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Poll: Do you like working with companies that have a dedicated Vendor Manager?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
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Oct 15, 2020

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you like working with companies that have a dedicated Vendor Manager?".

This poll was originally submitted by Diego_CW. View the poll results »



 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
No Oct 15, 2020

I’ve always found that the existence of a vendor manager or a vendor management team is a sure-fire sign of a company that doesn’t give two hoots about its suppliers.

PS I really hate being called a vendor.

PPS Just to elaborate, an agency with a good relationship between PMs and translators doesn't need vendor managers.


[Edited at 2020-10-15 09:53 GMT]


Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Apolonia Dermit
Becca Resnik
Aline Amorim
Thayenga
Heather Oland
Mariana Borio
 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 17:27
Spanish to English
+ ...
Other Oct 15, 2020

I only work with one agency, very occasionally (only once this year, a small job) and they don't have a vendor manager. I also hate being called a vendor and dislike its current widespread use as synonymous with "supplier". To me, the most frequent collocation with "vendor" would be peanut/ice cream, and I've always associated it with street sellers, or maybe vending machines.

Mervyn Henderson (X)
Christel Zipfel
Nurettin Ceylan
Christopher Schröder
Philip Lees
Mariana Borio
Laura Kingdon
 
Mervyn Henderson (X)
Mervyn Henderson (X)  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 17:27
Spanish to English
+ ...
Down with vendors Oct 15, 2020

#Metoo. But it's better than being called a "customer" by your own customer, which I've experienced too.

Christopher Schröder
Noni Gilbert Riley
expressisverbis
 
Christel Zipfel
Christel Zipfel  Identity Verified
Local time: 17:27
Member (2004)
Italian to German
+ ...
I also hate being called a linguist Oct 15, 2020

Chris S wrote:


PS I really hate being called a vendor.


which seems to have come into fashion lately. I'm not a linguist, I'm a translator!


Martina Baričević
Aisha Maniar
Christopher Schröder
Laura Kingdon
expressisverbis
Becca Resnik
 
Kevin Fulton
Kevin Fulton  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 12:27
German to English
My own experience Oct 16, 2020

About 15 years ago I started working for an agency with an identifiable "vendor manager". Others had "recruitment managers" or others with similar titles – but with similar functions.
This agency sent its "vendors" candy and cards at Christmas. Over time the agency sent me to Germany twice to meet its end clients, and even flew me at no little expense to their main office to meet the in-house staff. The candy and cards stopped along with a change in management. In accounting terms, I'm
... See more
About 15 years ago I started working for an agency with an identifiable "vendor manager". Others had "recruitment managers" or others with similar titles – but with similar functions.
This agency sent its "vendors" candy and cards at Christmas. Over time the agency sent me to Germany twice to meet its end clients, and even flew me at no little expense to their main office to meet the in-house staff. The candy and cards stopped along with a change in management. In accounting terms, I'm classified along with the internet provider, the copy machine repair company and the guy who delivers bottled water. What matters to me is the ongoing work I receive paid in a timely manner.

My point is that "vendor" is just a bookkeeping entry title. It doesn't matter what an agency calls you on its books if it respects you, pays on time and sends you work. In the same vein, I don't care whether my German clients call me "Dr. Fulton", "Mr. Fulton" or even "Kevin" and use the familiar form of address. The affirmation I expect is regular work paid at my rate on time.
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Liena Vijupe
Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Catherine De Crignis
Philippe Etienne
Michael Wetzel
Noni Gilbert Riley
Christine Andersen
 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 09:27
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Other Oct 16, 2020

The concept is new to me. My main clients are organizations with human resources offices that handle the contracts.

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
 
Maxi Schwarz
Maxi Schwarz  Identity Verified
Local time: 11:27
German to English
+ ...
What is a vendor manager? Oct 16, 2020

I don't think I ever encountered one of those.

Philip Lees
Tom in London
ipv
 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 13:27
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Not when they are not for real Oct 16, 2020

No, because I'm sick and tired of seeing people who use the titles "Project Manager" or "Vendor Manager" who can barely understand what you tell them. These titles have become a mere ornament, in most cases, to use a nicer title than "assistant".

Angie Garbarino
ipv
 
Liena Vijupe
Liena Vijupe  Identity Verified
Latvia
Local time: 18:27
Member (2014)
French to Latvian
+ ...
Depends Oct 16, 2020

I said no, because I find in unnecessary (usually they just send me spam they call "newsletters" or ask for information updates), but I'm actually rather indifferent. My regular clients don't seem to have vendor managers or I never hear from them if they do.

I also don't really care what they call me as long as they keep sending me work and I enjoy working with them otherwise ("you may call me a pot, just don't put in the oven" is how the saying goes over here).


Philippe Etienne
Muriel Vasconcellos
Noni Gilbert Riley
expressisverbis
 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:27
Member (2008)
Italian to English
NO idea Oct 16, 2020

I have no idea what a "Vendor Manager" is, and I suspect I don't want to know.

Rita Utt
Muriel Vasconcellos
Pascale van Kempen-Herlant
ipv
 
Corbett AM
Corbett AM  Identity Verified
Ireland
Local time: 16:27
French to English
+ ...
Talent Agent ... Oct 16, 2020

... another dubious title, whether for a translation agency or a general recruitment agency. I feel like I am about to be asked to sign up and give my life away like say pop idols, the people you would most associate with talent agencies - though actors sign up to them too - do when they are signed up by talent agencies.

Individual translators who work for themselves yet call themselves CEOs also make me wonder. Chief Executive Officer implies that you are the chief /most sen
... See more
... another dubious title, whether for a translation agency or a general recruitment agency. I feel like I am about to be asked to sign up and give my life away like say pop idols, the people you would most associate with talent agencies - though actors sign up to them too - do when they are signed up by talent agencies.

Individual translators who work for themselves yet call themselves CEOs also make me wonder. Chief Executive Officer implies that you are the chief /most senior officer of many Executive Officers and if you work for yourself - even if you outsource - you are really only senior to imaginary staff members (a 'Don't worry if seem to be talking to myself, I'm having a staff meeting' type of thing only they take it a step further).

To go back to the poll question, I also hate the title 'vendor manager' and yes it does show little concern for the translator and the work they do as well as the client.

Many translation agencies also act like general recruitment agencies i find which is why they give their staff members these titles.

That said, translation agencies who don't give themselves these titles or try to look bigger than they are in status can be no different to those that do in their way of dealing with translators. They can be just as easy or difficult to deal with.



[Edited at 2020-10-16 09:33 GMT]
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Christopher Schröder
 
Corbett AM
Corbett AM  Identity Verified
Ireland
Local time: 16:27
French to English
+ ...
Forgot to add... Oct 16, 2020

... I know we have to wear many hats working for ourselves - translator, marketer, accountant, etc, but generally a self-employed translator in their 'office' (some don't even have that) is just one person and so CEO is still a bit of a stretch.





[Edited at 2020-10-16 09:32 GMT]


Christopher Schröder
 
Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Germany
Local time: 17:27
English to German
In memoriam
Names is for tombstones, baby Oct 16, 2020

I don't care much what title people give me. You can call me vendor, linguist, resource, wolpertinger or whatnot, if it makes you happy, as long as you pay my rates. Companies that have a dedicated "vendor manager" tend to be bigger shops, often with more red tape and rules and workflows that are optimized for their own purposes and not for the purposes of translators, so they might not be the companies I like best, but it always depends on the individual agency. I like it best to work with good... See more
I don't care much what title people give me. You can call me vendor, linguist, resource, wolpertinger or whatnot, if it makes you happy, as long as you pay my rates. Companies that have a dedicated "vendor manager" tend to be bigger shops, often with more red tape and rules and workflows that are optimized for their own purposes and not for the purposes of translators, so they might not be the companies I like best, but it always depends on the individual agency. I like it best to work with good project managers who know what they do, know their translators and don't change every few months.Collapse


Liena Vijupe
Kay Denney
Philippe Etienne
Kevin Fulton
Laura Kingdon
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
expressisverbis
 
Lingua 5B
Lingua 5B  Identity Verified
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 17:27
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
It doesn't make much difference. Oct 16, 2020

Based on my experience, no difference between those that do and those that don't in terms of efficiency.

 
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Poll: Do you like working with companies that have a dedicated Vendor Manager?






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