| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15] > | We MUST quote in low-price jobs with OUR prices! Thread poster: Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT
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Hynek Palatin wrote: I am sorry but I will be using translators with lower rates for this job. If you wish to be considered for future assignments, please be aware that we are currently paying .04 USD per word for Czech.
"Gaston! A bucket for monsieur!" 
| | | | | Prices and barriers - my case | Feb 4, 2009 |
Kevin Lossner wrote: ...living in Australia you will have a harder time marketing to European clients than I will. ... there are other barriers, like additional cost for money transfers, etc.
The funny thing about my particular case is that I am often just as easy or easier to reach than my European colleagues (work European hours *and* US hours like clockwork, have 3 mobile phones, Skype, 4 chat systems, etc.). The clients who do work with me are always very pleased about how available I am and how I'm often able to turn work in early.
I also have bank accounts open and waiting on three continents, generally no fees involved.
I certainly make it as easy for them as possible!
And it is definitely more expensive living here than in Saarbruecken... and it costs a lot more to get the heck out of dodge as well!
| | | | Aniello Scognamiglio (X) 
Germany
Local time: 01:03
English to German
+ ...
| The magic power of words | Feb 4, 2009 |
Hynek Palatin wrote:
I am sorry but I will be using translators with lower rates for this job. If you wish to be considered for future assignments, please be aware that we are currently paying .04 USD per word for Czech.
[/quote]
We linguists know about the meaning of words, don't we?
An agency or direct client that uses people will always find people who like to be used like a kitchen device.
Of course, there are desperate translators, but translators should be aware that there are desperate agencies as well - more than you think.
| | | | | Availability & more on business planning | Feb 4, 2009 |
Janet Rubin wrote: ... 3 mobile phones, Skype, 4 chat systems, etc.). The clients who do work with me are always very pleased about how available I am and how I'm often able to turn work in early. I also have bank accounts open and waiting on three continents, generally no fees involved. I certainly make it as easy for them as possible!
You certainly do; in many respects, your setup with bank accounts, etc. is far better optimized in our situation. But you are still running into some "attitude" from certain Europeans and their expectations about contractors elsewhere.
But, my friend... what are you doing to get the word out about this? I tried to look at your domain, and all I got was a directory and after a bit of hacking around I found a bunch of telephone numbers. You'll have to do better than that to hook the big fish. My business web site is real crap - thrown together in an evening and totally outdated, with an update in two languages languishing for two years already until I have time to deal with it. But prospects can still get a basic idea of what we do and how we do it. And it draws in excellent direct client business in Germany, strangely enough, even though I've been too lazy to put up the German version. Your profile offers more information, of course... sometimes TMI. It's a good profile, but like everything, there is optimization potential. Optimize until you have no time to mess with it any more because you're overworked (hopefully at good rates).
Think about joining ITI or some similar group. I get super referrals though the directories of its counterpart here in Germany. Or join the BDÜ if you can. I haven't been insulted by rates yet from anyone who found my data there.
I just found a few interesting links on one translator's approach to planning:
http://ecotranslator.blogspot.com/2009/01/looking-back-at-2008.html
http://ecotranslator.blogspot.com/2009/01/looking-forward.html
Maybe useful.
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Hynek Palatin wrote: I received the following response from a California-based agency last week: I am sorry but I will be using translators with lower rates for this job. If you wish to be considered for future assignments, please be aware that we are currently paying .04 USD per word for Czech. Now where is that diaper...
I've got news for you: I see "offers" like that too from places like the US, Italy, China and Bulgaria. That's what the Delete key in my mail client is for. Maybe one of these days I'll get around to updating my incoming mail filters in Outlook to trash anything message containing certain favored phrases about rates.
However, none of that affects daily business. I just toss the trash and focus on the clients worth having. And there are lots of those out there.
If you've got your marketing act in order and you can deliver top quality but these are the only offers you see in the coming months, send me a private message with your address and I'll have a supply of Depends delivered ASAP. However, I suspect that won't be necessary.
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Kevin Lossner wrote: But, my friend... what are you doing to get the word out about this? I tried to look at your domain
My how quickly they forget... You don't recall our conversation last month about my brand new megawebsite soon to be online after my super-expensive designer has had her way with it?
| | | | Arnaud HERVE
France
Local time: 01:03
English to French
+ ...
I am amazed by the number of lessons you can give in one day, Kevin.
Sometimes it even makes me laugh.
| | | | Nadja Balogh
Germany
Local time: 01:03
Member (2007)
Japanese to German
+ ...
| This is really getting funny | Feb 4, 2009 |
Hi all
(and especially happy translator Margreet - I loved your post) -
this is all getting just too funny. Maybe I just feel that way because it's late and I've had a glass of wine or two... but reading this thread is real entertainment.
All the best,
Nadja, another happy translator
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Arnaud HERVE
France
Local time: 01:03
English to French
+ ...
| Beautiful people | Feb 4, 2009 |
You are deliciously tempting Nadja-kun.
In fact I just finished watching Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge, and I was so sad I couldn't watch the introductions by Hiroshi-kun anymore.
I guess I'm a bit obscure here, so be warned everyone: if you have not watched this anime, you have not lived a real life.
Because it's been a busy day, here is... See more You are deliciously tempting Nadja-kun.
In fact I just finished watching Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge, and I was so sad I couldn't watch the introductions by Hiroshi-kun anymore.
I guess I'm a bit obscure here, so be warned everyone: if you have not watched this anime, you have not lived a real life.
Because it's been a busy day, here is the musical opening for all. And, no, it's not weird. Well, yeah, it's weird, but there is a reason in the story for being that weird.
But anyway, I was sad, because no Hiroshi-kun anymore.
So I came here to talk with Kevin-Sama, who is shining with success, and thunders from the skies.
And it enlightened my day. I saw the light. It was scary.
What? It's late and I should shut up? Hiroshi-kun!!! I want to get back to my dark room!!! And why am I on a forum with people who don't even know Hiroshi-kun??? ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Same agency from California | Feb 5, 2009 |
Hynek Palatin wrote: That's right. I received the following response from a California-based agency last week: I am sorry but I will be using translators with lower rates for this job. If you wish to be considered for future assignments, please be aware that we are currently paying .04 USD per word for Czech.
I got almost the same message today. The only difference was... the rate. They wrote they pay 0,06 for Polish.
But why the difference? Cheapest Polish translator was 0,06, and cheapest Czech was 0,04? I wonder.
And I thought that Americans pay more, than Chinese. My my, how wrong I was.
Anni
| | | | Speranza
Local time: 01:03
Spanish to Russian
+ ...
| How about asking the crowd? | Feb 5, 2009 |
Judging by what James Surowiecki argues in his book which is both persuasive and fun, there is plenty of evidence that a simple poll (something like, "In 2009, translation rates will generally (a) increase, (b) remain flat, (c) decrease") is highly likely to provide us with a pretty accurate forecast. If general trends do exist after all, that is. Migh... See more Judging by what James Surowiecki argues in his book which is both persuasive and fun, there is plenty of evidence that a simple poll (something like, "In 2009, translation rates will generally (a) increase, (b) remain flat, (c) decrease") is highly likely to provide us with a pretty accurate forecast. If general trends do exist after all, that is. Might be more useful than the endless "you are the only one who is getting more expensive" – "no, you are the only one who is getting cheaper" exchange ▲ Collapse
| | | | M&T (X)
Local time: 19:03
English to Romanian
+ ...
| i do quote but... | Feb 5, 2009 |
Wow...you guys write a lot! Anyways, what I meant was that I quote on low priced jobs, but I find out they were low priced only after I quote. That sounds twisted...ok...so they post job, they don't say the price, I quote with my rates and they say whoaaaa, "we pay our translators with 3 cents " and I say "no, thanks" and that's it. On jobs that I see the price and it is under my minimum rate, I don't bother. I better study hard so I can get my MD license here too and then I won't have to roll m... See more Wow...you guys write a lot! Anyways, what I meant was that I quote on low priced jobs, but I find out they were low priced only after I quote. That sounds twisted...ok...so they post job, they don't say the price, I quote with my rates and they say whoaaaa, "we pay our translators with 3 cents " and I say "no, thanks" and that's it. On jobs that I see the price and it is under my minimum rate, I don't bother. I better study hard so I can get my MD license here too and then I won't have to roll my eyes when I see these merchants offering peanuts, or better said sunflower seeds, because those are even smaller.
Point is... I saw some medical translations made by cheap translators and all I can say is that they got what they paid for. Even though some of them have the language skills, they are clueless when it comes to the medical terms. But of course, the client doesn't know, the agency doesn't know ( don't know-don't care ) and everybody's happy. ▲ Collapse
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Nicole Schnell
United States
Local time: 16:03
English to German
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In memoriam | You might be dealing with a broker rather than an agency | Feb 5, 2009 |
M. Anna Kańduła wrote:
Cheapest Polish translator was 0,06, and cheapest Czech was 0,04? I wonder.
And I thought that Americans pay more, than Chinese. My my, how wrong I was.
Anni
They keep popping up like mushrooms after the rain.
Those are companies that are snatching jobs from agencies, find some naive and / or desperate translators, forward the job - and make some cash by sending emails back and forth.
This concept was explained to me by one of those wonder companies on the phone, after I was interviewed for 15 minutes by some fellow, was offered 4 cent a word and after I pretty much asked him if he had lost his marbles. "But we guarantee you payment!", he said. Then I hung up.
Generalizations regarding "how much Americans pay" are not recommended.
| | | | | Adding layers to the process | Feb 5, 2009 |
MihaelaT wrote:
Point is... I saw some medical translations made by cheap translators and all I can say is that they got what they paid for. Even though some of them have the language skills, they are clueless when it comes to the medical terms. But of course, the client doesn't know, the agency doesn't know ( don't know-don't care ) and everybody's happy.
Yes, indeed this is a frequent situation. There are agencies out there who specialise in medical translations and who try to overcome this situation by adding layers to the process: instead of paying a reasonable rate to a good medical translator, they pay a low fee to half a dozen non-specialised people in different stages (translation, editing, proofreading, quality assurance, multi-job quality surveys...), but the result is worse than paying a good medical translator from the beginning.
I have explained this to one agency who does this, but they don't listen. They (and their customers, top-notch pharmaceutical companies) believe that all these stages produce good results. If they only had their translation memory checked by a good medical translator some day!
| | | | Taija Hyvönen
Finland
Local time: 02:03
Member (2008)
English to Finnish
+ ...
| Rates surveys | Feb 5, 2009 |
Kevin Lossner wrote:
Now mind you, these prices are nothing special at all. They are average prices, which - translated into real terms - means prices that are achieved by translators who are average in their marketing skills. Those who are particularly on the ball will do much better of course. Please note, Arnaud, that the lowest of these averages are rather close to double that "unattainable" rate of USD 0.10 that you whine about. Now what conclusions should I draw from this?
I checked the rates survey for document translators by the Finnish Association of Translators and Interpreters and would only very briefly like to note that the rates per word in this survey range from less than 0,10 to 0,21. This is euros, and also the rate before VAT is added, which is +22%. So 0,10 € is only the very bottom of the scale.
FIT Europe is planning a rates survey that covers whole Europe, so hopefully soon many of us can answer and see the results, which will probably vary so greatly that not much in general can be said.
It is interesting to see how two types stand out in these (endless) discussions: those who think anyone can do anything if they just try, and those who think evil destiny has cursed them, so nothing will work even if they try... why most remain silent is probably because they are minding their own business (pun intended).
Nicole, it was interesting to hear that agencies are now hiring brokers to haggle the rates down. Good luck with that one and please do contact me again if you come to your senses, dear 2,5-cent agency
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