There is a hundred plus acre boundary I did a year and a half ago. The Site is currently under construction and many many improvements are being built. Today, I get an email asking to update the survey with the title doc's. This is how it goes from there.
Client - Can you give me an ETA for this revised survey?
Me - It will take me 4 to 6 weeks
Client - Unfortunately, we donÛªt have 4 to 6 weeks. We really need this done by the end of next of week (August 26)
Me - That's impossible.
My head hurts.
People in the know are aware of when they need things completed, they have a calendar that lays out their project.
Why they wait too long to contact a surveyor is their problem, not mine.
You're doing what you can do, no headaches bro. Clients don't have any reason to be disappointed if you're honest with them. If you can't get to it....you can't get to it.
Of course you can always tell them you might be able to "drop everything" and hop on it....but the fees will total $175,000.00, with a 50% retainer payable prior to commencement.
How many times have most of us (even lower level grunts like me) been aware of unrealistic deadlines being set by clients? No allowances made on many jobs for foul weather (you want me to work through that tornado? Really!?!) or even "typical" and regular snafus that pop up on many jobs.
I've been aware of that happening for years, across industries. Many times there is a total lack of understanding of what is required. Clients all too often convinced that something takes 3 days when, in reality, it takes 5 without screw ups.
My old mentor was fond of saying under such circumstances as you describe, 'One's failure to adequately plan ahead, does not constitute an emergency on my part'.
Client's that make my head hurt get billed accordingly.
Good luck.
10 years ago I had a "client" berate me for delaying his plan a few days so that I could attend my father's funeral.
He said I should have cleared it with him first.
When the plan was completed the following week, he didn't do anything with it for over a month...
What a coincidence, just had this conversation.
Hey Jim it's [redacted] calling back about the ALTA survey for the expensive hotel. I know you said it would take you six weeks to deliver a draft, but we're really pressed for time on the due diligence period. Theoretically, if price were no object, could you have a draft on September 9th?
Me: If price was no object, almost anything is possible.
Owner of property: What would happen if we paid you 150% of your original fee
Me: What would happen is that you'd have a draft on September 9th
Now who want's to make some overtime 🙂
Gromaticus, post: 386453, member: 597 wrote: 10 years ago I had a "client" berate me for delaying his plan a few days so that I could attend my father's funeral.
He said I should have cleared it with him first.
When the plan was completed the following week, he didn't do anything with it for over a month...
I would've paid your bail if you had slugged him, that's sorry.
James Fleming, post: 386455, member: 136 wrote: What a coincidence, just had this conversation.
Hey Jim it's [redacted] calling back about the ALTA survey for the expensive hotel. I know you said it would take you six weeks to deliver a draft, but we're really pressed for time on the due diligence period. Theoretically, if price were no object, could you have a draft on September 9th?
Me: If price was no object, almost anything is possible.
Owner of property: What would happen if we paid you 150% of your original fee
Me: What would happen is that you'd have a draft on September 9th
Now who want's to make some overtime 🙂
James I still think it's impossible to do. Item 11 is checked, I wait on locators more than two weeks all the time.
Adam, post: 386460, member: 8900 wrote: James I still think it's impossible to do. Item 11 is checked, I wait on locators more than two weeks all the time.
You might ask them if they really want Item 11. Most attorneys haven't adjusted to old 11a now being standard and 11b now being 11. I explained it to one last week and he decided he didn't need 11.
Gromaticus, post: 386453, member: 597 wrote: 10 years ago I had a "client" berate me for delaying his plan a few days so that I could attend my father's funeral.
He said I should have cleared it with him first.
When the plan was completed the following week, he didn't do anything with it for over a month...
I probably would have considered that grounds to fire the client, regardless of the job.
I had a client intentionally delay paying me because I had to put him off a few days while hanging out at the hospital between my father's massive heart attack and his death. That stupid fellow had the guts to call me a couple of years later and attempt to beg me to do another project for him. He seemed to be offended when I told him he didn't have enough money in all of his bank accounts combined to get me interested in doing anything to help him.
Holy Cow, post: 386531, member: 50 wrote: ...he didn't have enough money in all of his bank accounts combined to get me interested in doing anything to help him.
I've had a few clients over the years that always wanted to throw money at me when I declined their work. It's pretty laughable to keep telling someone 'no' and they act like they don't hear you. I told one small-time strip mall developer that I liked him as a person. And if I did one more job with him, that would probably change drastically.
When he questioned me about "who else" I knew that could get his surveying done, I told him I didn't have any enemies I disliked that much.
Poor fella didn't know what to say.
