Jun 10, 2020
Cambridge Proofreading Response
5yThank you for your feedback. I am glad to read you enjoy working with us!
I would like to address a few points:
1) Although we pay a flat rate for all orders, editors are allowed to preview the file before accepting/rejecting it. This allows you to evaluate how much work is likely to be involved before you take on a job. The standard in our industry is to not allow editors to preview files before accepting, but we do, as we feel that no one should work on a job that they are not interested in.
Dozens of jobs deemed more challenging are given bonuses each week (usually 20-50%).
Instead of paying on a sliding scale based on document quality or turnaround time, we choose to offer our editors the maximum financially viable flat rate for all work.
2) As you note, $12/1k is a competitive rate on the higher side of average for this line of work.
Across ALL orders (and currencies), the fee paid to editors averages between 55-60% of the total order fee. This is also above the industry standard of 45-50%.
From the remaining 40% come costs such as credit card and currency fees (4-7.5% of the total fee), three full time staff salaries, a web developer, and the largest cost of all, online adverting. It is only through scale that the business model works.
3) Regarding your suggestion about a COVID-related pay increase: our workload so far has remained consistent, as have the rates we pay our editors. Given the impact the pandemic has had on the global economy, we are all, indeed, lucky in that respect.
Thanks again.