VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Mike Harrison

How well do you interpret the written word?

A couple of years ago a production company on the other side of the planet asked me to do a narration (very nice) and offered to make payment via wire transfer immediately upon receiving the files (how generous). That didn't happen. It took several emails and months to collect payment. OK.

Last week the same production company contacted me through my website. This new job was to be an ISDN session. What follows is the condensed but otherwise unaltered text of our email communication leading up to and then following the session. Note that, at this point, when payment was due hadn't even been brought up.

On Jul 13, 2011, at 8:55 AM, Lila wrote:

Hi Mike,

Thank you for your email.

Would appreciate if you can do this job for the fee we discussed.

And we can do the payment in advance.

Thanks,
Lila

On Sun, Jul 17, 2011 at 8:30 AM, Mike Harrison wrote:

Hi Lila...

You offered to send payment prior to the session. That would be lovely, but is not necessary. However, if you could arrange for payment within 10 days, that would be appreciated. Can you do PayPal?

Thanks.

Mike

On Jul 17, 2011, at 8:56 AM, Lila wrote:

Hi Mike,

Unfortunately, we won't be transferring the payment now.
But you will get paid within 10 days.

Please provide us with an invoice and mention your Bank Details as we will transfer the payment to your account:

Account number
Account name
Bank Name
Swift code

Thanks,
Lila

On Sat, Aug 13, 2011 at 6:22 PM, Mike Harrison wrote:

Hi Lila...

Hope you are well. I don't seem to have received payment thus far. Could you please look into this for me?

Thanks!

Mike

On Aug 16, 2011, at 4:32 AM, Lila wrote:

Hi Mike,

Hope you're doing well.

We usually have a 30 day payment term from the date of the recording.

Will follow up with the accountant and advise as soon as possible.

Have a nice day.

Thanks,
Lila

-----

So the offer of payment in advance and then within ten days was what, exactly? Romanian?
_________________
Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

Matto · Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 5:29 pm Post subject:

Maybe they're operating on Lunar time...?
_________________
www.mattcowlrick.com

Bailey · Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 9:11 pm Post subject:

I'm sorry Mike, but when I read this...

Philip Banks · Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 11:50 pm Post subject:

No one didn't say nothing about no 10 EARTH days!

Moe Egan · Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 6:05 am Post subject:

I think they are related to one of my clients....ring around the rosey got nothing on dance of the overdue invoice. Oy.
_________________
Moe Egan
i want to be the voice in your head.
~~~~~

DougVox · Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 9:48 am Post subject:

Forget interpreting the written word...

I'd interpret their failure to pay on time a couple of years ago as an indication that their payment
should always be in advance from now on.

As a rule, I always follow a line like this:

Lisa · Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 9:52 am Post subject:

Doug is wise. Listen to him. Wink

ccpetersen · Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 9:54 am Post subject:

We have a client that has insisted on changing the terms of ordering, payment, paperwork, and delivery in every single email exchange. Even when we've sent the paperwork they requested, they've then insisted on more or different paperwork. It got ridiculous, with each assistant mail clerk and administrative flunky up the food chain insisting on some different piece of paperwork that was either identical to what we'd already sent, or was a slightly altered version of previous forms we'd filled out. You can guess, we were dealing with a government agency in another country.

We finally told them that we'd had enough and either send the order or forget it. They sent it, plus the payment in advance (but shorted us $15.00), and then bitched about how long it was taking Fedex to ship it (an overseas shipment, it got there very quickly, but the client's receiving department was apparently on vacation or sleeping on the job or something and didn't bother to inform anybody the shipment had arrived).

<sigh>

bransom · DC Joined: 06 Nov 2008 Posts: 650 Location: St. Louis, MO

What Doug said.

Or what Nancy Reagan said: "Just say no."
_________________
Bob Ransom
"I really need a pithy quote here."

Bailey · Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 3:21 pm Post subject:

Lee Gordon · Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 1:04 am Post subject:

or a village idiot. cool

_________________
Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice

ccpetersen · Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 9:18 am Post subject:

or a village of them.