“la parole exportée”

I have one client who qualifies for ‘Best Client,’ for these qualities:

1. planning ahead: They call as soon as they decide to hold a meeting, in order to make sure that their preferred interpreter will be free on that date. They called me yesterday for an end-of-May meeting. Purchase order is sent by return of e-mail.
2. planning professionally: They know exactly what interpreters need in order to perform, and they make plans accordingly. For preparation, they provide a full set of documents before the meeting. If equipment is needed, they retain one of the best equipment suppliers in Paris, best for hardware, and best for quality of service. The supplier they use hasn’t been recommended by me, yet I have used his services on many occasions. He has been in this market for many years, and he is very reliable.
3. looking for best value, not lowest cost: It is important for them to make sure that their participants feel at ease with the speaker, either listening to him or her directly, without interpretation, or with interpretation, and asking questions. So although they won’t splash on interpreting, they do not wrangle over money either. Because the negotiations are not a never-ending struggle, the rest of the assignment is very fluid.
4. understanding that human relations count, and suppliers have to eat: They send the check on the exact day when they receive the invoice, even though I allow for a 30-day period. I cannot stress enough that feeling responsible for your suppliers, whether you are a big company, or a small business, is part of your duty as a buyer. I have another client that has a self-imposed commitment to pay within 30 days. The money is always in my account after 29 days. That means less hassle, no frustrated phone calls, and better business relationships.
5. shall I add that their PA is wonderful to work with: efficient, trustworthy, with a good sense of humor? Yet her manager is always very busy. That could be the surest sign that she is happy working for them.

And no, this is not a myth, that client does exist. I’m happy to work for them, and I told them so yesterday. It’s so easy to take their money as a due and never say Thank you in exchange. These clients are not easy to find, but they are greatly appreciated. Can you think of one such client (or several, that’s even better), that you would like to show your appreciation to?

photo credit: mlinksva

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 15th, 2008 at 11:10 am and is filed under Interpretation, Small Business. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.