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Starting a New Collaboration

                                     

Now is a time of great change in the world, and in business. Many companies will need to re-invent themselves, people will change careers, and others will continue as before. Workload is always somewhat uncertain in our industry, but I think it will fluctuate more than usual during the next six months. Are you already seeing any trends among your clients? Is it time to diversify your books? Have you considered working for clients in a different time zone?

Here is your chance. Agencies will be looking to recruit new translators, and freelancers will be looking for new clients.

The start of a new partnership is always exacting, but it can also be a period of adaptation, to ensure both partners can (and will) work smoothly together. I would like to highlight five points that, in my opinion, are often underrated when starting a new partnership:

Online Presence:

This is the year 2020: half of the global population has internet access. There is no excuse not to have an updated website, blog, social media profile, LinkedIn profile, Proz.com profile, etc. It is not only that advertising your services online is the best way to get new clients and to recruit new suppliers, but it is also a reference point for your partner in case they want to give you public recommendations, be up-to-date with the personal side of your business, or be reminded of your skills and services, etc.

Payment terms and Rates:

This might sound obvious to some people, but make sure you know how much you are charging to each one of your partner for each individual project. Include the payment grid when using a CAT tool, discounts, rush fees, etc. The same applies to payment terms: is your partner paying 30 days after the deadline, or 30 days after the invoicing date? Ensuring that you are both on the same page from the beginning of the partnership will help you avoiding stressful situations or disappointment in the future.

Invoicing:

Every business has a different invoicing process: online platforms, invoicing departments, etc. Maybe it is the project or vendor managers who deal with invoices, and payment queries? Are you required to use a template? What is the key information you need to add to your invoice? Be aware of all these details when you start working with a new partner to know what to do once you finish your first assignment.

Availability:

Because of the uncertainty of the workload, you might want to remind your partner that you are available or unavailable during certain periods of time. Keep in touch often, and let them know your availability, so they can keep you in mind (or discard you) when there is a new job. If you are not working or have got limited availability, make sure to set up an auto-reply email. Good communication between partners is always key, and helps to build trust.

Confidentiality and Security:

Given the nature of the content of some projects, specific confidentiality measures might be required by one of the partners e.g. cleaning your cookies and browser history at the end of each working day, accessing specific platforms with a unique password, etc. Unfortunately, not being aware of such measures is not a valid defence, and you might get into trouble if the necessary requirements are not followed. The same advice applies to security requirements, as some Terms and Conditions state whether a back up for the jobs you are working on is needed periodically, and for how long you are allowed to keep those documents on your records. My advice is to ensure you are aware of any specific measures before starting a new project.

Sometimes, we can get carried away, and try to get through the on-boarding process as fast as possible in order to start working with a new partner at the earliest opportunity. However, remember to pay special attention to the points above the next time you agree on a new partnership, as this will help to ensure it lasts longer.
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