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Poll: How do you prefer to communicate with clients?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
May 14, 2015

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How do you prefer to communicate with clients?".

This poll was originally submitted by Hope Farmer. View the poll results »
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 11:29
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Email May 14, 2015

No change since the last time this question was asked: For me, email is the fastest, easiest, cheapest and most efficient way to communicate with customers, as I will always have a record of everythin... See more
No change since the last time this question was asked: For me, email is the fastest, easiest, cheapest and most efficient way to communicate with customers, as I will always have a record of everything I have discussed with them.

http://www.proz.com/forum/poll_discussion/250228-poll_which_method_of_communication_do_you_prefer_to_use_with_clients.html ▲ Collapse
 
Susana E. Cano Méndez
Susana E. Cano Méndez  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 12:29
French to Spanish
+ ...
Agree May 14, 2015

Teresa Borges wrote:

No change since the last time this question was asked: For me, email is the fastest, easiest, cheapest and most efficient way to communicate with customers, as I will always have a record of everything I have discussed with them.

http://www.proz.com/forum/poll_discussion/250228-poll_which_method_of_communication_do_you_prefer_to_use_with_clients.html


I agree. And we can set the priority of the emailed message on an unilateral basis. That's important too if we are working on a translation.
 
Chris Says Bye
Chris Says Bye
Tinder May 14, 2015

One left swipe and they're history
 
DZiW (X)
DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
as always, May 14, 2015

(almost) everything regarding the project depends on the client.
 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 12:29
Spanish to English
+ ...
e-mail May 14, 2015

It gives me time to think and compose a reasonably coherent message or reply.

The other day, I made a mistake of commenting on Facebook post by one of my clients, along the lines of "this text could have been drafted/translated better". They were NOT amused... The thing is, I probably wouldn't have taken the time out to draft and send them an e-mail about this particular text, but as I was browsing a FB translators' group I just clicked on the comment button... And could have ended ... See more
It gives me time to think and compose a reasonably coherent message or reply.

The other day, I made a mistake of commenting on Facebook post by one of my clients, along the lines of "this text could have been drafted/translated better". They were NOT amused... The thing is, I probably wouldn't have taken the time out to draft and send them an e-mail about this particular text, but as I was browsing a FB translators' group I just clicked on the comment button... And could have ended up losing valued client. ▲ Collapse
 
Anthony Baldwin
Anthony Baldwin  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 06:29
Portuguese to English
+ ...
e-mail May 14, 2015

I don't use any instant messaging or chat services, and I feel like phone calls are intrusive, an interruption,
although I do take calls; they're just not my favorite.
I confess, when I'm really busy, involved in a project, I will sometimes just let them talk to the voice-mail.
 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 06:29
English to Spanish
+ ...
Options May 14, 2015

I prefer to have several options handy, depending on where I am:

a) First option, email, since I always have my smartphone with me.
b) Second option, my smartphone, although I keep it on mute to screen calls.
c) Third option, smoke signals, especially when I'm cooking.
 
DianeGM
DianeGM  Identity Verified
Local time: 13:29
Member (2006)
Dutch to English
+ ...
Email May 14, 2015

Whether I'm in or out of the office.
 
Yaotl Altan
Yaotl Altan  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 05:29
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
+ ...
E-mail May 14, 2015

Short and concise e-mails with no links to register. Just the number of words to be translated and the deadline.
 
Jaime Oriard
Jaime Oriard  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 05:29
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Email May 14, 2015

Non-distracting, and you get to have a record of everything!
 
Samantha Payn
Samantha Payn  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:29
Member (2008)
Russian to English
+ ...
Email or Skype May 14, 2015

As others have said this depends on the client's preference, but Skype Instant Messaging is very useful for quick exchanges of information/opinion/requests and there is still a permanent record of the conversation.
I also use it as a way to signal my immediate availability (or not, as the case may be ...).


[Edited at 2015-05-14 16:09 GMT]
 
Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 11:29
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
Email every time May 14, 2015

I think I'd need to start charging more if many clients used "instant" options. Don't they pay us for intellectual services? How does that gel with having your thought processes interrupted every few minutes? When I concentrate, I concentrate! Break that and it's back to square one for that phrase when I restart.
 
Jeff Whittaker
Jeff Whittaker  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 06:29
Spanish to English
+ ...
How do you prefer to communicate with clients? May 15, 2015

It's interesting to see that 86% prefer email communication (myself included), but just imagine a time when almost 100% of communication was by phone... (you did get the occasional fax without getting a call first).

Even in the early days of the Internet, many agencies did not trust email due to security.



[Edited at 2015-05-15 01:54 GMT]
 
Suzan Hamer
Suzan Hamer  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 12:29
English
+ ...
Definitely email. May 15, 2015

Less intrusive and distracting, as others have already said.

Teresa Borges wrote:

For me, email is the fastest, easiest, cheapest and most efficient way to communicate with customers, as I will always have a record of everything I have discussed with them.


neilmac wrote:

It gives me time to think and compose a reasonably coherent message or reply.


Sheila Wilson wrote:

I think I'd need to start charging more if many clients used "instant" options. Don't they pay us for intellectual services? How does that gel with having your thought processes interrupted every few minutes? When I concentrate, I concentrate! Break that and it's back to square one for that phrase when I restart.


 
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Poll: How do you prefer to communicate with clients?






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