Globalink Policies

Updated May 31, 2007

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Our Mission is to build the best network in the business while partnering with each other to build business and market awareness.

• Our definition of best does not track to the concept of being the biggest network with the most members.  To build a large list of members one would keep restrictions and commitments expected to a minimum, otherwise you would be working at cross purposes.
   
• Our definition of best means high quality members who make serious commitments to one another and to our network and who are held accountable to those commitments.
   
• We believe that the ultimate value consists of participating in a credible worldwide network that brings value added tools and support to a high quality group of partners in such a way that the value of the whole is much more than just the sum of its parts.
   
• We believe that by making and keeping commitments, we protect our business and increase our competitiveness on a global scale.  Also, we believe to be the best is an ongoing commitment and process.
   
• At Globalink the commitments we make to one another are clearly spelled out in the Globalink Member Commitments, the Globalink Agency Agreement, the Platinum Plus Shareholder’s Agreement The Binding Arbitration Agreement and our Globalink Policies.

MEMBER COMMITMENTS are found on our website under JOIN THE NETWORK.  Prospective applicants must be willing to agree to uphold these commitments.  The Globalink Member Commitments are the basic agreements that members should expect from one another.

THE GLOBALINK AGENCY AGREEMENT, THE PLATINUM PLUS SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT AND THE BINDING ARBITRATION AGREEMENTS

These specific agreements must be signed by all members of the network.  Members are held to these commitments or they will be terminated from the network.  These agreements are not available on our public website but are available upon request for new applicants.  The purpose of these agreements is to expand on and specifically clarify aspects of the Globalink Member Commitments.

Members who are current with their payments to the network and their member partners and are in compliance with Globalink commitments, policies and agreements are considered a “MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING”

Should a member violate any Globalink policy or agreement they will be notified by the network of such violation(s) and requested to come into compliance within a given time frame.   Should this not occur in the time requested, the network and the particular member will be notified that this member has lost its status as a “MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING”.

• The network will be notified and their Directory listing will be colored red to indicate they are not a MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING.  Members will be notified to carefully consider doing any business with Members Not in Good Standing.
  
• The network shall request that the membership hold all payments due the member and shipments, if necessary, until the situation is resolved to the network’s satisfaction.
  
• Members can be restored to Members in Good Standing by responding to the issue and coming into compliance with the network.  Any member that loses its status as a Member in Good Standing more than twice shall be terminated from the network.

All Globalink invoices are due upon receipt of the invoice by email.  Failure to pay invoices in a timely manner shall result in the addition of an added late payment penalty charge and/or the loss of being a Member in Good Standing. 

• Most Globalink Invoices are paid by WIRE TRANSFER. It is expected that the member issuing the wire is to pay their bank charges for originating the wire. A problem arises when intermediate banks are used to help process the wire. In some cases the originator of the wire is advised of these charges and can elect to pay them, in other cases the intermediate bank simply charges their fees to the wire, which range from $15.00 to over $50.00 per wire. When this happens the bank deducts these charges from the beneficiary, namely Globalink. Last year this cost Globalink over $2000.00 in bank charges. Our policy is to add a flat bank charge fee of $25.00 to every invoice paid by wire. If you pay two invoices with one wire, the fee will only be charged once.
  
• If you choose to pay Globalink Invoices by CREDIT CARD, Globalink will assess a 5% credit card processing fee, which is the fee we are charged by the credit card companies.
   
• If you choose to pay Globalink Invoices by CHECK, the check must be drawn on a USA bank, in US Dollars and mailed from the USA. There would be no wire fee or credit card fee applied.
   
• All members were notified on May 26, 2006 that there will be a $100 late charge for invoices not paid within two weeks from the date of receipt. All invoices are emailed and the email transmittal date will be considered the date of receipt. The invoice will be reissued at that time and the member will be given another two weeks to pay. If payment is not received in that time, the membership will be notified that they have lost their Member in Good Standing status and the full amount will be due.

Our membership is solidly in agreement that all members must attend the Worldwide Meetings; it is a mandatory condition of membership.  Members who do not attend the meeting are left unaware of the new programs and initiatives and deprive the membership of a chance to meet with them and further business development. 

• This is once a year and scheduling or cost considerations are not an acceptable reasons to miss the meeting.  Travel schedules, business meetings and late applications for a visa are not considered acceptable reasons to miss the meetings.  The network will be notified of meeting dates six months in advance.
  
• If an emergency situation arises, members must contact Bill Siemens immediately to discuss the situation.
  
• Globalink makes financial commitments and plans based on this member commitment.  If a member misses a meeting, without a special circumstance as approved by Bill Siemens, they will be still be  liable to pay for one full meeting registration.  Failure to pay this fine per the payment terms of the Globalink Network will result in the termination of their membership.
  
• If a member misses two meetings in a row without a special circumstance approved by Bill Siemens, they will be terminated from the membership and removed from the Directory.  This policy is effective as of our 2005 Worldwide Meeting.
  
• Once a member misses three meetings total, they will be terminated from the network.

The network has agreed that meetings should be moved around the world to various locations.  We will endeavor to have meetings in locations where we have members. We will be considerate of member travel requirements.  We will try our best to rotate the meeting to different geographical regions so as to share the cost burden of long flights among the membership within the constraints of hotel costs and overall accessibility.

Globalink relies on its members to refer quality members into the network.  Mass marketing has not proven to provide quality companies and as such we do not pursue this approach. 

Most members realize that it makes sense for them to refer their best partners into the network as they will see them all with one trip to the Worldwide meeting and bring them into relationship with all the partners in the network along with the full network support and accountability.

As a way of saying thank you, especially for those members most active in this effort, Globalink provides a credit of 10% of the amount of membership dues collected from any new company that is referred, is accepted into membership and pays their dues. 

• The credits will be applied to the next membership billing for the referring members, thus lowering their cost of membership.
  
• This credit applies only to membership dues.
  
• We will continue to post new applications received for member comment and for members to determine whether or not their referrals have submitted an application.
  
• If Globalink already has communication from a prospect before the referral, then a referral will not be applicable.

The number of Globalink Members per market area is determined in the following manner.  Globalink is committed to having a minimum of two members per market and no more than a maximum of three members, depending on the market, with a few exclusions.   This is not an exact science as a determination is made when a new application is made for a new market.

The exclusions pertain to very larger market areas, such as the United States for example, where more extensive coverage is required.

A market is defined either as a country (as in the case of smaller countries or countries of smaller shipping volumes) or as a major market area within a country, say Los Angeles or New York, London, or Mumbai.  Once the market determination has been made, it is communicated to the applicant and placed in the Members Directory.  Globalink lists the number of memberships available next to the city listed in the Directory.  We do this to make the allotment clear and to indicate just how many members we have per allotment.  It also prevents Globalink from overselling a given market area, which often happens with other networks.  If you have a question as to the allotment for Globalink members in a given area, please direct your question to Bill Siemens (bsiemens@glnk.com).

Globalink has spent considerable time and effort in attempting to find a blanket Errors and Omissions/Legal Liability Insurance coverage for the membership.  We continue to work on this. It is proving to be a very difficult challenge given local regulations and restrictions in some countries.  We believe members must provide each other with a proper assurance of coverage of this nature.

We believe every member shall maintain an insurance coverage of at least $50,000 (USD) for Errors and Omission's coverage or its equivalent as a condition of membership in the network.

Every member shall maintain an insurance coverage of at least $250,000 (USD) for Bill of Lading Legal Liability (also known as Cargo Legal Liability Coverage), or its equivalent, as a condition of membership in the network.

We think the best way to handle this important requirement is to make it a trading condition between individual members.

We have asked members to alert us if they currently have this coverage in place at or exceeding these minimum standards set by Globalink.  If they confirm this, and it is verified, then we place a light blue color on their listing in the membership directory in the Members Only section.  In this way, every member will know that this particular member has at least this minimum coverage.

As a member you have the right (as you would with any trading partner) to request and confirm if another member has coverage acceptable to you if you do not see it listed as such in the Globalink Directory.  It is certainly any member’s prerogative to trade or not trade with another member depending on their comfort level with this coverage.

Members are expected to add the Globalink Logo to their email signatures and business cards.

The more you display the logo, the more you identify yourself as part of a worldwide global organization that is committed to helping your company distinguish itself from the competition.

Members are welcome to use the Globalink Sales Brochure as well as The Globalink World Trade Reference.  Members can offer their clients a special Client Log-in page which allows them direct access to this valuable tool as well as a look at our Directory.

Members are expected to rank one another using the Globalink Quality Ranking System connected with our Members Only Directory.

Members are encouraged to use the Globalink Quote Form on the Members Only menu page, and when this is done, Globalink will follow up to see that a response has been given in a timely manner. It helps our office track this when we are copied in on the replies to Member Quote Requests.

In short, Globalink provides a number of tools and programs.  It is up to you, the member, to use them and promote them internally.