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Client frequently deletes spaces to reduce wordcount
Thread poster: Bart Vergauwe
Bart Vergauwe
Bart Vergauwe  Identity Verified
Belgium
Local time: 20:31
Member (2010)
English to Dutch
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May 11, 2016

I have a client who frequently deletes spaces in the original texts to reduce the total wordcount, for example after colons, spaces, numbers etc.

In this last particular case I have received a text of 2500 words that actually contains 3200 words when the spaces are back in place. Have any of you ever experienced such a thing and how have you dealt with it?


 
Elvira Alves Barry
Elvira Alves Barry  Identity Verified
Local time: 19:31
Member (2007)
Portuguese to English
This is why it's important to check the document before accepting it... May 11, 2016

in order make sure there are no "misunderstandings"!

 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
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English to Portuguese
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Can't understand what you mean! May 11, 2016

Words are words and spaces are spaces, even if you add 100 spaces between 2 words there's still 2 words!

 
Jo Macdonald
Jo Macdonald  Identity Verified
Spain
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Member (2005)
Italian to English
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HiIhaveaprettybigprojecttotranslate May 11, 2016

Takeyourtimeit'snorush.It'sabout100pagesbutI'vedeletedalltheunecessaryspacesandthefinalwordcountisjustONEbigword.


 
Peter Shortall
Peter Shortall  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Romanian to English
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Has happened to me once or twice May 11, 2016

Teresa Borges wrote:

Words are words and spaces are spaces, even if you add 100 spaces between 2 words there's still 2 words!


This is about spaces being deleted, not added. This reduces the word count.

@Bart: I have had maybe two or three files like this in the past, although never two from the same client and not with such a large reduction in the word count. On the previous occasions, I only noticed after I had accepted the jobs and POs, but if it happened again, I would simply point out how many words there actually are and say that I expect to be paid for the actual word count once the spaces have been restored.


 
Thomas T. Frost
Thomas T. Frost  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 19:31
Danish to English
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They'll need to pay the actual count May 11, 2016

If they do it on purpose, it's outright cheating.

In any case, they'll need to pay for the actual number of words.


 
Bart Vergauwe
Bart Vergauwe  Identity Verified
Belgium
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English to Dutch
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TOPIC STARTER
Numbers May 11, 2016

What about numbers?

e.g.

1200:example text

instead of

1200: example text


 
Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
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Member (2007)
English
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Clients must pay for ALL the work they order May 11, 2016

Thomas T. Frost wrote:
If they do it on purpose, it's outright cheating.

In any case, they'll need to pay for the actual number of words.

If I thought they were doing it on purpose I would maybe write them a stern warning and then give them one more chance, or else I'd simply stop working with them. How can you have a successful business relationship when one partner is cheating you? I know some marriage partners turn a blind eye to their partner's bad behaviour, but business has to be more about the head and less about the heart.

Someone who leaves out the odd space is a bit different and I overlook the odd mistake. I'd quickly learn to spell-check their texts before counting the words.


 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:31
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Deal May 11, 2016

Bart Vergauwe wrote:

I have a client who frequently deletes spaces in the original texts to reduce the total wordcount, for example after colons, spaces, numbers etc.

In this last particular case I have received a text of 2500 words that actually contains 3200 words when the spaces are back in place. Have any of you ever experienced such a thing and how have you dealt with it?


I would deal with it by refusing to work for that client. They are obviously mean-spirited.


 
Katalin Horváth McClure
Katalin Horváth McClure  Identity Verified
United States
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Member (2002)
English to Hungarian
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Could be Word incompatibility? May 11, 2016

I am just throwing this out here, as an idea.
Are you sure it is a deliberate modification on the client's part?
I have Word 2007. Sometimes I get docx files that were created with newer versions of Word, and I have no problem handling them. Once in a while though, I get a docx file that when I open it, many of the spaces are gone. Not all of them, and I have not tried to figure out a pattern, although I remember the last time spaces disappeared from before and after words that were
... See more
I am just throwing this out here, as an idea.
Are you sure it is a deliberate modification on the client's part?
I have Word 2007. Sometimes I get docx files that were created with newer versions of Word, and I have no problem handling them. Once in a while though, I get a docx file that when I open it, many of the spaces are gone. Not all of them, and I have not tried to figure out a pattern, although I remember the last time spaces disappeared from before and after words that were bolded, email addresses and web URLs that were in sentences. I am not sure which version of Word those docx files are generated with, but my solution is to ask the client to open the file on their computer, see if the spaces are there, and if yes, ask them to use "Save as" and save it as a "doc" file for older versions of Word, and send that file to me.
That solves the problem.
If the spaces are missing at the client's site as well, then they need to go back to the end client and request new files.
Katalin
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Jennifer Forbes
Jennifer Forbes  Identity Verified
Local time: 19:31
French to English
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In memoriam
Target count May 11, 2016

... or you could inform the agency that you'll be charging them according to the target count in which, presumably, you will have restored all the missing spaces between words. If the agency doesn't agree, you'd ask them to provide fresh files with the spaces reinstated.

 
Martin Schefski
Martin Schefski  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 20:31
Member (2012)
English to German
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Check the file before accepting it! May 11, 2016

If you tell the client that his word count is not accurate and he is still not willing to adjust the PO, then he is apparently trying to fool you. In this case you should really stop working for him and leave a negative comment on ProZ's Blue Board.

Obviously, mistakes can always happen on both sides and need to be clarified and forgiven, but no agency should be allowed to successfully scam their translators. That would be unfair towards us as translators and towards honest translat
... See more
If you tell the client that his word count is not accurate and he is still not willing to adjust the PO, then he is apparently trying to fool you. In this case you should really stop working for him and leave a negative comment on ProZ's Blue Board.

Obviously, mistakes can always happen on both sides and need to be clarified and forgiven, but no agency should be allowed to successfully scam their translators. That would be unfair towards us as translators and towards honest translation agencies.
Collapse


 
Robert Forstag
Robert Forstag  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 15:31
Spanish to English
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The simplest solution May 11, 2016

Jenny Forbes wrote:

... or you could inform the agency that you'll be charging them according to the target count in which, presumably, you will have restored all the missing spaces between words. If the agency doesn't agree, you'd ask them to provide fresh files with the spaces reinstated.


Always billing on the basis of target word count would indeed be the simplest solution here.


 
Fiona Grace Peterson
Fiona Grace Peterson  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 20:31
Italian to English
Frequently??? May 11, 2016

Bart Vergauwe wrote:

I have a client who frequently deletes spaces in the original texts to reduce the total wordcount


Your client frequently does this? To me this would be a major red flag - a working relationship has to be based on mutual trust and respect, otherwise it's going to go sour, sooner or later.

Given that time is money, this behaviour - assuming that it is deliberate - must be costing the client money somewhere along the line, since it will take time to remove these spaces. And is it really worth it in the long run, economically speaking?

Frankly I find it all a bit bizarre! If that's what they will resort to in order to pay less, whatever will be next? Pressuring you to reduce your rates? Late or non-payment?

I would drop them if I were you - there are plenty of other clients out there who are actually worth your time.


 
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Client frequently deletes spaces to reduce wordcount







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