| Pages in topic: [1 2 3 4 5 6] > | Change in payments for MT work: repeats are now free Thread poster: Robert Haslach
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An agency I work for occasionally has sent out this notice:
Changes to Translation Memory payment model
High quality translation is an ever-evolving skill and the research and development into technology tools to assist in the process means that customers want to see these advancements reflected in our charging model.
In recent months, a zero charge for exact matches and repetitions has become a trend within the industry. As a result, we can no longe... See more An agency I work for occasionally has sent out this notice:
Changes to Translation Memory payment model
High quality translation is an ever-evolving skill and the research and development into technology tools to assist in the process means that customers want to see these advancements reflected in our charging model.
In recent months, a zero charge for exact matches and repetitions has become a trend within the industry. As a result, we can no longer pay linguists in the same way, as we cannot pass these costs on to our customers.
As of 01 April 2011, AGENCY will no longer pay linguists for exact matches and repetitions for any new projects. Any POs issued prior to 01 April will be honoured and unaffected by this change. There may be some exceptions to this payment policy within existing customer contracts, which your project manager will communicate clearly to you upon assignment of a translation job. Please note that proofreading will continue to be paid as normal, based on the full word count.
We value the large number of linguists registered to work on our customer translation projects and we understand from feedback with many of you that other language companies are communicating similar changes in their payment models. We continue to win new and exciting business all the time so you can expect the number of jobs being publicised by us to go up considerably as we progress through 2011, which means we need to ensure quality is maintained across all jobs, despite any change to our payment structure. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Sandra B.
Portugal
Local time: 17:38
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Just got it also and went straight to trash bin!
And how about this on editing machine translations:
"Reading the media these days it is clear that machine translation is well and truly here to stay. However good MT output has become, due to fantastic developments in engine technology, we all know that it still includes errors that are not acceptable to many customers and that is why post editing as a service is so critical.
We have built up a solid bank of lingui... See more Just got it also and went straight to trash bin!
And how about this on editing machine translations:
"Reading the media these days it is clear that machine translation is well and truly here to stay. However good MT output has become, due to fantastic developments in engine technology, we all know that it still includes errors that are not acceptable to many customers and that is why post editing as a service is so critical.
We have built up a solid bank of linguists who now accept editing jobs but we need more!" ▲ Collapse
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I've just received it. It was their biggest mistake.
| | | | Russell Jones 
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:38
Italian to English
| Beat me to it | Mar 31, 2011 |
I was about to post it too.
Fortunately this an agency that sends me regular e-mails but no work for about 5 years.
My reaction would be - if you don't want to be charged, don't make me process the text; alternatively please note that the advancements in my charging model will result in a timely uplift in my rates.
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Robert Haslach
Local time: 12:38
Flemish to English
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TOPIC STARTER | Editing MT and web engine "translations" | Mar 31, 2011 |
I also enjoy reading about high quality work by actual human beings and then that it is so valuable that it will not be paid for.
Not be to an old troll - but this state of affairs is the logical consequence of all our colleagues who use a MT program and send the agency their memories and uncleaned projects.
As a Mac user, I am in the odd position of not having any useful MT applications available!
| | | | Andrea Piu
Italy
Local time: 18:38
English to Italian
+ ...
rhaslach wrote:
An agency I work for occasionally has sent out this notice:
Changes to Translation Memory payment model
High quality translation is an ever-evolving skill and the research and development into technology tools to assist in the process means that customers want to see these advancements reflected in our charging model.
In recent months, a zero charge for exact matches and repetitions has become a trend within the industry. As a result, we can no longer pay linguists in the same way, as we cannot pass these costs on to our customers.
As of 01 April 2011, AGENCY will no longer pay linguists for exact matches and repetitions for any new projects. Any POs issued prior to 01 April will be honoured and unaffected by this change. There may be some exceptions to this payment policy within existing customer contracts, which your project manager will communicate clearly to you upon assignment of a translation job. Please note that proofreading will continue to be paid as normal, based on the full word count.
We value the large number of linguists registered to work on our customer translation projects and we understand from feedback with many of you that other language companies are communicating similar changes in their payment models. We continue to win new and exciting business all the time so you can expect the number of jobs being publicised by us to go up considerably as we progress through 2011, which means we need to ensure quality is maintained across all jobs, despite any change to our payment structure.
I just received the same email.
I have never worked for that company so far, but I was really tempted to write them back to explain that then, I am not certainly going to even read the 100% matches or repetitions, in case they will send me any task to complete. Or could be they want me to do this task free of charge, huh? No way...
| | | | Ana Malovrh
Slovenia
Local time: 18:38
German to Slovenian
+ ...
| so not true! | Mar 31, 2011 |
rhaslach wrote:
In recent months, a zero charge for exact matches and repetitions has become a trend within the industry.
This is so not true!
There are many agencies which don't include these "new rules".
Think about it, we have to buy expensive programs, we have to learn how to use them, they were meant to help us to work better and faster and this is the end of story!
Why would we need to pay for the program which would then bring us less profit? It makes no sense.
I like to compare myself to architects. They had to learn the software AUTO-CAD, their work is faster and more precise by it, but NONE of them gets paid less, because they could just copy-paste a square or two. On the contrary, architects who know how to use Auto-CAD get the job, and those who don't don't get it or they are paid less.
[Edited at 2011-03-31 17:08 GMT]
| | | | Therrien
Canada
Local time: 10:38
English to French
+ ...
Ditto.
I disagree.
Out of wallet, out of mind. If I don't get paid for something pertaining to my job, I won't look at it, nevermind work on it. If that segment is repeated 30 times, I certainly won't look at context, application and all other reviews I would normally do as a translator.
As repetitions are sometimes in bodies of text and reading is done in a linear fashion I can't help but feel this is a bad choice and that we're being shortchanged here. O... See more Ditto.
I disagree.
Out of wallet, out of mind. If I don't get paid for something pertaining to my job, I won't look at it, nevermind work on it. If that segment is repeated 30 times, I certainly won't look at context, application and all other reviews I would normally do as a translator.
As repetitions are sometimes in bodies of text and reading is done in a linear fashion I can't help but feel this is a bad choice and that we're being shortchanged here. One is inclined to inspect all of the body of one's work for professionalism's sake.
[Edited at 2011-03-31 17:01 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Cristina Golab
United States
Local time: 12:38
English to Spanish
+ ...
| I also received this email | Mar 31, 2011 |
I haven't gotten work from them in a while, but just don't expect me to work for free. This is ridiculous!
| | | | Ana Malovrh
Slovenia
Local time: 18:38
German to Slovenian
+ ...
| just a thoguht | Mar 31, 2011 |
If we agree to these terms and say "ok, I accept these terms of yours but don't expect me to read any 100% matches" I can't help myself to think what kind of message are we sending to these people?
It seems as though we would say:
"yes, I will do the laundry, although I don't approve of it, but don't expect me to inspect the pockets!"
Now in this case there is a risk, that something valuable would be in these pockets that could be ruined, but the agency is... See more If we agree to these terms and say "ok, I accept these terms of yours but don't expect me to read any 100% matches" I can't help myself to think what kind of message are we sending to these people?
It seems as though we would say:
"yes, I will do the laundry, although I don't approve of it, but don't expect me to inspect the pockets!"
Now in this case there is a risk, that something valuable would be in these pockets that could be ruined, but the agency is more than aware of this risk and is willing to take it. At the end the agency gets the laundry done an we are the ones who do it for a pat on the back. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Therrien
Canada
Local time: 10:38
English to French
+ ...
| Economically... | Mar 31, 2011 |
Economically, I think of this as throwing one's liabilities (costs) onto the translator.
One purchases programs to help improve the turn-out, and one's income is penalized.
Mechanization of human systems can go so far. The logic that repeated segments only need to be verified once is a falsehood. Many a times they were not as applicable in the target language, especially because the lack of discernment of the computer.
Industries system have a tendency to ... See more Economically, I think of this as throwing one's liabilities (costs) onto the translator.
One purchases programs to help improve the turn-out, and one's income is penalized.
Mechanization of human systems can go so far. The logic that repeated segments only need to be verified once is a falsehood. Many a times they were not as applicable in the target language, especially because the lack of discernment of the computer.
Industries system have a tendency to lower the product quality to the irreducible minimum. An irreducible minimum burger, chair or whatever product. Any less than that, and it isn't a chair or a burger anymore.
The industry of translation is a human system. The resources are brains, education, etc. Any reductions imposed to translations is straight from the translator's pockets.
[Edited at 2011-03-31 18:43 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Sonia Hill
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:38
Italian to English
| I received this too | Mar 31, 2011 |
I have done a couple of very small jobs for this agency in the past, but I won't be working for them again!
To suggest that this is now standard practice across the industry is ridiculous and surely we are the ones to be setting the conditions, not the agency.
We have to invest in the software which makes this possible, so why should we be penalised for this. I think offering a discount is fair, but no payment at all is unreasonable to say the least. Why should I even ... See more I have done a couple of very small jobs for this agency in the past, but I won't be working for them again!
To suggest that this is now standard practice across the industry is ridiculous and surely we are the ones to be setting the conditions, not the agency.
We have to invest in the software which makes this possible, so why should we be penalised for this. I think offering a discount is fair, but no payment at all is unreasonable to say the least. Why should I even bother processing the repetitions if I'm not going to be paid for them? ▲ Collapse
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Rodion Shein
Russian Federation
Local time: 19:38
English to Russian
+ ...
| They may get what they want | Mar 31, 2011 |
No problem!
"As of 01 April 2011, THE LINGUIST will assume no responsibility for exact matches and repetitions for any new projects. No matches and repetitions will be corrected, updated or revised and will be left as is, unless such corrections or updates are paid in accordance with the agreed schedule."
| | | | | Received it too.... | Mar 31, 2011 |
...although I never worked for this company. I cannot remember how and when we went into their database, but have asked to be removed from their database. I cannot accept the new conditions.
| | | | John Rawlins
Spain
Local time: 18:38
Spanish to English
+ ...
| No TM software - so no discounts | Mar 31, 2011 |
I recently received a job from a Spanish agency that I hadn't worked with for over a year.
I wrote back to tell them I would accept the work, but that I was no longer using TM programs (Wordfast in my case) for this type of job. They immediately replied to say no problem and sent me a new PO at a higher rate as all the 'traditional' TM discounts were now payable.
I do believe that many translators have managed to convert TM software into a rope with which to hang themse... See more I recently received a job from a Spanish agency that I hadn't worked with for over a year.
I wrote back to tell them I would accept the work, but that I was no longer using TM programs (Wordfast in my case) for this type of job. They immediately replied to say no problem and sent me a new PO at a higher rate as all the 'traditional' TM discounts were now payable.
I do believe that many translators have managed to convert TM software into a rope with which to hang themselves. ▲ Collapse
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