| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Big international company refuses to update my hourly rate Thread poster: Marina Leizerio
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Hello,
I've been collaborating with them for 12 years. When I just started working for them, we agreed on a certain hourly rate, but I've almost never performed tasks that were priced on an hourly basis. However I got such task recently and then I discovered that my hourly rate is very outdated in their system. It was never updated during the 12 years of collaboration. I contacted them asking to update my hourly rate. They ignored my email for 3 days and only responded after a remi... See more Hello,
I've been collaborating with them for 12 years. When I just started working for them, we agreed on a certain hourly rate, but I've almost never performed tasks that were priced on an hourly basis. However I got such task recently and then I discovered that my hourly rate is very outdated in their system. It was never updated during the 12 years of collaboration. I contacted them asking to update my hourly rate. They ignored my email for 3 days and only responded after a reminder, telling that "they are analyzing this". Several hours later I got an email from them telling me that they won't accept my updated rate, and instead gave an insulting offer to increase the rate by 2.5$ only.
Has anyone dealt with situations like this?
[Edited at 2024-01-11 14:43 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Just tell them what the new rate is | Jan 10, 2024 |
Yes, in fact, I recently informed a long-standing client that from now on, the rate is €xx and even justified it with the compounded inflation. They were unwilling to accept it, so I simply told them not to send me any further hourly rate tasks, as I would no longer acceptance the old rate. Almost two months later, they accepted the new rate.
You don't need the client's accept to set your own rates. They can take it or leave it.
If they could make you accept to be und... See more Yes, in fact, I recently informed a long-standing client that from now on, the rate is €xx and even justified it with the compounded inflation. They were unwilling to accept it, so I simply told them not to send me any further hourly rate tasks, as I would no longer acceptance the old rate. Almost two months later, they accepted the new rate.
You don't need the client's accept to set your own rates. They can take it or leave it.
If they could make you accept to be underpaid, it would be a good deal for them, so many try. Just remember that you can only negotiate if you are willing to walk away. ▲ Collapse
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PS: forum rules don't allow the discussion of named outsourcers, so your post is likely to be removed if you don't remove the name.
| | | | Joakim Braun 
Sweden
Local time: 00:39
German to Swedish
+ ...
Being willing to say no and walk away is helpful when negotiating.
If these jobs are very few you can afford to stick to your guns.
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Barbara Carrara
Italy
Local time: 00:39
Member (2008)
English to Italian
+ ...
Hi.
Did you ask for an hourly-fee adjustment after agreeing to take on the job?
With your outsourcer (which will remain nameless in accordance with forum rules) listing 25 offices around the globe, where is 'your one' located?
When you say they offered 2.5$, would that be USD?
Over the 12 years of working with them, how often did you manage to raise your per-word translation rate?
From what I understand, your nameless outsourcer is not ... See more Hi.
Did you ask for an hourly-fee adjustment after agreeing to take on the job?
With your outsourcer (which will remain nameless in accordance with forum rules) listing 25 offices around the globe, where is 'your one' located?
When you say they offered 2.5$, would that be USD?
Over the 12 years of working with them, how often did you manage to raise your per-word translation rate?
From what I understand, your nameless outsourcer is not the best payer in the world, so it wouldn't surprise me if you weren't successful with that either. But I'll be pleased to hear otherwise. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | You are absolutely right | Jan 11, 2024 |
Thomas T. Frost wrote:
Yes, in fact, I recently informed a long-standing client that from now on, the rate is €xx and even justified it with the compounded inflation. They were unwilling to accept it, so I simply told them not to send me any further hourly rate tasks, as I would no longer acceptance the old rate. Almost two months later, they accepted the new rate.
You don't need the client's accept to set your own rates. They can take it or leave it.
If they could make you accept to be underpaid, it would be a good deal for them, so many try. Just remember that you can only negotiate if you are willing to walk away.
That's exactly what I told them emphasizing that the fee was not updated for 12 years. It's been 2 days since I've sent the email, and I haven't heard from them since then. All my other regular clients accepted any rate updates over the time. Maybe with an attitude like this it's indeed the moment I should walk away from them.
| | | | | Thank you very much for spotting this | Jan 11, 2024 |
Thomas T. Frost wrote:
PS: forum rules don't allow the discussion of named outsourcers, so your post is likely to be removed if you don't remove the name.
I was not aware of this limitation. Thank you for drawing my attention to this issue. I've just removed the outsourcer name.
| | | | | I agree with you | Jan 11, 2024 |
Joakim Braun wrote:
Being willing to say no and walk away is helpful when negotiating.
If these jobs are very few you can afford to stick to your guns.
Yes, you are right.
It's just so frustrating that this is a very big international agency that treats its long term service provider like this
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| That particular hourly task was part of a bigger project that was priced on the per word basis | Jan 11, 2024 |
Barbara Carrara wrote:
Hi.
Did you ask for an hourly-fee adjustment after agreeing to take on the job?
With your outsourcer (which will remain nameless in accordance with forum rules) listing 25 offices around the globe, where is 'your one' located?
When you say they offered 2.5$, would that be USD?
Over the 12 years of working with them, how often did you manage to raise your per-word translation rate?
From what I understand, your nameless outsourcer is not the best payer in the world, so it wouldn't surprise me if you weren't successful with that either. But I'll be pleased to hear otherwise.
Hello,
Thank you for your reply. Here are the answers to your questions:
That particular hourly task was part of a bigger project that was priced on the per word basis so I could not refuse it, but then I realized that my hourly rate was not updated for the whole 12 years and notified the company about this.
I don't work with one particular branch. I get offers from their various branches around the globe.
I actually managed to update the per word rate a few times, though it was not easy either. But they accepted it eventually and they didn't ignore my emails as they are doing now.
Yes, they offered to increase the rate by 2.5 USD. After I refused and told them I won't accept any tasks like this, they just don't respond.
| | | | | They bothered to reply me today | Jan 17, 2024 |
Here is the answer I got from them today:
"I am afraid we cannot agree to anything different as due to LCX we have to have the same rates.
That is not because we do not value our cooperation, but a significant increase in your rates would have a direct impact on our competitiveness, and we also need to be careful with this to strike a balance and there is also a push from the clients regarding the rates".
It's really time to walk away from them.
| | | | | Is it really? | Jan 17, 2024 |
leimarina wrote:
It's really time to walk away from them.
I'm still not sure whether they are refusing to increase your rate for this particular job or for all future jobs.
In the first case I might understand. In the second case it's bizarre - are you talking to the right people?
I appreciate that prices vary between languages and subject fields, but I happen to know that this unnamed company pays at least one member of their "community" $55 an hour.
| | | | | Unfortunately this concerns all future jobs | Jan 17, 2024 |
Christopher Schröder wrote:
leimarina wrote:
It's really time to walk away from them.
I'm still not sure whether they are refusing to increase your rate for this particular job or for all future jobs.
In the first case I might understand. In the second case it's bizarre - are you talking to the right people?
I appreciate that prices vary between languages and subject fields, but I happen to know that this unnamed company pays at least one member of their "community" $55 an hour.
Unfortunately they are refusing to increase the rate for all future jobs.
I think that I am talking to the right people. I even asked specifically whom should I contact for this matter and was referred to these people.
55$ an hour...wow, I can assure you that I asked for much less...The language pair is EN-HE and subject field is mostly technical and software localization.
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| If your per word rates are ok | Jan 23, 2024 |
leimarina wrote:
Christopher Schröder wrote:
leimarina wrote:
It's really time to walk away from them.
I'm still not sure whether they are refusing to increase your rate for this particular job or for all future jobs.
In the first case I might understand. In the second case it's bizarre - are you talking to the right people?
I appreciate that prices vary between languages and subject fields, but I happen to know that this unnamed company pays at least one member of their "community" $55 an hour.
Unfortunately they are refusing to increase the rate for all future jobs.
I think that I am talking to the right people. I even asked specifically whom should I contact for this matter and was referred to these people.
55$ an hour...wow, I can assure you that I asked for much less...The language pair is EN-HE and subject field is mostly technical and software localization.
I wouldn't say you necessarily have to cut ties with them if your per word rate is acceptable, as you say it is. I'd just say something like, "Thank you for getting back to me about my hourly rates. As my current rates are unfortunately not in your budget, I'm afraid that going forward I will not be able to accept any projects or parts of projects that are invoiced based on hours. I am happy to continue working on projects invoiced on a per-word basis, and I look forward to continuing to work together."
Of course if you were thinking of cutting ties with them anyway for other reasons, then this would present an opportunity to do so.
| | | | | What's even more important is their attitude | Jan 23, 2024 |
Rita Translator wrote:
leimarina wrote:
Christopher Schröder wrote:
leimarina wrote:
It's really time to walk away from them.
I'm still not sure whether they are refusing to increase your rate for this particular job or for all future jobs.
In the first case I might understand. In the second case it's bizarre - are you talking to the right people?
I appreciate that prices vary between languages and subject fields, but I happen to know that this unnamed company pays at least one member of their "community" $55 an hour.
Unfortunately they are refusing to increase the rate for all future jobs.
I think that I am talking to the right people. I even asked specifically whom should I contact for this matter and was referred to these people.
55$ an hour...wow, I can assure you that I asked for much less...The language pair is EN-HE and subject field is mostly technical and software localization.
I wouldn't say you necessarily have to cut ties with them if your per word rate is acceptable, as you say it is. I'd just say something like, "Thank you for getting back to me about my hourly rates. As my current rates are unfortunately not in your budget, I'm afraid that going forward I will not be able to accept any projects or parts of projects that are invoiced based on hours. I am happy to continue working on projects invoiced on a per-word basis, and I look forward to continuing to work together."
Of course if you were thinking of cutting ties with them anyway for other reasons, then this would present an opportunity to do so.
The way they are handling this is what causes me to think of cutting any ties with them. They had praised my work numerous times and called me a "senior translator", but when I asked for one (hourly) rate increase after 12 years of collaboration, they ignored my emails, replied to me after several days or weeks, and finally said "no" and suggested to deactivate my account.
Also as you suggested, there are other reasons that I've ignored up till now - first they implemented the insulting "first come first get" basis for accepting jobs, sending bulk emails to numerous translators and the one who is the quickest to respond gets the job. Then they implemented even more insulting "flat rate" policy for smaller jobs - I've already stopped accepting these a while ago.
It's sad, but it seems that quality and experience means nothing for them.
| | | | | The same old story with large LSPs | Jan 23, 2024 |
leimarina wrote:
The way they are handling this is what causes me to think of cutting any ties with them. They had praised my work numerous times and called me a "senior translator", but when I asked for one (hourly) rate increase after 12 years of collaboration, they ignored my emails, replied to me after several days or weeks, and finally said "no" and suggested to deactivate my account.
Also as you suggested, there are other reasons that I've ignored up till now - first they implemented the insulting "first come first get" basis for accepting jobs, sending bulk emails to numerous translators and the one who is the quickest to respond gets the job. Then they implemented even more insulting "flat rate" policy for smaller jobs - I've already stopped accepting these a while ago.
It's sad, but it seems that quality and experience means nothing for them.
The same is happening to me with another large client --one of the largest LSPs in the planet, I believe. Now they won't even accept my minimum rate, pushing down rates even more in the last couple of months. Same old story, I guess it's time to move on to other kind of clients.
Best of luck with yours.
[Edited at 2024-01-23 12:26 GMT]
| | | | | 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 » Big international company refuses to update my hourly rate | Anycount & Translation Office 3000 | Translation Office 3000
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