Poll: Have you ever had a client say your service is under-priced, offering you a higher rate? Auteur du fil: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Have you ever had a client say your service is under-priced, offering you a higher rate?".
This poll was originally submitted by Ehsan Alipour. View the poll results »
| | | | Vera Schoen 
Suède
Local time: 21:27
Membre (2008)
allemand vers suédois
+ ...
I have received a generous extra amount in addition to the one agreed upon one occasion, when the customer felt the work I'd put in was beyond what they expected.
| | | | Ricki Farn
Allemagne
Local time: 21:27
anglais vers allemand
I've had a client who was afraid I would add "hidden cost" to arrive at the kind of pricing she was expecting (I think she based her idea of translators' rates either on agencies or on prices in other, very different industries), and one who sometimes says "if you need extra time (in addition to the word rate), price it by the hour".
But I would find it quite hard from a soft-skills point of view to raise my rates based on that kind of message - I know it's done in other industries... See more I've had a client who was afraid I would add "hidden cost" to arrive at the kind of pricing she was expecting (I think she based her idea of translators' rates either on agencies or on prices in other, very different industries), and one who sometimes says "if you need extra time (in addition to the word rate), price it by the hour".
But I would find it quite hard from a soft-skills point of view to raise my rates based on that kind of message - I know it's done in other industries; I think repairmen around here have a policy that if you don't complain about their pricing this time, they will raise it significantly the next time you need something done; but it's just not my style. ▲ Collapse
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but I have occasionally experienced that a regular client awarded me a higher price than I had asked for.
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| No (not in those words) | Apr 4, 2019 |
But under special circumstances (rush jobs, high volume, tight deadline, need to work during the weekend) I have been offered a higher rate than the one I usually charge to that particular client.
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It was only once, but the client clearly said that he understands that sometimes we lower our prices to get the job, but he pays their translators more, so iI could invoice with his rate (higher) rather the one I offered.
| | | | neilmac
Espagne
Local time: 21:27
espagnol vers anglais
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When working with academic clients, I used to simply issue the invoice once the work was done. However, after some of the universities changed their systems and now demand a pro forma budget estimate before the work and funding is assigned, at least one of my contacts has instructed me to "pad" the estimate a bit. In other words, to set it higher than it would in all likelihood amount to in real terms after the fact.
As they say, "the customer is always right" (sarcasm) and in the e... See more When working with academic clients, I used to simply issue the invoice once the work was done. However, after some of the universities changed their systems and now demand a pro forma budget estimate before the work and funding is assigned, at least one of my contacts has instructed me to "pad" the estimate a bit. In other words, to set it higher than it would in all likelihood amount to in real terms after the fact.
As they say, "the customer is always right" (sarcasm) and in the end, I only actually billed him for the number of words translated, which was lower than estimated. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Elías Sauza
Mexique
Local time: 13:27
Membre (2002)
anglais vers espagnol
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More than one time, but for small projects.
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Thayenga
Allemagne
Local time: 21:27
Membre (2009)
anglais vers allemand
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When I started out as a freelancer, not sure how much I should charge for a creative translation, I quoted my price, and the client said it was under-priced. In the end she paid twice the rate I had asked for.
| | | | Julio Madrid
Mexique
Local time: 12:27
Membre (2018)
anglais vers espagnol
+ ...
When I started transcribing and subtitling I had no idea what the standard rates were per minute of audio and video. An agency contacted me through ProZ and I gave them the estimate of what I thought was right back then, they accepted and the next day after I delivered the files, they wrote saying the work I delivered was underpriced and they doubled the amount.That was in 2005 and I am still working with that agency localizing, revising and subtitling. Later I found the average rate per minute ... See more When I started transcribing and subtitling I had no idea what the standard rates were per minute of audio and video. An agency contacted me through ProZ and I gave them the estimate of what I thought was right back then, they accepted and the next day after I delivered the files, they wrote saying the work I delivered was underpriced and they doubled the amount.That was in 2005 and I am still working with that agency localizing, revising and subtitling. Later I found the average rate per minute was lower than the amount they were paying me. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Rebecca Garber
Local time: 15:27
Membre (2005)
allemand vers anglais
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I have one direct client that gives me regular raises.
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brésil
Local time: 16:27
Membre (2014)
anglais vers portugais
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| Yes, more than once | Apr 5, 2019 |
Several good clients have actually said their budget allowed them to pay a better rate then I was charging. Some people are honest and have consideration for the people who work for them. They are rare, but they do exist.
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Many have told me that my rates are too high.
| | | | Ventnai
Espagne
Local time: 21:27
allemand vers anglais
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I think almost every client wants to pay as little as possible within reason. I have had one agency increase my rate slightly (half a euro cent per word) but others have asked me to lower my rate as some manager in an end client company suddenly decides that they want to pay less for translation services. One recent example is a new manager has come into a company and demanded a drop of three cents per word. Needless to say, I refused to continue.
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