Disclosure of brand names Autor vlákna: Ines Burrell
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Ines Burrell 
Velká Británie
Local time: 19:49
Člen (2004)
angličtina -> lotyština
+ ...
An agency sent me email asking if I would like to join their technical translators' team. They have attached a questionnaire and asked me to write what brand manuals I have translated.
I cannot make up my mind, if I am supposed to disclose this info or not. It is clearly not the question whether I have worked for these companies. Even so, I have signed non-disclosure agreements (standard) but to be honest, I have no idea, if cases like this are covered. I am kind of tempted to say I am no... See more An agency sent me email asking if I would like to join their technical translators' team. They have attached a questionnaire and asked me to write what brand manuals I have translated.
I cannot make up my mind, if I am supposed to disclose this info or not. It is clearly not the question whether I have worked for these companies. Even so, I have signed non-disclosure agreements (standard) but to be honest, I have no idea, if cases like this are covered. I am kind of tempted to say I am not at liberty to disclose the information. Or maybe I am?
Thanks,
Burrell ▲ Collapse
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| Intuition... | Nov 16, 2005 |
I'd say, go with your gut feeling on this. Personally, I wouldn't disclose the names of any of my clients unless they had expressly allowed me to do so (my 2 cents).
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Ines Burrell
Velká Británie
Local time: 19:49
Člen (2004)
angličtina -> lotyština
+ ...
AUTOR TÉMATU | They are not my clients | Nov 16, 2005 |
That is the problem here. Say, I work for agency A and translate a manual of a B company product. It is the B company name that they are interested in.
I am reluctant to do it, but thought I'd better check it out first.
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| I still wouldn't... | Nov 16, 2005 |
Burrell wrote:
That is the problem here. Say, I work for agency A and translate a manual of a B company product. It is the B company name that they are interested in.
I am reluctant to do it, but thought I'd better check it out first.
Some aencies have their freelance translators sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), but even if I haven't been asked to do so, I - for one - usually assume an implicit agreement not to disclose their clients either. In fact, I generally don't disclose anything at all (call them my personal business ethics, if you will).
When in doubt, I would ask the agencies for their consent first before making any disclosures (again, IMHO).
[Edited at 2005-11-16 12:10]
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| I agree with Derek | Nov 16, 2005 |
Even if I did not sign a non-disclosure agreement I do not talk about my translations neither the compagnies. you should ask the agency concerning that.
Lise
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| I'd double-check the non-disclosure agreement, and ask the agency | Nov 16, 2005 |
Hi Barrell, hi all.
Personally I'd double-check the non-diclosure agreement to see if it says something about this case, and if in doubt, I'd ask my client (the agency) if they're fine with my telling which product's manuals I've translated.
HTH,
Best regards,
Jerónimo
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Ines Burrell
Velká Británie
Local time: 19:49
Člen (2004)
angličtina -> lotyština
+ ...
AUTOR TÉMATU | That's what I thought | Nov 16, 2005 |
And to be honest it is too much trouble because I would have to start a mass mailing project and I do not have time for that. I was quite surprised to receive this type of request, it did not sound too professional. They will just have to accept a "company X manual on production line Y" description or look elsewhere.
Thanks for the input!
[Edited at 2005-11-16 15:48]
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| the same situation | Nov 16, 2005 |
and it seems that we've been contacted by the same agency as well. I let them know I wouldn't disclose brand names, as in several NDAs that is a strict condition-no information can be handed over to any third party...
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Javier Herrera (X)
španělština
Burrell wrote:
I was quite surprised to receive this type of request, it did not sound too professional.
Now, it doesn't sound alright to me, either. They may even be trying to poach direct clients. Now, if you give them B's details -the brand name-, then C -your new agency- will know B needs Latvian translations, and can contact B and offer their services.
J.
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Ines Burrell
Velká Británie
Local time: 19:49
Člen (2004)
angličtina -> lotyština
+ ...
AUTOR TÉMATU | That's a thought! | Nov 16, 2005 |
Quite possible. I just do not see why should they explicitly ask for the brand names. That could explain it.
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Vladimir Dubisskiy
Spojené státy americké
Local time: 13:49
Člen (2001)
angličtina -> ruština
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| i doubt that NDA prohibits such a disclosure | Nov 17, 2005 |
Not sure though, but you could not say that you, say, translated the ops manual for Microsoft? What is the possible harm to Microsoft here?
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Heinrich Pesch
Finsko
Local time: 21:49
Člen (2003)
finština -> němčina
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| What sense does it make anyway? | Nov 17, 2005 |
Anyone could claim having translated some manuals for Microsoft or Nokia. So this does not make sense to me. But I never give any references about my customers, and leave such details empty when filling in a questionaire. Anyhow those agencies, who want to know all kind of details never send jobs, that's my experience.
Regards
Heinrich
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tarpo (X)
angličtina -> nizozemština
| I received the same | Nov 17, 2005 |
Anyhow those agencies, who want to know all kind of details never send jobs, that's my experience.
But the agency is one of my best clients (30% of my turnover). It was easy to fill in because I never translated for the companies listed in the questionnaire.
I never disclose the names of my direct or indirect clients but mention that I have XX years of experience in the XX field.
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Angus Woo
Local time: 02:49
čínština -> angličtina
+ ...
| This is true | Nov 17, 2005 |
Heinrich Pesch wrote:
Anyone could claim having translated some manuals for Microsoft or Nokia. So this does not make sense to me. But I never give any references about my customers, and leave such details empty when filling in a questionaire. Anyhow those agencies, who want to know all kind of details never send jobs, that's my experience.
Regards
Heinrich
Usually an agency won't need to ask about everything other than your ability to translate. There is no point of doing that. It is the translation skill that they want not your client's business secrets.
If there is any doubt whatsoever, they could well ask you to do a trial translation which is obviously much better than a possibly massaged CV.
Action is always more convincing than words.
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