Where I have all the time in the world

[Words4theWorld]

I have just been contacted by a project manager for one of my clients that I hardly work for anymore. Would I be able to translate a really short text for them real quick? Sure, why not. A short text at my minimum charge equals me willing to sacrifice a few minutes of my evening, even though I already finished all my work for today.
So they send me the link to the order for their online portal, through which you have to download the files and accept/decline any orders. But wait! The order is not showing up at my minimum charge of 15 GBP but at the rate of word count x my usual rate per word, which is not even 3 GBP. Hell no! This is from a client that has hassled me more than once to lower my rates and hardly sends me any work anymore because I’m not willing to charge them even less then when I started working for them 10+ years ago. So you bet that I’m not willing to drop my minimum charge, just because they are desperate today.
So I send them an e-mail, innocently asking them to please check the online portal as it’s not showing my minimum charge. I haven’t accepted the order yet and like hell will I accept it before that’s officially changed. The order is due at 7pm GMT/UTC, it’s currently 6:30pm my time (UTC+1) and it’s been almost an hour since I have asked them to change/update the rate for this order. I bet that they are currently desperately looking for another translator who is willing to take care of this order at a lower rate than my minimum charge. No problem, I have all the time in the world, while your deadline is drawing closer by the minute.

[Silent-Hunter]

Did they ever change it?

[Words4theWorld]

Did they ever change it?

Update:
No, they didn't. What a surprise.
Not ten minutes after I had posted this here, I got an e-mail saying they weren't aware that I had a minimum charge and that they wouldn't make any money from this, if they paid me that minimum fee (paraphrased). Yeah, sure. I have been working for this client for over 10 years, we agreed on a minimum charge from day 1 on and all of a sudden they were not aware of this ...

[eltf177]

Sounds like you really dodged a bullet here...

[earl colby pottinger]

Thousands

I will be waiting for your post tomorrow when they contact you claiming that they lost thousands of dollars in work or lost a valuable client because you would not work less.

Scum like this can only stay in business because of the number of people out there they can shaft (usually once only), sooner or later they run out of people or they find the really cheap services return garbage for their money.

Good-luck on your other clients.

[dalesys]

Sounds like you really dodged a bullet here...

Also, that not-client really bodged a dull it.

[Words4theWorld]

[...]sooner or later they run out of people or they find the really cheap services return garbage for their money.

They are already on their best way. I know of countless colleagues who don't work for them anymore because they unilaterally changed the translator's rates. Yes, that's correct. They informed the translators that the translators' rates from now on will be suchandsuch. I'm always asking myself if these people go grocery-shopping and tell the cashier that they will pay x amount of money instead of what their things ring up for.

[Sapphire Silk]

They are already on their best way. I know of countless colleagues who don't work for them anymore because they unilaterally changed the translator's rates. Yes, that's correct. They informed the translators that the translators' rates from now on will be suchandsuch. I'm always asking myself if these people go grocery-shopping and tell the cashier that they will pay x amount of money instead of what their things ring up for.

I always send a new client my rate list for my legal nurse consulting work, which includes my price per hour for chart or other document reviews, preparing written reports, and giving testimony in deposition or at trial. It also includes travel conditions if I have to travel: mileage if I drive, flight conditions if I fly, and hotel accommodations (I require at least a 3 star hotel).

A lot of folks who do what I do (give expert opinions) get a retainer before any work begins. I don't like to do that because you're really supposed to put that money in escrow and take it out as you bill for the services, and return anything left over when the case is settled or disposed of. That's too much book keeping for me, so I don't like to do it and prefer to get paid for the work I actually do.

But I do tell the attorneys that if any issues in getting paid arise, any future work will involve a retainer. I've been lucky, no problems yet.

Maybe that model should be used for your translation services; charge a retainer based on how much the work should cost per your fees and bill for anything that runs over.

[Words4theWorld]

Maybe that model should be used for your translation services; charge a retainer based on how much the work should cost per your fees and bill for anything that runs over.

I basically use this model already, although I differentiate. If I have private clients I require either payment upon delivery or a partial payment upfront depending on the size of the order. With business clients I can consult several forums and mailing lists for translators regarding the payment practices of their clients. If the client has a good standing, they get an invoice after delivery with my standard terms. If nobody has worked with the business before or if the client is infamous for dodging payments, they either have to pay upfront or upon delivery.
Usually, if the prospective project comes from a real black sheep, the words "advance-payment" will be enough to never hear from them again.