Should I take on this contract?
Thread poster: Schwabamädle
Schwabamädle
Schwabamädle
Canada
Local time: 13:59
English to German
+ ...
May 28, 2004

Hello, I have got a go ahead translating message from a website. The adress provided according to the operator does not exist. I wrote to the company to give me sufficient information about themselves. What kind of resources do I have to find out if this company exist´s. They already send me the webpages to be translated. This morning I had a email saying "Thank you for your e-mail and I am sorry for any inconvenience"
PLEASE MAKE THE INVOICE OUT TO MY SOFTWARE COMPANY.

My na
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Hello, I have got a go ahead translating message from a website. The adress provided according to the operator does not exist. I wrote to the company to give me sufficient information about themselves. What kind of resources do I have to find out if this company exist´s. They already send me the webpages to be translated. This morning I had a email saying "Thank you for your e-mail and I am sorry for any inconvenience"
PLEASE MAKE THE INVOICE OUT TO MY SOFTWARE COMPANY.

My name is ...... and I am contracted by the .........to manage their web site and the German Website project.
You are welcome to contact me with any questions regarding this project.
Payment will be done by a company debit card after we receive your output.

I asked the company how they got a hold of me and this question was not answered.

Thank you for your help.
Andrea
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Evert DELOOF-SYS
Evert DELOOF-SYS  Identity Verified
Belgium
Local time: 19:59
Member
English to Dutch
+ ...
Did you check the Blue Board May 28, 2004

and other Payment Practices lists?

You may enter the coordinates you have and request for a rating at

http://www.proz.com/?sp=agency_rate&action=add_agency&viewPage=add

Good luck!


 
Schwabamädle
Schwabamädle
Canada
Local time: 13:59
English to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
There is no registration under this name! May 28, 2004

Evert DELOOF-SYS wrote:

and other Payment Practices lists?

You may enter the coordinates you have and request for a rating at

http://www.proz.com/?sp=agency_rate&action=add_agency&viewPage=add

Good luck!


 
Schwabamädle
Schwabamädle
Canada
Local time: 13:59
English to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
payment practices list May 28, 2004

Andrea @work wrote:

Evert DELOOF-SYS wrote:

and other Payment Practices lists?

You may enter the coordinates you have and request for a rating at

http://www.proz.com/?sp=agency_rate&action=add_agency&viewPage=add

Good luck!



Thank you very much for your respond. I will try your suggestion!
Kind Regards
Andrea


 
Bob Kerns (X)
Bob Kerns (X)  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 19:59
German to English
Ask for a signed purchase order May 28, 2004

Hi Andrea,

If I were in your position I would request a signed purchase order with the company's official letterhead. The purchase order should not only specify what is to be translated and the deadline(s) but also the terms of payment and your point of contact within the company, including a full address with telephone number and fax number.

If you're prepared to accept the PO by fax then make sure that the originator's fax number which should be transmitted with the f
... See more
Hi Andrea,

If I were in your position I would request a signed purchase order with the company's official letterhead. The purchase order should not only specify what is to be translated and the deadline(s) but also the terms of payment and your point of contact within the company, including a full address with telephone number and fax number.

If you're prepared to accept the PO by fax then make sure that the originator's fax number which should be transmitted with the fax message matches the number stated in the company's address details.

Here in Germany a registered company is obliged to quote the number of their entry in the official companies' register on their business letters, which gives you an opportunity to check them out. I assume that there's something similar in your country.

The fact that they don't want to tell you how they found your name and address makes me suspicious.

Good luck! Maybe you can tell us how this turned out, i.e. if you decided to accept the job and what information convinced you.

Best regards
Bob Kerns
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Schwabamädle
Schwabamädle
Canada
Local time: 13:59
English to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
I will definitley do this! I also will let you know how it turned out. Thank you Bob! May 28, 2004

Bob Kerns wrote:

Hi Andrea,

If I were in your position I would request a signed purchase order with the company's official letterhead. The purchase order should not only specify what is to be translated and the deadline(s) but also the terms of payment and your point of contact within the company, including a full address with telephone number and fax number.

If you're prepared to accept the PO by fax then make sure that the originator's fax number which should be transmitted with the fax message matches the number stated in the company's address details.

Here in Germany a registered company is obliged to quote the number of their entry in the official companies' register on their business letters, which gives you an opportunity to check them out. I assume that there's something similar in your country.

The fact that they don't want to tell you how they found your name and address makes me suspicious.

Good luck! Maybe you can tell us how this turned out, i.e. if you decided to accept the job and what information convinced you.

Best regards
Bob Kerns


 
Michele Johnson
Michele Johnson  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 19:59
German to English
+ ...
Are you kidding? May 28, 2004

My gut feeling is: no way. Sounds completely suspicious. No company information, and they want to pay with a debit card?

In the bigger picture, how do you expect to cooperate with someone who is not even able to respond your most basic questions? Do you think they will then be there for you when you need help with terminology, etc.? If they don't answer now, do you think you will be able to reach them when they are late paying your bill?

Part of being a successful tra
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My gut feeling is: no way. Sounds completely suspicious. No company information, and they want to pay with a debit card?

In the bigger picture, how do you expect to cooperate with someone who is not even able to respond your most basic questions? Do you think they will then be there for you when you need help with terminology, etc.? If they don't answer now, do you think you will be able to reach them when they are late paying your bill?

Part of being a successful translator is learning what jobs to decline, how to screen potential clients, who is worth investing your time in, etc.
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Edward Potter
Edward Potter  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 19:59
Spanish to English
+ ...
Good advice May 28, 2004

I agree with Bob. Get whatever it is in writing. Better yet, get a part of the fee paid up front.

In any case, PICK UP THE PHONE. You clearly need to talk to the guy directly. After that get your agreement in writing.

I personally never give an unqualified no due to distrust. If I think I have a dodgy customer on the line, I will ask for full payment up front. If they don't like that condition then let them go elsewhere. So I never completely reject a potential c
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I agree with Bob. Get whatever it is in writing. Better yet, get a part of the fee paid up front.

In any case, PICK UP THE PHONE. You clearly need to talk to the guy directly. After that get your agreement in writing.

I personally never give an unqualified no due to distrust. If I think I have a dodgy customer on the line, I will ask for full payment up front. If they don't like that condition then let them go elsewhere. So I never completely reject a potential customer until they say they don't like this condition.
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alexandra123
alexandra123
Local time: 19:59
English to Spanish
+ ...
don't do it May 28, 2004

One: you have too little information about the company.
Two: you sound like you yourself are having grave dobts about it.
Three: the company does not sound legal because according to what you say...the address does not exist and also because they work on a debit account. That to me can mean that they have been denied credit or their credit has been cancelled. This can mean that they are not good at paying.

I would really be careful if I were you. If I have so mahny doubt
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One: you have too little information about the company.
Two: you sound like you yourself are having grave dobts about it.
Three: the company does not sound legal because according to what you say...the address does not exist and also because they work on a debit account. That to me can mean that they have been denied credit or their credit has been cancelled. This can mean that they are not good at paying.

I would really be careful if I were you. If I have so mahny doubts I would simply not do it.

I hope this helps.
Alexandra
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Schwabamädle
Schwabamädle
Canada
Local time: 13:59
English to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Hello everybody Jun 2, 2004

First I want to thank you all, for your input for a person who does than, regardless of other peoples suggestions what she "FEELS".
I did the translation because I talked to the person on the phone and somehow he made a sincere impression, even though everything else was against him.

I told him the doubts of Alexandra and he told me that he will send me a check, but because there is a Holiday in the US it will be 2 days late. I would say that I felt more embarrassed of the d
... See more
First I want to thank you all, for your input for a person who does than, regardless of other peoples suggestions what she "FEELS".
I did the translation because I talked to the person on the phone and somehow he made a sincere impression, even though everything else was against him.

I told him the doubts of Alexandra and he told me that he will send me a check, but because there is a Holiday in the US it will be 2 days late. I would say that I felt more embarrassed of the denying which of course makes me a horrible business women. But we will see, there is a saying that always the same things happen in your life until you learned yor lesson, I guess thats why Im not rich yet.
I will inform you of his payment (hopefully) but than I would feel bad that I had questioned him to much.

Okay, I will consider counseling (-:

Warm regards
Andrea


My customer payed, I dont feel that bad though (-:

[Edited at 2004-06-05 10:17]
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Should I take on this contract?







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