Poll: Do you think we should adapt our payment terms in response to what is happening with Covid-19?? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you think we should adapt our payment terms in response to what is happening with Covid-19??".
This poll was originally submitted by inesfly. View the poll results »
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I work mainly with long-standing customers and according to the signed contract we have very different payment terms (some pay the day after receiving my invoice, one at 15 days, a few at 30 days, two at 45 days and one at 60 days) and over the years they have been excellent payers…
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no and no! I have already seen some potential clients trying to take advantage in this way.
I don't believe this is the way forward.
However, if someone agrees to do some 'charity translation' for the purpose of combatting the Corona virus, that's another matter.
[Edited at 2020-04-23 10:15 GMT]
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I’m also sending all my clients food parcels.
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DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
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| Sub-ordination: As far as most freelancers are no businesspersons... | Apr 23, 2020 |
Who will let them to be willful? Only equal parties can change the terms, not promise-addicted serfs.
As for real businessmen, it's a usual matter of one's risk management: sometimes it requires advance payment/by installment, shorter terms, or some mutual guarantees; sometimes it's but an excessive demonstration of one's lack of self-confidence.
In any case, it has very little to do with hysteria, just a routine.
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I keep my payment terms the same; most of the times they are part of a contract, so not easy (or even impossible) to change. However, no more 'lazy' invoicing; I send my invoice along with the assignment or within the same week, unless the client and I explicitly agreed upon one invoice at the end of the month.
| | | | Thayenga 
Germany
Local time: 01:28
Member (2009)
English to German
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Why?
If a long-standing client has problems, I might reconsider my payment terms based on this single case. Other than that, especially the food industry is taking advantage of the pandemic, so prices keep going up.
| | | | | My bills still have to be paid on time! | Apr 23, 2020 |
I'm very concerned about people trying to take advantage of this situation, and while I have a few customers in a country that has been very hard-hit by the virus and also I've translated correspondence asking for revised payment terms, I can't accept the same.
None of my invoicing or payment requires me to go to a physical bank location and I tend to expect the same from my clients. No excuses for late payment, unfortunately.
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neilmac
Spain
Local time: 01:28
Spanish to English
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Unlike many of our colleagues, I don't consider myself as having much say in how long my clients take to pay me. Most of my clients are direct. My best one pays me promptly at the end of each month - in fact, last week I billed them for translations I'd done on one of their online platforms which has now been decommissioned, and they paid me within 24 hours. However, in Spain, this is the exception rather than the rule. Most of my other clients pay me when they can, sometimes several months aft... See more Unlike many of our colleagues, I don't consider myself as having much say in how long my clients take to pay me. Most of my clients are direct. My best one pays me promptly at the end of each month - in fact, last week I billed them for translations I'd done on one of their online platforms which has now been decommissioned, and they paid me within 24 hours. However, in Spain, this is the exception rather than the rule. Most of my other clients pay me when they can, sometimes several months after I have issued the bill. Over the decades I've got used to it. I understand that the situation is different in other countries where people tend to have a less relaxed attitude to payments, but all I can say is that my clients always pay up in the end. And the one agency I occasionally work with asks for bills at the end of each month, and they are paid usually within the following month, but if they ever pay late, it's no skin off my nose. As I say, I'm used to it by now.
PS: I don't usually sign contracts or even NDAs either. I don't recall the last time I had to sign one. To me, all that is just bumf that gets in the way of actually getting the job done.
[Edited at 2020-04-23 15:12 GMT]
[Edited at 2020-04-23 15:14 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Aline Amorim
Brazil
Local time: 21:28
English to Portuguese
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I keep my payment terms the same; most of the times they are part of a contract, so not easy (or even impossible) to change.
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We need to pay our bills on time too.
| | | | Paul Dixon
Brazil
Local time: 21:28
Portuguese to English
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In memoriam | Dire crisis in Brazil | Apr 23, 2020 |
The situation in Brazil is very bad indeed, and is now even worse with Covid-19. Very bad for translators and even worse for interpreters. So there is no advantage (except for the agency) of us doing work (if we get work) and then having to wait 60 days for payment. In these 60 days, bills build up and we have to eat. We have the highest interest rates in the world, although officially it is only 3.5% a year. (As much as 30% a month is seen for some loans or instalment plans) - and although some... See more The situation in Brazil is very bad indeed, and is now even worse with Covid-19. Very bad for translators and even worse for interpreters. So there is no advantage (except for the agency) of us doing work (if we get work) and then having to wait 60 days for payment. In these 60 days, bills build up and we have to eat. We have the highest interest rates in the world, although officially it is only 3.5% a year. (As much as 30% a month is seen for some loans or instalment plans) - and although some companies have made things easier, the big bills like condominium charges don't want to know. You either pay on time or lose the service - but how, without money?
So we should demand immediate payment on delivery.
I hope this will lead to a change of mentality, where translators insist on immediate payment or 15 days at most.
There is a rescue plan from the Brazilian Government but the sum is very low. ▲ Collapse
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Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 21:28
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
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| No way, again for the same reason! | Apr 25, 2020 |
The situation is bad for the agencies and clients, and probably even worse for us, service providers. If any changes occur in the payment terms, it should be to reduce them. We DO NOT have to do any additional sacrifices for entrepreneurs! If the client hired their service and they passed it on to us, the conditions shall be the same, unless they offered any special condition to that client, which is highly unlikely.
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