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Poll: "The client is always right", do you agree?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
May 25, 2024

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question ""The client is always right", do you agree?".

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Anton Konashenok
Anton Konashenok  Identity Verified
Czech Republic
Local time: 05:33
French to English
+ ...
Almost... May 25, 2024

The question reminds me of a sign seen many years ago in a pub in California:

THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT
but it's up to us to decide if you are one

Angie Garbarino
Baran Keki
Dan Lucas
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Chris Says Bye
P.L.F. Persio
Yuri Larin
 
Alex Lichanow
Alex Lichanow
Germany
Local time: 05:33
English to German
+ ...
Absolutely not May 25, 2024

I have seen disastrous client reviews, so still considering the client right would be too much of a stretch. It's all about staying professional and making them understand why exactly they aren't right in those cases.

[Edited at 2024-05-25 10:13 GMT]

P.L.F. Persio
Michael Harris
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 04:33
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
N/A May 25, 2024

The sentence in question seems to imply that a customer complained because the translation contained mistakes. I don't want to jinx it but I haven't had any complaints for over 10 years and even before that only on very few occasions had any clients complaining about my work. Anyway, I must say that age and experience made me realize that there are no absolute answers and that there is always a lot to learn. So, I try to stay open-minded, I treat my customers with respect and I expect the same f... See more
The sentence in question seems to imply that a customer complained because the translation contained mistakes. I don't want to jinx it but I haven't had any complaints for over 10 years and even before that only on very few occasions had any clients complaining about my work. Anyway, I must say that age and experience made me realize that there are no absolute answers and that there is always a lot to learn. So, I try to stay open-minded, I treat my customers with respect and I expect the same from them…

[Edited at 2024-05-25 18:54 GMT] ▲ Collapse


ADIE Translations
Philip Lees
 
Pavel Mondschein
Pavel Mondschein  Identity Verified
Czech Republic
Local time: 05:33
English to Czech
+ ...
"... in matters of taste" May 25, 2024

The proper saying is: "The customer is always right, in matters of taste." The second part is very important. As for "being / not being right" from factual point of view, it is our duty as linguist professionals to inform the client when they are not right.

P.L.F. Persio
Kay Denney
Daryo
 
Lingua 5B
Lingua 5B  Identity Verified
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 05:33
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
Vague poll May 25, 2024

Vague and poorly formulated poll, impossible to answer.

But let’s put it this way: you can make a customer believe they are right. I do this when a customer keeps taking too much extra time for which they didn’t pay and I estimate they won’t be able to pay.
 
Michele Fauble
Michele Fauble  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 21:33
Norwegian to English
+ ...
“Right” May 25, 2024

“Right” yes, right, no.
 


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Poll: "The client is always right", do you agree?






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