The second situation actually concerned a colleague rather than a client. This made is worse as it was much harder to avoid future contact with the guy concerned.
My employers were based at several sites all locally based and, to enable the smooth passing of information, they employed their own postman to deliver internal documents between sites.
One day, along with the usual paperwork, he also bought a picture of one of the receptionist's wedding day. The picture was from the 1970's, this was in the early noughties and fashion had obviously changed.
My colleagues were commenting on the receptionist's seventies clothes when I decided to but in, "Never mind her, look at the bloke in the top left corner". I then proceeded to mock his kipper tie, his flared trousers, the massive collars on his shirt before critiquing (quite unfavourably) his 70's hair cut.
Usually this kind of banter was well received but on this occasion it was met with complete silence. Needless to say, the 30 years had changed the appearance of the postman to such an extent I hadn't recognised him at all.
I have a couple of experiences from my earlier days in practice. Now I work as a sole practitioner. Perhaps this is why:
The first involved a new client who had bought their paperwork in and I was going through it with him. For some reason, part of the papers related to an insurance claim for a road traffic accident in his business van which the client was clearly still shaken by.
I tried to make light of the situation by remarking (on the other driver's details within the paperwork) "I'm not surprised he ran into you van, just look at his handwriting. What does he write with, a (add expletive here) hammer?"
There was a long silence before the client revealed that the other driver fainted at the wheel so wasn't able to write their details down at the scene of the accident and that it was in fact the client's own handwriting I had been commenting about!
I don't know what was worse. The long and protected silence that followed, the fact that the ground refused to swallow me up or the fact that I worked in an open plan office and had said this in full view of several of my colleagues.
Needless to say, I didn't get to deal with that client again.
Another no from me. In response to Ray's post, I already knew my clients thank you very much. I don't know them any better for having filled in an "annual review form" each year, carried out a firm wide risk assessment each year, then having to complete an annual compliance review on myself, then completed an online AML annual firm review each year, then made sure all staff having received adequate AML training each year, then ..........
After all of the above, any sign of non-compliance is rewarded with a hefty fine. You can see why most hate it.
Yes, there is a need for regulation but this is all too much.
Behind the difficulties of having to deal with HMRC's woeful systems, AML is surely the second worst part of the job these days.
It is an almighty task but it pays for itself later. Clients are billed monthly. Cash flow is improved, bad debts reduced and billing queries are answered by "this is what our contract states". It has proved difficult this year but I am pleased we are reaping the benefits and will continue to do so.
The most challenging aspect is how to deal with changes due to new services being added / removed. However, as an overall concept, I like the fact that our price is clear and agreed by both parties before work commences.
Perhaps this works better for small, well established practices where not much changes. I think the last new client I took on was in January. I no longer have a website and the focus is very much on client retention rather than growth. I accept this may be a long way from what other company's aspire to.
Yes. After years of keeping prices the same, this year's high inflation meant that I couldn't put this off any longer. I have re-issued every client with a new engagement letter with (a) the new price (a 10% increase from last year's fee) and (b) a new clause stating that fees will now continue to rise with inflation each year. The engagement letters were emailed to clients with an email stating that I am sorry to be increasing fees but times are hard etc. This is the truth, I didn't really want to increase fees but I also didn't want to be working for a pittance.
The response has been great. Not a single client has kicked back and some even went as far as to say that they had been expecting me to put me fees up earlier than I did. I'm not sure how they will feel after several years of increases but, if these are no more than inflation, I don't see why anyone would be offended.
Needless to say (a) my fees won't rise above inflation as I resent it when my software suppliers inflict similar increases on me each year and (b) all new client's engagement letters will automatically contain the inflationary increase clauses from now on.
I had to get up in the morning at ten o'clock at night half an hour before I went to bed, drink a cup of sulphuric acid, work twenty-nine hours a day down mill, and pay mill owner for permission to come to work, and when we got home, our Dad and our mother would kill us and dance about on our graves singing Hallelujah.
And you try and tell the young people of today that ..... they won't believe you.
My answers
The second situation actually concerned a colleague rather than a client. This made is worse as it was much harder to avoid future contact with the guy concerned.
My employers were based at several sites all locally based and, to enable the smooth passing of information, they employed their own postman to deliver internal documents between sites.
One day, along with the usual paperwork, he also bought a picture of one of the receptionist's wedding day. The picture was from the 1970's, this was in the early noughties and fashion had obviously changed.
My colleagues were commenting on the receptionist's seventies clothes when I decided to but in, "Never mind her, look at the bloke in the top left corner". I then proceeded to mock his kipper tie, his flared trousers, the massive collars on his shirt before critiquing (quite unfavourably) his 70's hair cut.
Usually this kind of banter was well received but on this occasion it was met with complete silence. Needless to say, the 30 years had changed the appearance of the postman to such an extent I hadn't recognised him at all.
Ouch!
I have a couple of experiences from my earlier days in practice. Now I work as a sole practitioner. Perhaps this is why:
The first involved a new client who had bought their paperwork in and I was going through it with him. For some reason, part of the papers related to an insurance claim for a road traffic accident in his business van which the client was clearly still shaken by.
I tried to make light of the situation by remarking (on the other driver's details within the paperwork) "I'm not surprised he ran into you van, just look at his handwriting. What does he write with, a (add expletive here) hammer?"
There was a long silence before the client revealed that the other driver fainted at the wheel so wasn't able to write their details down at the scene of the accident and that it was in fact the client's own handwriting I had been commenting about!
I don't know what was worse. The long and protected silence that followed, the fact that the ground refused to swallow me up or the fact that I worked in an open plan office and had said this in full view of several of my colleagues.
Needless to say, I didn't get to deal with that client again.
Another no from me. In response to Ray's post, I already knew my clients thank you very much. I don't know them any better for having filled in an "annual review form" each year, carried out a firm wide risk assessment each year, then having to complete an annual compliance review on myself, then completed an online AML annual firm review each year, then made sure all staff having received adequate AML training each year, then ..........
After all of the above, any sign of non-compliance is rewarded with a hefty fine. You can see why most hate it.
Yes, there is a need for regulation but this is all too much.
Behind the difficulties of having to deal with HMRC's woeful systems, AML is surely the second worst part of the job these days.
It is an almighty task but it pays for itself later. Clients are billed monthly. Cash flow is improved, bad debts reduced and billing queries are answered by "this is what our contract states". It has proved difficult this year but I am pleased we are reaping the benefits and will continue to do so.
The most challenging aspect is how to deal with changes due to new services being added / removed. However, as an overall concept, I like the fact that our price is clear and agreed by both parties before work commences.
Perhaps this works better for small, well established practices where not much changes. I think the last new client I took on was in January. I no longer have a website and the focus is very much on client retention rather than growth. I accept this may be a long way from what other company's aspire to.
Yes. After years of keeping prices the same, this year's high inflation meant that I couldn't put this off any longer. I have re-issued every client with a new engagement letter with (a) the new price (a 10% increase from last year's fee) and (b) a new clause stating that fees will now continue to rise with inflation each year. The engagement letters were emailed to clients with an email stating that I am sorry to be increasing fees but times are hard etc. This is the truth, I didn't really want to increase fees but I also didn't want to be working for a pittance.
The response has been great. Not a single client has kicked back and some even went as far as to say that they had been expecting me to put me fees up earlier than I did. I'm not sure how they will feel after several years of increases but, if these are no more than inflation, I don't see why anyone would be offended.
Needless to say (a) my fees won't rise above inflation as I resent it when my software suppliers inflict similar increases on me each year and (b) all new client's engagement letters will automatically contain the inflationary increase clauses from now on.
You were lucky!
I had to get up in the morning at ten o'clock at night half an hour before I went to bed, drink a cup of sulphuric acid, work twenty-nine hours a day down mill, and pay mill owner for permission to come to work, and when we got home, our Dad and our mother would kill us and dance about on our graves singing Hallelujah.
And you try and tell the young people of today that ..... they won't believe you.