U.S. translation agency offer Thread poster: Bernhard Sulzer
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I am referring to an email advertisment you might have received today or very recently, directly from a translation agency, in the U.S., offering their end clients an aggressive flat price offer for translations (less than 0.10/word) for all the major European, Asian, American, and Middle Eastern languages and including, for all projects, proofreading by a second native translator, free-of-charge.
You might have also received this as a partnership offer, from agency to agency, so t... See more I am referring to an email advertisment you might have received today or very recently, directly from a translation agency, in the U.S., offering their end clients an aggressive flat price offer for translations (less than 0.10/word) for all the major European, Asian, American, and Middle Eastern languages and including, for all projects, proofreading by a second native translator, free-of-charge.
You might have also received this as a partnership offer, from agency to agency, so to speak. The pics on their ad look really great (attractive secretaries leaning over a guy at the computer) and when you click through to their website, you also see a picture of an attractive woman. You will also find a statement there that they are a very, very big translation agency and that they are a leader in the business and that efficiency is an important component of their business.
Great price for the end client, efficiency, nice pics, and good statements, what else could you possibly want from a translation agency, as a translator?
Bernhard
edited to add U.S.
[Edited at 2012-02-02 15:23 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | TranslationB (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:02
English to Italian
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| Love the irony | Feb 2, 2012 |
You have a talent for understatement Bernhard.
I've never understood these "agency to agency" offers incidentally. It's like GM e-mailing Ford, trying to sell them their excellent low cost automobiles.
| | | | Schtroumpf
Local time: 15:02
German to French
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| Good idea, no? | Feb 2, 2012 |
If they sell good stuff, I could buy their translations and resell them at my usual price to my own customers? I will just have to add my own margin as their translations are perfect, if I understood the offer well?
| | | | Laurent KRAULAND (X) 
France
Local time: 15:02
French to German
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| Tongue in cheek... | Feb 2, 2012 |
Bernhard Sulzer wrote:
(.../...)
Great price for the end client, efficiency, nice pics, and good statements, what else could you possibly want from a translation agency, as a translator?
Bernhard
Less boasting? A per-word rate slightly over the USD 0.02 threshold?
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kchansen
Local time: 15:02
English to Danish
| What more could you want? | Feb 2, 2012 |
Ummm ... I don't know, really. Maybe ... say, a minimum of respect for translators, and for the translation profession. But perhaps that is too much to ask of a "leading" translation agency!
| | | | Bernhard Sulzer
United States
Local time: 09:02
English to German
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TOPIC STARTER
Schtroumpf wrote: If they sell good stuff, I could buy their translations and resell them at my usual price to my own customers? I will just have to add my own margin as their translations are perfect, if I understood the offer well?
Yes, Schtroumpf, that would be the perfect partnership. And a big thank you to those translators would be in order.
But hold on, wouldn't that be a bit like trying to get away with something or making money off somebody's hard work?
;-C
Bernhard
[Edited at 2012-02-02 17:05 GMT]
| | | | Trudy Peters
United States
Local time: 09:02
German to English
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| Laurent KRAULAND (X)
France
Local time: 15:02
French to German
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| The question being... | Feb 2, 2012 |
kchansen wrote: Ummm ... I don't know, really. Maybe ... say, a minimum of respect for translators, and for the translation profession. But perhaps that is too much to ask of a "leading" translation agency!
The question being... where do they want to "lead" us to?
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Vladimír Hoffman
Slovakia
Local time: 15:02
Member (2009)
English to Slovak
+ ...
| I fear that there is no | Feb 2, 2012 |
polite answer to the question:-D
Laurent KRAULAND wrote:
The question being... where do they want to "lead" us to?
| | | | Nicole Schnell
United States
Local time: 06:02
English to German
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In memoriam | I did this one at least 4 times... give it a try, it's fun! | Feb 2, 2012 |
I just LOVE those self-acclaimed big players in the world market, with their websites plastered with royalty-free, unpaid-for, layout-resolution stock photo people/associates with fictitious names and titles.
Invent some project and get a quote online on their website. They WILL call you back, even at 5:30 in the morning. Then tell them that you prefer not to work with them because they are too cheap. Then see what happens. Gorgeous. Enjoy!  ... See more I just LOVE those self-acclaimed big players in the world market, with their websites plastered with royalty-free, unpaid-for, layout-resolution stock photo people/associates with fictitious names and titles.
Invent some project and get a quote online on their website. They WILL call you back, even at 5:30 in the morning. Then tell them that you prefer not to work with them because they are too cheap. Then see what happens. Gorgeous. Enjoy!  ▲ Collapse
| | | | Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 15:02
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Schtroumpf wrote: If they sell good stuff, I could buy their translations and resell them at my usual price to my own customers? I will just have to add my own margin as their translations are perfect, if I understood the offer well?
That is an excellent idea! Making money off someone else's work. Might be a way to get rich fast and....unethical. LOL
I'm just wondering which professional translator would work for USD 0.02 or less? Probably not a single one.
This raises another question. How is this agency able to provide excellent translations?
Maybe they've invented the absolute CAT tool, and those USD 0.10 or less are only to cover their utility costs and the "salary" for a definitely underpaid CAT tool operator!? and
| | | | Nicole Schnell
United States
Local time: 06:02
English to German
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In memoriam | Or they use editors only | Feb 3, 2012 |
Thayenga wrote: Maybe they've invented the absolute CAT tool, and those USD 0.10 or less are only to cover their utility costs and the "salary" for a definitely underpaid CAT tool operator!? and
For their machine translations...
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opolt
Germany
Local time: 15:02
English to German
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| Fringe benefits | Feb 3, 2012 |
Bernhard Sulzer wrote:
...
Great price for the end client, efficiency, nice pics, and good statements, what else could you possibly want from a translation agency, as a translator?
[irony]
Dear Bernhard,
I was thinking about this ... could you please send me some detailed pics of those secretaries leaning over the shoulders of the hard working guys? I mean, if they are really as attractive as you say, I will send them a quote for 0.05 - 0.06 USD (depending on the looks and the number of secretaries, not to mention their age). Please reply ASAP.
Thanks, yours respectfully,
-- opolt
[/irony]
[Edited at 2012-02-03 10:40 GMT]
| | | | Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 15:02
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Nicole Schnell wrote:
For their machine translations...
Of course! No wonder post-edit jobs are popping up everywhere.
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