Poll: Should a client send rejection notices to everyone who isn't chosen for a project?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Jul 25, 2017

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Should a client send rejection notices to everyone who isn't chosen for a project?".

This poll was originally submitted by Harishankar Shahi. View the poll results »



 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 20:39
Spanish to English
+ ...
Other Jul 25, 2017

In an ideal world, it would be nice if everybody behaved as they should. From my point of view, it is only good manners to let applicants know that they haven't been chosen for a job. However, in the cut and thrust world of business, such niceties are often overlooked.

 
Angus Stewart
Angus Stewart  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:39
Member (2011)
French to English
+ ...
Yes Jul 25, 2017

It is matter of good manners to inform everyone who hasn't been chosen to let them know that they are free to take on other projects.

 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 19:39
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Yes Jul 25, 2017

In an ideal world, but the reality is that you only know when you're the chosen one!

 
Julian Holmes
Julian Holmes  Identity Verified
Japan
Local time: 04:39
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
Yes Jul 25, 2017

Angus Stewart wrote:

It is matter of good manners to inform everyone who hasn't been chosen to let them know that they are free to take on other projects.


Echoing Neil and Angus's comments, translators should be notified of acceptance or otherwise not only as a courtesy but also as a fair business practice.
And, if you want me to spare my precious time and even think about doing work for your company some time down the road, I would insist on it. My time comes at a price!


 
Michael Harris
Michael Harris  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 20:39
Member (2006)
German to English
Yes Jul 25, 2017

Angus Stewart wrote:

It is matter of good manners to inform everyone who hasn't been chosen to let them know that they are free to take on other projects.


Can only agree with you there.
I have had a couple of customers in the past that hve actually asked me if I can take on a job, I have accepted and a couple of hours later they had assigned it to someone else, but only after me asking when the files will be sent!!


 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 12:39
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
It depends ... Jul 25, 2017

... on how far the negotiation has gone. If several e-mails have been exchanged and the client sounds really interested, then I think they owe us the courtesy to let us know.

Of course, it's extra work in a busy office. But I think another reason they don't respond is that they have found someone else to do it for less money and it makes them look crass, especially if they advertised for someone with a really strong background. "We want only the best, but we really don't want to pay
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... on how far the negotiation has gone. If several e-mails have been exchanged and the client sounds really interested, then I think they owe us the courtesy to let us know.

Of course, it's extra work in a busy office. But I think another reason they don't respond is that they have found someone else to do it for less money and it makes them look crass, especially if they advertised for someone with a really strong background. "We want only the best, but we really don't want to pay a whole lot for it, and guess what, we found someone who will give us a terrific translation for less money than you were asking."
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Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Yetta Jensen Bogarde  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 20:39
Member (2012)
English to Danish
+ ...
It does not matter so much to me Jul 25, 2017

I cannot say it has left me with a lot of disappointment.

But I agree with everyone concerning good manners or business ethics.

And coming to think of it, I have experienced twice - now several years ago - being ready to start a big project with all agreements in place, and then I did not hear anymore, and no reaction to my reminders, just silence - weird.

Feeling bewildered, frustrated and cross.


 
Connected Tr (X)
Connected Tr (X)  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:39
Chinese to English
+ ...
Good manners Jul 25, 2017

Being communicative and responsive is really important for the client and translator to maintain a good relationship. That said, I would only expect a rejection notice if discussions about the project had advanced through several emails, at least as a courtesy so you know you are free to take on other work. On the other hand, you wouldn't expect somebody, say, to send out rejection notices to all the tens of people who had submitted a quote via this website.

 
Elizabeth Tamblin
Elizabeth Tamblin  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:39
French to English
It depends Jul 25, 2017

Much as I hate not getting a reply, I understand that if there are numerous applicants for a job, these people don't have the human resources required to reply to everyone. Poor etiquette, though, and I will never forget it.

 
R. Alex Jenkins
R. Alex Jenkins  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 16:39
Member (2006)
Portuguese to English
+ ...
It depends Jul 25, 2017

I recently got an email telling me that I would not be contacted if I was not chosen for the job in hand, but I was still required to provide my details, a quote on deadline and price, a copy of my c.v. etc.

That gave me a clear indication of what the agency and project manager were all about. Not interested in me or others, and only interested in getting a suitable person for the job.

It's business, I'm afraid, and if you don't feel comfortable with that then don't res
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I recently got an email telling me that I would not be contacted if I was not chosen for the job in hand, but I was still required to provide my details, a quote on deadline and price, a copy of my c.v. etc.

That gave me a clear indication of what the agency and project manager were all about. Not interested in me or others, and only interested in getting a suitable person for the job.

It's business, I'm afraid, and if you don't feel comfortable with that then don't respond.
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Hege Jakobsen Lepri
Hege Jakobsen Lepri  Identity Verified
Norway
Local time: 20:39
Member (2002)
English to Norwegian
+ ...
Depends Jul 25, 2017

I generally don't reply to job ads so I'm not talking about being one of several bidders on a project here, but sometimes I'll receive an e-mail where I'm one of several recipients. In such cases I do expect a reply declining my offer if they've found someone else.

The worst examples of bad business practices are companies that finish negotiations with you, agree on a price, tell you the files will arrive on Monday, and then you never hear from them until you ask on Tuesday what hap
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I generally don't reply to job ads so I'm not talking about being one of several bidders on a project here, but sometimes I'll receive an e-mail where I'm one of several recipients. In such cases I do expect a reply declining my offer if they've found someone else.

The worst examples of bad business practices are companies that finish negotiations with you, agree on a price, tell you the files will arrive on Monday, and then you never hear from them until you ask on Tuesday what happened to that job, and they say, oh, we found somebody else. They go straight to my blacklist. In the past I turned down other jobs for promised projects (and lost money), but now I prefer to just notify them I'm no longer available the minute I receive a new, certain job.
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Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 20:39
French to English
flak! Jul 26, 2017

when I was a PM, I remember deciding I would be polite and do that. I then got flak from translators who were pissed off at not being chosen! Telling me it was my funeral and the like...

so as a translator, I will quote on stuff but never factor it into my schedule until I get a firm go-ahead. I might just ask a PM about the likelihood of a biggie being confirmed if that means refusing other projects. And perhaps if I accept the other jobs assuming it won't be confirmed, I'll then
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when I was a PM, I remember deciding I would be polite and do that. I then got flak from translators who were pissed off at not being chosen! Telling me it was my funeral and the like...

so as a translator, I will quote on stuff but never factor it into my schedule until I get a firm go-ahead. I might just ask a PM about the likelihood of a biggie being confirmed if that means refusing other projects. And perhaps if I accept the other jobs assuming it won't be confirmed, I'll then put a different deadline on the biggie quote to factor in the new jobs.
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Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 16:39
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Other Jul 28, 2017

They don't and they won't. It's useless to cry about it.

 


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Poll: Should a client send rejection notices to everyone who isn't chosen for a project?






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