| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Poll: Your strategy against inflation/exchange rate fluctuations is... Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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| Are Spanish people reknown for their command of the English language? | Apr 19, 2018 |
It's very difficult for non natives to assess the quality of a translation
into languages they don't have a perfect command of.
But generally speaking, Spanish companies compete only on price (that's why Spaniards appreciate
cheap translations), not on quality.
| | | | Mario Freitas 
Brazil
Local time: 16:11
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| No particular strategy | Apr 20, 2018 |
I try to get as much work as I can.
Inflation eats up everything we earn in Brazil, with a huge assistance from the corrupt government stealing all our money. So the secret is to get clients abroad and get paid in USD or EUR.
I also pray every day for the USD and the EUR to go up against the BRL.
| | | | | TM for some languages with similar grammar can be somehow useful but not mine | Apr 20, 2018 |
Mario Freitas wrote:
I try to get as much work as I can.
Inflation eats up everything we earn in Brazil, with a huge assistance from the corrupt government stealing all our money. So the secret is to get clients abroad and get paid in USD or EUR.
I also pray every day for the USD and the EUR to go up against the BRL.
I feel you about the inflation and the government.
As for TM, my language grammar rules are mostly in reverse to English rules and there are exceptions here and there so TMs are not reliable. It is more stressing to strain the eyes to check errors when using TMs and at a discounted rate on the basis of TMs used by agencies. I doubt anyone who are proud of using TMs because of the above reasons.
I start to think about what I exchange for the pay, particularly health risks, overtime due to administrative requirements, chasing deadlines and payments but for less because of agencies based TMs, which requires me more checking time. If I dont check enough, I am responsible for the errors. I mostly charge my full rate but have fewer clients.
I invested some of my income but with the inflation and current situation, I doubt that I can have extra to invest and still have some for healthcare and others.
I dont find new clients last year but I may soon start to find some new considering I am about having to drop some of them. And it is right that those who pay lower or least are the ones that dont like to pay, delay payments resulting in more time chasing them.
| | | | Kay Denney
France
Local time: 21:11
French to English
| Since when has experience been worthless? | Apr 20, 2018 |
Justin Peterson wrote:
I've actually lowered my rates for some clients ... as, thanks to increased knowledge, skill, and, above all, dramatically improved MTs available, I am able to translate about double what I used to daily.
What puzzles me is ... with the huge improvements in MT technology, why aren´t prices dropping?
Don't you think your experience and increased knowledge are worth anything? If anything you should be paid more because of that.
We mustn't compare translation to industrial manufacturing but to surgery. The one with the most experience and skill is the one you want slicing that tumour out of your body, and you're willing to pay more for her to do it. If she has also learned to use the latest technology for the operation to go more smoothly and quickly, that's not going to be a reason for paying her less, if anything you should pay her even more.
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| I hear you ... but lower prices can actually mean higher earnings | Apr 20, 2018 |
Kay:
I hear you, and I like your analogy.
For a novel, for example (I've translated two) I do insist on a relatively high rate, because, exactly, they have to pay for my experience, judgment, writing skill, hard work to get the right tone,etc.
However, for more everyday, humdrum, straightforward translations, I can offer lower rates, and end up earning more, due to the higher volume.
So, it's always a question of striking the right balance... See more Kay:
I hear you, and I like your analogy.
For a novel, for example (I've translated two) I do insist on a relatively high rate, because, exactly, they have to pay for my experience, judgment, writing skill, hard work to get the right tone,etc.
However, for more everyday, humdrum, straightforward translations, I can offer lower rates, and end up earning more, due to the higher volume.
So, it's always a question of striking the right balance to maximize your results.
I have found that the posture that "I have this experience, I am this good, so my rates are higher, across the board" is not advisable. But, to each his own. Whatever works.
JRP
Kay Denney wrote: Justin Peterson wrote:
I've actually lowered my rates for some clients ... as, thanks to increased knowledge, skill, and, above all, dramatically improved MTs available, I am able to translate about double what I used to daily.
What puzzles me is ... with the huge improvements in MT technology, why aren´t prices dropping?
Don't you think your experience and increased knowledge are worth anything? If anything you should be paid more because of that. We mustn't compare translation to industrial manufacturing but to surgery. The one with the most experience and skill is the one you want slicing that tumour out of your body, and you're willing to pay more for her to do it. If she has also learned to use the latest technology for the operation to go more smoothly and quickly, that's not going to be a reason for paying her less, if anything you should pay her even more. ▲ Collapse
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