Being messed around by Spanish client/agency Thread poster: Hayley Assuncao
|
|---|
Hi all, feeling a bit fed up today, waiting for money from a direct Spanish client, and a Spanish agency.
First case - I recently did some work for a small agency, responding to a job they posted on here. I did my homework, checked them out, was impressed to see a great blue board record, noting their fast communication and payment. Everything started well with the PM being very responsive. The last few weeks I've hardly heard anything since submitting my invoice. I chased and was t... See more Hi all, feeling a bit fed up today, waiting for money from a direct Spanish client, and a Spanish agency.
First case - I recently did some work for a small agency, responding to a job they posted on here. I did my homework, checked them out, was impressed to see a great blue board record, noting their fast communication and payment. Everything started well with the PM being very responsive. The last few weeks I've hardly heard anything since submitting my invoice. I chased and was told 9 days ago that it would be paid 'this week', that they had been OOO and that was why things had been quiet.
Since they are on the blue board I am thinking about using the non payment report. Worth a go? It's not a huge amount but it's the principle!
The second one is a direct client so while they didn't appear on the blue board I checked them out, had a good impression based on the early info they gave, paid me for a test translation which I always think is a good sign. Last week they emailed confirming receipt of my invoice and said the payment was being handled that day. It's now five days later, including the weekend, and nothing. They have allocated me more work (it's done via a portal) but I'm not willing to translate more until I have my money and wondering whether to send an email stating this or give it a couple more days.
While my profile is fairly new on here I am not new to the industry and do not consider myself naïve. I did my research but I feel like I am being messed around! I have previously only worked with UK agencies and not had issues being paid. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | "Great BB record" - use it for leverage! | Sep 17, 2019 |
Sorry to hear about your situation
Hayley Assuncao wrote:
was impressed to see a great blue board record, noting their fast communication and payment.
Write again and tell them you will put a negative LWA score on the Blue Board - since theirs is so shiny and gleaming they may well be annoyed to see a dent in it. That would be my first line of action.
As far as your second client goes, the few times I have risked not being paid, I have written to them threatening legal action, followed up by a letter from a lawyer.
I'm not sure if you're aware of the site Payment Practices? It's the industry go-to site for independent reviews by translators on agencies' payment practices. It's a paid site, but only costs around twenty dollars a year. Threatening to post a negative review on PP and other translator blacklists, along with a concrete threat of legal action usually makes them sit up and take notice, and realise you're not going to put up with being messed around.
| | | | | Payment Practices | Sep 17, 2019 |
"...Payment Practices™, the oldest, most extensive objective dataset related to the payment practices of translation agencies and other consumers of translation services. A 2018 survey of freelance translators and interpeters found that Payment Practices was their primary source for vetting potential agency clients."
http://www.paymentpractices.net
| | | | | Threatening - just be careful | Sep 17, 2019 |
Fiona Grace Peterson wrote:
Write again and tell them you will put a negative LWA score on the Blue Board - since theirs is so shiny and gleaming they may well be annoyed to see a dent in it. That would be my first line of action.
ALAS, it is against the site rules to use the BB that way.
https://www.proz.com/siterules/blue_board_bb_blueboard/9#9
"The Blue Board may not be used to coerce.
Using the Blue Board, or threatening to use the Blue Board, in such a way as to pressure an outsourcer or service provider into taking some action, is strictly prohibited."
However, you could write them that you are surprised by their delay as it is not in line with their current reviews on the BB.
| | |
|
|
|
Sheila Wilson 
Spain
Local time: 12:39
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
| Was there a clear deadline for payment? | Sep 18, 2019 |
Hayley Assuncao wrote:
First case - I recently did some work for a small agency, responding to a job they posted on here.
It does sound as though you've been waiting quite a while for your payment but I'm wondering if there was a clear deadline for payment. Could it be that you expect them to.pay within 30 days and they think they have the right to 60 or more days? Just a thought. If they are well and truly late, I would advise the action Katalin suggests.
The second one is a direct client so while they didn't appear on the blue board I checked them out, had a good impression based on the early info they gave, paid me for a test translation which I always think is a good sign.
Same question applies here -- are you sure they think it's overdue? If it's well overdue, you could certainly, and should, IMO, say that you can't accept more work until you've been paid. That's perfectly normal business practice. I've said it to clients in the past and some have remained good business partners -- there was no offence taken.
| | | | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Being messed around by Spanish client/agency | CafeTran Espresso | You've never met a CAT tool this clever!
Translate faster & easier, using a sophisticated CAT tool built by a translator / developer.
Accept jobs from clients who use Trados, MemoQ, Wordfast & major CAT tools.
Download and start using CafeTran Espresso -- for free
Buy now! » |
| | Protemos translation business management system | Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!
The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
Translation news
