Explanation and communication – Helping customers understand price

[Man explaining smartphone*]

“I thought it was simple.” That sentence is from a phone conversation with a prospective buyer of translation this week. That same perception is shared by buyers of countless services in the market. They know what they want but are completely ignorant of the process. To clarify, the vast majority are not interested in knowing any or all of the details but would like and often need to know how the process affects the price and delivery time. As an example, I present three customer dialogues and the results, demonstrating the importance of respectful customer education.

My first correspondence was with an institutional client that required translation of a series of long documents, most of which were in PDF or Excel form. Translating them in a CAT (Computer Aided Translation) tool requires processing of the PDFs, often a long process. After estimating the total number of words, I provided a total quote, as is my policy, but added that the cost reflected both the repetitions of the numbers in the Excel files but also the time investment required to work with the PDF (formatting back and forth) and Excel (QA). Within minutes, I received the Word version of the PDFs, which gave me the exact number of words. I provided a revised quote, significantly lower. Both of us were happy as it reduced my time investment and their cost.

An agency asked whether I would accept a “half minimum” for a translation of a small number of words. It would have been natural to express annoyance regarding this oxymoron. Instead, the answer was to explain that a minimum fee also reflects the time invested in correspondence, preparing the text and invoicing. Fortunately, this project manager accepted this justification with humor and understanding, improving the relationship and hopefully preventing such requests in the future.

Finally, the bewildered first-time buyer of translator mentioned above received some simple clarifications. I explained that the time required to complete a translation is based on the number of words the average translator can translate in a day. I clarified that the English words count is between 1.4 and 1.5 times the Hebrew word count, which she had sensed intuitively. I added that QA of long texts takes times and requires many breaks, to which she could relate to a writer. Thus, she received enough information to make an intelligent decision while I improved my chances of attaining the project.

The point is the customer education, done properly, creates a win-win situation for both the customer and the service provider. It is not a waste of time as the vast majority of buyers know nothing of the service process. Whether in translation or any other service field, providing relevant information is beneficial for both parties as it makes matters mutually much simpler. 

* Captions are vital for Internet access to the blind.

Picture credit: Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/useche70-11527325/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=6733008">Manuel Alvarez</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=6733008">Pixabay</a>

The upcoming train of pent-up demand

                                         [Railroad track with clouds in the distance*]

Worldwide, the corona virus has shut down almost all businesses, big and small, and hit the income of almost workers, salaried and independent. In regards to the day after, when social and business activity is allowed to fully restart, the latter group, the independents, are especially worried. While it is difficult to accurately predict the future, one concept seems relevant in regards to forecast for the short-term future: pent up demand. It is clear that certain professionals will be extremely busy for months to come.

Accountants, doctors and attorneys always finds a way to profit. Given the need to take advantage of the various government support programs and their complexity, accountants will be quite busy and even gain new customers. Their cousins, the financial service providers, will be active helping people manage their debt and get into more debt. On the medical side, the stress of these months on everybody, not just healty care workers, will be boom of those doctors that treat the effects of it, including dermotologists, alergists, cardiologists, dentists, psychologists and psychiatrists, as if their clientelle was not large enough already. However, the lawyers will enjoy the greatest boom. Whether handing divorce, estates, breach of contract or payment issues, the courts are going to be busy. Jewish mothers knew something when they wanted their children to enter these professions.

The busiest service providers, at least in the short term, will be in the beauty care industry. Tens of millions of women will not have had a proper heart cut, dyeing, manicure, pedicure, injection or skin treatment for months. To clarify, I do not state that in derision but in appreciation of their need and its impact on those that provide this service. In fact, it is possible that these businesses will more than make up for the lost income. I also expect to prices to rise in these industries as many women will not want to wait an additional month for an appointment.

To misapply Newton’s 3^rd law of motion, every action has an equal but opposite action. After several months of no serious physical exercise or social activity, people are going to go extreme on sport and going out. The gyms, sports centres and country clubs are going to be jammed the minute such activity is considered safe. Many people will feel the absolute requirement to lose the kilos (or pounds) that they gained while stuck at home. It is unclear how long these people will maintain their enthusiasm but demand for such services will be initialy very strong. Cafes, bars and sports stadiums will be also be packed. These places represent the polar opposite of being stuck at home: lots of noise, talk, non-family and vicarious pleasure. The coffee or beer may the same but everything else is different. Vive la difference! Flights probably will  be packed as people travel to see their “long-lost” loved ones. Any professional involved this social approaching will gain.

Time will tell if how correct these predictions are. Clearly, for some independents, the return to the “good old days” before the corona device will take time, possibly years.  For others, the shutdown period will be an unpleasant but short hickup in their business development, even a shot in the arm. It is the challenge of independents to figure the route of the recovery train and somehow catch it.

* For the sake of the millions of blind, always post a description of your picture.

Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/Larisa-K-1107275/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=163518">Larisa Koshkina</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=163518">Pixabay</a>