| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Would you ruin a BB outsourcer's rating over a petty amount? Thread poster: Alexandra Schneeuhr
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| The question is simple | Sep 4, 2012 |
How likely are you to work for these people again if they asked for it? If very unlikely, reflect that in the BB...
| | | | Daniel Bird 
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:39
German to English
...that's only because my one negative contribution would probably not cause their rating to plummet anywhere near zero. More importantly, keep trying to secure your dues. It's bad enough that money only exists as debt to begin with, without voluntarily taking on more of the "d" word thanks to cheapskates like the ones you describe.
Good luck,
DB
| | | | Jessica Noyes
United States
Local time: 09:39
Member
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Not paying a small amount is a real sign of trouble | Sep 5, 2012 |
I think you should post,*especially* for a small amount. If an outsourcer can't to pay an invoice that amounts to the cost of a deccent dinner -- that outsourcer is in deep deep trouble, and the community should know about it. It is easier to understand a cash flow problem that would keep them from paying a few thousand dollars (not that I'm saying that not paying this would be OK), but if they can't even send you a chunk of small change, there is real cause for worry.
| | | | Sarah McDowell
Canada
Local time: 08:39
Member (2012)
Russian to English
+ ...
| Please post about this on the BB | Sep 5, 2012 |
Dear Alexandra,
I think you should post about this on the BB. It doesn't matter how small the amount is and if you can afford to not get paid this one time. What matters is the company's general attitude and this is a big warning sign in my opinion. I think you should give them a week to get back to you about payment and if there is no reply from them, definitely post an entry in the BB.
I think if they can't even pay a very small amount they would be even more likely t... See more Dear Alexandra,
I think you should post about this on the BB. It doesn't matter how small the amount is and if you can afford to not get paid this one time. What matters is the company's general attitude and this is a big warning sign in my opinion. I think you should give them a week to get back to you about payment and if there is no reply from them, definitely post an entry in the BB.
I think if they can't even pay a very small amount they would be even more likely to not pay when the amount is large. I would appreciate if you could let me know what agency this is please by e-mail.
Sarah ▲ Collapse
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| I did send them one last reminder today... | Sep 5, 2012 |
Hello everyboday, and thanks again. So... I sent the agency one - last - polite reminder and if it remains unanswered, I'll make an appropriate BB entry.
P.S. Sarah, thanks a lot! Sending you a message right now.
[Edited at 2012-09-05 12:21 GMT]
| | | | | Surprise, surprise... ;) | Sep 11, 2012 |
So... I considered the matter closed and was all set to post an LWA of "1" on 13.9.12, to make it exactly a month since the payment due date.
Out of courtesy, I decided to let the outsourcer know that I'd be posting this. No payment reminders this time, just a brief and polite courtesy note saying that I do not intend to collaborate with them in future and am going to make it public. Guess what happened? Same day I received an email from them asking me to perform more work. After 3... See more So... I considered the matter closed and was all set to post an LWA of "1" on 13.9.12, to make it exactly a month since the payment due date.
Out of courtesy, I decided to let the outsourcer know that I'd be posting this. No payment reminders this time, just a brief and polite courtesy note saying that I do not intend to collaborate with them in future and am going to make it public. Guess what happened? Same day I received an email from them asking me to perform more work. After 3+ weeks of silence. I was lost for words for a while )) then as nicely as I could pointed out that I cannot help them as the earlier provided services are still unpaid and emails unanswered.
Here is the last one from them:
I really hope that within 2 days you will have your payment with you.
Concerning your e-mails- to be honest, we have to deal within our inbox with such an unpleasant issue. We have created a filter that marks incoming messages. Unfortunately, some e-mail are just failing without marking and we do not know why it is happening.
Ugh... whatever. What LWA does it deserve, now? Or may be I shouldn't bother at all. I am not desperate for 10 euro and small change... let them just donate it to any charity in their country and leave me alone.
[Edited at 2012-09-11 15:57 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Give them 2 or 3 | Sep 11, 2012 |
Whatever you do, it is not worth losing a lot of sleep over a small amount.
However, they deserve a little dent in their shiny record - that is what the BB is for. Unbroken rows of 5-ratings are for absolutely super clients. The ones that slip up now and then SHOULD have to live with 4.5 or whatever.
I gave a client a rating of 2 or 3 some years ago - I don't remember. I do remember that I had worked over a holiday trying to help the guy out. He was really charming, and... See more Whatever you do, it is not worth losing a lot of sleep over a small amount.
However, they deserve a little dent in their shiny record - that is what the BB is for. Unbroken rows of 5-ratings are for absolutely super clients. The ones that slip up now and then SHOULD have to live with 4.5 or whatever.
I gave a client a rating of 2 or 3 some years ago - I don't remember. I do remember that I had worked over a holiday trying to help the guy out. He was really charming, and his usual translator had had an accident (so he said). He sat by the phone answering terminology questions and encouraging me... and then he was in no hurry at all to pay me. He owed me about five hundred pounds, I think, but he told a sob story when I sent a reminder, and paid very late.
After a year or so I felt sorry for him and removed my rating.
Hardly a month had gone by before I received a mail from a colleague who had noticed that I had given a poor rating earlier and asked for details. My colleague had done a whole month's work for this client, who had all sorts of credentials and badges on his website... entirely unauthorised.
The client was taken to court by several people who had worked for him, but I don't think they got much out of it except hassle. I later received a warning from one of the institutions whose logo he was using, that it was fraud.
He had never been accredited by them, and after the court case never would be. So unfortunately I am a bit more cynical since then, and would not have a guilty conscience at all about ruining an outsourcer's rating for a small amount.
They promised to pay, so they should have paid. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 14:39
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
| One "unpleaseant issue" or many? | Sep 11, 2012 |
Alexandra Schneeuhr wrote:
We have created a filter that marks incoming messages. Unfortunately, some e-mail are just failing without marking and we do not know why it is happening.
Sounds as though they may have a lot of people heckling them for their money. IMO, that's even more reason for giving them a less-than-perfect rating. Whether you get paid or not (and I can understand that that's become fairly unimportant to you), you now know that anyone and everyone who works for this company risks having their rightful claims end up in a spam folder - sent there more or less deliberately.
Something for others to learn about before they enter into 3-figure deals, I reckon.
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| Totally agree | Sep 11, 2012 |
Christine, Sheila - thank you for your comments. I do totally agree with both of you. This outsourcer should fix his issues - be it with "inbox" or with overall management, and my feedback could help it a bit
I just sort of wonder whether they receive emails with completed - translated or proofread - files. And new orders from the clients. I guess it is only invoices that are "falling without marking". BTW, thanks God ... See more Christine, Sheila - thank you for your comments. I do totally agree with both of you. This outsourcer should fix his issues - be it with "inbox" or with overall management, and my feedback could help it a bit
I just sort of wonder whether they receive emails with completed - translated or proofread - files. And new orders from the clients. I guess it is only invoices that are "falling without marking". BTW, thanks God I am not asked to translate this sentence )))
[Edited at 2012-09-11 16:24 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | heikeb
Member (2003)
English to German
+ ...
| Only 4 positive ratings? | Sep 11, 2012 |
They could have posted those themselves or have friends do it for them. Or they could have treated the first translators extra nicely and ask them for a favorite rating. There are ways to manipulate the rating system.
I would consider it almost your duty to post a fact-based comment. Are you really willing to work for them again?
If not (and I definitely wouldn't), rate them 1 and explain why.
Their explanation regarding their incoming mail is weak at best, comple... See more They could have posted those themselves or have friends do it for them. Or they could have treated the first translators extra nicely and ask them for a favorite rating. There are ways to manipulate the rating system.
I would consider it almost your duty to post a fact-based comment. Are you really willing to work for them again?
If not (and I definitely wouldn't), rate them 1 and explain why.
Their explanation regarding their incoming mail is weak at best, complete BS at worst. How can they do business this way? It's nothing but a very lame excuse. Particulalry if they seem to receive all your other emails just fine...
If a company is willing to scam you for such a small amount, just think what they would be willing to do when there's more money at stake.
We tend to be too nice in some respects, and I think this is one instance where niceness is not appropriate. They have done nothing to "deserve" anything.
Consider the impact of other translators being asked by this company to work with them. They see only one not so great rating and four great ones. Would they be deterred by that from working with them? Probably not. But if you rate them 1 and explain that they couldn't even manage to pay for a tiny amount AND (which I think is the worst sin) ignored your emails until you informed them you would actually rate them negatively on the Blue Board, most will think twice - as they obviously should.
It doesn't make any difference if they pay now and even offer you more work. This might just be the carrot they're dangling in front of you to stop you from being too harsh. You could claim their last email ended up in your junk mail (where it belongs, btw) because you're having these unfortunate issues with your spam filter and you didn't receive it!  ▲ Collapse
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