What is the daftest reason you have lost a client

What is the daftest reason you have lost a client

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I recently lost a client over the most ridiculous reason

I gained this client from my wife who was her friend so carried out the accounting and tax returns.  She was very happy with the service.

One day, my wife and her friend went out for dinner and the topic moved to my business and how I was getting on.  My wife said I had signed a client from a particular country. Suddenly her faced dropped (my wife expression).  My client was from a particular religion and even though my client was not connected in anyway with her religion i.e they never were in conflict. The fact my new client had come from this country where she claimed atrocities happened - she thanked me for my work and said she cannot continue the engagement if I took on this client.  My new client I knew previously and they are very decent hard working people and having nothing to do with the political struggle/war in their country

I was stunned as could not understand the connection and rationale behind her decision.  It wasn't a major loss but annoyed at this client that she can discriminate against a certain race and religion. 

Replies (27)

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By andy.partridge
26th May 2013 10:55

Tax deductible

I think I might have been annoyed with my wife!

I had one who left me for a larger firm because they insisted that 'tax-deductible' meant the full cost was deducted from their tax bill.

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By John Collingwood
26th May 2013 11:27

Prejudice

 

There is nothing logical about prejudice whether on grounds of race, religion or colour. Indeed I have noticed comments on this site from one particular member that disclose blatant racial prejudice against one particular nationality.

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Replying to seonaid anderson:
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By andy.partridge
26th May 2013 12:18

Oh, you teaser!

John Collingwood wrote:
 I have noticed comments on this site from one particular member that disclose blatant racial prejudice against one particular nationality.

If you truly believe that I trust you have reported it?

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Replying to seonaid anderson:
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By User deleted
26th May 2013 14:06

Prejudice

John Collingwood wrote:

 

There is nothing logical about prejudice whether on grounds of race, religion or colour.

I wholeheartedly agree. There used to be a member here who repeatedly made disparaging comments about Muslims and Catholics. Fortunately AW took appropriate action.

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By Asher123
26th May 2013 12:37

You would never understand a woman mind mate.

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Glenn Martin
By Glenn Martin
26th May 2013 22:20

Previous accountant slept with clients wife.
The firm I trained with took on a guy whose previous agent had been sleeping with his wife.

After he came to us if he was ever passing the old accountants office he would pop in, smack him a few times and turn his desk over on top of him. He was still doing 3 years after he found out.
I thought he was a decent fella mind you I never made eye contact with his wife.

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By Cardigan
27th May 2013 08:59

Fell at the first hurdle

I lost a client because she couldn't understand the letter of engagement and decided to stick with her old accountant who never sent her such complicated things to read. (I actually have a plain English letter of engagement.)

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Replying to runningmate:
Red Leader
By Red Leader
27th May 2013 12:45

The Great British Public

When dealing with the public, there is always going to be some irrationality to put up with. It comforts me sometimes to think of some of my clients as insane.

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By John Collingwood
27th May 2013 13:15

Acceptable prejudices

I would actually suggest that everyone has prejudices, it is part of what makes us human.  Life experience causes us to be prejudiced, after all we are “prejudiced” against putting our hand in the fire because experience has taught us that doing so burns us.  That is a perfectly logical prejudice.

I have no doubt that most Manchester United fans are prejudiced against Manchester City.  Thart is, perhaps, a less logical prejudice but nevertheless one which is acceptable to society.  

The difference seems to be that some prejudices are acceptable, and some (race, religion, colour) are not acceptable.  I don’t think you can ever stop prejudice, you can only stop people  openly displaying certain types of prejudice.

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Replying to bernard michael:
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By User deleted
27th May 2013 14:33

But surely ...

John Collingwood wrote:

I would actually suggest that everyone has prejudices, it is part of what makes us human.  Life experience causes us to be prejudiced, after all we are “prejudiced” against putting our hand in the fire because experience has taught us that doing so burns us.  That is a perfectly logical prejudice.

... prejudice is an unfounded opinion not based on reason or actual experience. So I think the hand in the fire example is a poor analogy.   

John Collingwood wrote:

 I don’t think you can ever stop prejudice, you can only stop people  openly displaying certain types of prejudice.

Agreed - which is why I'm pleased that AW took the action they did in respect of the behaviour that I referred to above.

EDIT - crossed with Shirley!

Further EDIT - actually, Shirley, I would say that there is a degree of prejudice amongst football fans - there's not a whole lot of difference between disliking someone that you've never met because of the colour of their skin and taking a dislike to a stranger simply because of the colour of the scarf around their neck. And, as a member of society, I find that type of prejudice no more acceptable than any other. In common with most cities and large towns there are where I live two major football clubs. There is an intense rivalry (which has to be distinguished from prejudice) between the supporters but they largely get on with one another. But where prejudice does exist amongst the minority, that is where violence and other unacceptable forms of behaviour arises.

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By ShirleyM
27th May 2013 13:36

Not a very good comparison

Life experience causes us to be prejudiced, after all we are “prejudiced” against putting our hand in the fire because experience has taught us that doing so burns us. 

I wouldn't call that prejudice. I would call that instinct, or learned behaviour. Putting your hand in a fire would cause pain, and possibly permanent damage.

It isn't the same as having an irrational prejudice against other people, because of their gender, race or religion. As to supporters of football clubs ... I think that isn't prejudice either ... it is merely competition as to who thinks 'their' club is the best.

Prejudice has no reason .. ie. The word prejudice refers to prejudgment: i.e. making a decision before becoming aware of the relevant facts of a case.

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By Roland195
27th May 2013 14:59

What about the AML?

It seems to me that there are distinct prejudicial undercurrent in posts regarding money laundering. Assigning a higher level of risk to an indivdual based on which country he his from/resides in would be dodgy ground for anything else.

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By John Collingwood
27th May 2013 15:06

“Prejudice has no reason”

 

I don’t agree. Let us take the example of someone whose wife/husband/daughter has been killed in a terrorist attack. Would it be illogical for them to have an inbuilt prejudice of muslims/ the IRA or whoever, or would that be classed like the hand in the fire, a learned response?

How many people do you know who have been bitten by a dog and who from then on have a (totally irrational) fear of all dogs regardless of how gentle the dogs are.

Even all these years after the IRA campaigns there is still a lot of inter faith prejudice in Northern Ireland as I’m sure any members from there can confirm.  

I’m not sure that all prejudice is in fact illogical, and I think there is a vast grey area between outright illogical prejudice and logical learned response.

I know that I have many prejudices. For example having had a bad experience with one popular brand of car I am prejudiced in that I would never under any circumstances buy that brand again.

As I said before, the only difference is that some prejudices are not socially accepted whereas others are but short of brainwashing people I don’t see how we can ever stop prejudice existing, and indeed many prejudices are a result of life experience.

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Replying to Viciuno:
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By User deleted
27th May 2013 15:48

Logic

John Collingwood wrote:

 

I don’t agree. Let us take the example of someone whose wife/husband/daughter has been killed in a terrorist attack. Would it be illogical for them to have an inbuilt prejudice of muslims/ the IRA or whoever, or would that be classed like the hand in the fire, a learned response?

That would be illogical. It is a logical, learned, response to assume that any fire is likely to burn you if you stick your hand into it (though if one wants to be silly about it, one could possibly argue that would be prejudice against fire since not all flames are hot enough to burn). To fear/dislike all Muslims as a result of one unfortunate experience of a terrorist attack would be racial/religious prejudice.

John Collingwood wrote:

How many people do you know who have been bitten by a dog and who from then on have a (totally irra tional) fear of all dogs regardless of how gentle the dogs are.

That is a form of prejudice

In other words, to tar everyone with the same brush, without reason but as a result of one isolated incident, is prejudice. A rational fear of the likely outcome in any event (putting your hand into a fire) is not prejudice.

 

 

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Replying to Viciuno:
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By Catherine123456
27th May 2013 18:52

I see what you are trying to say John!

John Collingwood wrote:

 

I don’t agree. Let us take the example of someone whose wife/husband/daughter has been killed in a terrorist attack. Would it be illogical for them to have an inbuilt prejudice of muslims/ the IRA or whoever, or would that be classed like the hand in the fire, a learned response?

How many people do you know who have been bitten by a dog and who from then on have a (totally irrational) fear of all dogs regardless of how gentle the dogs are.

Even all these years after the IRA campaigns there is still a lot of inter faith prejudice in Northern Ireland as I’m sure any members from there can confirm.  

I’m not sure that all prejudice is in fact illogical, and I think there is a vast grey area between outright illogical prejudice and logical learned response.

I know that I have many prejudices. For example having had a bad experience with one popular brand of car I am prejudiced in that I would never under any circumstances buy that brand again.

As I said before, the only difference is that some prejudices are not socially accepted whereas others are but short of brainwashing people I don’t see how we can ever stop prejudice existing, and indeed many prejudices are a result of life experience.

John, I think what you are looking for can be found in the field of evolutionary psychology. An area I find fascinating and love. It is believed that prejudice is hardwired into us and was originally a way in which the species (ie us) was given the best chance of reproducing and surviving. As these were once our only goals in life, we selected mates and tribe-members based on those with very similar characteristics to ourselves (obviously it's a lot more complicated than that). I watched a fascinating talkshow a while back where they debated the idea that we are still pretty tribal at heart and seek to protect our tribe....usually without realising what we were actually doing. The debate on Europe really highlights this.

Obviously we aren't still instinct-driven savages (although I've met a couple who aren't far off) and we can choose to override basic impulses (if we wish to). To wish to believe that we are totally accepting beings without a scrap of prejudice is admirable but a waste of time. To acknowledge our own prdjudice and not act on it is much healthier.

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Replying to dz651:
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By User deleted
27th May 2013 18:56

Not acting on it

Catherine123456 wrote:

 To acknowledge our own prejudice and not act on it is much healthier.

Absolutely. We're all biased to some degree but it's recognising that bias and not acting on it where it's inappropriate that's important. 

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Replying to Jigs:
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By User deleted
27th May 2013 23:15

Words and their meanings

Flash Gordon wrote:

Catherine123456 wrote:

 To acknowledge our own prejudice and not act on it is much healthier.

Absolutely. We're all biased to some degree but it's recognising that bias and not acting on it where it's inappropriate that's important. 

I think you've hit the nail on the head, Flash - not to mention the significant difference between bias and prejudice.

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By Democratus
29th May 2013 16:09

Prejudice isn't instinct but taught

People are not born prejudiced but are taught it by their family, neitghbours, friends, clerics, politicians and similar influencers.

Prejudice can also be unlearned. None of us are perfect but we shouldn't be afraid to raise the bar when we see issues such as this where we can make a difference. It may not be huge in the grand scale of thisngs but it the OPs ex client has a even a second thought about their totally ludicrous response then it's another step in the right direction.

Living in "Norn Irn" (That's Northern Ireland for those of you who are not fluent in Ulster speak)  has meant that the idiocy of sectarianism has been a constant part of "society", however i live in hope that this and other assenine behavior can be removed with education, and example.

 

 

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By Richard Willis
28th May 2013 12:52

Interesting question

How many people on AW would NOT object if a travellers' camp was set up next to their home?

I think we all have prejudices where we see a percieved threat.  I was brought up as a Roman Catholic and therefore went to school with a multitude of races, including a lot of Irish people. However even at the height of' 'The Troubles' I never once thought that any of them posed a threat.

I loved a story that, shortly after one of the bombings, a policeman did a 'stop and search' on an Asian youth.  The latter objected and said that it was prejudice, to which the copper said 'When grey-haired English grannies start planting bombs I will stop grey-haired English grannies; in the meantime .....'.

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By User deleted
28th May 2013 13:04

Travellers

I would object - but not as a consequence of my own prejudice, rather an indirect consequence of the prejudice of others. It is a well-established fact that house prices are adversely affected by close proximity of traveller sites. Prejudiced? No. A NIMBY? Yes :)

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By Trevor Scott
28th May 2013 13:12

It has been my job to help people with financial matters....

....not tell them how to think or live.

I once had to deal with a client who was Hindu, who said he hated Muslims though I know he had some as fiends, who would pretend that he didn’t know me if I was with a Muslim or had recently visited another particular client who was Muslim.

I once dealt with a German who was openly offensive to Eastern European Jews but entirely comfortable/friendly with Western European Jews; issues of morality, culture and education!

People who originated from the same village in India, one Muslim and one Hindu, are openly known to have intermarried years ago but each views themselves as superior to each other; though both “know” they are superior to Bangladeshis (Muslims).  

Personally, and principally because “Race” is not scientific and therefore lacks truth, I view the whole “Race” argument as one large subjective fog of hotchpotch/tin pot nonsense that is best risen above and left to the dustbin of history along with the [***] era.

 

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By User deleted
28th May 2013 14:24

Travellers' camps

I'd be a bit bothered because next to my house is a parking bay and you wouldn't get many travellers in it. Plus we've only just got shot of annoying family over the road who took over the bay for their cars without thinking about anyone else's needs.

But that aside, what would bother me the most would be the potential littering and mess - there have been enough reports and pictures (not just in the national press but in less biased local press) of land after travellers have moved on leaving behind all kinds of mess. I get really wound up by people disrespecting the environment and other peoples' property. 

 

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Replying to Red Leader:
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By financewonder
29th May 2013 16:12

Travellers don't always leave a mess

Flash Gordon wrote:

But that aside, what would bother me the most would be the potential littering and mess - there have been enough reports and pictures (not just in the national press but in less biased local press) of land after travellers have moved on leaving behind all kinds of mess. I get really wound up by people disrespecting the environment and other peoples' property. 

We often get travellers passing through our town on the way to a big annual horse fair.  They'll usually stay on the green for a few nights and the only mess they ever leave behind is horse manure :)

We've had far worse problems with noisy house-dwelling neighbours - which I think is a form of not respecting other people and not thinking of others before yourself.

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By vinaymehta1959
28th May 2013 15:20

SUPERSTITION

My friend who was also a practicing accountant moved his office and he lost a client because the new address was 94 which when the two digits are added up 9+4 = 13. The client was very superstitious about the number 13.

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By paulb
28th May 2013 15:51

I lost a client today... did the work for him Jan 13, at the time he stated he would pay next week. I have asked him time & time again for payment. On one phone call he even tells me that he's off on holiday and will pay when he gets back! Today I send him a polite text simply asking for payment. He responds with "I will pay in seven days and I will change accountant" Just the reply I wanted.....

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By Trevor Scott
28th May 2013 15:59

Don't think I've lost one for a daft reason, but....

....I have lost out to other accountants who have seriously misled to pinch clients; in one case to an accountant who was deluded enough to think he knew better than 3 accountants, 2 tax specialists as well as 2 solicitors and 4 tax barristers. Ex-client, following the new accountant's advice, subsequently went bankrupt!

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By tea lover
28th May 2013 17:07

client losses

My most recent one was where I had acted for the client for over 25 years, preparing his accounts as a taxi driver and tax return, also latterly, his tax credit renewal form. The accounts for 2012 came in and were prepared in time to put the actual figures on the tax credit renewal form. There were no queries on the accounts but I held them back as I needed his tax return information. This was provided by him  in January 2013.As he had left matters so late I ran his return and accounts, sending them to him for signature and stating that if he had any queries, let me know. There were none, but, as he felt for the first time in over 25 years that I had not had the proverbial 'sit down' with him to go through the figures, he deemed that I did not wish to act for him any more and he was changing agent!!   (Toys/pram???)

On the other side of the coin, I acted for one sole trader client where monies were very slow in coming in, he said, due to the economic climate. We prepared his VAT and had access to his bank statments, which showed a small overdraft position. However, I stuck with him as he assured me he was making every effort to pay.I then opened our local paper to find a rather large photo of him together with an  article  describing how upset he was that he had been turned down for membership of a local Golf club, stating that he was already a member of two so why would they not allow him to join this one!!!! He was really glum when I told him that I no longer wished to act for him!!

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