Poll: How difficult do you find it to communicate rate adjustments to your clients? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How difficult do you find it to communicate rate adjustments to your clients?".
View the poll results »
| | | | neilmac 
Spain
Local time: 14:10
Spanish to English
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In my case, it depends on the client. If a rate adjustment is reasonable, most of them will take them on board, albeit grudgingly. However, I have one long-standing client who strongly resisted my last rate rise, which brought them up to par with my other lowest paying clients. However, this is because it is a small and relatively impecunious company with tight control over its purse strings. Eventually they fell into line.
| | | | Teresa Borges
Portugal
Local time: 13:10
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
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There was a time not too long ago when I raised my rates every year but lately I have been feeling the pressure to lower my rates: that’s why I now prefer to quote on a per-project basis rather than a per-word basis. For my "regulars" my rates were raised 3 years ago and I intend to continue to serve my existing client base at current prices.
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:10
Member (2008)
Italian to English
ProZ.com Staff wrote:
This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How difficult do you find it to communicate rate adjustments to your clients?". View the poll results »
Don't you mean "rate increases"?
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Alexandra Hirsch (X)
Austria
Local time: 14:10
English to German
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| It absolutely depends... | Nov 28 |
...on the client!
There are some people who understand the need to make adjustments after, say, five years, (usually the more professional or private clients) and then there are those who ask "why me?" (agencies and hard-headed, stingy employees). And, of course, there are those who won't even hire you ("USD 0.04 per word? Too expensive").
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 11:10
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
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| It practically doesn't exist | Nov 29 |
In 32 years as a translator, I can count in my fingers the very few times I was able to readjust rates with my clients. They usually try to lower them, and I don't accept it. I usually try to raise them, and they don't accept it.
So what actually happened all these years is that I quit working for several clients after years without readjusting the rates, and started working with new clients for decent rates. It seems that's the standard, although it's very stupid to lose translators you ... See more In 32 years as a translator, I can count in my fingers the very few times I was able to readjust rates with my clients. They usually try to lower them, and I don't accept it. I usually try to raise them, and they don't accept it.
So what actually happened all these years is that I quit working for several clients after years without readjusting the rates, and started working with new clients for decent rates. It seems that's the standard, although it's very stupid to lose translators you are already used to and know their quality and accuracy just to refuse readjusting prices, then be forced to hire new and unknown translators for the rate you could have negotiated with the former one. But it's all I've seen happening all these years. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Philip Lees
Greece
Local time: 15:10
Member (2008)
Greek to English
| Not difficult at all | Nov 29 |
As a communicator by profession, I don't find it difficult to communicate rate adjustments (or anything else) to clients. The client may have difficulty accepting those adjustments, but that's another issue. :)
And it isn't just increases: after completing a job I sometimes offer a discount, if the circumstances warrant it. The client doesn't normally have trouble accepting that kind of adjustment, but quite often they're happy to pay me the originally agreed fee anyway.
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On individual jobs, I quote the rate that I will accept; I don't negotiate down, and agencies are hardly likely to negotiate UP. When it comes to long-term adjustments, I have very little say in the matter.
In one case, my client had increased my rate to 2 cents more than I actually wanted. It was actually preposterously high and the result of a miscommunication - they thought I had asked for it and I hadn't. Then I stopped receiving work from them. When I asked what had happened, ... See more On individual jobs, I quote the rate that I will accept; I don't negotiate down, and agencies are hardly likely to negotiate UP. When it comes to long-term adjustments, I have very little say in the matter.
In one case, my client had increased my rate to 2 cents more than I actually wanted. It was actually preposterously high and the result of a miscommunication - they thought I had asked for it and I hadn't. Then I stopped receiving work from them. When I asked what had happened, they told me that they were giving their work to people who were working for less. So I asked them to reduce my rate by 2 cents, and the work flow returned. ▲ Collapse
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