| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Do you increase your rates according to the increase in the cost of living? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you increase your rates according to the increase in the cost of living?".
View the poll results »
| | | | Rajan Chopra
India
Local time: 15:36
Member (2008)
English to Hindi
+ ...
In view of steep hike in the prices of essential commodities and cost of living, I increased my rates in the last three months but I lost many of my clients due to this hike because they were not willing to pay extra and others were ready to work on low rates.
| | | | | failed to negotiate | Jan 4, 2012 |
I'm being greatly suffering from hyper JPN against both USD and EUR. Some months back, I explained the situation in a brief manner to agencies I had records of working many times, and negotiate for raising then-current rates, but simply most of them were not quite willing to respond to my requests for the reason that their "standard" rates were lower than my suggestive rates (which I found out are not that much on higher side after hearing from some colleagues what they offer).
For... See more I'm being greatly suffering from hyper JPN against both USD and EUR. Some months back, I explained the situation in a brief manner to agencies I had records of working many times, and negotiate for raising then-current rates, but simply most of them were not quite willing to respond to my requests for the reason that their "standard" rates were lower than my suggestive rates (which I found out are not that much on higher side after hearing from some colleagues what they offer).
For now (probably into the next couple of years), honestly I'm beginning to be concerned about expected income shortage under the condition that I live in Japan while most of my incomes come from USD or EUR.
[Edited at 2012-01-04 05:13 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Julian Holmes 
Japan
Local time: 19:06
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
Of course, I would love to.
However, the reality is that if I did increase my rates to keep up with the increased cost of living, I would probably be cutting my own throat and opening up a gap for someone else to slip into. And there will ALWAYS be someone else who can do it at cheaper rates (but not necessarily at the same quality). Sigh! 
I'm doing my best right now - in view of the current economic... See more Of course, I would love to.
However, the reality is that if I did increase my rates to keep up with the increased cost of living, I would probably be cutting my own throat and opening up a gap for someone else to slip into. And there will ALWAYS be someone else who can do it at cheaper rates (but not necessarily at the same quality). Sigh!
I'm doing my best right now - in view of the current economic conditions - to reinforce my presence while finding new ways to be more cost-effective.
Happy translating! ▲ Collapse
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Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 12:06
English to French
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| Yes "sometimes" | Jan 4, 2012 |
... when the consumer price index is up enough (x points, usually 5, but I may forget and let it go up 10). That is the way salaries and civil servants' wages rise in this country. Why should I not apply the same rule?
For USD clients, one of them indexes rates automatically, but for another (direct), I increased rates after 5 years, when the exchange rate was so bad that my price was 40% lower (after exchange) than when we started out, and below what any agency pays me here. True, I get ... See more ... when the consumer price index is up enough (x points, usually 5, but I may forget and let it go up 10). That is the way salaries and civil servants' wages rise in this country. Why should I not apply the same rule?
For USD clients, one of them indexes rates automatically, but for another (direct), I increased rates after 5 years, when the exchange rate was so bad that my price was 40% lower (after exchange) than when we started out, and below what any agency pays me here. True, I get less work from them, but the relationship has not been broken.
[Modifié le 2012-01-04 18:05 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 12:06
Spanish to English
+ ...
I try to, but when more or less everybody is suffering to the same extent, as in the current situation, I don't intend to be the first to do so. As long as I get the same hourly rate as my mechanic and electrician or plumber etc, then I am content to make do with that until things get better.
| | | | ikeda45
Local time: 19:06
Member (2007)
English to Japanese
Exactly.
But one of my major clients was willing to change the currency from USD to JPY.
And I'm grateful to that. At present I don't take projects with USD rate.
Minoru Kuwahara wrote:
I'm being greatly suffering from hyper JPN against both USD and EUR. Some months back, I explained the situation in a brief manner to agencies I had records of working many times, and negotiate for raising then-current rates, but simply most of them were not quite willing to respond to my requests for the reason that their "standard" rates were lower than my suggestive rates (which I found out are not that much on higher side after hearing from some colleagues what they offer).
For now (probably into the next couple of years), honestly I'm beginning to be concerned about expected income shortage under the condition that I live in Japan while most of my incomes come from USD or EUR.
[Edited at 2012-01-04 05:13 GMT]
| | | | Odile Breuvart
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:06
Member
English to French
+ ...
Same feeling as everybody here. We, as translators, can be in danger of not defending ourselves strongly enough. Isolation and competition really make us vulnerable. At the moment I am working on projects that make me feel sick physically (tiredness because of strenuous and long hours of work) and mentally (I know I am not appreciated for my worth as I accept projects that are below my expectation, just so I can feed my family).
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Trying to find out the agencies that pursue this approach.
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I do try to set a higher rate for new clients, but they tend to disappear and find another translator instead!
So for good clients that I know well, I tend to play cautious and reap the benefits of knowing their end clients, having good TMs that fit their projects etc. I think I am fairly lucky, as I can make a comfortable living, but I did not get the pay rise last year that the tax authorities seemed to expect.
BTW, does anyone know what happened to the Chartered Ins... See more I do try to set a higher rate for new clients, but they tend to disappear and find another translator instead!
So for good clients that I know well, I tend to play cautious and reap the benefits of knowing their end clients, having good TMs that fit their projects etc. I think I am fairly lucky, as I can make a comfortable living, but I did not get the pay rise last year that the tax authorities seemed to expect.
BTW, does anyone know what happened to the Chartered Institute of Linguists' and ITI rates survey?
The first one this century closed recently, and seems to have disappeared completely. I would love to see the results. ▲ Collapse
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[quote]Christine Andersen wrote:
I do try to set a higher rate for new clients, but they tend to disappear and find another translator instead!
It is not we who set the rates, the market does!
| | | | Emin Arı
Türkiye
Local time: 13:06
English to Turkish
+ ...
| no one likes raise in price | Jan 4, 2012 |
At the very beginning, a higher price would be reasonably accepted by outsourcer but any raise afterwards make them feel being ripped off. So in the time of highly wired (i.e easy to find someone else ) world we must keep our rates at a certain level.
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Simon Bruni
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:06
Member (2009)
Spanish to English
I increase my prices whenever the opportunity arises, as I obtain new clients at gradually higher rates, but never across the board due to external factors. That would risk losing existing and profitable business.
| | | | monica.m
Italy
Local time: 12:06
Member (2011)
German to Italian
+ ...
I wish I could!
Best Wishes for the New Year to you all.
Monica
| | | | telefpro
Local time: 15:36
Portuguese to English
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Odile Stuart wrote:
Same feeling as everybody here. We, as translators, can be in danger of not defending ourselves strongly enough. Isolation and competition really make us vulnerable. At the moment I am working on projects that make me feel sick physically (tiredness because of strenuous and long hours of work) and mentally (I know I am not appreciated for my worth as I accept projects that are below my expectation, just so I can feed my family).
I face the same problem here in India for my language pairs.
Just nobody cares to pay even normal rate for good translations.
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