Significant Unexpected "Accidents" Involved with a Project
Thread poster: Shirley Lao
Shirley Lao
Shirley Lao  Identity Verified
Taiwan
Local time: 14:01
Member (2007)
English to Chinese
+ ...
Jun 9, 2020

Hello All,

I am writing to ask for advice or suggestions for a project in which several significant unexpected "accidents" occurred.

I accepted a project in the middle of April and this project is expected to complete by the middle of May. However, for some significant unexpected "accidents", this project has not been completed by now.

First, I completed this job by the third week of April and delivered the job, but I was informed that the source file I wa
... See more
Hello All,

I am writing to ask for advice or suggestions for a project in which several significant unexpected "accidents" occurred.

I accepted a project in the middle of April and this project is expected to complete by the middle of May. However, for some significant unexpected "accidents", this project has not been completed by now.

First, I completed this job by the third week of April and delivered the job, but I was informed that the source file I was working on was wrong. Thus, I had to do the job again with the correct source file. It took me several days to complete this job and then delivered it. Then I was asked to update the target file with updates in the source file. After updating the target file, another very significant "accident" occurred. Unfortunately, I was notified that the "final" target file along with the back translation files and the proofreading files in connection with this project was lost in my client's system. Thus, I had to do the job again.

When I believe everything should have been settled, to my dismay, I found that my client sent a wrong back translation file to his/her client who checked the "final" target file against the wrong back translation file and found some inconsistencies and issues.

It seems that at this stage, this project is not yet complete and something is to be done again.

This project has been delayed for one month and I have no idea of when it will end. What should I do at this stage?

Your input is much appreciated.
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Lincoln Hui
Lincoln Hui  Identity Verified
Hong Kong
Local time: 14:01
Member
Chinese to English
+ ...
Are you getting paid? Jun 10, 2020

Taking your account at face value:

First, I completed this job by the third week of April and delivered the job, but I was informed that the source file I was working on was wrong. Thus, I had to do the job again with the correct source file.

This should be paid.

Then I was asked to update the target file with updates in the source file

This should be paid.

Unfortunately, I was notified that the "final" target file along with the back translation files and the proofreading files in connection with this project was lost in my client's system. Thus, I had to do the job again.

I don't know how this can happen - is it a cloud-based system? Even a cloud-based system should have saved TMs that allow the translations to be retrieved. If there isn't any, then it should be paid.

If it's offline, it gets a little iffy because you're not entirely off the hook, even if the bulk of the responsibility falls on the client. Still, you can make a reasonable case to be paid again.

When I believe everything should have been settled, to my dismay, I found that my client sent a wrong back translation file to his/her client who checked the "final" target file against the wrong back translation file and found some inconsistencies and issues.

Then it's your client that should be taken to task. Isn't it out of your hands once you demonstrate that it's the wrong file?

For me, it's no big deal having to redo a project several times - provided that you're getting paid each time. I think it's the one thing that you should secure before going any further with this client.

[Edited at 2020-06-10 02:55 GMT]


Philip Lees
Alison Jenner
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Dan Lucas
Thomas T. Frost
Philippe Etienne
Joe France
 
Shirley Lao
Shirley Lao  Identity Verified
Taiwan
Local time: 14:01
Member (2007)
English to Chinese
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Reply Jun 10, 2020

Lincoln Hui wrote:

Taking your account at face value:

First, I completed this job by the third week of April and delivered the job, but I was informed that the source file I was working on was wrong. Thus, I had to do the job again with the correct source file.

This should be paid.

No, I have not been paid yet.



Then I was asked to update the target file with updates in the source file

This should be paid.

No, I have not been paid yet.



Unfortunately, I was notified that the "final" target file along with the back translation files and the proofreading files in connection with this project was lost in my client's system. Thus, I had to do the job again.

I don't know how this can happen - is it a cloud-based system? Even a cloud-based system should have saved TMs that allow the translations to be retrieved. If there isn't any, then it should be paid.

If it's offline, it gets a little iffy because you're not entirely off the hook, even if the bulk of the responsibility falls on the client. Still, you can make a reasonable case to be paid again.

It is an online system which I have been using it for several years. I have never encountered such problems previously.




When I believe everything should have been settled, to my dismay, I found that my client sent a wrong back translation file to his/her client who checked the "final" target file against the wrong back translation file and found some inconsistencies and issues.

Then it's your client that should be taken to task. Isn't it out of your hands once you demonstrate that it's the wrong file?

But I have to take care of this task.




For me, it's no big deal having to redo a project several times - provided that you're getting paid each time. I think it's the one thing that you should secure before going any further with this client.

[Edited at 2020-06-10 02:55 GMT]


Thank you for your suggestions.


 
Philip Lees
Philip Lees  Identity Verified
Greece
Local time: 08:01
Greek to English
Payment for the job Jun 10, 2020

Shirley Lao wrote:

First, I completed this job by the third week of April and delivered the job, but I was informed that the source file I was working on was wrong. Thus, I had to do the job again with the correct source file.



No you didn't. You translated the source file they sent you and you delivered the translation on time. All that remains is for the client to pay you for your work.

If they then ask you to take on another job for them, you can quote a separate fee for that, but you are under no obligation to do so.

If the client sent you the wrong source file, that's their problem, not yours.


Angie Garbarino
Francesca Bernardis
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Dan Lucas
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Mina Chen
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 06:01
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
My experience Jun 10, 2020

Some years ago, I had a similar series of events with a first-time client. I quoted the job and they accepted my quote. After I delivered the project (my invoice is always sent with the project to first-time clients) they said that in the meanwhile the text had been edited and updated. I said that I would do it if all the alterations were duly marked. They weren’t, so I quoted 50% of the first job after seeing that I could use a good part of the “old” one. I delivered on time with the invo... See more
Some years ago, I had a similar series of events with a first-time client. I quoted the job and they accepted my quote. After I delivered the project (my invoice is always sent with the project to first-time clients) they said that in the meanwhile the text had been edited and updated. I said that I would do it if all the alterations were duly marked. They weren’t, so I quoted 50% of the first job after seeing that I could use a good part of the “old” one. I delivered on time with the invoice again. Then some days later they asked me to introduce a few updates to the translation. I answered that I was happy to do so and I would invoice my time. Client paid everything but it was a one-off.Collapse


Philippe Etienne
 
Thomas T. Frost
Thomas T. Frost  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 06:01
Danish to English
+ ...
Local copy Jun 10, 2020

I always export a bilingual RTF just before I deliver a project in MemoQ or Memsource. For two reasons:

1. A native Word spellcheck is faster than a MemoQ spellcheck (even configured to Word) and finds more errors.
2. I have evidence of what I delivered, as I don't control the cloud servers.

Doing this saved a recent project, as MemoQ – for reasons yet unknown – had rolled 71 edited segments back to the translator's version during or after the final synchroni
... See more
I always export a bilingual RTF just before I deliver a project in MemoQ or Memsource. For two reasons:

1. A native Word spellcheck is faster than a MemoQ spellcheck (even configured to Word) and finds more errors.
2. I have evidence of what I delivered, as I don't control the cloud servers.

Doing this saved a recent project, as MemoQ – for reasons yet unknown – had rolled 71 edited segments back to the translator's version during or after the final synchronisation and delivery. The outsourcer's internal support could rebuild the correct version from my RTF. Although there is a translation memory, I believe it only stores one translation for each unique source segment. MemoQ support is investigating it. As an old mainframe specialist, I don't unconditionally trust computers and software. There are always bugs that can manifest themselves in the weirdest of ways and the quality of software is restricted by the developers’ abilities.

As others have said, you should be paid for all additional work that is not due to negligence of your own. This should be agreed before said additional works begins. If it’s a good and regular client that provides a decent revenue stream, you can obviously choose to cut them some slack.
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MollyRose
 
Shirley Lao
Shirley Lao  Identity Verified
Taiwan
Local time: 14:01
Member (2007)
English to Chinese
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Unrelated to memoQ Jun 10, 2020

Thank you for your suggestions. But this has nothing to do with memoQ.

 
Thomas T. Frost
Thomas T. Frost  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 06:01
Danish to English
+ ...
Illustration Jun 10, 2020

Shirley Lao wrote:

But this has nothing to do with memoQ.


It was an illustration of the use of keeping a local RTF in case of software glitches. That principle is not limited to MemoQ.


DZiW (X)
Iris Schmerda
MollyRose
Ventnai
 
Shirley Lao
Shirley Lao  Identity Verified
Taiwan
Local time: 14:01
Member (2007)
English to Chinese
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you all for your suggestions Jun 14, 2020

Thank you all for your suggestions. I have got an idea of how to resolve this issue.

 


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Significant Unexpected "Accidents" Involved with a Project







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