Volume discounts? Thread poster: Tess Whitty
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Tess Whitty
United States
Local time: 19:57
Member (2004)
English to Swedish
Hi!
What is a general/standard discount for larger volume translations? Is there an increase in discount percentage as volume increases? How do you do it?
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Parrot 
Spain
Local time: 03:57
Spanish to English
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My productivity doesn't go up because of volume (it rather goes down when bogged).
But speaking seriously, it's the agencies that can cut corners with volume (large d-bases, super PMs, etc.), not really the freelancer. That apart -- and on that level -- it's pretty discretional. I know an agency that puts a surcharge on volumes requiring rush. (To do this, you have to define "rush" as per industry standards).
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NGK
United States
Local time: 20:57
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Tess Whitty
United States
Local time: 19:57
Member (2004)
English to Swedish
TOPIC STARTER
These links kind of confirmed my standpoint. Thanks!
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Jaroslaw Michalak
Poland
Local time: 03:57
Member (2004)
English to Polish
SITE LOCALIZER | Depends on the situation... | Jun 5, 2004 |
Generally I don't have anything against volume discounts. For once, it IS easier to translate 100 pages of one document (or similar documents) from one client, than 10 documents per 10 pages on completely different subjects. When you translate first 20 pages of one job, the number of unknown expressions dramatically decreases, and your knowledge of the subject increases, which naturally speeds up the translation process. Moreover, large documents tend to be more wordy and explanatory than small ... See more Generally I don't have anything against volume discounts. For once, it IS easier to translate 100 pages of one document (or similar documents) from one client, than 10 documents per 10 pages on completely different subjects. When you translate first 20 pages of one job, the number of unknown expressions dramatically decreases, and your knowledge of the subject increases, which naturally speeds up the translation process. Moreover, large documents tend to be more wordy and explanatory than small ones.
From the business point of view, it is obvious that it pays better to find one large job than to hunt many small ones. In fact, if an agency has two translators, one who applies volume discounts, and one who doesn't, the first one will get bulk translations, and the other many small ones. Who, do you think, will be better off?
However, I think that the progressive discount should apply only for the range between 20 pages and, say, about 150 pages. Above that it does not make sense to lower your prices further. ▲ Collapse
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| No standard discount | Jun 5, 2004 |
Terese Whitty wrote:
Hi!
What is a general/standard discount for larger volume translations? Is there an increase in discount percentage as volume increases? How do you do it?
I don't think you should give general/standard discounts. There are some big jobs, where you can produce more words per hour towards the end thanks to repetitions and matches from the translation memory. However, if your clients use translation memory they will typically already have demanded discounts for matches and repetitions.
Also, it may not be that you can produce more words per hour at all in a big project. If you have given a discount, you will be left working at a reduced hourly income for weeks or months when you might be able to take on other work at your normal rate.
What I would recommend you to do is not to give a standard discount, but analyse each job (you use Trados, don't you) and quote a fixed price for the whole job. If you feel that there may be price competition, you can reduce this fixed price somewhat, but preferably not before the client has asked you to.
my 5 öre
Klas
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Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
French to English
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| Volume discounts: Are Translators Retail Merchants or Car Manufacturers? | Jun 5, 2004 |
I never answer these job offers. Somewhere along the line, some person who considered him/herself clever began this thing. Translation by a translator is a subjective experience requiring all the skills commonly imputable to other independent professionals. ''Volume discounts" is an idea imported into translation from the wholesale/retail industry.
I never give discounts for volume. What added benefit is volume giving me? Translators are best served by texts that aren't too too lon... See more I never answer these job offers. Somewhere along the line, some person who considered him/herself clever began this thing. Translation by a translator is a subjective experience requiring all the skills commonly imputable to other independent professionals. ''Volume discounts" is an idea imported into translation from the wholesale/retail industry.
I never give discounts for volume. What added benefit is volume giving me? Translators are best served by texts that aren't too too long and a steady stream of them, paid at a decent rate. The more one is known to agencies, the more likely that is to happen.
Unless you are in dire need, stay away from those seeking volume discounts. In 25 years of translation, I HAVE NEVER done anything like that. It reminds me of shyster money-lending practices and other attitudes of enslavement. It just doesn't go with the profession. What about lawyers,doctors, architects, CPAs, etc. How about giving them volume discounts?
Those professionals would laugh at the very idea. If translation is a profession exercised by professionals then we should act like professionals and inform the quasi-sweatshop translation agencies that this is a ridiculous, inane and utterly unwise practice to engage in.
To answer your question more specifically, there is nothing standard about this practice at all. And most of the good translators I know eschew it wholeheartedly. I think that the longer something is and the shorter the deadline, the higher the price should be. AND, if there is a lot of it, one shouldn't lower the price because maintaining quality for a large volume requires alertness, commitment and practice.
Cheers to all
[Edited at 2004-06-05 18:13]
[Edited at 2004-06-05 18:18] ▲ Collapse
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Kit Cree
Local time: 03:57
French to English
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i agree with our noble parrot (lovely to meet you the other day, by the way) - large volume doesn't make our job any easier, even if it might make us feel a little more secure.
basically, agencies are trying to make as much profit as possible and they can prey upon the poor translator's insecurities - when will the next job come in? will I make enough money this month? as others in this forum have pointed out, once you're well established with regular jobs then you don't need to lower your... See more i agree with our noble parrot (lovely to meet you the other day, by the way) - large volume doesn't make our job any easier, even if it might make us feel a little more secure.
basically, agencies are trying to make as much profit as possible and they can prey upon the poor translator's insecurities - when will the next job come in? will I make enough money this month? as others in this forum have pointed out, once you're well established with regular jobs then you don't need to lower your prices. in fact you should think about raising them. but for translator's starting out or going through a dry spell, it's a tempting offer. i wouldn't do it. an agency that asks you to lower your price is not necessarily one that you want to work for again. ▲ Collapse
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Tess Whitty
United States
Local time: 19:57
Member (2004)
English to Swedish
TOPIC STARTER | Thank you all! | Jun 6, 2004 |
Thank you for all your comments. They have been very helpful and confirms my standpoint.
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