Sometimes, lightning does strike...

The response from the new potential client is favorable. They liked my sample (no surprise there). However, their rating on the Proz.com "Blue Board" - a feature that allows translators to rate agencies - is not so good, only 2.2 on a scale of 1 ("never accept work again") to 5 ("no problems, will accept more assignments"). Most of the complaints are more than 18 months old, but there's only been one evaluation posted in the last year or so (a "5," BTW).

So, my response to their note of this morning was the following:

Thank you for your prompt reply.

In reviewing your general conditions, I am somewhat disappointed with the "60 jours fin de mois" payment terms, but as long as there is no additional delay, I can accept them. (Apropos of which, could you please throw some light on the comments that appear on the Blue Board page for your company on Proz.com?)

Also, while I am sure it won't come to this, I'm afraid I must insist that, should [your company] determine that "professional quality is not achieved" in the translation, we shall agree that such a determination must be concurred in by a mutually acceptable impartial third party for the stated penalty of uncompensated P.O. cancellation to apply.

The last is based on a bad experience a colleague had with a company that had set such a condition, which led to an expensive lawsuit.

Now I must get ready to go to work. There are three days left in this assignment, followed by a wakeup, whereupon Galina and I go home.

Cheers...