message from 5;30 Thursday night..
Hello, Mr. "name of previous owner from 6+ years ago" You did a survey for me and I have a piece of land in town that I need surveyed by MONDAY for a closing. It's a commercial tract in an industrial park. Can you do a "quicky" survey for me? I'd pay whatever "additional" fees might be involved. Please call me.
Believe me, if there was any way I could do this, I would. But I am booked with projects people have actually had the sense to order in a normal manner.
And the fact he considers a fee to be "additional" was a serious red flag. Did he order lifetime perpetual surveying services from the previous owner?? I doubt it. And knowing what his fees were back in the day, this guy probably thinks this is a survey that costs $250.
So I called him back this morning, he offered to pay "double" even though I never gave him a fee.. asked if I could possibly work it over the weekend.. Yeah, already booked Saturday and Sunday to be honest. I gave him the number and name of a good surveyor that does a lot of work in that area. I hope they can help him. I said if the bank delays the closing, to call me back and we can talk.
I really don't get too many of these, so I wanted to get in on the discussion.
did i handle that right?
Andy
> message from 5;30 Thursday night..
>
> Hello, Mr. "name of previous owner from 6+ years ago" You did a survey for me and I have a piece of land in town that I need surveyed by MONDAY for a closing. It's a commercial tract in an industrial park. Can you do a "quicky" survey for me? I'd pay whatever "additional" fees might be involved. Please call me.
>
>
>
> Believe me, if there was any way I could do this, I would. But I am booked with projects people have actually had the sense to order in a normal manner.
>
>
> And the fact he considers a fee to be "additional" was a serious red flag. Did he order lifetime perpetual surveying services from the previous owner?? I doubt it. And knowing what his fees were back in the day, this guy probably thinks this is a survey that costs $250.
>
> So I called him back this morning, he offered to pay "double" even though I never gave him a fee.. asked if I could possibly work it over the weekend.. Yeah, already booked Saturday and Sunday to be honest. I gave him the number and name of a good surveyor that does a lot of work in that area. I hope they can help him. I said if the bank delays the closing, to call me back and we can talk.
>
> I really don't get too many of these, so I wanted to get in on the discussion.
>
> did i handle that right?
>
> Andy
I believe so.
Also anyone who offers "Double", get it all up front or you are likely to never collect.
SJ
Oh, yeah, this would be a credit card charge project for sure!!!
Tell him double puts you on the fence but triple puts you squarely on his team.
"commercial tract in an industrial park" ...... The sky is the limit, no such thing a double whatever I want to charge.
I would make room for him, but he would get BURNED and he would know it too.
I would, but just not enough hours between now and then. My gut says he has already burned through other surveyors. And yes, he would have to pay upfront in full to even start.
Andy,
I believe you handled it very well. If there aren't enough hours to do the project right before a deadline, there's not much you can do.
Rome wasn't built in a day. If you have other customers that can't be put off, then you just can't do it.
Besides, working to many weekends is not good for the soul.