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New Year Resolution - raise your lowest agency rate?
Thread poster: Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 18:25
Member (2003)
Danish to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
I am afraid I play the market Jan 20, 2014

I live in Denmark with the Danish cost of living. Luckily Danish clients pay accordingly - and get my best work. Some jobs are easier than others, so the rates vary.

Unfortunately there are not enough Danish or Scandinavian clients - or I don't market myself aggressively enough. Many good clients go to agencies elsewhere, especially in the UK, which is a logical place to go for translations into English.

Tax levels and other expenses are different in the UK, so if I wa... See more
I live in Denmark with the Danish cost of living. Luckily Danish clients pay accordingly - and get my best work. Some jobs are easier than others, so the rates vary.

Unfortunately there are not enough Danish or Scandinavian clients - or I don't market myself aggressively enough. Many good clients go to agencies elsewhere, especially in the UK, which is a logical place to go for translations into English.

Tax levels and other expenses are different in the UK, so if I want to work for agencies there, I have to set my rates accordingly. I set them as high as I dare, and they get my best work too...

So far so good.
Some agencies in so-called cheaper countries offer far lower rates, and I have to admit I have changed my mind in my approach to them. Some years ago I used to accept their offers when I had time, but I have seen that the end clients for my language pairs are usually big internationals based in Scandinavia or the UK.

In other words, they are exploiting the fact that there are lower standards of living, and less free education and welfare etc. in other parts of the world. These clients enjoy the benefits themselves, but are not willing to pay translators a rate that allows them to educate their children, take holidays, pay for health services etc. etc. etc.

If the translator is me, then I have to pay over tax, VAT etc. anyway. So I charge the agency a full rate for the type of job, and say they can pass it on to the end client.

Don't tell me that translators in other countries get CATs and can subscribe to the online dictionaries for less than I have to pay. On the contrary, they have to travel to Denmark and study, or have reference books and resources sent to them, while I live here. I simply don't believe that it is fair to expect quality work for rock bottom rates.

And in some cases I have seen the results when asked to proofread it

I can keep my rates up because there is less competition in my language pairs. Some clients run away screaming, but I am lucky enough to have plenty of work most of the time, and that is why I think those of us who are in that position must make a stand to push rates to a viable level and resist the downward spiral.

For everybody's sake. ▲ Collapse
 
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New Year Resolution - raise your lowest agency rate?







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