I'm doing books for a client and the italian director doesn't speak English so I speak to the company secretary.
I had a call earlier today from the Italian directors wife as she was concerned whether the secretary was conducting the business correctly as her husband (director) doesn't speak English.
Then I called the secretary to discuss the queries I emailed him last week and he said he would rather I call him with queries as the emails cause arguments with the Italian director as he thinks the secretary is doing things wrong
Firstly, if the company is the client then unless the directors wife is also a director I wouldn't be happy speaking to her about things. Next, if the sole director doesn't speak English and you don't speak Italian what else can you do but deal with someone in the company with whom you can communicate?
As far as phone calls go I'd say no. It's better to get things in writing which can be evidenced later. Even if I have a conversation on the phone I'll generally follow it up with an email saying here's what we discussed and here's what I said. It's all about covering ones back now. Sad but true.
I don't think from what you say it's dodgy, unless there's something else?
I second what Kris says. You don't want to be getting in the middle of silly disputes between those three. The only thing the secretary should be doing is translating your email to the director and then translating his reply back to you. It seems bizarre he is employing the secretary, if he feels she cant be trusted.
Regards Dodgy, it depends on whats being said? What did the wife say she thought the Secretary was doing wrong? Are they trying to get you to claim things you shouldnt? Are they telling you that some expenses are business, and the secretary was saying they were personal?
As regards the wife, unless she is part of the business, then you shouldnt be dealing with her. (Im not saying she is, but she could just be trying to check up on the husband-confidentanly and all that-cover your own back first), as regards anything else, as long as it doesnt sound dodgy then carry on, as regards the emails, couldnt they be translated using some kind of email transactor into Italian so that you have a copy of both, (again 2 cover your back), i know when we broke down in france, the garage who didnt really speak english used a translator on the computer, so we just typed in and it was translated into french. A bit weird as the keyboard was slightly different, but if the owner is ilatian and wants to know whats going on in his company, it should be possible. Best of luck. Again, it just covers you, and shows that you are dealing with both the owner and the secretary, so if the secretary is dodgy, you have done everything in your power to cover yourself and the owner.
