| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Have you ever succeeded in raising your rates with old, regular clients without losing them? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Have you ever succeeded in raising your rates with old, regular clients without losing them?".
View the poll results »
| | | | | Yes, of course | Nov 18, 2016 |
If they hadn't accepted my annual price rises, they wouldn't have been "old, regular clients".
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Yes, more often than not.
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 18:26
Spanish to English
+ ...
| A couple of times | Nov 18, 2016 |
I usually tend to keep my rates steady for loyal clients. One long-standing client that has been gradually sending me less work over the years turned up last January with an urgent translation. They hadn't sent me much the previous year, so I told them I'd raised my rates 25%... and the HR manager who had ordered the translation and is effectively the boss on these questions, accepted. The hike hasn't increased my earnings, as they don't send me much work nowadays.
I did the same fo... See more I usually tend to keep my rates steady for loyal clients. One long-standing client that has been gradually sending me less work over the years turned up last January with an urgent translation. They hadn't sent me much the previous year, so I told them I'd raised my rates 25%... and the HR manager who had ordered the translation and is effectively the boss on these questions, accepted. The hike hasn't increased my earnings, as they don't send me much work nowadays.
I did the same for another long-standing client that I'd dumped the previous year for what I perceived as galloping ineptitude and cheek. They eventually came back and apologised, accepting the new rate without a quibble.
On the other hand, my best client sends me so much regular work that I sometimes give them spontaneous discounts on the basic rate, for which they are always grateful.
[Edited at 2016-11-18 09:15 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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More than once or twice.
I have an agreement with one client about different rates for different jobs - which in fact is fair, because some are far more time-consuming than others. This was easier to negotiate than a flat rise for everything.
In fact I may still earn more per hour when I do the straightforward jobs at the lower rate per word.
I have also had clients who told me they could not accept an increase in rates, but came back anyway and agreed to it afte... See more More than once or twice.
I have an agreement with one client about different rates for different jobs - which in fact is fair, because some are far more time-consuming than others. This was easier to negotiate than a flat rise for everything.
In fact I may still earn more per hour when I do the straightforward jobs at the lower rate per word.
I have also had clients who told me they could not accept an increase in rates, but came back anyway and agreed to it after some months. One 'recruited' me as a 'new translator' at the higher rate! I dropped them for other reasons in the end, however.
This poll needs an option between 'once or twice' and 'no'. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Michael Harris 
Germany
Local time: 18:26
Member (2006)
German to English
It is general business practice to discus such stuff with your customers.
And generally if you do a good job and the economic situation is okay, then why not?
| | | | | Other: usually | Nov 18, 2016 |
I've never lost a client because I raised my rates, but I don't ask for increases too often.
That said, I have failed to land many new clients (bottom feeders) because my rates scared them off.
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Some clients have stayed with me through the years and one in particular since the very beginning (1986) and obviously my rates have increased several times since but not too often...
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Christine Andersen wrote:
More than once or twice.
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And less than always.
Philippe
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 12:26
English to Spanish
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| Yes, most times | Nov 18, 2016 |
So the Other category has become the placeholder for the smarter answers?
Must be the Friday curse.
| | | | David Higbee
United States
Local time: 09:26
Member
Japanese to English
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| Almost always successful | Nov 18, 2016 |
I've never had a problem with this, mostly because I let new clients know up front that my initial rates can be considered "promotional"
| | | | Britt Laux
Local time: 18:26
German to Norwegian
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| Yes, but not always | Nov 18, 2016 |
So "other" for me too.
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Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 18:26
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
| Once or twice | Nov 18, 2016 |
Muriel Vasconcellos wrote:
That said, I have failed to land many new clients (bottom feeders) because my rates scared them off.
Who would want those anyway?
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 17:26
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
| Lots of possibilities between 1-2 and all clients | Nov 18, 2016 |
Philippe Etienne wrote: Christine Andersen wrote:
More than once or twice.
... And less than always. Philippe
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 13:26
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
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| Yes, more than once or twice, but not always. | Nov 18, 2016 |
With clients that pay in USD or EUR, it's kinda hard to negotiate raises. Actually quite rare.
But with clients in Brazil, paying in BRL, it's necessary practically on a yeraly basis. Of course, the vast majority tries to refuse it or to apply a lower rate than you ask. But I have succeeded on a 50/50 basis, that is, half the clients were lost as they refused to readjust, and I managed to stay with the other half, but not always with the readjustment I expected (let's say I asked for a 10%... See more With clients that pay in USD or EUR, it's kinda hard to negotiate raises. Actually quite rare.
But with clients in Brazil, paying in BRL, it's necessary practically on a yeraly basis. Of course, the vast majority tries to refuse it or to apply a lower rate than you ask. But I have succeeded on a 50/50 basis, that is, half the clients were lost as they refused to readjust, and I managed to stay with the other half, but not always with the readjustment I expected (let's say I asked for a 10% readjustment, and they accepted a 5% readjustment). ▲ Collapse
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