In one of those jolly coincidences life throws up from time to time, I\u2019ve seen a number of discussions about payment in advance in the last few weeks.<\/p>\n
My response in one such discussion was to quote a maxim to which I try (but fail) to adhere in life in general \u2013 do as you would be done by. Yup, I had \u201cThe Water Babies\u201d read to me as a kid; as I recall, as a kid who felt slightly too old to have books read to him, but I suppose it did me no real harm.<\/p>\n
I would, though, take a pretty dim view if, during one of my infrequent ventures into the world of outsourcing work, I were asked to stump up payment in advance. It just sends the wrong message about trust, in my view. To say nothing of a lack of understanding of business transactions, where credit is standard practice (all other things being equal). <\/p>\n
That said, I certainly concede there are situations where payment in advance could have a place. One such is perhaps work for private individuals (as against work for another translator in a B-to-B capacity) about whom it could be difficult to find out anything beforehand regarding their likelihood of paying post-delivery, and against whom recourse might be limited to relying solely on a local small claims procedure of unknown effectiveness. (Added to which, payment in advance is less unusual in B-to-C situations.) In contrast, one advantage of our socially networked translator world is that, were I, for example, to fail to pay a supplier, I would expect my name to become mud fairly swiftly on Twitter, LinkedIn, Proz or Transnet (being the main places I tend to \u201cmeet\u201d those with whom I work), and indeed elsewhere.<\/p>\n
However, one does occasionally see advice given to request payment in advance in cases where the client is known to have a sub-optimum reputation regarding payment. Such advice causes minor levels of seethe in my usually placid countenance.<\/p>\n
While I have a fairly low tolerance threshold when it comes to calls for \u201csolidarity\u201d in the profession in general, I do find the out-and-out I\u2019m-alright-Jack-ism of this attitude beyond the pale. If this hypothetical scummy client has the cash available to pay you, while others are clamouring for what they are owed, something ain\u2019t quite right. <\/p>\n
At the very least, you\u2019re jumping the queue and depriving someone, somewhere, of money to which they are entitled. They\u2019ve done the work already and are waiting for payment; you\u2019ve done diddly squat so far and yet want that same cash? On an individual level, it doesn\u2019t show much class, concern for others, or moral rectitude. On an industry-wide level, it would surely be better for all concerned if sub-standard clients were not facilitated to continue in business by our continuing to provide them with the fruits of our efforts. <\/p>\n
And if, while you had been waiting and wondering about your payment from some client who has proved to be scummy, and you\u2019ve posted on the blacklists, blue boards or payment practices lists of all hues and raised the red flag in general online, how precisely would you feel if you knew I\u2019d seen all that and demanded, and got, payment in advance? My guess is you\u2019d be quite irked. Possibly seething at a level considerably higher than minor. To return to where we came in, if you wouldn\u2019t like it done to you, don\u2019t do it to other people.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In one of those jolly coincidences life throws up from time to time, I\u2019ve seen a number of discussions about payment in advance in the last few weeks. My response in one such discussion was to quote a maxim to … Continue reading