managing payment delays Thread poster: Jason Willis-Lee
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Hello all.
I currently have an invoice pending for a moderate sum of money with a regular client which is now 36 days overdue. My payment conditions as clearly stated on the invoice are 30 days. The delay seems to be caused by the client telling me they have had problems with their client and have not been paid. I have already taken the following actions.
1. Polite reminder by email at 28 days overdue
2. Polite reminder by phone at 32 days overdue
3. Stron... See more Hello all.
I currently have an invoice pending for a moderate sum of money with a regular client which is now 36 days overdue. My payment conditions as clearly stated on the invoice are 30 days. The delay seems to be caused by the client telling me they have had problems with their client and have not been paid. I have already taken the following actions.
1. Polite reminder by email at 28 days overdue
2. Polite reminder by phone at 32 days overdue
3. Stronger reminder by email at 35 days overdue threatening that if payment was not imminent I would start to charge interest on the amount owed.
As I anticipate further delays and bearing in mind the above actions, what realistic options are there for me to take here? I feel that more calls and emails will be met by further stalling and will only increase frustration and conflict. I am looking for other methods to force quick payment. I am certain that the document has been in the client's hands since it was handed in 66 days ago. Of course, I have no means of verifying the veracity of my client's claim of non-payment (not that this has any bearing on if or when I should be paid).
I would appreciate some advice on this. This affects us all people since claiming non-payment by an end client is the most common cause of payment delays to freelance translators.
Many thanks in advance for any advice.
Jason ▲ Collapse
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Todd Field 
United States
Local time: 02:29
Member
Portuguese to English
| Continue to be persistent... you are doing everything right | Sep 10, 2004 |
Dear Jason,
Collections and delinquent debt are part of freelancing, as I am sure you know. The more you take the emotion out of it and make it a systematic, scientific process, the better results you will get.
At least the agency is responding. This is a general indication that you will probably get paid. Statistically the situation is much higher risk when the debtor does not respond to your inquiries.
Another fact about collections: the receivable may be... See more Dear Jason,
Collections and delinquent debt are part of freelancing, as I am sure you know. The more you take the emotion out of it and make it a systematic, scientific process, the better results you will get.
At least the agency is responding. This is a general indication that you will probably get paid. Statistically the situation is much higher risk when the debtor does not respond to your inquiries.
Another fact about collections: the receivable may become more difficult to collect the more delinquent it gets. Continue to be persistent and contact the debtor on a regular basis about the money owed (don't worry about too much contact... usually this encourages action rather than prolonged delays). If you "stay on their radar" you are more likely to get results in the form of payment.
In your particular case, remind the agency that the original agreement was between you and the agency, not you and the end customer, and therefore the latter's lack of payment is completely irrelevant.
As far as concrete advice for your situation: threaten to post negative feedback in Internet forums (i.e. ProZ BB) if payment is not received by a specific target date. Remind the agency that this type of feedback is permanent and public so long as they do business under their current trade name.
In following these basic concepts (plus a little bit of luck) I have never once been "burned" in all the late payments I have had to deal with (knock on wood!).
Hope everything works out for you,
Todd ▲ Collapse
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| Tolerate no nonsense ! | Sep 11, 2004 |
I had been at the receiving end couple of times and I was extremely polite in my reminders. But now I feel some of these agencies consider your civility as your weakness. After spending countless sleepless nights and hours of toil and sweat, when you get a raw deal from these unsrcupulous elements, it is grossly unfair to expect you to repond with stoic patience.
What you can do to prevent these non-payers and late payers? You can do a lot. Hit them where it hurt them the most. Hit ... See more I had been at the receiving end couple of times and I was extremely polite in my reminders. But now I feel some of these agencies consider your civility as your weakness. After spending countless sleepless nights and hours of toil and sweat, when you get a raw deal from these unsrcupulous elements, it is grossly unfair to expect you to repond with stoic patience.
What you can do to prevent these non-payers and late payers? You can do a lot. Hit them where it hurt them the most. Hit their bussiness. Expose them before your fellow translators. Ruin their credibility for good so that in future no one dares to play dirty.
BE UNITED. ▲ Collapse
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Williamson
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:29
Flemish to English
+ ...
| If not too far away... | Sep 11, 2004 |
Now that airfares are cheap, if it is worth it, take a day off and ask them if you can pick up the check for payment on their premises so that it will not get lost in the mail service.
But then you risk that the person responsible is on a holiday, in an urgent business meeting (own experience with agency which refused to pay).
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