Does anyone care about their jobs anymore?

[jefflaurence]

Not really off topic..but not totally broadcast related either..I do several monthly retainers and retail commercials, and I send invoices out twice a month. On the 15th we send out broadcast contractual invoice to TV and Radio station clients, and on the 1st, we send out invoices for the previous month to the commercial ad agencies and retail customers. Works well. But lately I have noticed a real lack of attention to getting the invoices processed. I never call and complain, I just send out a gentle reminder with the next month's invoices. The smaller broadcasting companies are pretty quick about turning around checks, but "some" of the larger broadcasters are becoming notorious for "misplacing" or otherwise just forgetting about getting payment taken care of. And it's not just me..I have talked with equipment vendors who are having the same problem.

Conversely I have been recieving a check from a station that I had been terminated from for over a year and a half. When contacted the accounts payable person just told me to "go ahead and cash them..what are you complaining about? No one here will care about a few hundred bucks a month!" No work..I shouldn't be getting checks..and someday someone will ask me about that money.

Frustrated..I wanted to see just HOW dull-brained these folks can be..so in April, I picked a MAJOR corporation (not in broadcasting) and randomly sent a bogus "PAST DUE" invoice for $17,330.00 USD. In the description category I just inserted "Personnel Consultation" I figured that would be that..and the invoice would be torn up after going through a few channels..or at WORST I would get a challanging phone call..nope!

Friday afternoon I went to the Pack and Ship near here, and there was a UPS overnight envelope with a check for 15,200.00 and a note from Norma Shipley (not her real name) sayng that she was sorry but that was all that was left in May's "general funding" account, and that the balance would be sent by the end of June along with a 10% premium on the total for the delay. WOW!

I got scared, and phoned the corporate offices to explain that the invoice had been sent by "error" and that I would overnight the check back to them uncashed. It took over 2 hours to talk to someone..anyone who wanted to even discuss the matter. AND after all of this, the lady that I finally talked to "just about" told me to deposit it, and shut up..because it would be MORE WORK to take it back, and re-insert the money.

Point here is that a job (any job..including ours in this business) is WORK..it requires work to be a job, and work must be done in order to get paid. Why is this notion so hard to grasp? We all know at least ONE co-worker, or associate that does less work than everyone else..how is it that when there are so many that can not get jobs..these deadwoods are still floating around?

Sorry..I am rambling...let's see...something about production..hmmm..okay "microphone"..

I'm done.

 

[Emmett1057]

Interesting you should bring up the part about larger companies "misplacing" invoices. I've just gone through that mess for the first time ever. I've had a few clients that have been slow, or situations where we just don't have good communications, but none irritated me like the one in May.

Until May, I had only done VO for local and regional radio. I was contacted by a guy at an ad agency who heard one of my local spots and wanted my voice for a national TV ad. He volunteered to pay all work in advance. I thought, "Hey, this is great...Pre-payment AND national work!". So I agreed to a lower price than I would normally ask for. My thinking was that THEY came to ME and, with pre-payment, it would be easy work. But *big suprise* a week later, I got a call that they needed voiceover IMMEDIATELY. It was a Friday and I normally don't do work over the weekend, but I agreed to have it to them before Monday morning and they would cut me a check and send it Monday. Monday, they asked for an invoice outlining the work, for their records. I was told they would send out the check as soon as the invoice arrived. No problem...I prepared an invoice and had it in the outgoing mail Monday afternoon. A month later, I still had no check. After several phone call attempts, and finally an e-mail to the president of the agency, I HAVE recieved payment. But it's left me with a bad taste in my mouth. The President claims that he was out of town, and that he was told it had been taken care of. Perhaps that's true, but somewhere, someone in the company didn't do their job.

It is very irritating. I don't have a massive client list, and every check counts. I will go WAY out of my way to accomodate the wishes of the clients that I do have, and it would be nice if they would at least stick to their agreements...And most of them do. I'd love to tell the few that cause problems to piss off, but I just can't pass up the money right now. So I'm stuck. I will probably do business with the agency that gave me that last headache again, but I may not be as easy to work with next time.

I understand exactly where you're coming from, Jeff.

 

[uppendowndadial]

First of all, Jeff: congratulations for having the cohones to attempt a stunt like that. You are one of the "Ferris Beuhler's" of the world. If I had ever done anything like that, I'm sure my picture would have been in the post office. I hope no one gets a funny idea to try that and take a nice Mexican vacation. Whew!
And as for the other poster, we've all had those slow pays or no pays. After a particularly trying time a year and a half ago, I signed up for PayPal's vertual terminal. I can take credit cards from almost anyone. It only costs $20 a month and is well worth it. I always have at least a couple of CC payments every month. That's how you do the advance pay at the last minute thing. I know that game, 'coz it's happened to me too. There's been a lot of discussion on the Yahoo board about having a central list of slow and no-payers, but everyone's been worried about liability. I wish someone could figure out a way to share the info, tho.

 

[Gregg Rivers]

There's been a lot of discussion on the Yahoo board about having a central list of slow and no-payers, but everyone's been worried about liability. I wish someone could figure out a way to share the info, tho.

Yeah well I think that's bogus! If you're late on a car payment or credit card payment, see how fast they hit your credit report with THAT info! On the other side of that, if someone should post false info about a late or no pay situation, then they SHOULD be liable!