| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | What do you guys do when a client doesn't want to pay for your work? Thread poster: Martina Balzano
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Martina Balzano
Czech Republic
Local time: 10:47
Member (2018)
English to Czech
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Hello everyone!
I'm currently dealing with a client who hasn't paid for my work.
The collaboration was pretty unpleasant, I got a few "can you send it now" e-mails, the rate was just ok ($0.05/sw), however, given the client's 5* reviews, I decided to give it a go.
I completed the job before the deadline, I asked for feedback, sent an invoice – which is now past due by 8 days.
I sent the client a very friendly reminder, this is what I got in response.
How do you deal with clients like this one?
Thank you for your opinion!
M.
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If they are on holidays for 10 days, it doesn’t mean that they don’t want to pay you. I’d wait to see what happens then…
| | | | Sheila Wilson 
Spain
Local time: 09:47
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
| Hmm... not a good start | Oct 8, 2019 |
Martina Štefková wrote:
I'm currently dealing with a client who hasn't paid for my work.
The collaboration was pretty unpleasant, I got a few "can you send it now" e-mails, the rate was just ok ($0.05/sw), however, given the client's 5* reviews, I decided to give it a go.
I completed the job before the deadline, I asked for feedback, sent an invoice – which is now past due by 8 days.
They must have known they were going on holiday, so they could and should have paid you before they went. There's no excuse.
I would send a short note saying I'm unhappy that they didn't think to pay before leaving. And I'd say I'd be expecting their payment to be top of their list of priorities on their return. And I'd give them just long enough to pay, i.e. 12 or so days, before reminding them again, in a more formal email.
I imagine this is going to be a one-off client? It certainly would be for me.
| | | | Gethin Sugar
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:47
Member (2020)
English to Welsh
+ ...
| Yes, wait and see... | Oct 8, 2019 |
Teresa Borges wrote:
If they are on holidays for 10 days, it doesn’t mean that they don’t want to pay you. I’d wait to see what happens then…
If they have only just gone on holiday, perhaps they have scheduled a payment and it's on its way to you? If not, it could be at the top of their 'to do' list for when they get back. I always like to give my clients the benefit of the doubt for one late payment. If it happened on a regular basis, then I think it would be time to look at the relationship and, at the very least, have a conversation with the client about it.
Yes, it is annoying to have to wait but there probably isn't really much you can do at the moment. If I was in your situation, I would likely send another email towards the end of their holiday to make sure that your payment reminder is at the top of their inbox.
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IrinaN
United States
Local time: 03:47
English to Russian
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| Write it off and learn a lesson? | Oct 8, 2019 |
A Chinese agency on holiday for 10 days? This is a mockery. They just want to take a break from your inquiries for 10 days.
Even the format of the reply is derisive. I'm sorry but they are laughing in your face and have no intention to pay. Looks like they will drag it on until you'll be exhausted and give up, or they will simply disappear sooner or later.
I wish I could be a bearer of better news.
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Frankly, if an agency/client does not want to pay for my translation, I will NEVER collaborate again in the future and it would be a very pitty situation for this agency/client, because I always do great job.
| | | | | Post removed: This post was hidden by a moderator or staff member because it was not in line with site rule | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 10:47
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
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1. You should remove identifying information from your posts.
2. Well, apparently the client has a more flexible approach to payment deadlines than you do. Let's see if they pay before the end of this month. (-:
What were the payment terms that you had both agreed upon (I mean, how many days after the invoice did they originally say they were going to pay)?
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| Chinese vacation | Oct 8, 2019 |
Samuel Murray wrote: 1. You should remove identifying information from your posts.
didn't see the pics.
It's China.
And indeed, there was 7 days of vacations due to October 1st, China's National Day.
Maybe this agency will have an extension of holidays to 10 days? hard to say.
my clients in China were also in vacation since October 1st.
| | | | Martina Balzano
Czech Republic
Local time: 10:47
Member (2018)
English to Czech
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | This is why I love working for agencies | Oct 8, 2019 |
Sorry about the ingfo, I totally forgot about it!
| | | | LIZ LI
China
Local time: 16:47
French to Chinese
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| Holiday confirmed | Oct 8, 2019 |
It's national holiday from 01/10 to 07/10 in mainland China.
The lady who sent you the email was replying to you on her phone, maybe some where in a tropical resort of an ASEAN country. So she might just give herself an extra margin.
BTW, all Chinese seem to rush anytime and anywhere for I-don't-know-why, several local clients of mine tag every single email with top urgency. If you are planning to cope with them in the future, just ignore it and be at your own rhythm.
Again... See more It's national holiday from 01/10 to 07/10 in mainland China.
The lady who sent you the email was replying to you on her phone, maybe some where in a tropical resort of an ASEAN country. So she might just give herself an extra margin.
BTW, all Chinese seem to rush anytime and anywhere for I-don't-know-why, several local clients of mine tag every single email with top urgency. If you are planning to cope with them in the future, just ignore it and be at your own rhythm.
Again fyi, all Chinese may disappear even longer every Jan or Feb. Google it for why.
[Edited at 2019-10-08 21:37 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Michael Newton
United States
Local time: 04:47
Japanese to English
+ ...
| client refuses to pay | Oct 10, 2019 |
Communist China recently celebrated 70 years from the founding of the PRC which is a mega-event. I was in Beijing 20 years ago for the 50th anniversary (I was "sequestered" in my hotel). Things are pretty wild and people go abroad on extended vacations. I would wait a few days and then keep pestering them and pestering them and pestering them.
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LIZ LI
China
Local time: 16:47
French to Chinese
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| We call it traffic control | Oct 16, 2019 |
Michael Newton wrote:
Communist China recently celebrated 70 years from the founding of the PRC which is a mega-event. I was in Beijing 20 years ago for the 50th anniversary (I was "sequestered" in my hotel). Things are pretty wild and people go abroad on extended vacations. I would wait a few days and then keep pestering them and pestering them and pestering them.
I was by coincidence there in Beijjing for the 60th anniversary.
Also been taken into "custody" by local athorities.
So that nobody messes up around.
BTW, any news from Martina's client yet?
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:47
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Q. What do you guys do when a client doesn't want to pay for your work?
A. Force them to pay (assuming you have delivered all the work as required and nobody has raised any queries about its quality). We all have our own ways of doing this.
| | | | | They've taken you for a spin | Oct 18, 2019 |
Gethin Sugar wrote: Teresa Borges wrote:
If they are on holidays for 10 days, it doesn’t mean that they don’t want to pay you. I’d wait to see what happens then… If they have only just gone on holiday, perhaps they have scheduled a payment and it's on its way to you? If not, it could be at the top of their 'to do' list for when they get back. I always like to give my clients the benefit of the doubt for one late payment. If it happened on a regular basis, then I think it would be time to look at the relationship and, at the very least, have a conversation with the client about it. Yes, it is annoying to have to wait but there probably isn't really much you can do at the moment. If I was in your situation, I would likely send another email towards the end of their holiday to make sure that your payment reminder is at the top of their inbox.
Don't kid yourself. They're not interested in you or your business or the problems they cause you. They're hustlers. They won't do anything until you bug them to death or get a lawyer.
You've dipped into the cheap and nasty pool. You've been had.
Do your due diligence before you commit to any project. Otherwise you'll be angry for a long time wishing you had been more careful as I am sure the poster of this thread would agree.
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