Cheap Translations - This "Bargain" Could Cost Much

Today while cleaning out my old emails I came across a quote request from a prospective client. It made me think about value and what that means to people.  Here is a story that many of us selling a superior product run into. This client is a leader in their industry. They were looking for help with translations of training manuals. After due diligence and learning they have a customer service issue we formulated a plan to help in several ways.
1. Improve translation content
2. Improve customer service
3. Improved training information
4. Decrease cost of translation in the future
5. Decrease training costs
5. Decrease customer service calls

Where I hadn't done my due diligence was on what this company valued. I has several phone conversations with the quote-seeker and he was impressed with our in-depth analysis and believed they wanted to upgrade and blend their translations of website, training and online help. He hoped to work with us to help him produce a better product - great, right? Hold on there lassie....we did not get the work. How can that be? I did my due diligence, researched, met the key decision makers, created a plan that would increase customer satisfaction, decrease training costs and create a consistent message while reducing costs in the future. How can this be that we didn't get the work?

Cheap translations - I didn't think this would be an issue. I did not take into account the key decision makers only wanted the lowest cost. Their concern was not improving training, customer service or blending the message across platforms. Staying status quo and under budget was the only value this client was looking for. Obviously, we were not the service for this company. But it has helped me realize we cannot be a fit for every company.

Another client had a process of creating images, transferring them to a cumbersome platform and then trying to work within it to change and edit images for translation. For us to work within that software would have been more costly to the client in the long run. We proposed a solution of taking these images and creating them in a software that would enable easier translation and add all languages to one image. This would have an upfront cost but save the money and time for future work. This client thanked us for seeing this solution and authorized the work. Our value was realized by this client and verified our due diligence and efforts.

People focusing on a low cost "cheap" resource for translations will never value meeting future needs and goals. Translations is not a commodity nor is it easily discounted. What is valued is a unique and personal differentiator.  Be unique and maintain your value and differentiator clients are looking for a resource that can solve their problems now and in the future.

There is not one alive that is Youer than You ~ Dr. Seuss. Your process has value - stay the path.

Linda Richardson