| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Can't give prompt replies to clients due to local time difference. How to solve this? Thread poster: Zolboo Batbold
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Baran Keki 
Türkiye
Local time: 23:21
Member
English to Turkish
Adieu wrote:
Since PMs now work at home anyway, new PMs often tend to come from the Philippines or India now. Regardless of where the head office is.
And it looks like some of them are given a free hand to determine rates based on the living conditions in their countries.
| | | | | Make them want to wait | Sep 16, 2021 |
I would respectfully submit that, unless you are a beginner, staying up late and getting up stupidly early are not a secret of success but a sign of a failed freelancer.
The successful freelancer will have provided a service that makes clients want to wait until they are available.
It’s like the 60 ways to succeed list today which omitted the blindingly obvious strategy of doing an exceptionally good job.
Do it well and they will come back - and bring th... See more I would respectfully submit that, unless you are a beginner, staying up late and getting up stupidly early are not a secret of success but a sign of a failed freelancer.
The successful freelancer will have provided a service that makes clients want to wait until they are available.
It’s like the 60 ways to succeed list today which omitted the blindingly obvious strategy of doing an exceptionally good job.
Do it well and they will come back - and bring their friends. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:21
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| I used to know | Sep 16, 2021 |
I used to know a stock dealer in London who used to get up at 3 am so that he could get the prices on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. I think he died young
| | | | Jo Macdonald
Spain
Local time: 22:21
Italian to English
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| Add them to your FRO list | Sep 16, 2021 |
Zolboo Batbold wrote:
How do you solve the issue of not replying to emails quickly?
Choose who you work with rather than let them choose you, or rather just about anyone who has no work, is always available immediately, or sooner, is always rush rush rushing to do just about any job job jobbie just about anyone can do because everything is urgent, everything is immediate, and cheapo too... and you eat.., live, sleep...have a life you do?
Just say NO, or rather don't be bothered cause they don't really want to work with you or communicate with you really, and you or rather I don't want to work or communicate with them either, not last night, tomorrow night or any other night of the week cause time is life.
That said, getting up early is an excellent way to start the day.
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Adieu
Ukrainian to English
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| Jo, look more closely | Sep 16, 2021 |
OP is quite young and needs solid paid work.
He's just asking if there's some sort of trick to it or people actually work with other time zones if they lack clients in theirs.
Customer shopping by convenience comes later, when you have more offers than you know what to do with.
He'd be better served by following Dylan's advice.
[Edited at 2021-09-16 17:15 GMT]
| | | | | Elitism comes later | Sep 16, 2021 |
It’s easy to say ‘make them wait, make them want you’ when you’re established or have a salary to support yourself in between translating. I’m 100% in support of making yourself be ‘in demand’ and having clients wait (look at my language pair, for heaven’s sake). After a few years in this game you’ll make your own reputation. But starting out is different, and for me, getting up early to answer some of the mega-agencies can be a difference of $50-$100,000 year. These PMs are lo... See more It’s easy to say ‘make them wait, make them want you’ when you’re established or have a salary to support yourself in between translating. I’m 100% in support of making yourself be ‘in demand’ and having clients wait (look at my language pair, for heaven’s sake). After a few years in this game you’ll make your own reputation. But starting out is different, and for me, getting up early to answer some of the mega-agencies can be a difference of $50-$100,000 year. These PMs are looking for reliable vendors. If you’re up, can respond, and can deliver work while all your competitors are asleep, that’s the benefit of being in another time zone!
That being said, an auto-reply that accepts every job would be a death sentence! You need to check work before saying yes. Imagine the scenario if they want something back within an hour? Something you’re not specialised in? Deadlines that clash? Moreover, everyone knows an auto-reply when they see one. It’d be the quickest way to lose any credibility.
Your stock broker buddy didn’t die from early mornings, more likely he died from being a stock broker. The only way to survive this is a complete lifestyle change that is healthy, balanced, involves exercise and earns $$. ▲ Collapse
| | | | AnnaSCHTR
United States
Local time: 15:21
English to Czech
+ ...
| Difficult choice | Sep 16, 2021 |
I live in the U.S., 6 hours behind my European clients. Every evening I post an out-of-office message indicating clearly when I would be able to respond (with the exact time in different time-zones). So the project managers know when they can expect an answer to a job offer/question.
They also know they can count on my response during the day and late into the night (their night, that is).
Clear communication is the key. Nothing annoys project managers more than unrespo... See more I live in the U.S., 6 hours behind my European clients. Every evening I post an out-of-office message indicating clearly when I would be able to respond (with the exact time in different time-zones). So the project managers know when they can expect an answer to a job offer/question.
They also know they can count on my response during the day and late into the night (their night, that is).
Clear communication is the key. Nothing annoys project managers more than unresponsive translators.
I know this is not the answer to OP’s question, just a little note about the importance of being perceived as a reliable professional. Accepting unseen jobs automatically is not professional IMHO. As for adjusting your hours - yes, you can change to a different schedule but you need to be aware of the cost. It doesn't work for many people. You are selling your time. Make sure you are not selling your life. ▲ Collapse
| | | | beronike
Spain
Local time: 22:21
English to Spanish
+ ...
| Think of you and what is sustainable for you | Sep 20, 2021 |
Well, translations agencies are supposed to know where you are located.
Or you can inform them of your working schedule.
Sure, if for whatever reason the translation agencies you work with are in a different time zone, then you can consider adapting to them.
But it is not feasible to cover several timezones, you need to rest also.
And as they previously told you, think to yourself: "Do I want to go to sleep at 8 AM and begin working at 3 PM?"
In my case that would... See more Well, translations agencies are supposed to know where you are located.
Or you can inform them of your working schedule.
Sure, if for whatever reason the translation agencies you work with are in a different time zone, then you can consider adapting to them.
But it is not feasible to cover several timezones, you need to rest also.
And as they previously told you, think to yourself: "Do I want to go to sleep at 8 AM and begin working at 3 PM?"
In my case that would not work. I would rather wake up at 3 AM, work and then have the rest of the day free and go to bed early ▲ Collapse
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Arianne Farah
Canada
Local time: 16:21
Member (2008)
English to French
| I lived in Asia for 8 years | Sep 20, 2021 |
I would set up an auto-reply every evening stating availability the next day/week as well as a maximum limit for no-reply confirmation (Basically "Please consider any translation up to 500 words, review up to 2000 words accepted for delivery EOD my time - please reply to this automatic email with your confirmation and/or PO and I will add it to my schedule!"). I would get a lot of 5pm (their time) hail Mary projects from PMs who just wanted to place the project and go home ... See more I would set up an auto-reply every evening stating availability the next day/week as well as a maximum limit for no-reply confirmation (Basically "Please consider any translation up to 500 words, review up to 2000 words accepted for delivery EOD my time - please reply to this automatic email with your confirmation and/or PO and I will add it to my schedule!"). I would get a lot of 5pm (their time) hail Mary projects from PMs who just wanted to place the project and go home ▲ Collapse
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