| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Penalty for late payment of invoices Thread poster: Armorel Young
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| So you chose the stick | Jul 28, 2014 |
Armorel Young wrote:
Thanks, everyone - lots of useful ideas there. I should say that I agree that I would not normally continue to work for late payers, but in this case the work is quite interesting and is an ongoing project that I have been working on on and off for several years - to that extent I have built up what I thought was a good relationship with the client, and I rather like the job and so haven't been in a hurry to ditch it. The question is how much one should put up with before saying "enough is enough". I've now written to the client pointing out that our relationship is in jeopardy: at the same time, I have stated that I am reducing my terms of payment from 30 days to 14 and will from now on impose a 2% surcharge if payment is late. In the present circumstances and for this particular client that represents the right balance for me between wanting to be reasonable and yet not wanting to be taken for a ride.
If they want to negotiate on that, you can still offer the carrot:
1. Raise your rates by 4%, payment term 30 days as before (maybe their business setup prevents them from having the cash available before then).
2. If they pay you by 30 days, they'll enjoy a 2% discount.
2. If they pay you by 14 days, they'll enjoy a 4% discount.
| | | | Thayenga 
Germany
Local time: 18:38
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
| Professionalism and retaliation don't match | Jul 28, 2014 |
José Henrique Lamensdorf wrote:
I tell my clients that I haven't delivered one single translation job late since 1973, so I've earned my right to demand to be paid on time. Those who don't agree, well, I won't take their jobs to retaliate by delivering them late, thus spoiling my immaculate record.
[Edited at 2014-07-27 18:02 GMT]
I agree with you, José, that intentionally delivering a job late will only spoil your reputation and, in the end, harm only you.
Besides that, any kind of retaliation automatically reminds me of a stubborn child that doesn't get its way, stomping and screaming and raising cane. Very unprofessional for any adult.
If a payment situation becomes unbearable, or unaffordable for the translator, then it is simply time to walk on. Like Sheila said, there are many good, professional and reliable clients out there, who appreaciate a timely delivery and, on their part, timely payments.
[Edited at 2014-07-28 16:03 GMT]
| | | | | Discussion can help | Jul 28, 2014 |
[quote]Thayenga wrote:
If a payment situation becomes unbearable, or unaffordable for the translator, then it is simply time to walk on.
While retaliation in the form of deliberately not doing your best is clearly unprofessional and not something that anyone would seriously recommend, I don't think the only alternative is necessarily to simply walk away (although there are plenty of times when you may choose to do so, if you have decided that in any case you don't want to work with a particular client any more). Sometimes raising grievances in a spirit of open and honest discussion can be fruitful and make the other person aware of issues they simply hadn't considered - and the result may be a rapprochement, or a decision to walk away anyway. (I have certainly left clients behind because their rates weren't high enough, and told them so - and partings have sometimes been very amicable as a result.)
| | | | | My point was... | Jul 28, 2014 |
(and this is at the very core of the subject this thread is about)
... what can a translator do when a customer pays late?
- mud-slinging on the Blue Board?
- denial of service in the future?
- higher rates in the future?
None of these will solve the immediate problem of not having cash when reasonably expected, which could have been prevented by having worked for another client instead. So the professional option is to drop them altogether.
... See more (and this is at the very core of the subject this thread is about)
... what can a translator do when a customer pays late?
- mud-slinging on the Blue Board?
- denial of service in the future?
- higher rates in the future?
None of these will solve the immediate problem of not having cash when reasonably expected, which could have been prevented by having worked for another client instead. So the professional option is to drop them altogether.
Let them use all those amateurs who bow to grovelling rates, abusively extended payment terms, and late payments as the cherry on the top. Apparently there will never be a shortage of these.
Thayenga wrote: José Henrique Lamensdorf wrote:
I tell my clients that I haven't delivered one single translation job late since 1973, so I've earned my right to demand to be paid on time. Those who don't agree, well, I won't take their jobs to retaliate by delivering them late, thus spoiling my immaculate record.
[Edited at 2014-07-27 18:02 GMT] I agree with you, José, that intentionally delivering a job late will only spoil your reputation and, in the end, harm only you. Besides that, any kind of retaliation automatically reminds me of a stubborn child that doesn't get its way, stomping and screaming and raising cane. Very unprofessional for any adult. If a payment situation becomes unbearable, or unaffordable for the translator, then it is simply time to walk on. Like Sheila said, there are many good, professional and reliable clients out there, who appreaciate a timely delivery and, on their part, timely payments. [Edited at 2014-07-28 16:03 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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| Mandatory in France | Jul 28, 2014 |
Andrea Halbritter wrote:
In France the 40 € charge for late payers exists already and some mention it in their invoices.
I am not sure though that this really helps...
I agree that it probably doesn't help much Andrea, it is however mandatory to include the mention about the late fee and interest for late payments on invoices (in France).
| | | | | Ask to be paid before starting to work | Jul 28, 2014 |
I actually work in a cooperative with lots of different professionals, most of them are tradesmen or manufacturers.
They were quite surprized when they heart that a lot of translators dont ask for accounts as they fear not being paid if they dont.
Since that discussion I ask for an account (sometimes even 80 %) for big projects or when I have to work with other translators. All of my direct clients accept.... and I'll certainly ask for an account for little projects as ... See more I actually work in a cooperative with lots of different professionals, most of them are tradesmen or manufacturers.
They were quite surprized when they heart that a lot of translators dont ask for accounts as they fear not being paid if they dont.
Since that discussion I ask for an account (sometimes even 80 %) for big projects or when I have to work with other translators. All of my direct clients accept.... and I'll certainly ask for an account for little projects as well if I know that the client is a bad payer or if I had a bad experience with... ▲ Collapse
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