sending work cod

[geminica34]

Hi, I've recently had a problem with one agency in so. california where they deducted my hourly fee on a job because of a faux pas I'd made (and it was soooo minor). actually, their office manager asked me to contact the client directly which I did. and then one of the principles called me and chewed me out for doing that.

it's so ridiculous...

but would you, one, take work for that agency again? and two, if you do, would you send your work c.o.d.?

[geminica34]

thanks for your reply:)

[Cathryn Bauer]

One, no, period.

[Judy]

Geminica,

First, I might say that if you'd use your real name you might get more responses.

Second, I'd never send a CR firm a transcript COD. If that's the way you feel, just don't work for them again.

Third, Where in So Cal is this firm? Most firms in So Cal (except for San Diego) don't charge an "hourly fee." And even then, it's a tiny part of the payment schedule.

Fourth, It's "principals," not "principles.

Fifth, Did you know they had a "rule" not to contact their clients directly, and you did it nonetheless, even though the office manager asked you to?

Judy

[geminica34]

I take it you're a "principal"? thanks for, one, being so pedantic. two, for taking the time to reply to my e-mail in such a dictatorial fashion:)

[Lisa Moskowitz]

Oh, for God's sake.

[Judy]

Nope, not a "principal." Just a reporter that's been in So Cal for 25 years, most of them working for my own clients.

So I clicked on your avatar to see where you live. Sure enough you are in San Diego. And I'm not attacking you with this comment, but I noticed you're using Xscribe as your software, so you must be an old-timer in this business.

Agencies have rules, for various reasons. The few times I've worked for larger agencies, I get a "rule book" of do's and don'ts attached to the email with the job info: Arrive at least 30 minutes early... Do not give them anything buy our business card... Do not contact them directly... Whatever their rules are, it's their rules and they have them for many different reasons.

So I assumed a few things now by your first post and your Main page:
One, You've been in this business at least 15 years.
Two, You live in San Diego.
Three, It's a "larger" agency because... a) They have an office manager b) You said "one of the principals."

So now I ask again (but I'll ask it another way): Was the firm also being pedantic in their insistence that their rules be followed? Did you break their rule? Did they just willy-nilly come up with this punishment to avoid paying you?

I guess the reason why I'm interested is there's been lots of times throughout my career/life where reporters, employees, my kids, whatever, don't want to take responsibility for the wrath they've incurred for doing something "the wrong way." Instead of taking responsiblity for their own actions, they blame everybody else.

Then there are the few times that somebody really is being picked on unnecessarily, through absolutely no fault of their own.

I'm interested which scenario this falls under. If it's the latter, please e-mail me personally and tell me who the agency is so I never do overflow for them.

Judy
[e-mail]

[geminica34]

hi, judy. i was having a really bad day yesterday. i do appreciate your replies, as i do appreciate all of the replies.

no, i'm not an old-timer in the biz. i just like x-scribe because it's so stable.

what happened was i wasn't really given any rule book that said specifically not to contact the client.
i was asked to get out a job immediately for the client (because they wanted it that day, which I did) and it wasn't late.

i was also asked to make copies of exhibits for the client (because they had no way of making copies right then and there). so i spent about 50 bucks at kinko's making copies of about 500 docs and then making arrangements to get the exhibits to the client, as well as get out the transcript at the same time. i tried the best i could. the office manager told me to contact the client directly to see how best i can get the docs to him. he then got mad at me for contacting him and called one ofthe owners of the agency, who in turn contacted me and basically got very angry at me for contacting him in the first place.

not only did they not pay me an hourly on the job (this was a really tough insurance case with an atty as a witness), but they took me off my job the following day and didn't give me a reason for it. i mean, i could have picked up work elsewhere had they given me sufficient notice.

I wrote an e-mail and followed up with voice mail to the principal stating that I was extremely stressed out and made a serious judgment error. she never replied back.

the money is a pittance to them (300 bucks) but not to me. i also was not reimbursed for the money i spent making copies at kinko's. and it's also the principle of the thing... i mean the rate was like 2.60 a pg. for a really tough, technical case:(

so.... there ya go. and i'd rather not talk about the agency. i mean, when times are tough, i will take work for them again, but only when absolutely necessary.

[Kyung]

I wouldn't COD them. Just make sure that you get everything in writing next time about rates and any extras if you choose to work for them again.

But I probably wouldn't want to work for them again bec. it's too much trouble to get paid. There are other agencies that you can work for without jumping through hoops.

[Judy]

I didn't even know Xscribe was still in business. If that ever fails on you DigitalCAT is also very stable and you can get it with a monthly fee instead of an outright purchase. Me? I'm on Eclipse and love it.

If you were within the normal time of delivery of the tript (usually ten business days), and if the client wanted it right now, guess what, that's called an expedite. You should have been compensated for getting it to the client before the end of the ten-day period.

It's the agency's job to copy exhibits and produce and deliver the transcript. If they asked you to do it, you should have been compensated for it. Did you submit the Kinko's receipt to them? If the agency was not able to make copies for their client, that's their problem, not yours. Sounds like you went above and beyond on that one. You also should have been paid for your time that you were at Kinko's. Not to mention the delivery fee for you hand-delivering all this stuff to the attorney (that's what it sounds like happened). You can bet the agency charged a delivery fee to their client.

Yes, the agency owner should have responded back to at least your e-mail. That wasn't nice of her.

Have you worked for them since this happened? I'm not sure I'd accept another assignment from them. Taking an assignment and sending it COD is not the right thing to do; not accepting the assignment is.

By the way, a first name would be nice.

Judy