Charging for extra audio that didn't need to be transcribed?
Thread poster: Audrey Johnson
Audrey Johnson
Audrey Johnson
United Kingdom
Aug 4, 2019

Hi,

I'm just wondering how you would charge in this situation. I was sent video files to transcribe and translate with no notes or descriptions of each file. It turned out that about half of the files were in a different language, so didn't require my transcription services. I still, however, had to download them, open and check the slate or listen to a bit of the clip to check what needed to be transcribed and then note down the clip name with the language in the transcript.
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Hi,

I'm just wondering how you would charge in this situation. I was sent video files to transcribe and translate with no notes or descriptions of each file. It turned out that about half of the files were in a different language, so didn't require my transcription services. I still, however, had to download them, open and check the slate or listen to a bit of the clip to check what needed to be transcribed and then note down the clip name with the language in the transcript.

Would you charge a flat fee per file, or just a reduced per audio minute rate?

Thank you for your help!
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Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 13:51
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Time is money Aug 4, 2019

Hi,

Charging your per audio minute rate or a percentage of it is not really fair towards the client because you only listened to the videos for a few minutes.

Aside from your per audio minute rate for your transcription/translation services, you could just charge your hourly rate for the time you needed to handle the foreign language files. If it took you less than one hour you can either charge a minimum fee or charge per 30 or 15 minutes. After all, the PM's should h
... See more
Hi,

Charging your per audio minute rate or a percentage of it is not really fair towards the client because you only listened to the videos for a few minutes.

Aside from your per audio minute rate for your transcription/translation services, you could just charge your hourly rate for the time you needed to handle the foreign language files. If it took you less than one hour you can either charge a minimum fee or charge per 30 or 15 minutes. After all, the PM's should have viewed the files to see if they were indeed in your language pair(s), and... an hour of your time is an hour of your time which needs to be paid for.
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Adam Warren
 
kerryparker
kerryparker
Bahamas
happened with me too Aug 4, 2019

Charging for extra audio is totally unnecessary.. it must be stopped

 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 13:51
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
@ kerryparker Aug 4, 2019

So if they send you 20+ files in the wrong language pair (wouldn't be the first time this has happened) which you have to download, open, and listen to, you do it free of charge. Regardless of how much time this unnecessary action might take you?

Or do you mean that it must stop that PM's send you the wrong files? It's not quite clear here, sorry.

[Edited at 2019-08-04 17:35 GMT]


Adam Warren
 


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Charging for extra audio that didn't need to be transcribed?







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