Poll: Which is your first move when you handle an agency that is not paying? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Which is your first move when you handle an agency that is not paying?".
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1. Send multiple reminders and follow-ups.
2. Stop accepting work from the agency.
3. Take legal action.
4. Report the agency on forums or websites.
So far, after 40 years, I only had to take two clients to court. Things were solved before.
| | | | Lieven Malaise
Belgium
Local time: 22:57
Member (2020)
French to Dutch
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I also start with reminders. When I'm not paid yet after 2 reminders, I refuse to accept other jobs. That's mostly the critical point where I get paid. I've had to threaten a few times (1 or 2 times in the course of 19 years) with a payment collection agency, but it never got that far.
None of this has ever lead to the end of a customer relationship.
[Bijgewerkt op 2024-10-20 13:33 GMT]
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First step is a reminder email. Fortunately most of the few issues I've had have been genuine mistakes like invoices not arriving, or being overlooked and have been quickly cleared up.
I've always made it my policy to stop accepting work from slow/difficult payers and that has meant that over time I built up a client base of reliable payers and have had few problems.
The biggest problem I ever had was an agency going bankrupt right at the start of my translation career ... See more First step is a reminder email. Fortunately most of the few issues I've had have been genuine mistakes like invoices not arriving, or being overlooked and have been quickly cleared up.
I've always made it my policy to stop accepting work from slow/difficult payers and that has meant that over time I built up a client base of reliable payers and have had few problems.
The biggest problem I ever had was an agency going bankrupt right at the start of my translation career owing me quite a lot of money. If it gets this far, you are unlikely to get much in the way of payment as freelances are low in the pecking order for getting paid so its very much worth keeping on top of slow payers and not letting the sums mount up. ▲ Collapse
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| Polite reminder, firm reminder, stop working for the agency | Oct 21 |
My story is very much like Rachel Waddington's, except that I have been lucky - when a major client went bankrupt, I had been on holiday and then accepted a big order from another client, so I did not lose a lot of money. Due diligence is important before I even start a job, so over more than twenty years I have had very little trouble.
If payment is late, then usually a polite reminder is enough - small agencies or outsourcers have a lot going on, and make mistakes occasionally. T... See more My story is very much like Rachel Waddington's, except that I have been lucky - when a major client went bankrupt, I had been on holiday and then accepted a big order from another client, so I did not lose a lot of money. Due diligence is important before I even start a job, so over more than twenty years I have had very little trouble.
If payment is late, then usually a polite reminder is enough - small agencies or outsourcers have a lot going on, and make mistakes occasionally. They apologise and pay immediately when they discover the error.
I generally do small jobs. Someone has to do the big ones, and when I take them on, I make sure I know and trust the client! So when payment is late, the amount is not too large.
I have given up once or twice, when the amount involved did not justify any more effort to chase it up, but I have phoned, sent successive reminders, and stopped working for numerous clients.
[Edited at 2024-10-21 22:53 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:57
Member (2008)
Italian to English
...is to give them a negative review/rating on the BlueBoard and make a non-payment report to Proz.
If that doesn't resolve the matter, there are ways to escalate it.
Ultimately this could lead to bailiffs arriving at their door and seizing property.
So far I have always persuaded them that it is in their interest to pay before that happens.
I **always** take action, even for small amounts.
[Edited at 2024-10-21 15:42 GMT]
| | | | Novian Cahyadi 
Indonesia
Local time: 04:57
Member (Apr 2024)
English to Indonesian
| Still Alive n' Kickin' | Oct 22 |
See? Tom ain't no dead yet, innit? What're y'all talkin' about?
| | | | AllegroTrans
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:57
Member (2011)
French to English
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| I agree with Maria Teresa | Oct 23 |
Don't leave things for long - start to chase when the debt is 7 days overdue. My experience in 30 years of translating is that I had to sue (in the English courts) twice and the customers then paid - and another case where the customer (who is a ProZ member!!) simply ignored multiple phone calls, letters, emails and visits by debt collectors.
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