Poll: What would you do if a regular client asked for a price reduction? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What would you do if a regular client asked for a price reduction?".
View the poll results »
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| I would not accept | Dec 25, 2018 |
It has happened to me, and I have refused. They were asking for a 4 cent cut in the per word rate because it was an enormous job - a series of textbooks. The PMs usually have no real idea of the difficulty of a text and they like to think a large job is easier, whereas for me it's the opposite: more consistency to worry about.
I may have lost smaller clients for this reason, but the regular one that asked for a 4-cent cut in their usual rate still comes back to me.
[Edited a... See more It has happened to me, and I have refused. They were asking for a 4 cent cut in the per word rate because it was an enormous job - a series of textbooks. The PMs usually have no real idea of the difficulty of a text and they like to think a large job is easier, whereas for me it's the opposite: more consistency to worry about.
I may have lost smaller clients for this reason, but the regular one that asked for a 4-cent cut in their usual rate still comes back to me.
[Edited at 2018-12-25 08:57 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Never happened to me until this day with my customers (it happens a lot with potential clients), I would first try to negotiate the rate and if unsuccessful I would have to refuse…
Sometimes if the subject matter is interesting I might be tempted to accept but the problem is that once you have agreed to a lower than usual rate you'll be stuck on that rate for a long while with that client. So, thanks but no...
[Edited at 2018-12-25 13:24 GMT]
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neilmac
Spain
Local time: 05:26
Spanish to English
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For me, it would depend on several factors; the client in question, the job in question, the deadline, my workload at the time... One client recently told me that the reason they keep sending me work and recommending me to others is that my services meet their price/quality criteria. But in general I consider my rates to be basic and I'm usually more concerned with maintaining or raising them than giving discounts. However, I am not averse to granting discounts spontaneously, without being aske... See more For me, it would depend on several factors; the client in question, the job in question, the deadline, my workload at the time... One client recently told me that the reason they keep sending me work and recommending me to others is that my services meet their price/quality criteria. But in general I consider my rates to be basic and I'm usually more concerned with maintaining or raising them than giving discounts. However, I am not averse to granting discounts spontaneously, without being asked, when I consider it appropriate. ▲ Collapse
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Ricki Farn
Germany
Local time: 05:26
English to German
| I would not accept | Dec 25, 2018 |
... and also, the further relationship with the client would have a little dark cloud hovering over it for a long time. In any other industry, prices are only going up, so why would we accept to be the exception?
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Paul Dixon 
Brazil
Local time: 00:26
Portuguese to English
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| I would not accept | Dec 25, 2018 |
I would not accept. Once a client asked for a 90% discount. Sadly, the 'discount culture' is rife in Brazil, prices have got as low as 2 cents a word or even less, in some cases. If you refuse the job, there is always someone who will accept it, even at such low rates. More recent is the 'spread-payment-culture', due to payment constraints they say they will pay over 4 months. One proposal was 100 USD paid in 4 instalments.
Things look bad.
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DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
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| And how about big money for an old rope? | Dec 25, 2018 |
Not with my rates and clients)
However, if one could justify such a requirement, I might consider sensible trade-offs
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| Pretty Nervy... | Dec 25, 2018 |
...if a repeat client asks for a price reduction, not to mention, disrespectful.
If they don't want to pay based on a translator's education and additional (since the last time they worked for them) experience, and, in some cases, on the recommendations of former or new clients since they last worked for, then they're asking for services again from the wrong translator.
Anyway, I've never had a repeat client ask me to work for less than I did the last time.
... See more ...if a repeat client asks for a price reduction, not to mention, disrespectful.
If they don't want to pay based on a translator's education and additional (since the last time they worked for them) experience, and, in some cases, on the recommendations of former or new clients since they last worked for, then they're asking for services again from the wrong translator.
Anyway, I've never had a repeat client ask me to work for less than I did the last time.
If anything, I have offered my services to them at INCREASED rates, in some cases!
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[Edited at 2018-12-26 02:25 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 00:26
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
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| Exceptions do occur | Dec 25, 2018 |
Ambiguous question.
A regular client asking for a PERMANENT reduction of fee in ALL jobs is a "No" for sure. It has happened a few times, I lost a few clients (they lost me, AMOF), and a few said it was OK, gave me an excuse like "the manager agreed to maintain your price due to your good quality/services", and everything stayed as it was. In other words, some clients do throw a bait or test the waters sometimes. For these, I have a big "No Way!" ready to copy and paste in my reply.... See more Ambiguous question.
A regular client asking for a PERMANENT reduction of fee in ALL jobs is a "No" for sure. It has happened a few times, I lost a few clients (they lost me, AMOF), and a few said it was OK, gave me an excuse like "the manager agreed to maintain your price due to your good quality/services", and everything stayed as it was. In other words, some clients do throw a bait or test the waters sometimes. For these, I have a big "No Way!" ready to copy and paste in my reply. I'm living in the exact same crises as they are, WTH!
In another exception, the client agreed to pay through Payoneer instead of PayPal if I reduced ½ cent in my rate, which I gladly did, because getting rid of PayPal represented more than that to me.
A third regular occurrence is a specific job with some special characteristic (such as lots of repetitions or a client with special needs), and the client asks for a special rate IN THAT SPECIFIC job. I have recently translated the documents of a refugee trying to migrate to Brazil. She had three kids with her, and her husband had died. Of course I made a very generous price. Norhing wrong with exceptional cases, as long as you go back to the regular rates in the next job.
[Edited at 2018-12-25 16:18 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Paulinho Fonseca
Brazil
Local time: 00:26
Member (2011)
English to Portuguese
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This is not in my work practices.
Some years ago, one of my regular clients proposed a fee reduction X workload increase. I said that was not possible considering the minimum working rates I had offered them at the beginning of contract.
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| has never happened | Dec 26, 2018 |
I can't imagine my regular clients doing so. From time to time I have offered a reduced price, for whatever reason, explaining why, for a good client.
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