Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: How do you generally respond to requests for your "best" rate? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How do you generally respond to requests for your "best" rate?".
This poll was originally submitted by James A. Walsh. View the poll results »
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Three possibilities: 1. I quote my regular rate, if I’m interested in working with that specific client and the email is addressed to me personally; 2. I quote my higher rate, if I’m just annoyed by the question (though I admit that sometimes the client doesn’t realize that it could be ill-received); 3. I just ignore the request! | | |
I almost always ignore the request. I know the ballpark they are hoping for. I already have plenty of work at my own rates, so I would lose out on work from my good clients if I accepted work at a lower rate and then found myself too busy when my regulars called on me. | | | Other: I don't reply - i.e. I ignore the job posting or delete the email | Dec 1, 2019 |
If 'best rate' is mentioned, it means the outsourcer is on a fishing expedition for cheap, cheaper, cheapest. | |
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Samuel Murray Netherlands Local time: 08:07 Member (2006) English to Afrikaans + ... | My usual rate - it depends... | Dec 1, 2019 |
It depends on the rest of the mail how I reply - or indeed whether I reply. If it is a short mass mail, or there is no indication of subject area or other important details, then I just delete it. ´Your best rate for 1 page of Danish to English ASAP´ and the like. I deliver my best quality, sometimes fast, but I am not cheap. If there is some attempt at politeness, and an indication of what the text is about, then I just accept that all clients want the lo... See more It depends on the rest of the mail how I reply - or indeed whether I reply. If it is a short mass mail, or there is no indication of subject area or other important details, then I just delete it. ´Your best rate for 1 page of Danish to English ASAP´ and the like. I deliver my best quality, sometimes fast, but I am not cheap. If there is some attempt at politeness, and an indication of what the text is about, then I just accept that all clients want the lowest rate you will go along with, and they are just honest enough to say so! I send a guesstimate of when I can deliver, with my standard rate, or I say sorry, I do not take on finance/engineering/whatever the subject area is. I try to educate clients about what a reasonable rate would be. I usually never hear from them again, but I think it certainly does no harm to let them know what other clients pay me.
[Edited at 2019-12-02 00:23 GMT] ▲ Collapse | | |
On the contrary I asked them about their best rate - until now it has come only the deep silence 😜 | | | It's a meaningless request so... | Dec 1, 2019 |
I quote my fee for the job at hand. It's sort of like 'good morning' or 'how are you'. It doesn't mean anything. | |
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Mario Freitas Brazil Local time: 04:07 Member (2014) English to Portuguese + ... Standard rate | Dec 2, 2019 |
No matter what the client asks for, I always offer my standard rate. I actually have a reply ready to copy and paste in all emails. | | | I usually ignore such requests | Dec 2, 2019 |
I don't compete on price, and such clients usually do not appreciate the value and quality I deliver, so I choose not to spend any time on it. Sometimes I do (quoting my regular rate), but hardly ever anything comes out of it.
[Edited at 2019-12-02 07:55 GMT] | | |
I usually mention my standard rates and then, I get no response. | | | The best rate... for me | Dec 2, 2019 |
I know agencies are cheap for the most part, especially the ones in poor countries. And then, they want to work with a certified translator with 20+ years of experience for peanuts. So I quote my highest rate to weed them out or delete their email. One agency wrote to me repeatedly even after I told them no politely. I got fed up and told them their rates were close to slavery and not to bother me again. | |
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Standard rate | Dec 2, 2019 |
Generally, just my standard rate and it'll be enough to not hear from them ever again. I've never lectured them because I know it's futile, but it's true that the formulation does tick me off. | | | Thayenga Germany Local time: 08:07 Member (2009) English to German + ... My best rate is... | Dec 2, 2019 |
my standard rate, because it works best for me. A potential customer might disagree, but that's their prerogative, too. | | | Paul Lambert Sweden Local time: 08:07 Member (2006) Swedish to English + ... The perennial problem | Dec 2, 2019 |
Yes, this question comes up now and then. Personally, I don't take the request literally, but rather as a litmus test of whether I would really want to deal with such a company. I suppose I could be sarcastic and be perfectly literal and honest and tell them, "The best rate I ever got was one euro per word. I would be happy to work for you at that rate". Of course, I understand that is not what is meant. I notice that "best rate" requests come from people with whom I ha... See more Yes, this question comes up now and then. Personally, I don't take the request literally, but rather as a litmus test of whether I would really want to deal with such a company. I suppose I could be sarcastic and be perfectly literal and honest and tell them, "The best rate I ever got was one euro per word. I would be happy to work for you at that rate". Of course, I understand that is not what is meant. I notice that "best rate" requests come from people with whom I have never worked before. I don't know what entitles them to a "best rate" just for the asking. At my local pub where I am a regular, the barman often offers me a free drink, but I am always prepared to pay full price going inside - and I have known the entire staff for years! Special favours are our prerogative, not the client's. If a client with whom I have worked for more than 10 years comes by with a short 200-word document he needs on the fly, I might do it for free as a favour. However, I am the one to offer that. No decent client comes to me asking for free work, or even a "best rate". ▲ Collapse | | | Pages in topic: [1 2] > | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Poll: How do you generally respond to requests for your "best" rate? Wordfast Pro | Translation Memory Software for Any Platform
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