Forums about proz.com » Poll Discussion »
Pages in topic:   < [1 2]
Poll: Did a client ever go out of business owing you money?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
Ventnai
Ventnai  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 04:57
German to English
+ ...
About to Aug 2, 2016

I think one may be about to. They sent me an email saying they couldn't pay my invoice but would try and pay 300 a month
 
Jennifer Forbes
Jennifer Forbes  Identity Verified
Local time: 03:57
French to English
+ ...
In memoriam
Three times in 30 years as a freelancer Aug 2, 2016

Yes, this has happened to me three times in about 30 years as a freelancer.
The (sad) fact is that companies can go bankrupt or into "voluntary liquidation" without warning - to their suppliers, at any rate.
In one case, an agency which had been a reliable payer for a couple of years went into voluntary liquidation two days after sending me an order at a time when the directors, at least, must have been aware of the agency's situation. Luckily for me, I lost only about £80 but thous... See more
Yes, this has happened to me three times in about 30 years as a freelancer.
The (sad) fact is that companies can go bankrupt or into "voluntary liquidation" without warning - to their suppliers, at any rate.
In one case, an agency which had been a reliable payer for a couple of years went into voluntary liquidation two days after sending me an order at a time when the directors, at least, must have been aware of the agency's situation. Luckily for me, I lost only about £80 but thousands of pounds were owed to literally thousands of translators. A month later, the agency re-opened under a new name but at the same address, using identical documentation (POs, NDA, etc.). It is still trading.
Unfortunately, this behaviour is perfectly legal in the UK. Such revived businesses are known as "phoenix companies".
My advice to fellow translators is to have a wide client base and to set credit limits for all clients so as never to find oneself with too many eggs in one basket. ▲ Collapse
 
Pages in topic:   < [1 2]


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:

Moderator(s) of this forum
Jared Tabor[Call to this topic]

You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Poll: Did a client ever go out of business owing you money?






Trados Business Manager Lite
Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio

Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.

More info »
Protemos translation business management system
Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!

The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.

More info »