About time

Chris Durban talks about why, when and how you need to take a fresh look at time as a factor in your translation practice.

Time. For some translators, it is, above all, a billing option. By tallying up hours – as opposed to piecework-inspired price-per-word – we align ourselves with professionals delivering other intellectual services. And, with luck, this will mean we can reap some of the same respect and remuneration as lawyers, doctors and architects. But time is also an integral part of the processes that shape how we work and what we produce, or claim to be producing. Far too many translators have bought into a commoditised vision built on technology-driven productivity.

The constant pressure of pricing

In late 2023 I had a string of private exchanges with two mid-market, mid-career translators. Both were struggling with dwindling demand, and were desperate to up their game – but, they said, getting nowhere. Relentless price pressure was grinding them down. That angst was echoed in June 2024 by a speaker at ITI’s Edinburgh conference who commented wryly on the ‘six-figure income’ carrot dangled by social media influencers.

All three argued that most of the endlessly recycled tips and tricks found online for winning clients and raising prices just don’t work in today’s market. Been there, tried that, zero response. Their frustration was palpable. And while my profile is different from theirs, it was a stark reminder of the obstacles that arise once price becomes the sole driver. How do you break the cycle?

I’ve frequently discussed, in the Bulletin and elsewhere, the importance of genuine, in-depth specialisation. In practice this means doing my very best to embed with current clients and keeping a running list of potential clients who might be a good match, reading and networking to stay abreast of their concerns. And all of this takes time. Time which, at least at the early stages, can’t be billed for.

Beyond the commoditised model

The worrying news for our profession is that the tiered business model under which Big Transla wins tender, subcontracts to Mid-Size Transla, who sub-subcontracts to Small Agency, who distributes work on to translators beavering away at an ever- shrinking per-word rate is simply not delivering the goods. Not when it counts.

My distinct impression is that this commoditised model downplays professional commitment and care, encouraging translators to focus instead on ‘productivity’ (more words, delivered faster). We are truly speaking different languages here.

What the real time record reveals

To take the pulse in my markets and identify ways forward, I made detailed notes of my interactions in response to queries I received over a four-month period. Those notes made it possible to chart what exactly happened, as initial contacts morphed into negotiations and on to one of two possibilities: a parting of the ways; or, more happily, purchase orders, delivery, discussions and money in the bank.

By the second month, points of particular interest included the following: which keywords brought these potential clients into my orbit? Where and when did communication threaten to break down? Which comments on my part led my correspondents to resist (sometimes forcefully), and which brought them circling back around?

And – more generally, as our conversations continued – which of my different responses/inputs created dialogues and clinched the deal, and which ones sank like stones?

The notes that emerged confirmed a long- standing suspicion: if you aren’t bringing genuine specialisation and skills to the table, it will be an uphill struggle. There are three main reasons for this…and time is a
factor with all of them.

This article first appeared in the September-October edition of ITI Bulletin.

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