This article gives no figures; it explains how a quote is built. For the buyer this is the information that matters, because two quotes can be compared only if their item structures are visible.
First the unit is defined
Characters without spaces, characters with spaces, or words. A number given without the unit being written down expresses nothing.
The volume is measured, not estimated
A count made on the file comes out differently from an estimate made by eye. Scanned pages and the text inside images are assessed separately.
The match tiers are separated
Exact matches against the memory, fuzzy matches and new words are counted separately. A quote given without this separation makes the gain from repetition invisible.
The review layers are written down
Editing, proofreading and automated checks are separate steps. Which of them are included must be visible in the quote.
Subject expertise is an item
If subject-matter expert review is needed, that is separate labour and a separate line.
Formatting work is counted separately
Rearranging tables or extracting text from a closed format is not translation. Whether it is within the scope is written down.
The turnaround is not an item but a condition
Rush working changes the capacity plan. It is defined below which turnaround this condition will come into play.
The minimum volume is stated
For very short jobs a minimum unit may be applied. If this condition is not visible in the quote, there is a surprise on the invoice.
Counter-view: a detailed quote makes comparison harder
It is true that a quote with many items is hard to read. Yet a one-line quote, while making reading easier, makes comparison impossible; the ease has been gained in the wrong place.
The assumptions are written down
Whatever scope, file and turnaround the quote was based on, these are stated openly. If the assumption changes, the quote changes too.
A validity period is set
Scope and conditions change over time. A quote with no time limit ends up being applied, months later, to a different job.
What is not included is written down too
Listing the items that are left out is the most effective measure against scope creep.
The number of correction rounds is stated
Unlimited rounds mean that no job ever closes. The number of rounds is defined from the quote onwards.
In the long term the structure changes
As the memory grows, the match rate rises and the same volume runs at a lower cost. The quote can show this trend as well.
The file should be seen before the quote
A figure given without the file being seen inevitably rests on an assumption and has to be corrected afterwards. Closed formats, scanned pages and embedded text are seen only when the file is opened; these change the quote directly.
Takeaway
A good quote is not the low one but the one in which what it contains is visible. When the definition of the unit, the measured volume, the match tiers, the review layers, the exclusions and the assumptions are written down, the buyer can really compare two quotes; otherwise it has merely compared two numbers.