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Is it normal to wait 60 days for payment to be processed?
Thread poster: Jennifer Norman
conejo
conejo  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 16:16
Japanese to English
+ ...
Clients will usually only pay via their own payment terms, not yours May 9, 2017

I agree with Mirko Mainardi... basically clients have their own payment terms and it is very rare for them to agree to pay you in less time than that. And if they do agree, I would be unsure about whether they would actually do that or not--if their system is set up to only pay in X amount of days, they may end up paying you via that system anyway, regardless of them saying they can make an exception.

In most cases, you have to find out what their payment terms are up front, and if
... See more
I agree with Mirko Mainardi... basically clients have their own payment terms and it is very rare for them to agree to pay you in less time than that. And if they do agree, I would be unsure about whether they would actually do that or not--if their system is set up to only pay in X amount of days, they may end up paying you via that system anyway, regardless of them saying they can make an exception.

In most cases, you have to find out what their payment terms are up front, and if you don't agree with it, don't work for them.

As for whether 60 days is normal:
Unfortunately, there are many agencies who want to pay you in 45, 60, or 90 days, and also want you to only issue one invoice at the end of the month so that it's another 30 days tacked on to whatever they claim the payment term is. So you have to ask all of these questions up front, and make sure you agree with the answers before working with them.

For us, 30 days or less is best, so we have to decide do we want to agree with this or not. Sometimes it depends on the amount of the invoice whether it is worth it or OK to do that or not. For me 60 days is already pushing it. Because if they are late, then it could end up being 75 days. And that is too long.

"60 days" doesn't mean it's some kind of trick to not pay though. A lot of agencies just have these payment terms.



Mirko Mainardi wrote:

Sheila Wilson wrote:

I'm wondering how you all deal with this. My invoices reflect my own terms, not my client's. They are all for 30 days month end.


Lucky you... But does this apply to end-clients AND agencies? And, did all of your prospective clients just accept your terms, changing theirs?

In my case, ALL of the agencies I've dealt with so far seemed to have their own terms and very few of them were willing to discuss/amend the provisions their lawyers had so carefully craft(y)ed. I recently "lost" (actually "regretfully decided to lose") two new clients after they had accepted my rates and all, because I didn't agree with some of the clauses set in those infamous NDAs/SLAs of theirs and they were apparently unwilling to discuss/change/omit them. Unfortunately, even some end-clients behave like that...



[Edited at 2017-05-09 01:08 GMT]

[Edited at 2017-05-09 01:09 GMT]
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DZiW (X)
DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
it's up to the party May 9, 2017

One considers and decides to agree, amend, or reject; no problem here.

The issue is payers (debtors) intentionally--due to 'overcautiousness'--stretch a monthly settlement period to bimonthly or longer.
For instance, the project is done properly and must be paid 'within 60 days', because "they have their own system" (yo!); but what if it's exactly the following day or a week? Nuts to you--only after 60 days! And what is the real reason?--Ridiculous terms for comp
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One considers and decides to agree, amend, or reject; no problem here.

The issue is payers (debtors) intentionally--due to 'overcautiousness'--stretch a monthly settlement period to bimonthly or longer.
For instance, the project is done properly and must be paid 'within 60 days', because "they have their own system" (yo!); but what if it's exactly the following day or a week? Nuts to you--only after 60 days! And what is the real reason?--Ridiculous terms for complaisant frighten specialists, holding out for concessions or that tomorrow come never.

Some tell funny tales, but I know every company must pay their staff timely, then are free-lancers but refuse? Not to mention there're very many examples when the same company paid one 'out-of-staff' translator 40% in advance while the other had to wait "about 45 days". Guess why? They just agreed)

I have my daily needs and get my monthly bills; nobody cares about longer periods, nor do I.

[Edited at 2017-05-09 09:07 GMT]
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Angie Garbarino
Angie Garbarino  Identity Verified
Local time: 22:16
Member (2003)
French to Italian
+ ...
Exactly May 9, 2017

Sheila Wilson wrote:

I'm wondering how you all deal with this. My invoices reflect my own terms, not my client's. They are all for 30 days month end.


[Edited at 2017-05-09 11:43 GMT]


 
Helga Lemiere
Helga Lemiere  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 22:16
German to French
Little detail ! May 9, 2017

Since when it's up to a client to determine payment terms ? The translator is not the client, he is the provider and in quality of a provider, it's up to him/her to set payment terms !

 
Robert Forstag
Robert Forstag  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 17:16
Spanish to English
+ ...
Exceptions are made May 15, 2017

conejo wrote:

I agree with Mirko Mainardi... basically clients have their own payment terms and it is very rare for them to agree to pay you in less time than that. And if they do agree, I would be unsure about whether they would actually do that or not--if their system is set up to only pay in X amount of days, they may end up paying you via that system anyway, regardless of them saying they can make an exception. [etc.]


Not true, at least for an initial collaboration. On numerous occasions, I have asked for, and received, payment within a period shorter than that stipulated in an agency's standard terms. This has always been in cases of initial collaborations. If I subsequently did work for the same agency, then I accepted their standard terms.

I ask for such conditions in situations in which an agency either has a suspect or non-existent Blue Board record. These circumstances of course involve greater risk of non-payment. In addition to acting as a practical hedge against risk, requesting expedited payment puts an agency on notice that I am not disposed to put up with any nonsense. I cannot remember ever dealing with payment delays when I have agreed with an agency on expedited payment.

In my experience, agencies are willing to do this in situations where they urgently need to assign work, and on a one-time basis only.

I personally find terms of 60 days or more unacceptable. The only way such arrangements would be endurable is if the fee included a premium for such a wait, but I have never found this to be the case. In fact, some of the lowest payers in Spanish-English/English-Spanish pay low rates and impose a 60-day wait for payment. Just this morning, I received an "offer" of "stable work" at the rate of 0,04 euro/word, payment 60 days after invoicing. What a joke!

[Edited at 2017-05-15 14:01 GMT]


 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 22:16
Spanish to English
+ ...
Can't pay, don't pay May 16, 2017

Max Deryagin wrote:
Well, I'll have you know that both of these break the EU law, unless they pay you the corresponding interest (8.05% yearly for Italy). As mandated by the Late Payments Directive 2011/7/EU, the payment period for businesses must not exceed 60 days from the date of safe invoice receipt.


Mwuah ha ha ha. Just try enforcing that particular EU law in Spain and see how you get on.

In fact, in my opinion the way the EU law is interpreted by member states is perhaps one of the main reasons behind the Brexit decision. In the UK, the vast majority of people tend to avoid breaking the law and try to comply with "official" regulations and standards, for existence by observing the speed limit when driving. So, there is a lot of resentment towards EU, which is seen as meddling in national affairs through its rulings and regulations on things like health and safety, the environment or industry. However, the mentality in Mediterranean countries leans more towards acceptance of the law/regulation, then totally turning a blind eye to it or simply neglecting to enforce it. In my experience, clients who don't pay promptly aren't doing so because they don't want to, but because they simply don't have the cash flow necessary to be able to do it. And official institutions, such as universities or local or regional government offices, are not usually going to be willing and/or able to pay within a thirty day period, except in so-called special circumstances. In fact, now that I come to think of it, only one of my private sector clients pays me promptly each month, and the rest tend to do so "when they can". Over the years, I've gotten used to it, and in fact find it quite amusing when people think that the due date on the invoices they issue is anything other than wishful thinking on their part.


 
Kevin Fulton
Kevin Fulton  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 17:16
German to English
Back office woes May 16, 2017

neilmac wrote:

I've gotten used to it, and in fact find it quite amusing when people think that the due date on the invoices they issue is anything other than wishful thinking on their part.


I agree. Mabel in the accounts payable department may not care about your specified payment terms, and with the advent of automated online invoicing systems may not be aware that a vendor has stipulated terms (don't bother getting upset at the term "vendor". To the accounting department, we're just another bookkeeping entry, like the internet service provider). Many large-scale agencies have systems that automatically issue payment at specific dates after an invoice is received. For example, some will pay at the end of the month if an invoice is received within the first 5 business days of that month. Anything received from day 6 on will be paid at the end of the following month, no matter what your invoice states.

This is not limited to the translation industry. Automakers, for example try to extend their terms as far as possible, and any company supplying goods and services to Ford, for example, had better have good cash flow to ride out 90-day payment terms.

I am less bothered by the payment frequency if the agency or other client can be relied upon to pay at regular intervals. On the other hand, I've dropped clients that issue payment when they feel like paying.


 
Josephine Cassar
Josephine Cassar  Identity Verified
Malta
Local time: 22:16
Member (2012)
English to Maltese
+ ...
Italian company and payment terms and NDAs May 19, 2017

It seems that Italian company contacted loads with many pages of NDAs-payment terms were of 90 days at end of month +10 days which means around 120/130 days from project depending whether project was finished at the beginning or the end of the month. I refused but then the agency told me it was willing to accept 30 days and to change that part. I still do not trust them as their BB entries were all about these payment terms. Besides, there were clauses and clauses in Italian and attachments that... See more
It seems that Italian company contacted loads with many pages of NDAs-payment terms were of 90 days at end of month +10 days which means around 120/130 days from project depending whether project was finished at the beginning or the end of the month. I refused but then the agency told me it was willing to accept 30 days and to change that part. I still do not trust them as their BB entries were all about these payment terms. Besides, there were clauses and clauses in Italian and attachments that I was to sign, but I never got round to signing these somehow-speak about a certain feeling? I expect the agency will turn to some other soul now. On one hand, even after signing, one might never hear from this agency again; on the other, not signing means not getting any work from this agency while on another hand, I need the work like most of us do but, somehow, I do not trust agencies who send realms of pages for us to sign. NDAs should consist only of a confidentiality clause, no-compete, what the company is going to do with any data. Not much else I suppose, but no need of such lengthy NDAs which make me more hesitant as I might miss out a 'legal'clause somewhere.Collapse


 
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