Rush translation work disguised as discount-worthy volume work
Thread poster: Jeff Whittaker
Jeff Whittaker
Jeff Whittaker  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 02:16
Member (2002)
Spanish to English
+ ...
May 25, 2016

I've noticed a recent trend in requests lately and I was wondering if this is occurring globally:

Companies contacting you with large projects (> 100,000 words), requesting a discount rate for the large volume, but they are not asking you to complete the entire project yourself. Instead, the deadline is so short (2-4 days) that even though you are welcome to "take as much as you want", the amount that you can actually take (and still do proper work) is either only a small fraction o
... See more
I've noticed a recent trend in requests lately and I was wondering if this is occurring globally:

Companies contacting you with large projects (> 100,000 words), requesting a discount rate for the large volume, but they are not asking you to complete the entire project yourself. Instead, the deadline is so short (2-4 days) that even though you are welcome to "take as much as you want", the amount that you can actually take (and still do proper work) is either only a small fraction of the job (hence no volume discount is warranted) or you take on a larger portion and work overtime (in which case a rush fee, rather than a discount, would be due).

This is not to imply that I believe in volume discounts, but companies still request them.

[Edited at 2016-05-25 15:00 GMT]
Collapse


 
Soonthon LUPKITARO(Ph.D.)
Soonthon LUPKITARO(Ph.D.)  Identity Verified
Thailand
Local time: 13:16
English to Thai
+ ...
Declining rates May 25, 2016

LegalTransform wrote:

Companies contacting you with large projects (> 100,000 words), requesting a discount rate for the large volume, but they are not asking you to complete the entire project yourself.


Due to trends of declining rates, many translation agencies use this tricky way to hire translators. I ultimately remind of organizing a labor union of translators. Why not? Translators are well-educated and they require employment and income stability.
Internet makes life better but it is also a threat to freelance job hunters. Let's discuss why.

Soonthon L.


 
jyuan_us
jyuan_us  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 02:16
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
+ ...
I doubt this would happen May 26, 2016

LegalTransform wrote:
Companies contacting you with large projects (> 100,000 words), requesting a discount rate for the large volume, but they are not asking you to complete the entire project yourself.

[Edited at 2016-05-25 15:00 GMT]


What is the logic of "requesting a discount rate for the large volume, but they are not asking you to complete the entire project yourself"?

The common sense is that volume discounts (if any) would apply only to volume jobs. If they want you to do only a tiny portion of a volume job, how could they even think of asking you for a volume discount? This is simply illogical and I couldn't believe it has ever happened.

Is what you have described your real experience?


 
Jeff Whittaker
Jeff Whittaker  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 02:16
Member (2002)
Spanish to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Many many times May 26, 2016

jyuan_us wrote:



Is what you have described your real experience?


 
Yasutomo Kanazawa
Yasutomo Kanazawa  Identity Verified
Japan
Local time: 15:16
Member (2005)
English to Japanese
+ ...
Logic behind this May 26, 2016

jyuan_us wrote:

LegalTransform wrote:
Companies contacting you with large projects (> 100,000 words), requesting a discount rate for the large volume, but they are not asking you to complete the entire project yourself.

[Edited at 2016-05-25 15:00 GMT]


What is the logic of "requesting a discount rate for the large volume, but they are not asking you to complete the entire project yourself"?

The common sense is that volume discounts (if any) would apply only to volume jobs. If they want you to do only a tiny portion of a volume job, how could they even think of asking you for a volume discount? This is simply illogical and I couldn't believe it has ever happened.

Is what you have described your real experience?


Your common sense is right, and I agree with you.
However, the agency does not think so. They get an order from their client, say 100,000 words as one project to complete in say, 4 days. The agency has to split the job in pieces which one translator can take at the moment. So, for them, whether they assign the job to one translator or twenty translators, to them, it's one job and that's why they ask or even force freelancers for a volume discount, since it's not a secret that the whole project consists of 100,000 words because the agency has mentioned that when they inquired or posted the job.

This has happened to me once or twice, but as soon as I see the word "volume discount", my answer is no and I would either negotiate to make them pay my usual rate (or rush fee) or I wouldn't take the job.


 
LEXpert
LEXpert  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 01:16
Member (2008)
Croatian to English
+ ...
Because the client wants a volume discount May 26, 2016

For the agency it's a 100000 word job, so they've probably caved to the client's demand for a volume discount, which they are passing down to the translator, regardless of the individual translator's volume.

 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 07:16
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Volume discounts May 26, 2016

Rudolf Vedo CT wrote:

For the agency it's a 100000 word job, so they've probably caved to the client's demand for a volume discount, which they are passing down to the translator, regardless of the individual translator's volume.



If the agency agrees with the client on a volume discount, that's their prerogative. If they request (demand?) a volume discount from the translator, the they should give the translator the entire project, thus justifying their request.

Since the agency splits up this large project, the volume discount is on the agency, not on the translator. Not asking for something that one's unwilling or unable to provide is plain common sense.

Slightly off-topic, the same applies to agencies asking for a discount based on a possible long-term collaboration. In both cases, however, nothing is given by the agency, only the translator has to sacrifice her/his income.


 
Frank Zou
Frank Zou  Identity Verified
China
Local time: 14:16
Member (2016)
Chinese to English
+ ...
Turn it down May 26, 2016

Just turn down the task if the rate is not reasonable.

The project was in a rush for a reason, (very likely client's demand). This probably implies the client was in a hurry and wouldn't pay too much attention to the translation quality.

I wonder since when translators have degraded themselves by acting like a scavenger and taking on whatever they can get at whatever tiny price.


 
Parrot
Parrot  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 07:16
Spanish to English
+ ...
Is it a valid trend? May 27, 2016

Or just a message written into a boilerplate?

Maybe it should be pointed out.


 
Robert Forstag
Robert Forstag  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 02:16
Spanish to English
+ ...
Definitely a trend May 27, 2016

Basically another excuse to offer low rates. Jeff put it exactly right in his initial post.

[Edited at 2016-05-27 15:29 GMT]


 
Gabriele Demuth
Gabriele Demuth  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:16
English to German
Daft May 27, 2016

One must be rather daft to give a volume discount for a smallish rush job?!

 


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:


You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Rush translation work disguised as discount-worthy volume work







Protemos translation business management system
Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!

The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.

More info »
Wordfast Pro
Translation Memory Software for Any Platform

Exclusive discount for ProZ.com users! Save over 13% when purchasing Wordfast Pro through ProZ.com. Wordfast is the world's #1 provider of platform-independent Translation Memory software. Consistently ranked the most user-friendly and highest value

Buy now! »