Poll: If you had to choose, which would you prefer when working with an agency? Autor vlákna: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "If you had to choose, which would you prefer when working with an agency?".
View the poll results »
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Lieven Malaise 
Belgie
Local time: 17:50
Člen (2020)
francouzština -> nizozemština
+ ...
What is this, rage bait?
Rates shouldn't depend on payment terms. Period.
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Liena V.
Lotyšsko
Local time: 18:50
Člen (2014)
francouzština -> lotyština
+ ...
Where is this even coming from? Are there really agencies that offer such "choice" and people who accept it? Do they ever see the money if they say later is fine? I would steer away at the mere suggestion of this. I am not a junkie needing a fix right now, I can wait (for a reasonable time) to be paid properly.
Or do they mean different agencies? Anyway, the same applies.
[Edited at 2026-01-08 09:42 GMT]
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This question seems to imply that agencies set my rates. However, my rates are my rates (negotiable within reason), and they reflect what my years of experience can offer. Some agencies appreciate that...
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Thayenga
Německo
Local time: 17:50
Člen (2009)
angličtina -> němčina
+ ...
I'm still trying to figure out if this question makes any sense. Seriously, as FREElancers we set our own rates and decide which payment terms we can/will accept.
This "delated payment" is a little dubious. Does the author of this poll mean very late or later than agreed upon?
I think it's time that the quality of these polls improves.
[Edited at 2026-01-09 07:20 GMT]
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| Longer payment terms | Jan 8 |
I think the author of this poll meant 'better rates, but longer payment terms'. As linguists, we may be a bit crazy, but not crazy enough to tolerate delays.
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I'm not working for an agency if payment is delayed every time!
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Gregor Trebec
Slovinsko
Local time: 17:50
angličtina -> slovinština
+ ...
Holly molly, 116 votes... where are these people?
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Daryo
Local time: 16:50
srbština -> angličtina
+ ...
where when I click on [View results] without voting I get a new page telling me 'xxx vote(s). You have voted on this poll.
BUT when I go back to the page with answers to choose from I get again 'You have not voted on this poll'
How am I supposed to have voted?? And how many times??
As for the question itself - I don't know of any other business where you could order out of the blue by simple email 'custom made goods' from someone on the other side o... See more where when I click on [View results] without voting I get a new page telling me 'xxx vote(s). You have voted on this poll.
BUT when I go back to the page with answers to choose from I get again 'You have not voted on this poll'
How am I supposed to have voted?? And how many times??
As for the question itself - I don't know of any other business where you could order out of the blue by simple email 'custom made goods' from someone on the other side of the world without paying in advance before the work starts. But I better not start about what passes as 'normal' only in the translation business - too long story. ▲ Collapse
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Samuel Murray
Nizozemsko
Local time: 17:50
Člen (2006)
angličtina -> afrikánština
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If I had to choose between higher rates and longer payment terms vs lower rates and getting my money within 14 days, I'd go for higher rates. But I suspect some translators want their money quicker.
Delayed payment doesn't bother me. Many agencies pay only after 30 days, some only after 45 days, some only after 90 days. Just this past week an agency acknowledged my invoice and says "payment will be made... [4 months from now]".
If I could choose between higher rate... See more If I had to choose between higher rates and longer payment terms vs lower rates and getting my money within 14 days, I'd go for higher rates. But I suspect some translators want their money quicker.
Delayed payment doesn't bother me. Many agencies pay only after 30 days, some only after 45 days, some only after 90 days. Just this past week an agency acknowledged my invoice and says "payment will be made... [4 months from now]".
If I could choose between higher rates with less frequent jobs, and lower rates with more frequent jobs, I'd choose more frequent jobs.
Lieven Malaise wrote:
What is this, rage bait?
Rates shouldn't depend on payment terms.
Hmm, interesting. I interpreted the question to be about two different agencies, not about the same agency offering two different options. If agency A says "we pay [high rate] but pay after [many days]" and another agency says "we pay [low rate] but we pay after [few days]", which one would you prefer?
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL wrote:
I'm not working for an agency if payment is delayed every time!
This depends on the meaning of the word "delayed". If you mean the agency keeps missing their own payment deadline, then yes, I agree. But if the agency says "we pay after 120 days" and they do that consistently, then they are very reliable and they pay on time.
[Edited at 2026-01-08 14:04 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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FWIW, discounts for prompt payment certainly exist in the wider business community, so the idea behind the question doesn't seem that outrageous to me.
I'm sure it's just misfortune that "agency" was specified in the poll (or as suggested, just a cheap method to wind people up), but it could easily apply to any type of client, in any line of business.
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expressisverbis
Portugalsko
Local time: 16:50
angličtina -> portugalština
+ ...
I find it quite irritating that the poll shows I voted when I did not.
If the voting data is inaccurate, it raises questions about the reliability of the poll overall and, by extension, the site itself.
This happens in every poll!
[Edited at 2026-01-08 17:03 GMT]
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Zea_Mays
Itálie
Local time: 17:50
angličtina -> němčina
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Charlie Bavington wrote:
FWIW, discounts for prompt payment certainly exist in the wider business community, so the idea behind the question doesn't seem that outrageous to me.
Good point. In many sectors, 3-5% discount for swift payment are very common when large amounts are involved.
However, I think who proposed this poll meant (quite) lower rates, which does'nt make sense when working with reliable payers. It would only be reasonable for someone who is practically living from hand to mouth.
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Philip Lees
Řecko
Local time: 18:50
řečtina -> angličtina
This poll is more proof that ProZ is now firmly on the side of the agencies and not the translator, implying that the agencies should be the ones to set payment rates and terms.
Perhaps the next step will be to delete those items from translators' profiles.
That's after they delete this post of mine, citing some pretext or other.
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