Poll: Have you started working with any new clients so far this year? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Have you started working with any new clients so far this year?".
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I have been translating EN-PT a website for a new client (circa 50,000 words) and I’m negotiating another long-term project with a potential new client…
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One new customer, but just a friend of a friend who wanted a certificate translated.
I don't expect to hear from her again.
At least she paid immediately!
| | | | Lieven Malaise
Belgium
Local time: 18:14
Member (2020)
French to Dutch
+ ...
With 2 new clients actually. The first being a multinational agency that took over (and completely integrated) an old client, but only sent me proposals at unacceptable rates, until they didn't in January. Meanwhile I have been sent another proposal, again at an unacceptable rate, so I doubt this will become a sustainable business relationship. Perhaps this agency also doesn't count as 'new client', because it cost me a (better) old client. At least they paid swiftly.
The second new... See more With 2 new clients actually. The first being a multinational agency that took over (and completely integrated) an old client, but only sent me proposals at unacceptable rates, until they didn't in January. Meanwhile I have been sent another proposal, again at an unacceptable rate, so I doubt this will become a sustainable business relationship. Perhaps this agency also doesn't count as 'new client', because it cost me a (better) old client. At least they paid swiftly.
The second new client is also a multinational agency that purchased an old one, but that old client keeps operating as a separate entity, so in this case I can speak of a real new client. I was offered a nice project that will keep me busy for over a week, with the possibility that I will receive more batches of the same type of material in the coming months. The 'problem' with new clients is that you don't have an idea yet if they will be happy with your work, or if they will pay (timely), but this second client looks more promising than the first one anyway.
So I can say that this new client activity is rather unusual, because on average I normally don't obtain more new clients than 1 per year (taking into account that I don't put any effort in looking). ▲ Collapse
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| Yes, but probably of little importance | Feb 23, 2023 |
11 clients so far this year (23 February), of which 9 are regulars, 2 are back after three or more years, and 1 is new. All direct except for one regular agency. My new clients generally turn out to be small or very small. A new client that turns out to be big (by "big" I mean over 10% of my annual turnover) comes along every five years or so (I'm guessing, but it's about that). So far this year, four of my clients have delivered 82.4% of my turnover. The one job I've had from the new client amo... See more 11 clients so far this year (23 February), of which 9 are regulars, 2 are back after three or more years, and 1 is new. All direct except for one regular agency. My new clients generally turn out to be small or very small. A new client that turns out to be big (by "big" I mean over 10% of my annual turnover) comes along every five years or so (I'm guessing, but it's about that). So far this year, four of my clients have delivered 82.4% of my turnover. The one job I've had from the new client amounts to 0.6% of the work I've done so far this year, so it's of little importance, and I'm not really expecting much more from these people - though one never knows...
To put it all into perspective, I normally work with about 40 clients a year, a bit more than half the number I used to work with ten to fifteen years ago.
Simon ▲ Collapse
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Simon Turner wrote:
11 clients so far this year (23 February), of which 9 are regulars, 2 are back after three or more years, and 1 is new.
I’d say translation was a better choice of career for you than maths teacher then 😂😂
I haven’t had any new clients this year and don’t expect to. Half a dozen regulars is plenty.
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I secured my latest new sporadically returning customer two years ago exactly.
I sometimes feel like a polar bear on its ice sheet of long-term customers, hoping the winter will not be too mild so that it doesn't need to go to town to scavenge leftovers from rubbish bins while waiting for seals to recover from near-extinction.
Philippe
[Edited at 2023-02-23 17:06 GMT]
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Ice Scream wrote:
I’d say translation was a better choice of career for you than maths teacher then 😂😂
How right you are! 8 regulars.
Simon
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Kay Denney 
France
Local time: 18:14
French to English
I voted "no" but I'm wondering whether a job I handed in yesterday should count or not. It was for an entity I have never sent a bill to, so yes it's a new client. But the translation was commissioned by someone who was already a client. She usually sends me stuff for her day job, and this latest translation was for one of her side hustles.
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