| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | my first job, my client thinks it's too expensive...what can I do? Thread poster: JuliaR
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Parrot 
Spain
Local time: 16:54
Spanish to English
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| Sounds too familiar | Jul 21, 2003 |
JuliaR wrote:
He says that he had calculated wrongly and thought that it would be some 60€ for around 3000 words!!!!!
He says that regarding he would have to translate 3 or 4 articles per month, it would be too much money for him.
Another solution is to suggest that he send in his articles untranslated and to say that his price for writing them does not include translation, as it obviously did not come within his competence to calculate that.
I still can't see how some people, in countries where a contrary practice goes against the law, expect to pay minimum wages for unguaranteed employment without bearing any social security, unemployment liabilities or overheads, and probably not expecting to see a proper invoice, either.
Your neighborhood plumber would probably know better how to deal with them. (They get offers like these all the time, but somehow never get burned.) 
| | | | sylver
Local time: 22:54
English to French
JuliaR wrote: Hi everyone! I think I'm gonna die!!!I thought I had a good client, but suddenly it seems that I've waken up from a sweet dream... This man, my client, asked me about the rates for translating some medical articles, so I sent them to him, and even asked him for a piece of a similar text to have an idea of the lenght and so on. He sent me the text and told me he had calculated the cost, and that it would be ok. Now I've sent him the estimate of the text he sent me as a sample, to give him a closer price for future articles, and he has answered that it is too expensive for him. He says that he had calculated wrongly and thought that it would be some 60€ for around 3000 words!!!!! He says that regarding he would have to translate 3 or 4 articles per month, it would be too much money for him. The question is, this is my first official job, and I want and I need to do it. Shall I lower my rates up to a 50% as an special situation bearing in mind that it would be a "regular" client? I know how hard it is to do this job, and even more if you're a beginner, but he doesn't seem to know. Maybe I can explain to him what this job actually implies and make him a good offer regarding the situation of both of us... What do you think?, I need some advice, please PS: I've checked my rates for an especialised text and I don't think they are too high thank you all,  Julia
Everyboday jumped on that, but here I come in the band wagon.
I think the problem is that your client doesn't understand what he is asking. If I were you I would explain it as follow:
"Dear Sir,
I understand your disappointment. Translation, however, is a man made commodity. Translating properly 3000 words represent about 12 hours of work (or even more in some cases).
If I accepted to work at that rate I would be working at €5 an hour, before taxes. I believe you can see that it is not an adequate remuneration for my work. The rate I gave you is my minimal rate. If you can not afford it, I think you will be better of not translating it at all.
Yours,
Joe Blow
PS: As a word of warning, there are a number of scam whereby people pretend to offer translation very cheap (sometimes even cheaper then what you mention) but then brush it off in a couple hours with a translation software and deliver a garbled, idiotic "translation" and cash the full price, leaving their unsuspecting customer with a worthless document. No real translator works in Eu languages for €5 an hour. "
That would be more or less my reply. Going from there, either the customer thing money grows on trees and you better cut him loose or he will understand and revise his expectations.
As for you, never forget that there are more translation jobs then there are translators. It's just a matter of marketing.
| | | | Mónica Machado
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:54
English to Portuguese
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Hello,
I think Sylver's letter is just Excellent.
Well, the client you are talking about is not a real client. In my opinion is just somebody that needs a document translated and that believes anybody can translate if they can speak the source language at primary level. The client you mention is not
a professional client if you see what I mean and professional translators only work with professional clients.
Don't accept that job and just think your... See more Hello,
I think Sylver's letter is just Excellent.
Well, the client you are talking about is not a real client. In my opinion is just somebody that needs a document translated and that believes anybody can translate if they can speak the source language at primary level. The client you mention is not
a professional client if you see what I mean and professional translators only work with professional clients.
Don't accept that job and just think your rates are ok!! and you will get there sooner or later.
All the best
Mónica ▲ Collapse
| | | | Laura Gentili
Italy
Local time: 16:54
Member (2003)
English to Italian
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| My suggestions | Jul 21, 2003 |
Hello Julia,
I second what other colleagues have said. I would like to add a couple of suggestions:
- in your Web page, provide a link to a CV in English and not in Spanish
- consider the possibility to change the picture in your ProZ page. May be I am too old fashioned but a picture of a translator in swimming suit does not look too professional to my eyes.
Just my 2 eurocents.
Laura
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JuliaR
English to Spanish
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TOPIC STARTER | tahnks a lot!! | Jul 21, 2003 |
It's amazing the number of replies I've received, in fact I didn't expect so many. The best thing is that I'm of your opinion, and you all have reaffirmed it, thank you!!!
PS: Laura Gentili, I'm not wearing a swimming suit on the picture, it's just a T-shirt without sleeves. In fact, I don't think that police in Monaco(where the picture was taken)would have allowed me to walk around wearing a swimming suit...Anyway, I would never paste a picture of me dressing like that anywhere.... See more It's amazing the number of replies I've received, in fact I didn't expect so many. The best thing is that I'm of your opinion, and you all have reaffirmed it, thank you!!!
PS: Laura Gentili, I'm not wearing a swimming suit on the picture, it's just a T-shirt without sleeves. In fact, I don't think that police in Monaco(where the picture was taken)would have allowed me to walk around wearing a swimming suit...Anyway, I would never paste a picture of me dressing like that anywhere.
cheers!!! ▲ Collapse
| | | | cendrine marrouat (X)
English to French
+ ...
| don't accept the job | Jul 22, 2003 |
Hello!
I read your email, and I think you shouldn't take it! Of course, we all need to start somewhere, but somtimes, we have to be respected because we do a difficult and tough job. So, if he doesn't want to make you work for your rates (which don't see to be that high), leave him where he is.
If you start accpeting that kind of things, then you are cooked.
Hope I helped you.
| | | | achisholm
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:54
Italian to English
+ ...
| Do not lower your rates to the price he suggested.. | Jul 22, 2003 |
I once lowered my rates for a client in order to "get established" in a working relationship with them, and it was then later impossible to raise the rates back up to a respectable level. True, the client did give me quite a lot of work over time and so I still ended up making some money out of the relationship, but their demands took up a lot of my time, leaving me no time to look for other clients and market myself better. With hindsight (a very cheap commodity indeed), I would not do that aga... See more I once lowered my rates for a client in order to "get established" in a working relationship with them, and it was then later impossible to raise the rates back up to a respectable level. True, the client did give me quite a lot of work over time and so I still ended up making some money out of the relationship, but their demands took up a lot of my time, leaving me no time to look for other clients and market myself better. With hindsight (a very cheap commodity indeed), I would not do that again. However, I understand the situation you are in at the moment. ▲ Collapse
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