Ongoing project for an agency: how do you deal with other regular clients? Thread poster: Simona Sgro
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Simona Sgro 
Italy
Local time: 19:06
English to Italian
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An agency is offering me an ongoing project. I will probably receive between 7000 and 13000 words per month without a prearranged plan of assignment and delivery dates. I absolutely want to maintain my regular clients and want to be able to schedule my time and projects. Any suggestions? Do agencies usually give a monthly plan for ongoing projects? Or do they usually check your availability the day you should start the translation project each month? Apologize for the silly question but I've wor... See more An agency is offering me an ongoing project. I will probably receive between 7000 and 13000 words per month without a prearranged plan of assignment and delivery dates. I absolutely want to maintain my regular clients and want to be able to schedule my time and projects. Any suggestions? Do agencies usually give a monthly plan for ongoing projects? Or do they usually check your availability the day you should start the translation project each month? Apologize for the silly question but I've worked in-house for a loooong time. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Lincoln Hui
Hong Kong
Local time: 01:06
Member
Chinese to English
+ ...
| 7000-13000 isn't a lot | Mar 21, 2019 |
You wouldn't be hanging all your other clients out to dry for the rest of the month if you suddenly got a 13000 words project today, and ongoing projects are exactly the same thing.
There is no such thing as schedule. There's whatever you're working on right now, and nothing else.
[Edited at 2019-03-21 09:48 GMT]
| | | | ahartje
Portugal
Local time: 18:06
Member (2006)
German to Portuguese
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Of course there is a schedule in my office... with all open projects, not only the one I am working on.
An announced, ongoing offer coming from a new client has to be agreed as any other proposals, in terms of delivery, rate, payment, etc., but in my opinion 7000 - 13.000 words do not cause any organizational nightmares, if you did not agree to deliveries within 24 - 48 hours.
Check your availability and willingness to work extra hours sometimes and go for it.
| | | | | Agencies vary - there are no fixed rules! | Mar 21, 2019 |
Make sure the agency understands your situation, and perhaps let your other clients know, if there are particular days when you are likely to be booked - even if there is no specific plan, you may find over time that there is a pattern.
I worked for several years for a client who sent anything from 500 to 2000 words every Thursday, for delivery as early as possible next day. I asked all my other regular clients to send jobs as early in the week as possible.
It did mean I had ... See more Make sure the agency understands your situation, and perhaps let your other clients know, if there are particular days when you are likely to be booked - even if there is no specific plan, you may find over time that there is a pattern.
I worked for several years for a client who sent anything from 500 to 2000 words every Thursday, for delivery as early as possible next day. I asked all my other regular clients to send jobs as early in the week as possible.
It did mean I had some busy weekends occasionally, when I had taken on other work, hoping for a routine 500 words with just the core sections, and then I received an extra large package on Thursday.
I also had an agreement with the ´Thursday´ client, that if they knew they were going to send a large package, then they would try to send some sections on Wednesday, or let me know if some could wait until Monday… They got the idea and were quite flexible.
As your client is an agency, you should also discuss with them what arrangements they can make if you are ill, on holiday, or just exceptionally overloaded. It takes me at least a week to translate 13000 words, and if they send you two instalments close together, you will need either a flexible deadline or an agreement that they have another translator as a backup.
Think how you will cope with family and private arrangements, too. Then, if you can handle it, go for it! ▲ Collapse
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I'm sure the agency will understand that you can't reject other job offers while waiting for work which may or may not arrive. I would say something like "yes, I would be interested in working on this project, subject to my availability at the time the work is required."
In my experience, these promised projects don't always materialise, so I just carry on with business as usual.
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