Manpower about to go bust?

[lucozade]

I'm having a nightmare with Manpower on my current assignment.

They just don't pay on time.

I've got a 45 day lead time on payment and invariably it doesn't get met.

I have to chase and get told it will be paid and it doesn't.

Whenever I ask questions the information back from them is dreadful.

Is anybody else suffering from this?

I'm worried that Manpower is about to go bust and is having serious financial problems.

I've asked the client to get involved on a number of occasions. False promises are made by Manpower and then a few weeks later they are back to their poor ways.

I've got circa £26K in outstanding invoices and I don't fancy chasing them for every single one over the next few months. If they continually fail to meet their obligation of 45 days can I force them into 1 final payment and then drop them?

All suggestions welcome.

[mos]

I am with Experis, very large end client ... luckily they tend to pay me on time albeit with 5-6 weeks lag as per T&C ...

Have to be extra vigilant because they habitualy try to pay for less days than invoiced. Initially they also tried their luck in skipping first payment date.

Communication is very bad or non existant.

[quackhandle]

I've got circa £26K in outstanding invoices and I don't fancy chasing them for every single one over the next few months. If they continually fail to meet their obligation of 45 days can I force them into 1 final payment and then drop them?

All suggestions welcome.

tulip, 26K!! I'm sure there's a few threads on here about chasing invoice payments.

Good luck.

qh

[SueEllen]

The trick in these situations is to:
1. Ask the agent through email if they have any payment problems as you are going to have to tell the client the agency has a problem as they haven't paid you.

2. If the payment doesn't appear on the day they state inform the client verbally and by email that the agency is likely insolvent.

3. Wait 2 days and if the agency still haven't paid, phone up the client from home and say that you cannot come in as it's clear you aren't getting paid for the work you have done and the agency must be going into administration. Also do this by email and send a copy to the agent.

You generally only have to do 1 before you get paid either by a cheque or a quick BACS payment.

Finally never again agree to 45 day payment terms for monthly amounts of money. Plus always make sure your contracts states "Calendar Days" not "Working Days".

[northernladuk]

Have a look at this...

https://payontime.co.uk/

Send them a mail every day and 'Dunning' them till they get their act together..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning_(process)

Don't forget to charge them interest as well. It's peanuts but will cause them enough of a headache to maybe sit up and listen

[craig1]

45 day payment terms! I don't go over 7 days without a day-rate rise to compensate!

There is utterly no excuse for not paying within 45 days.

[Alan @ BroomeAffinity]

I'm pretty sure Manpower aren't about to go under. They are valued at £130million and part of a $3bn group. That's n guarantee I know but its a pretty good indicator.

[moggy]

I'm pretty sure Manpower aren't about to go under. They are valued at £130million and part of a $3bn group. That's n guarantee I know but its a pretty good indicator.

I have to agree, company check on manpower holdings values them at £315 million. The liabilities to assets doesn't look pretty though, but looking at the history it never has if their info is correct.

[Wanderer]

They just don't pay on time. I've got a 45 day lead time on payment and invariably it doesn't get met.

Do a search on the forum for "dunning" which will bring up a load of topics here or google site:forums.contractoruk.com dunning

Sounds like the client don't give a tulip which is too bad but really it's not their problem.

They owe you far too much money. Don't pussy about, send the agency an invoice for interest and penalties, see the payontime link that NLUK posted.

Along with the invoice for interest and penalties, tell them that due to their poor payment history (all the late payments and amounts will be in black and white on your invoice) you are moving to weekly invoicing (if you aren't already) and cutting their credit terms back to 14 days.

That will send them ballistic but keep banging on their heads until they get it. Talking to the office boy or girl will get you nowhere, make them escalate it until you talk to someone who can actually get stuff done. There is no reason to allow your business to be shafted by another, far bigger business like this.

[kingcook]

I'm worried that Manpower is about to go bust and is having serious financial problems.

I hope not... my home is powered by them indirectly