Negotiating rates – does it happen Thread poster: Paula Buckley
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Paula Buckley
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:04
English to Portuguese
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Hi,
I was wondering how you're dealing, if at all, with rate renegotiation. Inflation is going up all the time but rates stay the same.
Do you find you have any leeway to negotiate an increase or do you get the impression it would only lead to a decrease in your work volume?
Any thoughts are welcome.
Thank you!
| | | | Thayenga 
Germany
Local time: 22:04
Member (2009)
English to German
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| Inflation & rates | Oct 21, 2022 |
Inflation is rapidly "devouring" more and more of people's income in almost all areas of life. Therefore, it would only be fair to increase translation rates. However, many agencies believe that inflation gives them the right to reduce the rates they are willing to pay to service providers - to increase their profits in order to fight inflation.
There are some agencies and, of course, end customers who accept an increase of translation rates as a "natural" part of the economic circl... See more Inflation is rapidly "devouring" more and more of people's income in almost all areas of life. Therefore, it would only be fair to increase translation rates. However, many agencies believe that inflation gives them the right to reduce the rates they are willing to pay to service providers - to increase their profits in order to fight inflation.
There are some agencies and, of course, end customers who accept an increase of translation rates as a "natural" part of the economic circle, while others hold tight to their set rates and simply refuse to pay more, knowing that there is always someone somewhere who does the work for a fraction of a decent rate. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 16:04
Spanish to English
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| The sad reality | Oct 21, 2022 |
Paula Buckley wrote:
Hi,
I was wondering how you're dealing, if at all, with rate renegotiation. Inflation is going up all the time but rates stay the same.
Do you find you have any leeway to negotiate an increase or do you get the impression it would only lead to a decrease in your work volume?
Any thoughts are welcome.
Thank you!
Sadly, I would say that rates have become so depressed in the common language pairs that, in the absence of your having leverage due to a particular constellation of circumstances, there really is very little if any room for negotiation - at least not with translation agencies (large or small).
I would never advise against standing firm regarding the fees/rates you feel that you deserve, but if you do so, you need to be prepared to walk away from the job in question.
I would only point out that the situation is even worse than you have indicated. Rates have not just "stayed the same." In many instances, they have decreased - and in absolute terms (i.e., not taking into account inflation).
This is the consequence of a number of factors: prevalence of machine translation and the use of CAT programs, overabundance of translators offering services, "the global marketplace," job boards and e-mail blasts designed to quickly identify and select the lowest bidder on individual projects, etc.
Again, these assertions seem to reflect the reality for a great many translators. There are of course exceptions as well.
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I've raised my prices for some customers this year by 10%, citing inflation.
They can't really complain, and they haven't.
At the end of the day, though, it depends on how much they need you. I'm sure some agencies won't wear it.
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