| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Would you reduce your price if a client was particularly friendly/pleasant? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Would you reduce your price if a client was particularly friendly/pleasant?".
This poll was originally submitted by MNtranslates. View the poll results »
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 02:54
Spanish to English
+ ...
As long as the friendliness is genuine. I believe in carrot as well as stick. It's nice to be nice.
| | | | Mary Worby 
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:54
German to English
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But I would voice my refusal in a more friendly/pleasant way!
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No. Likewise, I would not increase my rate if the client was particularly unfriendly/unpleasant. My rates are not based on clients' behaviour (my availability to work with them, however, certainly is!).
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Michael Harris
Germany
Local time: 02:54
Member (2006)
German to English
No, why? Business is business and if their agency / company requested that I would reduce my rates for financial reasons, then I would consider it, but reduce my rates just for th efun of it, nope!
It is the same as asking if you would pay more money for a new car because the salesperson is nice and friendly?
| | | | Julian Holmes
Japan
Local time: 09:54
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
But I would be equally friendly and pleasant when I bill them 
If it comes to carrots and sticks, I've had too much of the latter these past few years. 
Mind you, I have often felt like billing troublesome, obnoxious and surly customers more!
Added last line
[Edited at 2012-07-05 12:25 GMT]
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... depending on many other factors, but I wouldn't for sure if he was even vaguely rude!
| | | | | No. Why should I? | Jul 5, 2012 |
Business is business. If I was particularly friendly with my dentist and smiled throughout the whole dental procedure, would s/he reduce my bill?
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John Cutler
Spain
Local time: 02:54
Spanish to English
+ ...
Perhaps, but I'd take advantage of such wonderful pleasantness and the great low rate I'd give for it and also ask them to walk my dog, take the kids to school and empty the dishwasher for me (I hate doing that).
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Maybe things are different in Spain.
My garage charges me less because the owner is friends with my neighbour. My vet charges me less because I used to have so many cats I virtually lived in his waiting room. My dentist charges me less because we know each other from a course we did together. Yesterday I was offered a discount in a furniture shop simply because I got talking to the vendor.
Some years ago, I offered a particularly friendly client a rate lower than... See more Maybe things are different in Spain.
My garage charges me less because the owner is friends with my neighbour. My vet charges me less because I used to have so many cats I virtually lived in his waiting room. My dentist charges me less because we know each other from a course we did together. Yesterday I was offered a discount in a furniture shop simply because I got talking to the vendor.
Some years ago, I offered a particularly friendly client a rate lower than my usual rate. Through him, I now have around 5 or 6 other friendly direct clients.
When you live in a society that still relies to a large extent on word of mouth and personal recommendations, offering carrots makes sense. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Pascale Pluton
Netherlands
Local time: 02:54
Member (2005)
English to French
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I do not think being nice, by itself, is a reason for lowering a price.
Actually, I tend to believe that beeing nice should be the norm. We do not have a master-slave relation here, but one of equals
However, if I have been working some time with an nice client I incidentally tend to 'go the extra mile' when necessary.
For instance, a shorter deadline (within the feasible) without rising my rate, a tiny translation for free. Some advice or help for free....... See more I do not think being nice, by itself, is a reason for lowering a price.
Actually, I tend to believe that beeing nice should be the norm. We do not have a master-slave relation here, but one of equals
However, if I have been working some time with an nice client I incidentally tend to 'go the extra mile' when necessary.
For instance, a shorter deadline (within the feasible) without rising my rate, a tiny translation for free. Some advice or help for free....
There are more ways to show your appreciation dan just lowering your price.
If your price reflects your value and your competence, why should you lower your price? Are you all of a sudden less competent? ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Put it this way | Jul 5, 2012 |
If the client was particularly unfriendly/unpleasant, I definitely wouldn't contemplate any price reductions.
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... But only yesterday an agency did ask me if I would set my rate down for a non-profit organisation that they are sponsoring. Not for their normal, commercial jobs.
The agency is one of my favourites, and the job looks interesting, so of course, I said yes. It is probably going to be quite a challenge, and will involve a lot of work... but I don't mind for a good cause.
Otherwise, I regard being friendly as a normal part of business relations. And so are my rates. <... See more
| | | | macimovic
Netherlands
Local time: 02:54
English to Serbian
+ ...
Yes - for the returning clients and/or those who have large projects (as discount)
No- just for being friendly wouldn't be the reason to lower my prices
In both cases, being pleasant is a bonus but not a guide for my decision making.
| | | | 564354352 (X)
Denmark
Local time: 02:54
Danish to English
+ ...
| Other - that little extra touch | Jul 5, 2012 |
As others here, I presume mutual professional respect to be the norm and try to avoid clients who are unreasonably demanding or outright rude.
My rates are normally fixed, although I may be willing to consider a discount based on very high fuzzy matches/repetitions, or occasionally based on volume.
However, I believe in developing a good working relationship with my clients, and not all work is a matter of money to me. For instance, I like to return neatly formatted tex... See more As others here, I presume mutual professional respect to be the norm and try to avoid clients who are unreasonably demanding or outright rude.
My rates are normally fixed, although I may be willing to consider a discount based on very high fuzzy matches/repetitions, or occasionally based on volume.
However, I believe in developing a good working relationship with my clients, and not all work is a matter of money to me. For instance, I like to return neatly formatted text regardless of the state of the original files; I set up unprocessable texts in bilingual tables; I carry out post-translation corrections when the client wants to insert the odd extra sentece or change minor parts of the text, and from time to time, I translate very tiny texts (a phrase or two), all without charging for this.
My thinking is that I want my clients to be satisfied with the end product and I am willing to do that little bit extra to make sure they receive a product that is ready to be used, regardless of the state of the original text forwarded for translation.
Obviously, I don't do huge desktop jobs for free, especially not when they come from agencies who are much better equipped for this. ▲ Collapse
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