Professionalism and clients

I am so glad I don't deal with the general public. 🙂

One of the best things that ever happened to me, was a meeting in Hot Springs, with some fellow professionals, and I learned to say these words: "If I do this job, here is how long I expect it to take_____. And here is how much it's going to cost______.
It was long ago, and it was a turning point in my profession.
Taking charge of my liability.
Nate

I feel the same way. I thought maybe I was getting lazy in my approach to potential clients. Sometimes a little explanation about the cost of a survey helps ease a client's mind. And I'm ok with that, but convincing someone that they need a survey, particularly my survey... It's just not something I care to pursue. They called me, after all.

Also Nate, that is so simple that its importance can almost be lost. Even if the client doesn't specifically ask for time or cost estimate, I still give it whenever possible. I don't want anyone to be surprised at invoice time. Plus it keeps me accountable on time frame. It won't sit on my desk for months because I don't really want to do it.

Some clients might just want to not get ripped off. They don't know what we do, and their realtor is telling them they should get a survey and it should only cost a couple hundred dollars. I agree that we shouldn't be trying sales pitches on them, but possibly a little educating is in order.

Time, cost, and detailed scope are pretty important to have on a proposal. Also, have found that stating a few items that aren't included is a good idea.

There are some types of clients -and people who are buying small rural acreages for cash would be prototypical - that are always going to be laser focused on the bottom line. They have, and have no way of getting in advance, an appreciation for the value of a high quality job. To them survey is a commodity, the same no matter who supplies it and what the price is. They just need your stamp and signature on a document. If you business model relies of clients of this sort you can expect to always be working for rock bottom dollar.

There are other types -rural electrification districts for example, commercial construction companies for another - for whom the survey is but a small part of their cost, and who appreciate the value added by a quality job and better service. If you want to make a little money in this business you need as many of these clients as you can get. You can then do the little homeowner jobs to fill in time between the money makers if you want to.

Great post Paden.

I have no problem educating someone (whether a prospective client or someone in another work group) who is actually interested in learning some of the why and how. But once it becomes apparent that the other party isn't really interested, then education and explanation begins to feel like a sales pitch. Selling an extended warranty is a perfect analogy.

Being an educator gives a sense of reward, even if it's just a five minute crash course for an appreciative landowner. Sales provides me with no such reward as it always feels like trying to convince someone to buy something they don't feel that they need, and even if successful at getting them to sign the contract, the need to continually convince them often goes on until the work is all done and the final invoice paid. I've never been good at sales and have no desire to be.

The only thing I would point out is that the doctors office bills your insurance company a gazillion dollars and settle for a bit less and you have to pick up the amount that insurance doesn't cover. There is incredible markup in medical expenses because they know that insurance will still cover a huge fee. Medical stuff is a damnedable racket.

Surveyors don't have insurance to cover the costs of a survey and it is a direct hit to the clients wallet and most of those clients don't care.

I never pay more than the deductible unless I have ask for something extra.

Good post Paden. Understanding your client's perspective is essential to developing a satisfied client-base.

Tom Adams, post: 452386, member: 7285 wrote: They don't know what we do, and their realtor is telling them they should get a survey and it should only cost a couple hundred dollars.

We don't do residential mortgage surveys/as-builts but I've always thought (but never actually taken action) that it would be good to have an educational presentation for the local realtors association (I assume they have one).

A person would need to know what realtors learn about boundaries and land rights in the course of getting licensed and I'd build on that. I'd want them to know what goes into determining who has what rights on a property and where those rights are on the ground. I'd want them to understand the costs and heartache associated with discovering an encroachment. I'd want to let them know that the smaller the lot, the more precise the survey needs to be.

My hope is that those who are representing a buyer and have a conscience wouldn't want their client to purchase a property without an appropriate survey showing them where defensible property/easement boundaries are relative to the improvements.

In a perfect world, the realtor for the purchaser would be our biggest ally.

Has anybody here done this?
Do realtors have seminars/conferences/meetings where speakers from related fields present?

I find that once I explain the non field related work that goes into a reliable boundary survey, the clients worth having get it.

I was reviewing the result of a recent survey of a lot originally platted in 1815 with a client. As soon as I showed the client my working drawing and all the considerations involved all he had to say was "thank god for people like you, I could never put all this together". Some clients do appreciate what we do, even if the results aren't what they'd hoped for, particularly if we can clearly explain why what is, is.

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Paul D, post: 452504, member: 323 wrote: I find that once I explain the non field related work that goes into a reliable boundary survey, the clients worth having get it.

I agree with you, Paul. If potential Clients are serious about having a survey conducted, they understand the value of the service we provide & understand that we don't just "gps it in". Without the benefit of a conversation/verbal explanation, I feel that the proposal has the potential to sell itself. I've seen proposals from other firms which basically look like a parts list ("boundary survey $1500"). How is the average land owner suppose to know the amount of work that goes into a survey, let alone what they can expect to receive in return? Clients have told me that they hired me based on the level of detail in my proposals, even if my cost was not the lowest bid.

Then there are the folks who just want the lowest bid...

From Down Under I concur with your comments Paden, a great post.
Your analogy to the 'selling extended warranty' is how it can often feel often.

Like the doctor, we know enough to fully understand the consequences of what can happen when one blithely pushes on at any cost and not consider advice given.

Penny wise and pound foolish

I've found that there is no use in trying to convince people that they need a survey. Not many people just get surveys out of curiosity, they are too expensive. All you can bring up is the fact that they are taking risks by not having having a survey. Depending upon what they're doing, that risk may make sense, but it is not our job to perform their risk/reward calculations. If they engage, you can bring up potential problems that could occur based on your experience, but it's for them to weigh everything. It is really none of our business to tell someone that they should or shouldn't have a survey done.