Poll: Do you change your rates according to the country in which your client is based? Autor vlákna: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you change your rates according to the country in which your client is based?".
This poll was originally submitted by Natalia Pedrosa. View the poll results »
| | | | Muriel Vasconcellos 
Spojené státy americké
Local time: 07:36
Člen (2003)
španělština -> angličtina
+ ...
Plenty of potential clients have tried to get me to reduce my rates using this rationale. From my perspective, it means more time spent for the same money when I could be working for my regular rate. The times when I made an exception, often another job came along at a better rate that I had to turn down. As long as I have sufficient work and don't want to take on more, I will stick with my usual policy.
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In over 40 years I can’t remember ever changing (increasing or decreasing) my rates because of the client’s country… What I charge for a job depends on several factors: subject matter, complexity, volume, urgency, source language of the text and other practical circumstances, but not on the client’s country of residence! That being said, there are exceptions: I may from time to time decide that I'm willing to do a job for less than my normal rate for a bunch of reasons and I do work pro ... See more In over 40 years I can’t remember ever changing (increasing or decreasing) my rates because of the client’s country… What I charge for a job depends on several factors: subject matter, complexity, volume, urgency, source language of the text and other practical circumstances, but not on the client’s country of residence! That being said, there are exceptions: I may from time to time decide that I'm willing to do a job for less than my normal rate for a bunch of reasons and I do work pro bono at times… ▲ Collapse
| | | | Edith van der Have
Nizozemsko
Local time: 16:36
Člen (2016)
angličtina -> nizozemština
+ ...
... I have to pay the bills in my own country, irrespective of where my client is residing. But I don't bother replying to requests from low-wage countries such as India anymore because those potential clients haven't accepted my rates even once (though their Dutch translations should be meant for use over here).
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Kay Denney
Francie
Local time: 16:36
francouzština -> angličtina
I only accept clients in the euro zone to be sure of avoiding currency problems, this also weeds out a lot of bottom feeders.
I suppose if I thought I could charge more to a client in a richer country like Denmark or Luxembourg I might try my luck, but I'm not lowering my prices because my overheads remain the same.
If it's for a good cause I do it for free not for cheap.
| | | | neilmac
Španělsko
Local time: 16:36
španělština -> angličtina
+ ...
Like me, most of my clients are based in Spain, so my fees are based on my own local rates, even if billing clients in other countries, which rarely happens. I had one French-based client who used to send me work every two months for a specialist trade journal, but he hasn't sent me anything for over a year now.
| | | | DZiW (X)
Ukrajina
angličtina -> ruština
+ ...
My local direct clients are mostly British doing business in this post-revolution-and-pre-election Ukraine while paying me as if we were in a developed country.
| | | | | The quality of my service is the same | Mar 10, 2019 |
... so why would the rates change?
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Jan Truper
Německo
Local time: 16:36
Člen (2016)
angličtina -> němčina
For some clients, I base my rate on USD, for others on EUR.
As an example, for a certain service, I'll charge 0.10 USD/word or 0.09 EUR/word. Usually this depends on the country in which the client resides.
Consequently, due to currency fluctuations, it's possible that a client in the USA effectively gets me for cheaper than a client in Europe, or vice versa.
| | | | | Yes - I charge what I can get | Mar 10, 2019 |
I am not in the Eurozone, and neither are most of my clients, so sometimes I add to my rate to allow for bank charges.
On other occasions, I can do a small job without losing other clients, but I cannot get a client in the UK, for instance, to pay more. I push the rate up as far as the client will go, instead of letting them look elsewhere for someone who is easier to knock down.
Then they have to tell end clients a realistic rate for translation. I can do it, because there i... See more I am not in the Eurozone, and neither are most of my clients, so sometimes I add to my rate to allow for bank charges.
On other occasions, I can do a small job without losing other clients, but I cannot get a client in the UK, for instance, to pay more. I push the rate up as far as the client will go, instead of letting them look elsewhere for someone who is easier to knock down.
Then they have to tell end clients a realistic rate for translation. I can do it, because there is not always so much competition in my language pairs, but I hope it will push expectations up, so everyone will benefit. The average rate for Danish to English here
https://search.proz.com/employers/rates?source_lang=dan&target_lang=eng&disc_spec_id=¤cy=eur&submit=Submit
-- is Standard EURO 0.12 per word, and Standard EURO 37.60 per hour. I charge about the same in Danish Kroner or slightly more, and as I said, as close as I can come to that in GBP from UK clients.
I am in the privileged position of having a pension to fall back on, if I don't work full time. So I see it as a duty to resist pressure on rates. Low-cost countries should not keep rates low by not allowing for the costs of education, health and welfare - and pensions for those who can't work any more.
Edited to add that of course, I do my utmost to give the client value for money.
[Edited at 2019-03-10 20:54 GMT]
[Edited at 2019-03-10 20:58 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Yes - but realistically | Mar 10, 2019 |
Though the poll is almost equally split - 45+ % colleagues have answered yes and 46% of colleagues have answered 'no', I'm surprised that not too many with a 'yes' response have justified or explained their response.
If the client is an INDIVIDUAL (often a student or a job seeker) from India, my rates are a little lower, taking the huge difference in cost of living into account. For companies from India and individuals or companies from all other countries my rates are uniform, i.e.... See more Though the poll is almost equally split - 45+ % colleagues have answered yes and 46% of colleagues have answered 'no', I'm surprised that not too many with a 'yes' response have justified or explained their response.
If the client is an INDIVIDUAL (often a student or a job seeker) from India, my rates are a little lower, taking the huge difference in cost of living into account. For companies from India and individuals or companies from all other countries my rates are uniform, i.e. the same. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Gibril Koroma
Kanada
Local time: 10:36
francouzština -> angličtina
+ ...
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Mario Freitas
Brazílie
Local time: 11:36
Člen (2014)
angličtina -> portugalština
+ ...
I have a standard rate I use in all Western European and North-American countries. It is actually considered below average in most of them.
If I try to apply the same rates in the southern hemisphere, I'll simply not work for any client there. I must have a lower rate, compatible with each region, so I can work for these when I don't have any work from the former, which happens with a certain frequency. So, it's better to work and make less money than not to work at all, IMO.
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