| विषय में पृष्ठों की संख्या: < [1 2] | Tips to avoid not getting paid विषय पोस्ट करनेवाला व्यक्ति: Marion Schimmelpfennig
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Mervyn Henderson (X) 
स्पेन
Local time: 19:02
स्पेनी से अंग्रेजी
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| Payment in advance | Nov 10, 2004 |
Well, the 10% discount or supplier credit or whatever it is seems to work in practice. I was asked for the rate by phone, I added on the 10% in my mind, and said in the same breath, payment at 30 calendar days after delivery (whaaaat?), with a 10% discount for prompt payment. He agreed as soon as he heard about the discount. Also, "prompt payment" is conveniently vague. In the context, it has to mean less than 30 days, but maybe they take it as semi-immediate. If they want to get specific, I wou... See more Well, the 10% discount or supplier credit or whatever it is seems to work in practice. I was asked for the rate by phone, I added on the 10% in my mind, and said in the same breath, payment at 30 calendar days after delivery (whaaaat?), with a 10% discount for prompt payment. He agreed as soon as he heard about the discount. Also, "prompt payment" is conveniently vague. In the context, it has to mean less than 30 days, but maybe they take it as semi-immediate. If they want to get specific, I would say two weeks is prompt enough.
I think we are getting into psychology here. The first thing they hear is (1) a kind of high rate, and they immediately think Are you kidding, no way. The next thing they hear is worse, (2) only one month to pay the thing, and they think NO WAYYYY. But then they hear (3) the magic word "discount" (which it isn't), and that makes (1) and (2) sound not so bad. Everybody likes to think they have won on a deal, so they say to themselves, I don't even know this guy, and he's giving me a discount, he must be soft in the head business-wise, I'll use him. We don't, of course, care what he thinks of our heads, just as long as he falls for it.
Another thing is whether he will actually do it or not. When da deal has been struck, I insist on an email confirming price and payment time. A specific email, too, not just "OK to all we agreed, pal". That way, you have proof of the promise to circulate on Internet if you want, a kind of threat in the background, and the customer knows this.
Mervyn ▲ Collapse
| | | | Brandis (X)
Local time: 19:02
अंग्रेजी से जर्मन
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| discounting system impractical! | Nov 10, 2004 |
Hello Allison, Do you mean the discounting system is not a practicable idea! I know both Agencies and a few translator friends of mine doing it.
Rgds,
Brandis
| | | | | Advance payment wouldn't work in Spain and probably not in France either | Nov 10, 2004 |
Hi Marion:
Thanks for these tips which I found both interesting and helpful. I would just like to point out that getting payment in advance, although perfectly acceptable on the face of it, sounds very much to me as if this would only occur in some sort of Huxleyian utopia. Let me explain...
I work mainly with agencies in France and Spain and I can tell you categorically that with very few exceptions, most of these companies insist on paying suppliers 30, 45, 60 and ge... See more Hi Marion:
Thanks for these tips which I found both interesting and helpful. I would just like to point out that getting payment in advance, although perfectly acceptable on the face of it, sounds very much to me as if this would only occur in some sort of Huxleyian utopia. Let me explain...
I work mainly with agencies in France and Spain and I can tell you categorically that with very few exceptions, most of these companies insist on paying suppliers 30, 45, 60 and get this, even 90 days after date of invoice!!! Imagine you hand in a piece of work at the start of the month and have to invoice until the end of the month because this is how their accounts dept does its business. You could waiting an amazing 120 days for payment!!!! In other words, these companies survive by delaying their payments to suppliers. The more further South you go in either country, the more relaxed payment practices are. That's just how business is done here.
I´ve been browsing the proz board for quite some time now and have come to the inevitable conclusion that the companies with the best blue board grades are invariably managed by Northern Europeans or Anglosaxons. This suggests to me that management practices in France and Spain are much less effective.
The bottom line remains this. Conduting effective business depends on creating and maintaining relationships over a long period of time. In a capitalist world with so much competition and where, in my opinion, relationships are less valued than moving to a cheaper supplier, this is hard.
Best regards,
Jason ▲ Collapse
| | | | | It's only practicable if its not "really" a discount | Nov 10, 2004 |
Brandis wrote:
Hello Allison, Do you mean the discounting system is not a practicable idea! I know both Agencies and a few translator friends of mine doing it.
Rgds,
Brandis
Hi Brandis:
It's only practicable if you calculate the "discount" in on top of your standard prices - otherwise you're shooting yourself in the foot somewhat.
Alison
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| Payment in advance | Nov 10, 2004 |
In my personal experience, advance payment in Italy is also nonexistent. I do, however, heed all of the other advice- especially getting all payment agreements in writing. And the I can't stress enough the importance of the Blue Board. I actually don't bid on many jobs via ProZ, but several of the agencies I work for regularly are on the BB. Priceless information...
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