roger_LS, post: 452517, member: 11550 wrote: It is really none of our business to tell someone that they should or shouldn't have a survey done.
Unless they ask.
N
When a potential client inquires about a survey it starts a dialogue. If your input consists of convincing them they need your services you will likely (and most probably correctly) be judged a used car salesman. If on the other hand you provide them the information required to make a sound decision you will likaly (and again most probably correctly) be judged a courteous professional.
Solid Professionals provide information. We give clients and prospective clients an idea of what to expect regarding process and cost. When we cant know something we tell them that as well. That's a good part of what separates us from un-skilled labor.
NC Hansen, post: 452509, member: 13086 wrote: 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...
I've had people compliment the detailed explanation and I've also had people tell me it was too technical and confusing. Different strokes for different folks.
I will generally refer folks to the Land Court Manual of Instructions and MA General Laws 250 CMR so that they can review, at their leisure, the obligations that we have in MA.
Occasionally I will remind them that they called me, I didn't go looking for the work!
On one occasion I did use the words, "No, I am not going to justify my price with hours and rates. This is what the project is worth to me, to do for you." That was a $32K project that we just recently completed.
Dtp
Nate The Surveyor, post: 452377, member: 291 wrote: 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______.
On one of the old Perry Mason episodes there was the following exchange between Paul Drake (Perry's private investigator) and a tightwad client:
Paul Drake: "I can take care of that for you."
Client: "How would you go about it?"
Paul Drake: "That will cost you $200." (1958 dollars, maybe like $2k today)
Client: "That's a lot of money."
Paul Drake: "It is."
Client: "You see my circumstances are such that...."
Paul Drake: "$200."
Client: "But..."
Paul Drake: "$200"
Client: "OK"
Hack, post: 452555, member: 708 wrote: I've had people compliment the detailed explanation and I've also had people tell me it was too technical and confusing. Different strokes for different folks.
I once had a client who hired me, at least partially because they liked how I documented and explained an unusual circumstance in the narrative of a map I had previously filed and for the fact that I took the time to explain how we would do the work and what kinds of evidence I would look for. Once I completed the work and it wasn't the answer they wanted, the wife accused me of having been paid off by the rich neighbor.
Some change their strokes depending on the outcome.
Just A. Surveyor, post: 452496, member: 12855 wrote: 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.
A very significant portion of the cost of medical services is to cover the doctors' costs of having staff that exist for the sole purpose of dealing with insurance companies. Insurance companies make money by collecting premiums. They increase profits by minimizing what they pay out in claims. Their default position is "claim denied", so if the doctor's office fails to provide all of the info asked for, they don't get paid by insurance. If they forget to check a box on the claim form, they don't get paid. If they miss anything on any of the plethora of forms they may need to file for a single claim, they don't get paid. And each insurance company has their own set of forms and procedures that must be followed in order to get paid.
I'm convinced that if it weren't for the run around insurance companies create to make it difficult to have a claim approved, medical costs would be about half of what they are now. Insurance stuff related to medical stuff the real racket.
foggyidea, post: 452574, member: 155 wrote: On one occasion I did use the words, "No, I am not going to justify my price with hours and rates. This is what the project is worth to me, to do for you." That was a $32K project that we just recently completed.
Good.
eapls2708, post: 452630, member: 589 wrote: Once I completed the work and it wasn't the answer they wanted, the wife accused me of having been paid off by the rich neighbor.
That was a first for me this week, but it was the neighbor accusing me of being paid off to "move the lot line". Very frustrating, because, stupid me, I tried to reason with crazy.
Mark Mayer, post: 452575, member: 424 wrote:
Paul Drake: "$200."Client: "But..."
Paul Drake: "$200"
Client: "OK"
My first LS boss would raise the contract price when a client stated disappointment with the cost. I remember one particular exchange went on for much longer than it should have ("ok, $1200... Alright, ok, $1300... You're killing, me, $1500, but that's it, not a dollar more!") One of my fondest memories of that job, still makes me laugh.
The life of the residential boundary surveyor, somebody is bound to hate you. Try to figure out before taking the project if the client and neighbor hate each other, if so, stay out of it, learned that the hard way a few times. One time the neighbor was a nice guy but there was no way he was going to cooperate willingly because my client was the problem, a real piece of work.
