I have just lost a client, which I'm not too unhappy about to be honest. I'm just annoyed at the amount of hassle I've put up with in order to try and build a professional relationship, but to no avail.
Basically, it was a new start. His first VAT return was a sizeable refund due to a lot of machinery being purchased. HMRC asked for evidence that the VAT was due, fair enough, and I provided the information. My (ex) client decided not to take my word for the delay in payment and telephoned the VAT dept, only to get a generic call centre worker who knew nothing about the case, told him that he couldn't see anything on record, so he promptly telephoned me with a barrage of complaints about how I hadn't bothered to send the info, how he needed the money, this could put him under (complete bull, he is loaded). Anyway, once I got a word in, I explained how it worked, then then checked with the correct person and found I had done my job. Then he got it into his head that a neighbour reported him to the VAT team, hence the reason for the checks. Nothing I could say convince him that these checks happen to everyone in his situation, no, the neighbour was just jealous.
Other things happened as well that made me question this guy's grip with reality, plus he was the sort that with a very confrontational attitude and liked a bit of a row, having told me many stories of things that happened to him (of course none of it was his fault), so I am kind of glad he's gone.
Thing is he just requested his stuff, no explanation, no questions, just was very abrupt. I have not had any disagreements, no quibbles, no missed deadlines, so it was all a bit weird. I didn't bother to even ask why due to aforementioned character traits. I know it is for the best but it is a bit annoying, god only know what he imagines has happened.
I got a new one who said he just happened to be passing and happened to have a photocopy of his passport with him. The photo didn't particularly look like him but I let that pass until I found out that he wasn't a participant in the company he said he had formed. He expressed surprise but no reason for this. His dad and brother were shareholders so there may have been a reasonable explanation. He wasn't very forthcoming about his home address and his previous bookkeeper left the country without a bye your leave.
Curioser and curioser. I would have liked to get to the bottom of all that and may have done so but I think he wanted someone full time for his other interests, so we parted ways before we got started.
There are some strange people out there. This isn't relevant to our profession, but it gave me a real laugh, so I thought I'd post.
I have just been talking to a beautician client who had a visit from a lady looking for a massage. Thing is, she just had a boob job, so it was the boobs that needed worked on. Apparently, she had been advised by her doctor that it was good for her new boobs to have them massaged, and wanted to know if my client would provide the service. My client, caught on the hop, stammered that she really couldn't unless she had a doctor's letter to prove that it was medically necessary, hoping that she would never see her again. The lady landed back with a bloody letter - even worse, the girl's boyfriend gave the impression that he was going to go in with her to watch! She made an excuse that she was fully booked, but she reckons the girl and her man will be back.
Hearing that made me feel a bit better.
-- Edited by mushroom on Tuesday 20th of December 2011 04:01:46 PM
Well, if your freind doesn't want to do the massage let me know if there is anything that I can do to help!!!
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
There are some people who recognise that working with a professional is a relationship, and there are some people who have their own agendas. I've come across the kind you mention Julie. The relationships never last long because either (a) you can never provide the exact service they require, which sometimes involves, ahem, bending the rules to breaking point, or (b) you lose patience, along with a few sleepless nights, and get rid.
I've had a similar experience where I got a new client who contacted me himself - had a large business with relatively good turnover - would have been my highest paid client
However, when I started to go through his data and prior records prepared by the previous book-keeper, I asked to speak to the previous book-keeper, after a few requests I got given an email address and told that I can only contact via email and not telephone. Anyway, after I sent 2 emails asking details of specific transactions - the same evening I got a call at 8pm asking to terminate the engagement and he wanted all his data back that same evening. I thought that was rather strange - but was glad that he left before that relationship grew, seemed like a very strange character.
