Have you ever splurged on a perfect little black dress, an immaculately tailored suit, a sophisticated timepiece, or a flawlessly crafted handbag? You know the one. That piece of clothing or accessory that makes you feel like a million bucks, even if you’re just schlepping to the corner for milk and bread.
Was it expensive? Yes.
Was it worth every penny? Also, yes.
Stiff competition
When it comes to translation, nowadays there’s no shortage of LSPs offering quick and dirty work at rock-bottom prices. You’ll often hear them referred to as the Walmarts of the language service industry: word factories that churn out mediocre-to-poor translations using highly automated processes, on the backs of shamefully underpaid and overworked freelancers.
Is it becoming tougher to compete with these giants, who can offer clients translation services at a fraction of the price that individual freelancers charge? No doubt.
But if there’s something I’ve learned over the years, it’s that inexpensive and fast do not equal good. More than once I’ve had a client hire me to fix a “cheap” translation gone awry. And worse, the original provider didn’t care enough to make the situation right. They delivered the work and got paid. Case closed, basically.