What if they want Tier 2 (or even Tier 3!) pricing but expect Tier 1 perfection?

You solve this by setting ruthless boundaries from day one. Forget about rigid ISO standards written by out-of-touch localization bulb-heads trying to strangle the delivery of value, and throw out confusing misnomers like “light post-editing” or “full post-editing.” This framework is not about academic definitions; it is about defining exactly what your clients actually want and giving it to them.

You lay out the choices with total clarity. If they want a massive value dump of highly readable text—and can accept that there might be problems with nuances and meaning—they choose Tier 3. If they need to be sure the translation is objectively right and accurate but are OK if the text hasn’t been fully polished, they choose Tier 2. But the boundary here is firm: clients choosing Tier 2 do not get to bicker about subjective style, phrasing, or flow. Finally, if human perfection, creative nuance, and flawless correctness are all top priorities, they must pay for Tier 1.

Emphasizing these stark distinctions upfront prevents quality disputes and trains your clients to buy based on their actual business needs rather than just looking at the price tag. And because you’re providing all three tiers, you get to sit down with your client and help them route their content into the right lanes.