…The lawyers were on the phone two days after I’d posted the reduced cheque off last week.
“I’d just like to ask why you’ve paid less than our invoice,” said the cool-sounding female voice at the end of the phone.
If she had been Mel Gibson in What Women Want, she would have heard me thinking, “Read my letter you stupid cow.”
I actually said, “OK, well we explained our reasons in the covering letter, could I ask if you have read that, please?”
She grunted and said, “We need to have our invoice paid in full.”
“I’m sorry, but we don’t feel it’s acceptable for Mr X to charge us for his time at lunch without telling us that was what he meant to do, and we’re not prepared to pay for that time.”
“You know he charges for his time.”
“Yes, but do you think it’s fair for him to conclude the business discussion, invite us to lunch, spend an hour having a friendly discussion that didn’t relate at all to our business, and then charge us for that time? We went to lunch with him at his invitation.”
The discussion went back and forth a few more times, before she said, “If you don’t pay the full amount then we won’t be able to provide any more services to you.”
“That’s a coincidence,” I said. “We wouldn’t stay with a lawyer who isn’t up front and honest about what we’re paying for.”
And the conversation ended there – with me in search of BD and the doughnut bag again.
A couple of days later the issue was closed with a further exchange of letters.
The unpaid amount will be written off – and so will the relationship. And we’re in search of a new (honest) lawyer.
If such a thing exists.
What a cynical accountant I am.
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Replies (5)
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Well done!
If you'd let them push you around at the start of the relationship, it would have gone on in the same vein or even worse.
Result!
A moral victory :)
Definitely the right thing to do. Confirmed by the fact that the person involved in the legal firm appears to have delegated the dirty work to someone else. Why didn't he call you to smooth things over and retain a client? Well done.
Obviously
they didn't value you as a client so you're better off without them.
It always surprises me who arrogant and condescending some businesses can be towards clients and potential clients.
Bad news spreads, especially with websites/blogs/twitter etc its surprising how many business are ignorant to this.
Far better to part on good terms - it wouldn't have hurt for the partner to call you, clear the air and then for you both to walk away.
But then the chip may have fallen off his shoulder.
@KA
Yes, bang on. Part on good terms.
This firm has displayed an incredibly arrogant attitude that does seem to pervade the City and its professional acolytes. "You're lucky we're even talking to you". Pr**ks.