| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4] > | Anything and everything about vendor management, just ask. Thread poster: RESOURCEFUL L10
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| Different names for the same thing. | Jun 22, 2021 |
Kay-Viktor Stegemann wrote: Teresa Borges wrote:
Let’s start by using the correct terminology: I’m not a vendor, I don’t sell goods to my customers, I provide a service (translation, transcreation, editing and proofreading)… Teresa, this is just simple business terminology. From an accounting perspective, every entity that sells goods or services to a business is a vendor. That can be the supplier of prefabricated parts, the Internet provider, lawyers, tax consultants, subcontractors, caterers, every person or business that invoices something is a vendor. Even Sir Elton John would be a vendor to a business if he sold them a song for a new commercial, so the term does not diminish the art you put into you work. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vendor
Yes, call it "partner" if you'd like, I know different companies call it different things.
| | | | | Sure, that can be done too. | Jun 22, 2021 |
Ivana Kahle wrote:
Hello Carmen,
why don't you write an article or a case study about the topic?
Chatting about it doesn't make much sense.
Regards,
Ivana
I have already done it but I find this format much more interactive and interesting.
| | | | | Great question! | Jun 22, 2021 |
Robert Rietvelt wrote:
...... but what is 'vendor management' in the context of translation?
We are in charge of the company's database: making sure it is up-to-date and has all the information and vendors the company needs to perform successfully.
We take care of the vendors building long-term business relationships and engaging with them regularly.
We recruit vendors and support project managers on projects (quotes/live).
We monitor costs so the company is profitable by negotiating with vendors and reporting regularly to the upper manager of the company.
In some companies, we also monitor the vendors' performance making sure feedback is given and the desired results are achieved.
| | | | | I am afraid not... | Jun 22, 2021 |
Matthias Brombach wrote: Robert Rietvelt wrote:
...... but what is 'vendor management' in the context of translation? To place the translation job to a "vendor" who offers the "best rate".
That would be the project manager's responsibility in most companies.
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| In my experience... | Jun 22, 2021 |
Jean Dimitriadis wrote:
How translation-savvy should a vendor manager be?
You definitely need to know Excel (for reporting) and Outlook as we mainly work with emails when communicating with vendors.
We also work with TMS platforms like XTRF, Plunet, etc. but training in given on the job as far as I have seen.
Some companies also use tracking tools like Jira and others to divide tasks and be more efficient.
| | | | | Yes, unfortunately. | Jun 22, 2021 |
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL wrote:
the only time that "vendor management" contacts me they ask me to reduce my rates? Every.Single.Time.
I am afraid that is what most of us end up doing when the company doesn't invest in a good vendor management department.
Although, our job is to take care of all the vendors, most companies just see it as a tool to support the project management team, and their objectives involve improving margins.
We are trying hard to make companies understand that vendors are more important than that, but it is a slow change that hopefully will happen in the future.
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Matthias Brombach wrote: Robert Rietvelt wrote:
...... but what is 'vendor management' in the context of translation? To place the translation job to a "vendor" who offers the "best rate".
OK, so I have nothing to worry about. They won't contact me, and if they accidently do, they won't do so again.
[Edited at 2021-06-22 13:08 GMT]
[Edited at 2021-06-22 13:15 GMT]
[Edited at 2021-06-22 16:30 GMT]
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RESOURCEFUL L10 wrote:
and their objectives involve improving margins.
We are trying hard to make companies understand that vendors are more important than that, but it is a slow change that hopefully will happen in the future.
I'm just about to fire one of my "clients" who are literally now taking the proverbial... no respect for their valuable "resources", as you would say. I understand trying to reduce margins, but the relationship should be that of a fruitful collaboration in order to offer the best product at the correct price, for both. Unfortunately, this collaboration is heavily skewed towards the agency/client. Examples? Using CAT tools to impose discounts, migrating to PEMT to improve margins but reducing quality, using silly and highly complex platforms to make PMs' lives a lot easier but complicating and in some cases totally eliminating any interactions with the freelancers. Migrating from functionality-rich CAT tools to cloud ones with poor usability and minimal functions. Shall I continue? We feel like cows at the cattle market. It's really time you wake up and explain your clients what translation is really about. It's really depressing.
[Edited at 2021-06-22 13:21 GMT]
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Baran Keki 
Türkiye
Local time: 13:32
Member
English to Turkish
| TonyTK
German to English
+ ...
| Welcome to the ... | Jun 22, 2021 |
... "shoot first ask questions later" section of ProZ, Carmen.
(I'll be saving some of the replies to you for when my granddaughter brings home her first boyfriend.)
| | | | Jossy Res
France
Local time: 12:32
French to Dutch
+ ...
| Vendor agreements | Jun 22, 2021 |
Hi,
I was wondering what you think about translation agencies that only provide purchase orders for their translation jobs, and no vendor agreement / contract.
In my opinion there needs to be a contract for a solid basis.
Thanks for your feedback.
Best regards,
Jo
| | | | | Sounds good, but ..... | Jun 22, 2021 |
RESOURCEFUL L10 wrote: Robert Rietvelt wrote:
...... but what is 'vendor management' in the context of translation? We are in charge of the company's database: making sure it is up-to-date and has all the information and vendors the company needs to perform successfully. We take care of the vendors building long-term business relationships and engaging with them regularly. We recruit vendors and support project managers on projects (quotes/live). We monitor costs so the company is profitable by negotiating with vendors and reporting regularly to the upper manager of the company. In some companies, we also monitor the vendors' performance making sure feedback is given and the desired results are achieved.
.... there is theory, and there is reality. If you want to know what I mean, please see Giovanni's thread above, says it all.
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Jossy Res wrote:
Hi,
I was wondering what you think about translation agencies that only provide purchase orders for their translation jobs, and no vendor agreement / contract.
In my opinion there needs to be a contract for a solid basis.
Thanks for your feedback.
Best regards,
Jo
I would never work for anyone that is not able to offer me a contract and I would recommend to always sign a contract before working with a company.
The contract outlines the responsibilities for both parties, so you make sure you are going to get paid and they make sure you will deliver the job.
Each PO is a contract in itself, as it has all the details of the project you are about to work on, so it should always be sent before the files, if possible.
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TonyTK wrote:
... "shoot first ask questions later" section of ProZ, Carmen.
(I'll be saving some of the replies to you for when my granddaughter brings home her first boyfriend.)
Thanks, Tony.  I kind of expected it when I started the thread to be honest.
I really love my job and I am aware of the massive gap of understanding between freelancers and translation companies, so I do hope this discussion will help to close that gap a bit.
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Jossy Res wrote:
Hi,
I was wondering what you think about translation agencies that only provide purchase orders for their translation jobs, and no vendor agreement / contract.
In my opinion there needs to be a contract for a solid basis.
Thanks for your feedback.
Best regards,
Jo
I must say that I’ve been working with most of my long-standing customers with no NDAs, no contracts and no formal POs, and in case of a lawsuit I can confidently say that the emails exchanged are more than enough.
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