Poll: What would be the biggest factor to increase your rate? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
|
|---|
This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What would be the biggest factor to increase your rate?".
View the poll results »
| | | |
I could have ticked all the options, but I would say that I haven’t raised my rates for a while and I charge what the “market” will bear. My price list serves only as a reference for new potential clients and is updated every year or so. In general my long-standing customers (agencies and direct clients) receive a lower rate than newer clients. Because every job is different I prefer to quote each project individually, based on language combination, field of expertise, number of words, tec... See more I could have ticked all the options, but I would say that I haven’t raised my rates for a while and I charge what the “market” will bear. My price list serves only as a reference for new potential clients and is updated every year or so. In general my long-standing customers (agencies and direct clients) receive a lower rate than newer clients. Because every job is different I prefer to quote each project individually, based on language combination, field of expertise, number of words, technicality, deadline, document type and other practical criteria. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:16
Member (2008)
Italian to English
ProZ.com Staff wrote: This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What would be the biggest factor to increase your rate?". View the poll results »
Galloping inflation.
| | | | Marcel Gomez 
Peru
Local time: 01:16
Member
Japanese to Spanish
+ ...
| Country of residence | Aug 27, 2021 |
I think your country of residence is very important. I guess clients expect to find cheaper rates when they look in lower income countries.
After 10 years I still cannot find clients that offer me more than 0,04 USD per word, which the translator community regards as too low and unacceptable.
So, MOVING TO A MORE EXPENSIVE COUNTRY WOULD BE THE MAIN FACTOR FOR ME TO INCREASE MY RATE.
| | |
|
|
|
Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 09:16
Member
English to Turkish
| The mind boggles | Aug 27, 2021 |
Marcel Karl Gomez Galarza wrote:
I think your country of residence is very important. I guess clients expect to find cheaper rates when they look in lower income countries.
After 10 years I still cannot find clients that offer me more than 0,04 USD per word, which the translator community regards as too low and unacceptable.
So, MOVING TO A MORE EXPENSIVE COUNTRY WOULD BE THE MAIN FACTOR FOR ME TO INCREASE MY RATE.
You're translating from Japanese and you haven't found any client that pays you more than 0.04 USD per word in 10 years? I think you should start watching videos about homeless people in Europe and USA before considering a move there. There is a good YT channel called 'Invisible People'.
| | | | | |
I think i's a mix of different factors:
- the years of experience have made me progressively gain confidence in my translation and negotiation skills, and I cannot see myself accepting low rates now, while I considered it when I first started.
- the reputation/end clients I have worked for.
The fact that I have worked for very big clients without receiving any complaint whatsoever is the proof that my work is of great quality and encourages me to stick to my stan... See more I think i's a mix of different factors:
- the years of experience have made me progressively gain confidence in my translation and negotiation skills, and I cannot see myself accepting low rates now, while I considered it when I first started.
- the reputation/end clients I have worked for.
The fact that I have worked for very big clients without receiving any complaint whatsoever is the proof that my work is of great quality and encourages me to stick to my standard rate for new offers, and increase it over time.
- the specialty field. It seems normal to increase your rates for a field you are qualified and/or experienced in. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | What does "factor" mean here? | Aug 27, 2021 |
I'm not sure what this poll is even about. Does "factor" mean my personal reasons why I should increase my rate, or does "factor" mean the best arguments I should put before the client to convince them my rate needs to be increased?
Or is this about a multiplication factor? Well, the biggest factor I increased my rate with an agency once was 1.5.
| | |
|
|
|
| Everything That Was Listed In The Poll,.. | Aug 27, 2021 |
...hyper-inflation, and the acquisition of more and advanced degrees (in my specialty areas).
| | | | John Fossey
Canada
Local time: 02:16
Member (2008)
French to English
+ ...
Marcel Karl Gomez Galarza wrote:
So, MOVING TO A MORE EXPENSIVE COUNTRY WOULD BE THE MAIN FACTOR FOR ME TO INCREASE MY RATE.
Why is it necessary to move? In these virtual times business can be had from any country in the world without having to go there. Some of my best clients are in countries with a higher cost of living but I have never lived there. Clients don't care where you live but whether you can do a good job in a timely manner.
[Edited at 2021-08-28 02:29 GMT]
| | | |
Most of my rates are set on the basis of negotiations between translator representative groups and international organizations. An increase in COL may trigger an increase. I used to get yearly contracts and the rates would gradually inch up; my most recent contract locked me in for the next three years. That's not to say that I'm complaining...
| | | |
Professionalism and reliability.
The question is poorly phrased, but my regular clients know that I won't mess them about and that I'll deliver high-quality work by the agreed deadline and usually some time before.
And that's why I won't work for peanuts.
| | |
|
|
|
| | | Other: inflation | Aug 28, 2021 |
I don't get to choose my rates. Most of my clients have set rates that are not negotiable at the individual level. For many years, one of my main clients sent me annual contracts that nudged the rate upward based on the cost of living in the U.S. However, my most recent contract from them locked in the same rate from the last two years and extended the period for the next three years.
This may be the reflection of a worldwide downward trend. For that we can thank colleagues who acc... See more I don't get to choose my rates. Most of my clients have set rates that are not negotiable at the individual level. For many years, one of my main clients sent me annual contracts that nudged the rate upward based on the cost of living in the U.S. However, my most recent contract from them locked in the same rate from the last two years and extended the period for the next three years.
This may be the reflection of a worldwide downward trend. For that we can thank colleagues who accept rates that amount to less than a living wage, making it impossible to support full-time professionals, and also the increasingly widespread (mis)use of machine translation.
I would encourage those who live in countries where the rates are low to try to expand their client base internationally. It's possible. I have had clients from many different countries and in every continent except Antarctica. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 03:16
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
All these are beautiful reasons, but all utopic as well. There is only one factor that allows a rate readjustment, and that would be a combination of Your initiative + the client's agreement. No matter how independent and self-assured the professional is, it is the client who determines if you can or cannot raise your rates. You can say "I'm to one who determines my rates", of course, but the client is the one who determines if you'll work for them or not. And I've seen it many times, in 30 year... See more All these are beautiful reasons, but all utopic as well. There is only one factor that allows a rate readjustment, and that would be a combination of Your initiative + the client's agreement. No matter how independent and self-assured the professional is, it is the client who determines if you can or cannot raise your rates. You can say "I'm to one who determines my rates", of course, but the client is the one who determines if you'll work for them or not. And I've seen it many times, in 30 years, translators insisting in raising their rates and losing their clients, but rarely ever succeeding.
What I've witnessed throughout these years, is colleagues dumping clients and finding new clients that pay better rates, not really raising rates with the same clients. ▲ Collapse
| | | | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Poll: What would be the biggest factor to increase your rate? | Anycount & Translation Office 3000 | Translation Office 3000
Translation Office 3000 is an advanced accounting tool for freelance translators and small agencies. TO3000 easily and seamlessly integrates with the business life of professional freelance translators.
More info » |
| | CafeTran Espresso | You've never met a CAT tool this clever!
Translate faster & easier, using a sophisticated CAT tool built by a translator / developer.
Accept jobs from clients who use Trados, MemoQ, Wordfast & major CAT tools.
Download and start using CafeTran Espresso -- for free
Buy now! » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
