Do I have a legal or ethical obligation to provide service to a client I had in the past?
Long story short is that I was hired 4 years ago to conduct a residential lot survey by this particular home owner when she was buying the property. The project became the project from he!! - There was no survey problems with the project, however this client was the most demanding client I have ever dealt with. She was so demanding that there was 10 times the average amount of time spend on this project, consisting of phones calls, meetings, e-mails, specific appointments on site, conferances with attorneys, title companies, etc, etc. I mostly had 35 phome calls and messages from her over the course of the project (one week), then at least 20 phone calls from her since the project was completed
She now wants me to survey some easement areas for the same property and to create descriptions and exhibits.
I really do not desire to do any work for her, regardless of the fee. How do I bow out of this?
Put your wife in charge of this project.
Let her deal with that client.
I believe you are too busy to get to her project in a timely manner, arent you? Or alternatively you could offer her a price that would be worth the trouble.
Quote her a price that makes up for past and possible future agrivation.
> Do I have a legal or ethical obligation to provide service to a client I had in the past?
>
> Long story short is that I was hired 4 years ago to conduct a residential lot survey by this particular home owner when she was buying the property. The project became the project from he!! - There was no survey problems with the project, however this client was the most demanding client I have ever dealt with. She was so demanding that there was 10 times the average amount of time spend on this project, consisting of phones calls, meetings, e-mails, specific appointments on site, conferances with attorneys, title companies, etc, etc. I mostly had 35 phome calls and messages from her over the course of the project (one week), then at least 20 phone calls from her since the project was completed
>
> She now wants me to survey some easement areas for the same property and to create descriptions and exhibits.
>
> I really do not desire to do any work for her, regardless of the fee. How do I bow out of this?
No you have no obligation, unless that work was a part of your original contract. Just tell her that you are unavailable to do the work. Maybe pass her on to a place that has more staff to handle the "extras". That would be up to you, ultimately, to decide what you want to do. From the sound of it, you may not want to pass her on to a friend 🙂 Good luck.
Just tell her that due to the excessive phone calls and meetings from the previous survey, you just don't feel that you will be able to make any money from working for her.
I was told one time to never say "No." to a client.
Let them be the one to say "No."
If it's a $4000 job, bid it at $20,000.
Two word answer: LARGE RETAINER ?
Cheers
Derek
PS~ Depending on your makeup, you need these PITA types to show how really good the rest of your clients are.
As several here have indicated, your original experience indicated that you undercharged the client the first time around, not realizing how much extra effort would be involved.
This time, make all the extra work worth your while...if she balks, at least you know you haven't lost any more time or money.
And, BTW, there's nothing wrong with explaining it to her in just that way.
Go for the big bucks or stay on the porch. It's your choice.
Be careful about quoting a seemingly exorbitant price. I used to write & sell software world-wide, and the Saudi Arabian Military Academy (their West Point) wanted me to convert my MS-DOS software to run on their UNIX computers. I didn't want to do it, so I quoted a price three times what I figured it would take to do the job.
Three months later, they sent me a Purchase Order. I wound up doing the job; made a lot of money, but it sure was a pain to do it.
no you don't have an obligation to do the job.
but, if you do the job, explain nicely that it will be on an hourly basis and make it a high hourly basis w/ the same price for all items regardless of if you're in the field or on the phone and keep good track of times for itemized billing purposes.
also, give a very high end not to exceed price...as in what you guesstimate what it will cost times five.
this is what i love about being the boss. my service, my fee, my rules. don't like it, hit the bricks.
you have no obligation to her.
NO
I wouldn't feel that I had an obligation, however, she'll probably have a problem finding another surveyor who'll work from your survey (I wouldn't work from anothers work).
I'd qoute her what I think the project will cost and quote all the extras in the contract. Phone calls, meetings, etc. with a per hour cost with no estimate.
3 words - Well Defined Scope
I've been in this situation a number of times. I tend to take the time to explain - one more time - that they retained me to do XYZ. And to do XYZ takes 123 amount of your time, for which you get compensated. The compensation is based on your professional opinion, your associated liability, and the value to them.
Then provide a reasonably increased fee structure, or lump sum, to make up for past issues, and I tell them that. If they balk, I provide them the phone number of Stakes 'R Us Surveying and just move on. But I would never say no, just price yourself out and in a professional manner.
At least you're getting the opportunity to recoup some of that seeming lost income.
good luck
Obligation? No.
Also, let me respectfully disagree with those advising to quote really high as a way of discouraging her.
Some clients you are better off without at any price.
Unless you and your company are dying for work (even then I'd think long and hard) I would politely and respectfully tell her that you can not be who she needs for this project. But, as a favor given your past history, you are willing to refer her to someone else who might be able to help her. Then give her the names and phone numbers of two or three other folks who might not worry so much about what a pain in the backside she is sure to be.
Have seen a very similar project in the area where I live. After I found out every surveyor who had done anything in the neighborhood had been reported to the licensing board, I decided I was unavailable to do the work. (I am not worried about the quality of my work withstanding scrutiny. I am concerned with the time and aggravation associated with having to explain that I did nothing wrong.)
Larry P
I agree with the hourly fee concept, but I wouldn't even give a guess of an estimate.
I'd tell her that the actual cost would depend on the time taken for the job plus all phone calls, meetings, e-mails, conferences, letters, etc., just like her attorney bills her.
I agree with Larry. But I think Frank had a good idea if you want to do the work. You are under no obligation to her outside of the prior contract.
Be professional, Be courteous and always remember...you can't lose work on a job you never got!
Good luck.
Discussing a problem client last week with a local PE we work with. He reminded me that some people don't realize that "No!" is a complete sentence.
It puts dealing with difficult people in perspective.
Rick
