| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Do you mention your rates in your profile or not? Thread poster: Andrea Halbritter
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Hello everyone,
I'd be interested to know your points of view on the following question:
Do you mention your rates in your profile or not? Why (not)?
Happy New Year! Enjoy your evening!
| | | | Kevin Fulton 
United States
Local time: 18:58
German to English
| Probably not a good practice | Dec 31, 2014 |
Even if you mention a price spread, e.g., 10 - 15 cents, the customer will expect you to quote the lower rate upfront ("surely as a new customer I should expect a discount" or "this will be a high-volume job over time".)
When contacted by potential customers, I always tell tell them that the price will depend on the subject matter of the document, formatting requirements, deadline, etc. I then ask a series of questions about the document so I have an idea of what the customer has a... See more Even if you mention a price spread, e.g., 10 - 15 cents, the customer will expect you to quote the lower rate upfront ("surely as a new customer I should expect a discount" or "this will be a high-volume job over time".)
When contacted by potential customers, I always tell tell them that the price will depend on the subject matter of the document, formatting requirements, deadline, etc. I then ask a series of questions about the document so I have an idea of what the customer has and give a "ballpark" estimate based on my highest rate. Then I let them know I'll give them a firm price once I see the document. This saves a lot of unnecessary upfront haggling over the cost of an unseen product.
I suppose listing your price in the profile might save you the hassle of dealing with people who expect translation to cost the same as typing a document. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Rolf Kern
Switzerland
Local time: 00:58
English to German
+ ...
In memoriam
They depend on the circumstances.
Rolf
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I decided not to mention my rates in my profile, as these depend on many variables (subject matter, formatting, deadline, direct client, translation agency, method and term of payment…). For a potential new client, I always say that each job is quoted individually, based on volume, technicality, deadline of the project and other practical circumstances.
Happy New Year!
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Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:58
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Q. Do you mention your rates in your profile or not?
A. No
Q. Why not?
A. Because I don't want my competitors (i.e. all other users of this site) to know what they are.
[Edited at 2014-12-31 21:16 GMT]
| | | | ATIL KAYHAN
Türkiye
Local time: 01:58
Member (2007)
Turkish to English
+ ...
I mention my rates in my profile. I think there is nothing wrong with that. I want my potential clients to know in advance what I will charge them. Otherwise, they will have no idea at all. Suppose you have a product or service that you are selling. Would you hide its price from the client? I would not. From the point of view of the client, he/she has every right to know what you will charge. It is only fair.
| | | | Niina Lahokoski
Finland
Local time: 01:58
Member (2008)
English to Finnish
+ ...
I mention what I would call "an average price range", just to give potential clients an idea and to keep the low-feeders away. Not everyone seems to look at the prices before contacting me, though - I still get inquiries offering way lower rates.
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It implies that you charge the same rates to direct clients and agencies (which you shouldn't), or that you work only for direct clients (which only a minority of fortunate people have achieved).
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Edwin den Boer
Netherlands
Local time: 00:58
Member (2009)
English to Dutch
| First bid is powerful | Jan 1, 2015 |
I understand the 'many variables' argument, but being the first to mention a price gives you a better negotiating position (unless it's too low). For example, stating that your rate is $40 per hour and being asked for a discount is better than being offered $30 per hour and trying to ask for more.
Kevin, Rolf, Teresa: Do you quote a new rate every time a regular client offers you a job? I don't, it would be a hassle and the type of work I do is pretty predictable, since I usually wo... See more I understand the 'many variables' argument, but being the first to mention a price gives you a better negotiating position (unless it's too low). For example, stating that your rate is $40 per hour and being asked for a discount is better than being offered $30 per hour and trying to ask for more.
Kevin, Rolf, Teresa: Do you quote a new rate every time a regular client offers you a job? I don't, it would be a hassle and the type of work I do is pretty predictable, since I usually work for a small number of end clients in the same field. ▲ Collapse
| | | | 564354352 (X)
Denmark
Local time: 00:58
Danish to English
+ ...
My prices are mentioned on my website, which I want clients to look at, so there's no point in not mentioning them on here. Besides, I hope that my quoted price here will raise the 'average ProZ rate' for my language combination and thus get away from some of the ridiculously low prices that I see quoted by other translators.
Besides, I disagree with the idea of charging agencies and end clients differently, after all, the work I deliver is of the same standard regardless of whether... See more My prices are mentioned on my website, which I want clients to look at, so there's no point in not mentioning them on here. Besides, I hope that my quoted price here will raise the 'average ProZ rate' for my language combination and thus get away from some of the ridiculously low prices that I see quoted by other translators.
Besides, I disagree with the idea of charging agencies and end clients differently, after all, the work I deliver is of the same standard regardless of whether the client is intermediate or direct, so why should I charge one type of client less than another? That doesn't make sense. The work takes the same amount of time to complete. One of my selling points to direct clients is that they will get a better deal from me than they are likely to get from an agency, which I believe to be true. My fees are low enough for agencies to add a 'handling fee' and still make a profit, even if it is not as big a profit as they can make from working with translators who charge less, obviously.
I can't be bothered with the individual assessment of technicality, difficulty and quality of each individual job as a basis for pricing, so I work with one price only. Not even a price range, just a fixed price. If for some reason I find that a job merits a deduction, I will give that to the client at the end of the job. It's amazing how pleased clients can be to get an unexpected deduction... ▲ Collapse
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:58
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| Totally agree except.... | Jan 1, 2015 |
Gitte - you and I are on the same wavelength; what you say is exactly what I think in every way *except for one thing*: I prefer not to publicise my rate on Proz.com. This is not to conceal it from prospective clients, but to conceal it from other Proz users.
I prefer prospective clients to approach me not because they are looking for the cheapest possible translator but because of my experience, my specialisms, and the professional service I offer.
On that basis, I fin... See more Gitte - you and I are on the same wavelength; what you say is exactly what I think in every way *except for one thing*: I prefer not to publicise my rate on Proz.com. This is not to conceal it from prospective clients, but to conceal it from other Proz users.
I prefer prospective clients to approach me not because they are looking for the cheapest possible translator but because of my experience, my specialisms, and the professional service I offer.
On that basis, I find that agencies often approach me, after studying my Proz page. However when I tell them my rate they sometimes back off or ask me if I can charge less. I always refuse to reduce my rate, which is as reasonable as it could be.
Many of these agencies then disappear but sometimes they reflect for a while, considering their options.
Sometimes they then get back to me, accepting my rate - because they are more interested in quality and professionalism than a few extra cents of profit.
I'm pleased when that happens because it means I'm working with a good agency that's looking for quality and is willing to take a gamble on me (never having worked with me before).
In response I produce my best work for them, to prove that when I claim to be professional and expert in my field, etc. etc. I mean it.
[Edited at 2015-01-02 09:45 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Thanks a lot for all your answers which I find very interesting.
In my case my prices vary a lot depending on subject, volume, type of text and customer.
Especially in journalism some articles take a lot of time in order to offer a really excellent style while in other fields I'll be much quicker.
At the beginning I did mention a price range on ProZ per word and also by hour.
My prices are also different depending whether I work for direct clie... See more Thanks a lot for all your answers which I find very interesting.
In my case my prices vary a lot depending on subject, volume, type of text and customer.
Especially in journalism some articles take a lot of time in order to offer a really excellent style while in other fields I'll be much quicker.
At the beginning I did mention a price range on ProZ per word and also by hour.
My prices are also different depending whether I work for direct clients or agencies as direct clients generally speaking mean a lot of marketing, phone calls, networking... a service agencies provide for us.
When I did actually put my hourly rates on my profile I was contacted by more agencies which were really looking for good quality, but nevertheless still got mails from outsourcers offering me 0,04 € per word.
Others did not understand why in a range of 45 to 80 € per hour they were not charged 45 but 60.
This week I decided not to mention rates anymore and see if anything changes. ▲ Collapse
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| Different rates for direct clients | Jan 1, 2015 |
In my experience direct clients receive a more personalized service, I am there to answer quick questions, slot in small jobs, advise about changes that might improve the end product ... To me direct clients are more time consuming and therefore I might charge them a bit more. This may of course vary from one client to another.
| | | | | Personalized service | Jan 1, 2015 |
You are right, Gabriele. Often direct clients receive a much more personalized service especially if they do not have a marketing department.
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 00:58
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
Andrea Halbritter wrote:
Do you mention your rates in your profile or not? Why (not)?
Yes, I mention one of my rates on my ProZ.com profile page. Because it gives clients an idea of the type of rate they should be negotiating for. Some clients may be quite willing to pay my rate, but may not contact me first if they don't know what rate I prefer.
However, ProZ.com only allows me to mention one rate in my profile page (in the main section). So although I have separate rates for five different geographical regions and currencies, at ProZ.com I can only state my rate for one region, in one currency. This means that I may be missing out on jobs from regions for whom I charge lower rates, but I'd rather not put the lower rates on my profile page as if those are my rates for all clients from all regions of the world.
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