| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Poll: Do you have a minimum invoice charge? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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My minimum charge for translation is typically US $50 (not sure how that converts). But occasionally, for proofreading, I'll go as low as $35-40, if I know the job won't take much time.
| | | | XXXphxxx (X) 
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:58
Portuguese to English
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| Flabbergasted | Nov 13, 2012 |
Chris S wrote:
by the number of people offering freebies and discounts to butter up customers.
Are these the kind of customers you want? Don't you want customers who appreciate quality and service and are willing to pay for this?
Given that agencies certainly won't pass on your discount to their end-customers, and that direct customers are fully accustomed to paying a professional price for a professional service, what is there to gain from selling yourself short?
To my mind it's just asking to be ripped off again and again!
This all reminds me of a recent job offer where a customer proposed paying 50% of our minimum charge...
I agree with you Chris, plus the minimum charges being applied are astonishingly low.
| | | | Diana Coada (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:58
Portuguese to English
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| Agree with Chris 100% | Nov 13, 2012 |
Chris S wrote:
by the number of people offering freebies and discounts to butter up customers.
Are these the kind of customers you want? Don't you want customers who appreciate quality and service and are willing to pay for this?
Given that agencies certainly won't pass on your discount to their end-customers, and that direct customers are fully accustomed to paying a professional price for a professional service, what is there to gain from selling yourself short?
To my mind it's just asking to be ripped off again and again!
This all reminds me of a recent job offer where a customer proposed paying 50% of our minimum charge...
| | | | Claire Cox
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:58
French to English
+ ...
Chris S wrote:
by the number of people offering freebies and discounts to butter up customers.
Are these the kind of customers you want? Don't you want customers who appreciate quality and service and are willing to pay for this?
Given that agencies certainly won't pass on your discount to their end-customers, and that direct customers are fully accustomed to paying a professional price for a professional service, what is there to gain from selling yourself short?
To my mind it's just asking to be ripped off again and again!
A small job of a couple of hundred words can take quite as much time in research, admin and invoicing as a longer job and we should be paid accordingly. My minimum charge is usually the same as my hourly charge, and most of my clients don't bat an eyelid. There are some clients who send large volumes of RELATED work, where I don't apply a minimum charge, but the time taken to do such jobs is genuinely short and they just get added on to my monthly invoice. Shorter jobs tend to be rush jobs too, in my experience, so most clients are happy that you can do them at all, and are certainly prepared to pay the minimum charge.
As others have said, I will do the odd phrase or sentence that relates to a job I've recently completed for a trusted client as a goodwill gesture because invoicing really wouldn't be worth the hassle in such cases - but they are few and far between. Most of my clients are happy to pay accordingly for a professional service.
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| 1 page minimum | Nov 13, 2012 |
I usually charge per page (1500 types) and the rate of 1 page is the minimum I charge.
| | | | Anthony Baldwin
United States
Local time: 17:58
Portuguese to English
+ ...
I charge a US$50.00 minimum (c. £32 or €40 by today's exchange), in general, considering the time it takes to prepare a project, prepare an invoice, etc., anything less is not really worth my time, EXCEPT, for those regular clients who send plenty of work.
For instance, I work for a few school districts, and they send enough volume on a regular enough basis, that if they need a half page letter to parents translated, I'll still go by word volume, rather than bother them with the ... See more I charge a US$50.00 minimum (c. £32 or €40 by today's exchange), in general, considering the time it takes to prepare a project, prepare an invoice, etc., anything less is not really worth my time, EXCEPT, for those regular clients who send plenty of work.
For instance, I work for a few school districts, and they send enough volume on a regular enough basis, that if they need a half page letter to parents translated, I'll still go by word volume, rather than bother them with the minimum.
[Edited at 2012-11-14 00:16 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Nikki Graham
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:58
Spanish to English
| Of course I have a minimum charge | Nov 14, 2012 |
I agree whole-heartedly with Chris S and Claire Cox.
Time is money. I don't have enough hours in the day as it is, so short translations, which can be very time consuming (if you include the negotiation emails, invoicing and then checking to ensure payment has been received), need to be paid for properly. My minimum charge is based on 300 words.
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