
Oh and then, of course, I had to chase him up on the later payment :-S ▲ Collapse
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:57
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| Automatic trash | Jan 20, 2023 |
cherrypick wrote:
.... I want to end the conversation quickly. Can you share your professional advice on how to do it properly?
Most email applications have a setting that will instantly trash emails with a particular subject or a particular email address so that they are immediately trashed as soon as they arrive. You never ever see them. You don't even know you received them.
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Michael Newton
United States
Local time: 11:57
Japanese to English
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Don't ever shy away from posting a negative review when it is deserved. I have had several threats from agencies about a review I made. One agency told me they would make sure I never received a project via proz.com again unless I removed the review. I told them to pound sand (well, not exactly in those words). Some PM/agencies can be extremely nasty.
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