Poll: Have noticed a rising trend of crazy/impossible deadlines?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Mar 17, 2020

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Have noticed a rising trend of crazy/impossible deadlines?".

This poll was originally submitted by Claudio Machado Junior. View the poll results »



 
Marjolein Snippe
Marjolein Snippe  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 15:48
Member (2012)
English to Dutch
+ ...
Not really Mar 17, 2020

Most of my clients are pretty well organised, so although they may have the odd rush request, most deadlines are feasible.
I did use to have a client who seemed to include "URGENT!!!" or "RUSH!!" on every project request, but they have wandered off - perhaps discouraged as their requests would mostly be sent outside my office hours, so by the time I read them, it was too late for them.


 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 14:48
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
About the same Mar 17, 2020

I’ve been working with most of my customers for a long time, so they know me quite well and what I can and can't do. More often than not, they ask me when I will have their job done. If a new client comes with an unreasonable deadline there are only two options: reject or negotiate…

Philippe Etienne
 
Jan Truper
Jan Truper  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 15:48
Member (2016)
English to German
no Mar 17, 2020

And it really is a non-issue:
-If a deadline is crazy, charge a crazy rate.
-If a deadline is impossible, say no.


Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Joe France
James A. Walsh
Dan Lucas
Cheemanum
Philippe Etienne
Mario Freitas
 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 11:48
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
No Mar 17, 2020

Deadlines are negotiable or you can refuse the job. If the deadline is equivalent to up to 3000 words per business day, the regular rate applies. From 3000 to 5000 words per B.D. or any number on weekends and holidays, the urgency rate applies. Anything other than this is a "no, thank you". There is no way on Earth the client is entitled to "require" you to do something out of your standards.

Priscila Wilke
Luca Tutino
Philip Lees
 
Bruno Veilleux
Bruno Veilleux  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 10:48
English to French
Tight but doable Mar 17, 2020

Since last week I have been translating many same-day notices for a large company adapting to the outbreak, working from home and social distancing measures. Tight deadlines, but low volume per text, so they’re manageable. I don’t charge extra since this info needs to get out and everybody’s going to be hit hard enough as it is without inflating prices.

What surprises me more is that I keep getting new client requests almost every day in a time where commerce is supposed to be
... See more
Since last week I have been translating many same-day notices for a large company adapting to the outbreak, working from home and social distancing measures. Tight deadlines, but low volume per text, so they’re manageable. I don’t charge extra since this info needs to get out and everybody’s going to be hit hard enough as it is without inflating prices.

What surprises me more is that I keep getting new client requests almost every day in a time where commerce is supposed to be slowing down.
Collapse


 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
Yes, right now Mar 17, 2020

There is currently a genuine urgency about some jobs.

I can’t imagine many translations about the Coronavirus coming with a two-month deadline...

But otherwise, no.


Liena Vijupe
 
Anton Konashenok
Anton Konashenok  Identity Verified
Czech Republic
Local time: 15:48
French to English
+ ...
Definitely not Mar 17, 2020

I see no noticeable trend in deadlines over at least 20 years. However, I must say that a widely accepted workload limit of 2500 words/day, give or take, is not a hallmark of an experienced professional. If that's all you can do without compromising the quality of your work, consider additional training or face a tough competition.

IrinaN
Mervyn Henderson (X)
Jorge Payan
Dan Lucas
 
Mervyn Henderson (X)
Mervyn Henderson (X)  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 15:48
Spanish to English
+ ...
I'm with Anton Mar 17, 2020

I got used to high volume + tight deadlines in an agency I worked for back in the day, and doing 6K a day under pressure of time and the demand for top quality got me thinking, Why not do this for yourself? My rule of thumb used to be get up early, 3K in the morning, 2/3K in the afternoon/evening. Words in, words out, touch-typing and concentration.

Justin Peterson
 
Justin Peterson
Justin Peterson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 15:48
Member (2007)
Spanish to English
Yes, coronavirus announcements Mar 18, 2020

Yes. Coronavirus announcements.

Understandably, they're urgent. But they're not crazy, because they're short and doable.


 
Justin Peterson
Justin Peterson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 15:48
Member (2007)
Spanish to English
Surprised 3,000/day is holding strong Mar 18, 2020

Mervyn Henderson wrote:

I got used to high volume + tight deadlines in an agency I worked for back in the day, and doing 6K a day under pressure of time and the demand for top quality got me thinking, Why not do this for yourself? My rule of thumb used to be get up early, 3K in the morning, 2/3K in the afternoon/evening. Words in, words out, touch-typing and concentration.


That was my standard turnaround ... 15 years ago. Now I'm better, and faster, and the tools I use are MUCH better. And yet ... 3,000/day seems to be holding strong as a turnaround rule of thumb. Baffled.


Mervyn Henderson (X)
 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
Too many variables Mar 18, 2020

Justin Peterson wrote:
That was my standard turnaround ... 15 years ago. Now I'm better, and faster, and the tools I use are MUCH better. And yet ... 3,000/day seems to be holding strong as a turnaround rule of thumb. Baffled.


Perhaps these translators are thick and/or lazy. Perhaps they translate harder texts. Perhaps they don’t specialise enough. Perhaps they don’t like the pressure or need the money. Perhaps they take more care and do a better job. The list goes on...

I think we can raise an eyebrow at the 10k-a-day brigade, but otherwise we just have to accept that we’re all different and we don’t all do the same work to the same standards.

I can do 6k in a day at a push, but I always budget for 2k and generally end up doing about 3k. I hate being rushed.


Jan Truper
Kevin Fulton
Muriel Vasconcellos
Carmen Lanzrein
Nikolay Novitskiy
 


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Poll: Have noticed a rising trend of crazy/impossible deadlines?






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