Poll: How difficult do you find it to communicate rate adjustments to your clients?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Nov 28, 2019

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How difficult do you find it to communicate rate adjustments to your clients?".

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neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 17:08
Spanish to English
+ ...
Depends on... Nov 28, 2019

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.

 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 16:08
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Other Nov 28, 2019

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.

Muriel Vasconcellos
Julio Madrid
 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:08
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Adjustment? Nov 28, 2019

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"?


Josephine Cassar
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
 
Alexandra Hirsch (X)
Alexandra Hirsch (X)  Identity Verified
Austria
Local time: 17:08
English to German
+ ...
It absolutely depends... Nov 28, 2019

...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").


diala al-ali
 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 13:08
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
It practically doesn't exist Nov 29, 2019

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.
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Julio Madrid
Jorge Payan
 
Philip Lees
Philip Lees  Identity Verified
Greece
Local time: 18:08
Greek to English
Not difficult at all Nov 29, 2019

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.


 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 09:08
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Other Nov 29, 2019

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.
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Poll: How difficult do you find it to communicate rate adjustments to your clients?






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