The fact is that disruptive technologies are changing things across virtually all industries, and it's no reason to play down the value of what we bring to the table. Let's look at it from another angle: Would you pay an architect less because they used cutting-edge software to deliver the best possible results, in the shortest possible time frame? Of course not! 
 

Your architect had to invest in and learn to use this technology, and thanks to that investment, they're now able to give you added value. 
 

In all the other liberal professions, from dentistry to architecture to law, higher value means a higher price tag. 
The opposite would make no sense. In fact, it would be highly destructive since a race to the bottom is bad news for everyone.
 

Considering that according to studies, many translation clients value fast turnaround as much as or more than the quality of the translation itself, chances are, your use of NMT is delivering substantial added value to your clients. 
 

Refuse to charge less for it. Better yet, raise your rates, within reasonable bounds, and make sure your clients know your value. There are lots of clever ways you can subtly make them more aware of the value of your work—and your unique, one-of-a-kind service. 

Your clients are almost certainly passing on price increases to their customers or users, just like everyone else, so  that they can stay afloat. Don't believe us? Go to their websites and check how their prices have changed since 2019! Let us know if anyone has been lowering their rates. (If so, they probably won't be in business for very much longer.)
 

Clients are also receiving higher invoices from their other service providers. So what are you waiting for? If you want to continue to be able to offer quality service, you need to stay in business, and that means you have to raise your rates. 
 

Start small, but get started! Your clients have already probably done the same, and so must you. 

Clients will rarely leave a good service provider over a small rate increase. The top reasons are inertia and time. Clients rarely want to have to start looking for a new service provider, and they frequently lack the time to do so. 
 

Beyond these factors, don't forget that if you're doing a good job as a translator, your clients know, like and trust you! Congrats. You're a known (and hopefully even cherished) quantity.
 

Think about a service provider you like—whether it's your hairdresser, accountant or financial advisor. Would you really leave them over a small price increase when everyone is raising their prices to stay in business? Highly unlikely. 
 

You care about your relationship with your long-time service provider, and the last thing you want to have to do is hire someone new that won't have a clue (hey, that rhymes!). It can take a lot of time and effort to get someone up to speed on what you need (ok, ok, we'll stop with the rhymes... you get the picture).
 

By the way, there are lots of other ways to handle the threat of clients leaving you. You can always start with just one client to test the waters. Or offer longer deadlines. 
 

Or accept that you might lose one client... and it might be the best thing that ever happened to you. Imagine having more time in your schedule to market to your dream clients! How would that change your business outlook, say, within 5 years? 

P.S. If you found this post helpful, you can still buy the replay of our workshop, Raising your rates without raising your blood pressure! It will give you a complete toolkit for raising your rates to make sure you're ready to take action and thrive like never before. We offer lifetime access to the recording, and you can always contact the instructor with any questions you may have after watching it!