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Poll: When do you send reminders if the payment date is overdue? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "When do you send reminders if the payment date is overdue?".
This poll was originally submitted by Alexa Dubreuil. View the poll results »
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Suzan Hamer 
Netherlands
Local time: 13:20
English
+ ...
week... then send a gentle reminder. Actually, I need to do this (consistently) with only one client (and I've just told them I won't be accepting any more assignments from them...but not only because of late payment.) The others pay on time.
[Edited at 2010-11-08 20:28 GMT]
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Ventnai
Spain
Local time: 13:20
German to English
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| A month if I remember :-) | Nov 8, 2010 |
My main client always pays on time. I only earn smaller amounts with other clients, so a month may go by after the payment date before I send a reminder, usually because I don't have time or I forget. As tax papers are presented every three months in Spain, I normally check everything has been paid before handing over invoices to my accountant.
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Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 13:20
English to French
+ ...
Thank you for reminding me!
It does not happen very often, but there is this new direct customer (just sent a reminder now, after 10 days) and a regular client (an agency with which I've been working for 18 years) with whom I hardly ever had problems before, but they automated their system a few months ago and the issue seems to become recurring now They are only one week late but the amount is substantial enough to be a bi... See more Thank you for reminding me!
It does not happen very often, but there is this new direct customer (just sent a reminder now, after 10 days) and a regular client (an agency with which I've been working for 18 years) with whom I hardly ever had problems before, but they automated their system a few months ago and the issue seems to become recurring now They are only one week late but the amount is substantial enough to be a bit of a problem. ▲ Collapse
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Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 07:20
Spanish to English
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| Usually one week... | Nov 8, 2010 |
...but in cases where payment is due in 45 days or more, then perhaps just one or two days, and if the client is new, the reminder may not be so gentle. After all, that really is a long time to have to wait to be paid.
In passing, I have to say I find it quite irritating when agencies treat payment deadlines with a casuality that is very different from their attitude toward delivery deadlines.
[Edited at 2010-11-08 10:24 GMT]
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John Cutler
Spain
Local time: 13:20
Spanish to English
+ ...
| No particular system | Nov 8, 2010 |
I don’t have any particular system. My main client always pays on time (one of the reasons they’re my main client). The others mostly pay on time and, if not, I’ll check my books and see, as Ian mentioned above, who still needs to pay before my quarterly taxes are due.
In my own experience, you get to know quite quickly who needs reminders and who doesn’t, and deal with them accordingly. Some clients may need regular reminders, but since the work is interesting, I don’t ne... See more I don’t have any particular system. My main client always pays on time (one of the reasons they’re my main client). The others mostly pay on time and, if not, I’ll check my books and see, as Ian mentioned above, who still needs to pay before my quarterly taxes are due.
In my own experience, you get to know quite quickly who needs reminders and who doesn’t, and deal with them accordingly. Some clients may need regular reminders, but since the work is interesting, I don’t need the money right away and I know they will eventually pay me, I let it go for awhile but then send them a polite, but firm, email letting them know what needs to be done to remedy the situation. ▲ Collapse
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| usually 1 week | Nov 8, 2010 |
but it has only happened with some new clients.
Thing is: if I deliver one week later than expected, would you be happy?
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jacana54 (X)
Uruguay
English to Spanish
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| It depends on the client | Nov 8, 2010 |
However, I share Bob's feelings about this.
Robert Forstag wrote:
In passing, I have to say I find it quite irritating when agencies treat payment deadlines with a casuality that is very different from their attitude toward delivery deadlines.
Have a great week, everyone!
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Williamson
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:20
Flemish to English
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copied from a mulitnational.
Payment of invoices after 30 days. (At the multinational, it was after 14 days)
1st reminder: friendly reminder.
2nd reminder: less friendly.
3rd reminder: credit-collection agency.
If the Word has to be there absolutely positively on time, the money to compensate for that service has to be absolutely, positively on time on my bank-account.
I am not a credit-institution.
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Yaotl Altan
Mexico
Local time: 05:20
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
+ ...
As they do with deadlines. 1 minute
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Laurent KRAULAND (X)
France
Local time: 13:20
French to German
+ ...
| Yes... this is how we should handle it | Nov 8, 2010 |
Yaotl Altan wrote: As they do with deadlines. 1 minute
or within 1 day.
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| depends on the client | Nov 8, 2010 |
Most of my clients pay in time or even sooner. Actually I have started to cut off those, who had to be reminded one year ago (after some serious trouble due to late payments). Meanwhile I have only one client, which likes to be late on payments. Alas the turnout is not that significant and they are never late more than a week without reminders.
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samah A. fattah
Egypt
Local time: 14:20
Member (2009)
English to Arabic
+ ...
| This Is a big problem for me | Nov 8, 2010 |
Pro. Question
Very few clients pay on time
Most of them delay payment for month at least
I think they want to invest the money in bank the most time
Of course, you cannot delay translation for just one hour
I want to have a solution!!!
Samah
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Jenn Mercer
United States
Local time: 07:20
Member (2009)
French to English
| Delivery method matters | Nov 8, 2010 |
I give clients a few days of margin before sending a reminder, but I also consider the payment method. If they are paying by check, I allow a little leeway for mailing delays. Nonetheless, I find my best clients rarely need a reminder, even when paying by check, as they have factored in possible delays as well.
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Amal Al-Arfaj
Saudi Arabia
Local time: 14:20
Member (2005)
English to Arabic
+ ...
| Whenever I remember | Nov 8, 2010 |
Thanks for the reminder. Just checked and no invoice is due (yet).
My regular clients always pay on time. Rarely, I need to remind new clients, and I do so whenever I remember to check my invoices.
samah A. fattah wrote:
Pro. Question
Very few clients pay on time
Most of them delay payment for month at least
I think they want to invest the money in bank the most time
Of course, you cannot delay translation for just one hour
I want to have a solution!!!
Samah
Simply stop working with them and find other clients who pay on time.
[Edited at 2010-11-08 15:00 GMT]
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