| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Payment thresholds with agencies Thread poster: Emily Gilby
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Emily Gilby 
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:43
Member (2018)
French to English
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A number of agencies I've been working for have recently decided to introduce payment thresholds. To explain, I would have to complete $100 worth of work before they would allow me to invoice my work and be paid for it. I wondered what everyone else's thoughts were on this, and if it's more common than I thought? I've only known two agencies to do it so far and only in the last year. It's fine if you work a lot for these types of agencies, but I only complete jobs for them every now and then, an... See more A number of agencies I've been working for have recently decided to introduce payment thresholds. To explain, I would have to complete $100 worth of work before they would allow me to invoice my work and be paid for it. I wondered what everyone else's thoughts were on this, and if it's more common than I thought? I've only known two agencies to do it so far and only in the last year. It's fine if you work a lot for these types of agencies, but I only complete jobs for them every now and then, and only ever small ones at that ($30 worth maybe) so it would take me months to reach this threshold and it honestly makes me less likely to accept their job offers.
[Edited at 2023-03-09 16:09 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 00:43
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
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I have one client with a $50 threshold, but I don't do more than $20 per year for them, so their jobs just roll over year after year until I hit that $50 threshold. I stick with them because you never know when a regular client might get a very nice, very large job.
Other clients have thresholds for certain types of payments. In other words, they offer payment X if the amount is less than or more than amount Y. And for exceptions to that, they charge a small fee... which I gladly... See more I have one client with a $50 threshold, but I don't do more than $20 per year for them, so their jobs just roll over year after year until I hit that $50 threshold. I stick with them because you never know when a regular client might get a very nice, very large job.
Other clients have thresholds for certain types of payments. In other words, they offer payment X if the amount is less than or more than amount Y. And for exceptions to that, they charge a small fee... which I gladly pay, because I've already taken it into account in my quote.
For some clients, if the total annual invoice would be under a relatively small amount, I simply don't invoice it. ▲ Collapse
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None of the agencies I work with have done so. It’s the other way around: when the amounts involved are too small (my minimum fee is 40 EUR) I’ve told them I would add it to the invoice the following month…
| | | | Steve Robbie
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:43
Member (2017)
German to English
+ ...
| Match their offer | Mar 9, 2023 |
It sounds like bad practice to me.
If you're willing to stand up to them, try asking for a minimum fee equal to the minimum payment. Tell them they can either find you $100 worth of work, or forget it. Agency project managers are often happy to send several small jobs to the same translator.
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Joakim Braun
Sweden
Local time: 00:43
German to Swedish
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| Typical translation industry nonsense | Mar 9, 2023 |
Next time you buy a service or product, try to avoid payment by arguing the amount is to small, and promise to pay in full by your next order.
You'll be in small claims court in no time.
Emily Gilby wrote:
I only complete jobs for them every now and then, and only ever small ones at that ($30 worth maybe)
That figures: agencies offering two-bit jobs wanting to outsource risk and cost to their suppliers.
(It makes sense for both translator and agency not to invoice small amounts unnecessarily. On the other hand, with 10% inflation and a worsening economy, holding off invoicing is a bad idea.)
On topic: Haven't encountered this myself.
[Bearbeitet am 2023-03-09 14:47 GMT]
| | | | Joakim Braun
Sweden
Local time: 00:43
German to Swedish
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Emily Gilby wrote:
I would have to complete $100 worth of work before they would allow me to invoice my work and be paid for it.
What's the inducement for the agency to provide this work?
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| | | | | I would drop them | Mar 9, 2023 |
The excuse for this may be bank charges, but delaying payment is not the solution. I do a lot of small jobs, and I turn down offers from agencies where I am afraid the bank charges would be out of proportion with the fee. I have bank accounts where my usual clients can pay by bank transfer, and it is not a problem.
Normally, I invoice at the end of the month, so there is often more than one job on an invoice, which saves administration.
It is not reasonable IMHO to delay payment for ... See more The excuse for this may be bank charges, but delaying payment is not the solution. I do a lot of small jobs, and I turn down offers from agencies where I am afraid the bank charges would be out of proportion with the fee. I have bank accounts where my usual clients can pay by bank transfer, and it is not a problem.
Normally, I invoice at the end of the month, so there is often more than one job on an invoice, which saves administration.
It is not reasonable IMHO to delay payment for months. End of the month + 30 days is my absolute maximum, and if clients´ terms are 60 days, I send the invoice immediately after delivering the job - I do not wait until the end of the month! ▲ Collapse
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Usually, if the threshold is, say, $100, you did 3 jobs $20 each and you receive no work from that agency during, say, two months, they have to pay you those $60. In other words, there are two thresholds – one for the amount and the other one for the time lapsed.
I never make a fuss out of it. It makes very little difference, really, whether you receive $60 in 30 days or in 60 days (if it does, you know you are in trouble anyway).
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Emily Gilby
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:43
Member (2018)
French to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you for your responses everyone.
Merab Dekano wrote:
It makes very little difference, really, whether you receive $60 in 30 days or in 60 days.
I guess we're all different. I like to close job out at the end of the month and invoice them so that in the future I'm not constantly having to look back and remember odd small jobs that have yet to reach a threshold.
Joakim Braun wrote:
What's the inducement for the agency to provide this work?
I guess there isn't one, but I did confront them about it and they agreed to send some more work my way so that I can reach the threshold, so that's something.
| | | | | Tracking jobs | Mar 9, 2023 |
Emily Gilby wrote:
I like to close job out at the end of the month and invoice them so that in the future I'm not constantly having to look back and remember odd small jobs that have yet to reach a threshold.
That would be stressful, I guess. But not if you have accounting software – you create a draft invoice and you don’t have to remember anything; just visit the draft folder time to time and see if the job was paid. If not, send a friendly reminder.
| | | | Dan Lucas
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:43
Member (2014)
Japanese to English
| Gently does it | Mar 9, 2023 |
I had a client who gave me occasional proofreading jobs that were so small and infrequent that each one barely covered the time I spent on administration, literally a few tens of euros. Eventually I politely indicated that I was no longer willing to do this and we parted on good terms. The people I dealt with, incidentally, were unfailingly professional and courteous.
However, a few months later they came back with more substantial translation jobs and our relationship has resumed. ... See more I had a client who gave me occasional proofreading jobs that were so small and infrequent that each one barely covered the time I spent on administration, literally a few tens of euros. Eventually I politely indicated that I was no longer willing to do this and we parted on good terms. The people I dealt with, incidentally, were unfailingly professional and courteous.
However, a few months later they came back with more substantial translation jobs and our relationship has resumed. So by all means decline small jobs, but don't burn your boats! (I'm sure you would never be anything other than civil, of course.)
Regards,
Dan ▲ Collapse
| | | | Nikolay Novitskiy
Russian Federation
Local time: 03:43
Member (2018)
English to Russian
How such "thresholds" can exist?.. Even very small amounts of money can be paid via PayPal, Payoneer, etc.
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| Only with trusted clients | Mar 13, 2023 |
I only accept payment thresholds for trustworthy clients I have worked with for a long time.
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Nikolay Novitskiy wrote:
How such "thresholds" can exist?.. Even very small amounts of money can be paid via PayPal, Payoneer, etc.
It's true that small amount can be paid via Paypal, Payoneer, etc., but not all clients use Paypal, Payoneer or similar services.
| | | | | It must not become an excuse for not paying! | Mar 13, 2023 |
Sorry I am so cynical, but that kind of agreement is only reasonable if there is also a time limit, after which they will pay you anyway. Plus bank and administration charges - these must not be allowed to eat up your earnings.
I worked briefly with an agency that accumulated small payments, but paid after a time (I think it was three months), regardless of how large or small the amount was. I dropped them for other reasons, but I know several colleagues worked for them, and probably stil... See more Sorry I am so cynical, but that kind of agreement is only reasonable if there is also a time limit, after which they will pay you anyway. Plus bank and administration charges - these must not be allowed to eat up your earnings.
I worked briefly with an agency that accumulated small payments, but paid after a time (I think it was three months), regardless of how large or small the amount was. I dropped them for other reasons, but I know several colleagues worked for them, and probably still do.
Otherwise unscrupulous agencies can always find new translators who will do a couple of jobs, and then stop just before they reach the threshold.
The economy is turning, and there is interest on loans again. Translators and other small firms cannot afford to provide free loans to agencies. I think 30 days is plenty of time to find the money and pay, especially small sums. If the agency does not have the liquidity for that, then they are in trouble! ▲ Collapse
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