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Poll: When an agency asks for "your best rate", how do you respond?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Oct 21, 2018

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "When an agency asks for "your best rate", how do you respond?".

This poll was originally submitted by Oleg Prots. View the poll results »



 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 03:15
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
With my usual rate Oct 21, 2018

But I usually don't make an effort to follow through, as I find that phrase very annoying. It usually means that all they want to know about me is my rate and nothing else matters.

[Edited at 2018-10-21 08:39 GMT]


Dušan Ján Hlísta
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Rahaf ziad
Melanie Maiwald-Meylahn
Jean Shearer
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Laura Nagle (X)
 
Dušan Ján Hlísta
Dušan Ján Hlísta  Identity Verified
Slovakia
Local time: 11:15
English to Slovak
+ ...
No interest Oct 21, 2018

Usually no interest to work for them - they are searching only victims for their profit - nothing else. So I am indifferent.

Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Hossein Abbasi Mohaghegh
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 10:15
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
With my usual rate… Oct 21, 2018

… if the email is addressed to me personally, otherwise I usually don’t respond!

Melanie Maiwald-Meylahn
Jean Shearer
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Liena Vijupe
Gibril Koroma
Hossein Abbasi Mohaghegh
Mario Freitas
 
airmailrpl
airmailrpl  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 07:15
Member (2005)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
My "Best" rate.. Oct 21, 2018

I reply that my "Best" rate is the rate I normally charge -- thus it is the "Best" for me - and of course I never hear from them again

Amir Arzani
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
 
Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Germany
Local time: 11:15
English to German
In memoriam
Don't respond Oct 21, 2018

"Best rate" seems to be an industry code for "quality is irrelevant, lowest bidder will get the job", hence I'm not interested.

Katalin Szilárd
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
neilmac
Natalia Pedrosa
Sylvie Pelissier
Catherine De Crignis
Anette Hilgendag
 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 11:15
Member (2003)
Danish to English
+ ...
It depends on the rest of the mail Oct 21, 2018

A request for my 'best rate' certainly gives minus points in my overall impression of the mail, but it is a standard phrase, and it depends where it comes from.

I check out the Blue Board and the client's website, and anything else I can find.

I may send a reply that I am too busy, or I may send a quote with the best rate for me, if the job looks interesting, and if I have time to take it on. (I never make offers I cannot keep - the most surprising people agree to them!
... See more
A request for my 'best rate' certainly gives minus points in my overall impression of the mail, but it is a standard phrase, and it depends where it comes from.

I check out the Blue Board and the client's website, and anything else I can find.

I may send a reply that I am too busy, or I may send a quote with the best rate for me, if the job looks interesting, and if I have time to take it on. (I never make offers I cannot keep - the most surprising people agree to them!)

I very often quote the rate I would charge anyway, if it is at all possible to come up with an estimate. I believe in 'educating the client'.
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Melanie Maiwald-Meylahn
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Michele Fauble
 
Gianluca Marras
Gianluca Marras  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 11:15
English to Italian
my usual rate Oct 21, 2018

usual rate...
that's the best rate, for me and for them


Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Melanie Maiwald-Meylahn
Hossein Abbasi Mohaghegh
 
José Henrique Lamensdorf
José Henrique Lamensdorf  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 07:15
English to Portuguese
+ ...
In memoriam
I keep translation and financial costs apart Oct 21, 2018

If they want my translation services, which includes my uncompromising quality, my always timely delivery, my free expert advice on technical matters (video, DTP, PDF, sworn translations, etc.), and my post-delivery minor freebies when needed, they'll be stuck with my rates for each service requested.

On the other hand, I have NO interest whatsoever in providing financial services. I checked with my bank, and they don't provide translation services. They managed to do it, I can't.... See more
If they want my translation services, which includes my uncompromising quality, my always timely delivery, my free expert advice on technical matters (video, DTP, PDF, sworn translations, etc.), and my post-delivery minor freebies when needed, they'll be stuck with my rates for each service requested.

On the other hand, I have NO interest whatsoever in providing financial services. I checked with my bank, and they don't provide translation services. They managed to do it, I can't.

Therefore, upon hiring my translation services, my clients are free to secure financial services anywhere they want. I'm the most expensive option, however most translation agencies seem to prefer that.

My standard rate is stated for payment via PayPal in two weeks.

Clients desiring to "improve" that rate (make it closer to the "best"), may use Payoneer, P2P services (Western Union, Moneygram), or a bank/wire transfer. They'll enjoy a 10% discount on my rate at PayPal's expense, since PayPal deducts 6.5% in fees, and overtly adopt a 3.5% lower-than-market currency exchange rate.

Banks compete against each other on who offers loans at lower interest rates. I'm not interested in competing with big, powerful banks. Interest rates in Brazil are two-digit in % per month.

Therefore a client wanting a "better" rate can refrain from demanding a "loan" from me, and pay me COD (2-3 business days is okay - we often have time zones difference to cover), thus obtaining a 6.7% discount on my two-week payment term rate.

Bottom line is that my COD via other-than-PayPal rate is 16.7% lower than the standard 2-wk via PayPal rate. I have a more succinct way of explaining it on my bids, giving three "basic" options. Client's choice on what's the "best" rate.
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Elisabeth Purkis
Diana Obermeyer
 
Michael Harris
Michael Harris  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 11:15
Member (2006)
German to English
Usual rate Oct 21, 2018

If I am addressed personally and not part of a mass mail, then I reply with my usual rate, otherwise I just ignore it.

Katalin Szilárd
Jennifer Forbes
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Melanie Maiwald-Meylahn
Jean Shearer
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Christine Andersen
 
Gibril Koroma
Gibril Koroma  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 06:15
French to English
+ ...
Usual rate Oct 21, 2018

I will respond with my usual rate if it is addressed to me personally and wait to see what happens.

Katia Perry
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
 
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
Nikki Scott-Despaigne  Identity Verified
Local time: 11:15
French to English
It depends Oct 21, 2018

If it's a first contact, the agency looks serious, the job is potentially interesting and so on, I will generally point out that what is best for me is not likely to be the best from their point of view. I generally ask them to provide at least a sample of the job in question and reply with a quote and we take it from there. Usually no further.

I have had one or two clients I work with occasionally but on large projects who have asked the same question. I give the same answer and as
... See more
If it's a first contact, the agency looks serious, the job is potentially interesting and so on, I will generally point out that what is best for me is not likely to be the best from their point of view. I generally ask them to provide at least a sample of the job in question and reply with a quote and we take it from there. Usually no further.

I have had one or two clients I work with occasionally but on large projects who have asked the same question. I give the same answer and ask them to send me the document and return a quote based on my usual terms and conditions with them for the job in question. It made me realize that some people ask for "best rate" without really thinking. I don't imagine they always realize that it could be ill-received.

[Edited at 2018-10-21 18:49 GMT]
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Katia Perry
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Carmen Lanzrein
 
Yaotl Altan
Yaotl Altan  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 04:15
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Highest rate Oct 21, 2018

With my highest rate + 20% so they can learn that if they want quality, they must pay for it.

 
JaneTranslates
JaneTranslates  Identity Verified
Puerto Rico
Local time: 06:15
Spanish to English
+ ...
With a rate JUST SLIGHTLY below my usual rate, and ONLY... Oct 21, 2018

...if for some reason I really want the job. That could be because:

a) The subject matter is of very high interest to me.
b) The client is a non-profit doing good work.
c) I've seen the text and know that I can do it at a faster rate than usual.
d) I have no other prospective work in sight.

--Jane


 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 07:15
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
My standard rate is my best rate Oct 22, 2018

I always offer the same rates. It doesn't matter what the clients asked for. In any other area, you haved fixed rates and prices; why should it be different in translations?
My prices do vary a bit according to the country where the client is located, the currency of the payment, the terms for payment, the payment method, and the type of document. If the client sends me editable documents attached to the e-mail, pays me in no more than 30 days through Payoneer in USD or EUR, that's my best
... See more
I always offer the same rates. It doesn't matter what the clients asked for. In any other area, you haved fixed rates and prices; why should it be different in translations?
My prices do vary a bit according to the country where the client is located, the currency of the payment, the terms for payment, the payment method, and the type of document. If the client sends me editable documents attached to the e-mail, pays me in no more than 30 days through Payoneer in USD or EUR, that's my best rate. If they want me to work in an online platform, pay me through PayPal, pay me in other currencies, require official invoices (Brazil), or even mention any discounts, the rates will rise accordingly.
But these are all standard rates, for every client.
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Poll: When an agency asks for "your best rate", how do you respond?






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