Prospective Clients
Every inquirer is asked to provide the following information, which, needless to say, must be true:
- your complete name and company name
- your URL and e-mail addresses
- your mailing address and telephone number
- an objective description of the document(s) to be translated, or of the services requested
- due date, and all other relevant information concerning the assignment.
Consultation
A free consultation by telephone or e-mail—generally not exceeding 15 minutes—is available to assess general clients’ requirements, after which a consultation fee applies.
Bids
- I do not get involved in government bids, “sealed bidding,” the “issuance of an Invitation for Bid” (“IFB”), “Requests for Quotations” (“RFQs”), “Negotiated Procurement” used to negotiate procurements to communicate government requirements to prospective contractors for planning process, etc. Please see “Quotes” in the next section.
- Government officials and procurement agencies are invited to call when INTENDING to use my services, and when ready and serious about negotiating mutually acceptable terms and pay for my time and services. Negotiating a quote, administrative or otherwise related tasks are billable.
Fees
Rates to hire Diane Goullard, French and English Communication Services™ as a translator, interpreter, voiceover talent, consultant, or speaker, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. Rates vary based on a number of factors including some described in this website and other factors. Estimates, quotes, or price range given without seeing the documents to be translated or without a full knowledge of all the particulars of an assignment, are intended to serve only as a guideline. In some cases, the actual price may be above or below the stated fee.
Free quotes
When expectations are clearly defined, the particularities of the assignment are straightforward, each party clearly understands what is needed and expected, the decision-maker is the information taker, the user is clearly defined, the discussion time is brief (often less than 15 minutes), one or two brief exchanges totalling less than 15 minutes generally suffice to set the stage of the assignment.
More elaborate quotes
Some quotes are more elaborate and will necessitate I be paid a consulting fee: the parties inquiring or the nature of the situation require some back-and-forth, are of a delicate nature, a client wants extra special care, extraneous parties are involved in the negotiating process, testing, bidding, shopping around are over or covert, some or a lot of explaining needs to be had, unconscious or wounded feelings, projections prevent the deal from moving forward, time needs to be spent ironing details for smooth sailing, research has to be conducted just to answer a question, studying and research may need to be done before the assignment can be performed, and so on.
Customer Service With Psychological Value Leading To Well-Being
Whether you are calling for your own language needs, your agency’s, or your company’s, personalized service and direct answers promote quality of life, increases your self-worth, reduces stress, helps you feel valued, allows you to better meet your needs (Maslow’s hierarchy of needs). The following are the promises I make about what I can control about my approach and my services and what can hopefully lead you to experience the following:
- By being listened to, understood, and heard || You feel validated
- Receiving a direct response to your request || You experience psychological peace, relaxation, you do not have to get in a competitive, fighting mode
- By my paying attention to you, promoting harmony in the customer exchange taking place || You experience maximized success, minimized problems, you are saved from nervous chaos and confusion, problems down the road
- By providing a personalized response tailored to your specific needs and not made to fit another’s, by not lipsing customer service, but actually taking the time to listen and serve you || You experience greater well-being, you feel valued, you experience positive and constructive energy leading to a healthier experience
- Time devoted listening to you, or reading what concerns you || You feel positive, valued, you experience respect
- Speaking with one individual where ‘the buck stops’ || You don’t waste time being transferred from this recording to that recording, from this department to that department, you save frustration and aggravation
- Speaking with you in your native French or your native English || You are saved innumerable frustrations, you experience a sense of home, comfort, belonging
- I constantly upgrade and improve my personal (self-growth) and my professional skills to give professional and competent service || You receive value for your money, you experience humanity!
- I strive, daily, to give my best. (Scroll to “Anyway – The Paradoxical Commandments, by Kent M. Keith” on my Networking page) to learn more about this philosophy of life || I expect you to do the same – together we can make a difference and have a better world
- Assurance of quality – your work is being conducted by a capable professional who has extensive training, who is constantly stretching to give the best she can || You will receive personal attention, your information will be kept confidential.
Service and Cancellation
There is a time to give, and a time to receive.
Under circumstances where my time has been invested to meet your request for information or services—and you will know that because that fact will have been communicated beforehand, and/or, you will have the vague, or not so vague, sensation of “getting somethin’ for nothin’”—, and/or where other engagements have been turned down for you, the prospect, and/or where other professionals have been contacted and their time promised, considered, or put on hold for you, and/or in other circumstances justifying a compensation be had…
In such cases, Diane reserves the right to receive a consultation fee, or to stop serving you, and/or to receive a cancellation fee not to exceed the amount of principal of the assignment that would have been had. This policy will be applied with good-will and in good faith, on an individual basis, based on the assignment and the particulars for each individual and set of circumstances.
Samples and Tests
Samples and tests, specific to you, your assignments, or industry, can be ordered for compensation.
Method
As a human translator, I use up to date research methods and tools, which do not include machine translation, translation memory, universal semantic processing. Please remember that globalization, technology, or force do not outweigh the necessity for communicating with one another, and giving and receiving compassionate understanding. Please click here, to read more information on my professional style. Thank you.
Billing And Cancellation Policies
I am a reasonable person, not a machine, and I care. If you have an issue, please discuss it with me.
All clients must have some form of work order with me, the author of this website, Diane Goullard, aka French and English Communication Services™, before work can proceed. New clients are required to submit half of, or the total, balance due as prepayment, and the remaining balance, if any, upon delivery of the finished product, as determined by French and English Communication Services℠. Established clients may negotiate financial terms with French and English Communication Services℠ on an individual basis. Payment is accepted via corporate or personal check or money order, in U.S. dollars only. Work may or may not proceed until the check has cleared.
The majority of Clients pay upfront. Some repeat clients benefit from the privilege of paying within 30 days. Terms are set at either Net-before-work-begins, or Net (net amount due as specified in work order). Balances not paid by their due date become past due. Past due balances are subject to two additional charges: a late fee, AND an hourly fee for my administrative time spent reminding you what you already know you should have done and didn’t do. In any event, talk with me about what is causing the delay.
Balances not paid when due become delinquent and may be forwarded to a collection agency. Accounts forwarded to a collection agency become a matter outside of the control of French and English Communication Services™. The late accounts incur further collection fees, extra fees for my time, in addition to the original balance due. The name(s) of the owing individual(s) may become a matter of public record and the resulting action may also be posted on this website. Once a delinquent account is submitted to a collection agency, the client becomes responsible for dealing with that agency directly, and the original amount owed will have nearly doubled. If you think about it two seconds, it’s really not worth it! Doing the right thing from the start will make you feel a lot better, I guaranty it. Accounts that necessitate legal action will be responsible for any and all related legal fees incurred by French and English Communication Services™, in addition to the original balance due, late fees and interest. These accounts may also be subject to legal processing fee of 20% or more as well as legal fees.
By using or continuing to use the services of Diane Goullard, French and English Communication Services℠ LLC, you agree to these terms and conditions. Contact Diane the moment you know something isn’t working for you to discuss and resolve the situation amicably. The sooner, the better. Escalating the matter is rarely the most rewarding solution.
