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Poll: Have you ever requested up-front fees from a new client?
Autor de la hebra: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
PERSONAL DEL SITIO
May 8, 2009

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Have you ever requested up-front fees from a new client?".

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A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more information, see: http://proz.com/topic/33629


 
Yasutomo Kanazawa
Yasutomo Kanazawa  Identity Verified
Japón
Local time: 07:06
Miembro 2005
inglés al japonés
+ ...
Yes I have May 8, 2009

Only from new clients with a BB recording of either being banned from posting jobs at Proz, and agencies infamous for non-payment in the industry.

And of course, they turned down my request as I suspected.


 
Sanmar
Sanmar
Reino Unido
Local time: 23:06
neerlandés al inglés
No May 8, 2009

No, but I have asked for upfront payment from an established client since it became increasingly difficult to get payment out of him. I would get paid eventually but not after months and months of phoning, emailing etc. Funny thing was that he was quite happy to pay me upfront to get the work done by me!

 
inkweaver
inkweaver  Identity Verified
Alemania
Local time: 00:06
francés al alemán
+ ...
Requested yes - received no May 8, 2009

I did request a 50% upfront payment from a new client once but didn't get it. I did the job anyway and got paid on time ...

 
John Cutler
John Cutler  Identity Verified
España
Local time: 00:06
español al inglés
+ ...
No May 8, 2009

Good faith takes time to develop, so I prefer to put a "credit limit" on first time clients. In other words, I don't accept first time jobs for a value of more than a couple of hundred euros. That's all I'm willing to be out if the client doesn't pay.

To tell the truth, in 10+ years of translating, I've had some late - very late payers, but I've never had a non-payer. (Knock on wood).


 
Francesca Siotto
Francesca Siotto  Identity Verified
Italia
Local time: 00:06
inglés al italiano
+ ...
Yes May 8, 2009

Yasutomo Kanazawa wrote:

Only from new clients with a BB recording of either being banned from posting jobs at Proz, and agencies infamous for non-payment in the industry.

And of course, they turned down my request as I suspected.



Same here


 
Venkatesh Sundaram
Venkatesh Sundaram  Identity Verified
India
Local time: 03:36
alemán al inglés
From first time clients - individuals and small companies May 8, 2009

It is supposed to be one of my 'business policies' to take an advance from first time clients, both individuals and small companies. From the bigger companies, I insist on a purchase order or similar document. Agencies usually don't have a policy of giving advances but I haven't yet had any serious problems because I didn't take an advance from any of them

 
Steven Sidore
Steven Sidore  Identity Verified
Alemania
Local time: 00:06
alemán al inglés
Did so today, as a matter of fact May 8, 2009

Walk-up clients get asked for money up front, sure. But that's typically for consumer-type things--translations of diplomas, driver's licenses and the like.

 
Susanna Garcia
Susanna Garcia  Identity Verified
Local time: 23:06
italiano al inglés
+ ...
In Memoriam
Up-front fees May 8, 2009

No, but I too won't take on big projects from unknowns.

 
DZiW (X)
DZiW (X)
Ucrania
inglés al ruso
+ ...
no payment in full May 8, 2009

When I’m dealing with a new Customer I usually
1) see a sample and we agree all the nuances in advance;
2) when 1/2 (or as agreed) of job is done I expect 1/2 of payment;
3) having received the check or money I finish the job and let the Customer 7 working days to pay off.

I seldom do ask for advance money - up to 1/2 of the sum, but not 100%.
Probably if it’s a single line or a short passage I would have a lunch as the up-front fee...
See more
When I’m dealing with a new Customer I usually
1) see a sample and we agree all the nuances in advance;
2) when 1/2 (or as agreed) of job is done I expect 1/2 of payment;
3) having received the check or money I finish the job and let the Customer 7 working days to pay off.

I seldom do ask for advance money - up to 1/2 of the sum, but not 100%.
Probably if it’s a single line or a short passage I would have a lunch as the up-front fee

Cheers
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Jenn Mercer
Jenn Mercer  Identity Verified
Estados Unidos
Local time: 18:06
Miembro 2009
francés al inglés
Not from a new client... May 8, 2009

...but I had a direct client who started having large delays in payment after having previously been a very prompt payer. Several months later, they were finally caught up with all of their payments and I stated that I would not do the final piece of the project unless I received payment in advance. I did receive it and was able to finish the project on good terms. However I will not do any future work for them without advance payment.

 
Αlban SHPΑTΑ
Αlban SHPΑTΑ  Identity Verified
Estados Unidos
Miembro 2008
inglés al albanés
+ ...
Yes May 8, 2009

Upfront payment from private individuals that use a yahoo or hotmail address. I tend to avoid contact with any company or agency with bad payment practices.

 
John Rawlins
John Rawlins  Identity Verified
España
Local time: 00:06
español al inglés
+ ...
50% advance payment to filter out the 'baddies' May 8, 2009

If I can't find evidence that the business is well established - and the order is worth more than 100 euros - then I ask for a 50% advance payment. Most individuals and companies have agreed immediately. I am certain that the few who refused to make an advance payment were unlikely to have made any payment.

On the agency side, I only deal with firms that have a good BB rating.

Like John Cutler, I have never suffered a non-payer. I like to think that the non-payers tend
... See more
If I can't find evidence that the business is well established - and the order is worth more than 100 euros - then I ask for a 50% advance payment. Most individuals and companies have agreed immediately. I am certain that the few who refused to make an advance payment were unlikely to have made any payment.

On the agency side, I only deal with firms that have a good BB rating.

Like John Cutler, I have never suffered a non-payer. I like to think that the non-payers tend to victimise the cut-pricers.
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Kathryn Litherland
Kathryn Litherland  Identity Verified
Estados Unidos
Local time: 18:06
Miembro 2007
español al inglés
+ ...
have been offered May 8, 2009

I've been offered up-front payment from a couple of fellow freelance translators I've collaborated with, but in both cases I told them I was fine with my standard 30-day payment terms.

I think this is probably governed by the same logic as "I wouldn't want to belong to any club that would have me as a member": any client who offers you up-front payment can probably be trusted to pay on credit. Any client who can't be trusted to pay probably won't agree to up-front payment even if y
... See more
I've been offered up-front payment from a couple of fellow freelance translators I've collaborated with, but in both cases I told them I was fine with my standard 30-day payment terms.

I think this is probably governed by the same logic as "I wouldn't want to belong to any club that would have me as a member": any client who offers you up-front payment can probably be trusted to pay on credit. Any client who can't be trusted to pay probably won't agree to up-front payment even if you ask.
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Rebecca Lowery
Rebecca Lowery  Identity Verified
Reino Unido
Local time: 23:06
francés al inglés
Yes May 8, 2009

Always from private individuals for the translation of birth certificates etc.
Otherwise they tend not to pay....


 
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Poll: Have you ever requested up-front fees from a new client?






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