I'm just stunned how many business owners can be so difficult to deal with! It seems they set up a business with pound signs in their eyes but don't want the actual responsibilty of owning a business.
Like today, I rang a new payroll client to see if they had received their new PAYE reference numbers yet. He said any letter with HMRC on it he throws in the bin!
I also have a payroll client that just doesn't read letters or open them. He hasn't got time for that apparently.
Then we have clients kicking up a stink if we don't put through a receipt for a non business item (won't say what it is but you would be equally as stunned as me) which they could claim a few hundred pounds of VAT on. Surely their barn conversion house, home stables, cars, holidays etc etc is enough without them having to squeeze every last drop from their accounts.
Then theres the ones that just don't pay any bills at all so any sort of tax gets brushed under the carpet.
Then theres the one moaning about how bad their business is doing but won't stop taking £80'000 in wages each year.
Does anyone else have this problem? It seems to be the majority of clients with the odd few that are organised and pay their way.
Luckily, these clients can be in the minority, and they (in the main) can be trained. Getting a new client can be a bit like having a new dog, they will instinctively piss in the corner because it's easiest for them (the dog, not the client). You need to mould them into your way of working.
I am particularly forceful with most new clients. Both in timescales and how paperwork needs to be presented. Occasionally some need a wee reminder every now and again. If you allow the, to suit themselves they will, you need to make it both the norm and easy to do things your way. If they don't tow the line, you sometimes need to get shot of them or they will ruin your happiness.
I'm finding the few clients I have as I have only just stared all seem to be hard work.
I too have a client who moans they are not making any money and they are in overdraft. Funny that because they keep going on holiday, have a lovely house and a nice Mercedes on the drive!
Another client I have just acquired is a relatively new business(sole trader - electrician). He has no idea how to keep his books etc. He started to prepare for starting his own business by buying bits of tools and building them up. Didn't think to keep the receipts when he bought them so he has had to go back to the stores he bought them from to get a rough value for them. He has also been buying drill bits on the internet and paying through paypal but again no receipt. Not sure if he can get any evidence through his paypal account!
Hard work they are but I am going to persevere for now in the hope that I can educate my sole trader electrician. He's already made on change on my advice that he uses a business bank account and keeps everything separate from his personal stuff. He has been told to keep all his receipts. Lets see if he takes any notice.
My latest client that I acquired just a few days ago through PPH has also admitted that he has no idea how to do his books and asked me to start from scratch for him so that everything is straight. He only started trading in January/February so his first set of books should be relatively easy. He has sent me all his paperwork and so far, so good.
Hope I haven't spoke to soon.
"I too have a client who moans they are not making any money and they are in overdraft. Funny that because they keep going on holiday, have a lovely house and a nice Mercedes on the drive!"
How many of us don't have at least one client like that?
Well, me, actually... I did have, but I recently told them to find someone else.
I expect I'll be asked to change my mind, but some clients just aren't worth the fee - especially when getting that fee out of them is an uphill struggle. (On top of it being an utter, utter mess!)
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Vince M Hudd - Soft Rock Software
(I only came here looking for fellow apiarists...)
most of mine are good thank god, about 2 clients out of 30 need a little more work as I get handed a bag of receipts,,,,, but then my fee includes the time spent doing that,,,,, so I don't mind! - one client I have had to have a firm chat with to keep better records,,,,so all in all good clients in the majority,,,,a few clients that I felt would be hassle I have decided not to take on the work at all,,,,I don't want the hassle!
I have one like that, the others seem to mostly listen. On the other hand I have a new one and I have trained him to highlight the date on each of his receipts! It's my pet hate looking for dates and it was a really nice surprise when he turned up with a neat pile, all in date order with all the dates highlighted.
Completely off topic but on the highlighting thing, a few years back now (back in the days of fax machines!), I had a client who wanted to emphasise the important parts of a document that they were sending me so they highlighted the critical paragraphs and faxed the document over... Had the effect of basically censoring out all of the important parts of the document!
As for difficulties with clients I think that one of the major issues that I've had with mine in the past is them giving me bank statements with transactions that they cannot identify expecting me to be able to tell them what the transaction was... Actually, in some cases I've been able to but its just the perception that they have that we come complete with a crystal ball.
Linked slightly to the above is also the receipts that I get that have absolutely no details of the asset purchased or, in one case, a completely different asset to the one that they say that they had purchased. To Quote :
Client : We bought a whiteboard for the office
Receipt : Radio controlled boat
To give this extra context. The purchase was in early December! (hope little johny enjoyed his shiny new whiteboard on Christmas morning).
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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.
I remember sitting in a meeting with the bank where two sons who had inherited their parents chain of hotels, insisted that they couldn't possibly live on less than £150k each and they have to have a range rover. And the reduction in drawings we were suggesting was slightly offensive. And as for the suggestion they do some work them selves, well that was a nonstarter.
But they got what they deserved and the chain that their parents built up over their life was taken by the administrators.
the most annoying was the one who checked my VAT return every quarter to make sure that it was right "as she knew about things like that" and i had to explain every figure. I remember thinking "if you are so F-ing clever, why are you paying me to do, and spending more time going over it, that it takes to do the thing in the first place?"
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Nick
Nick Craggs FMAAT ACA AAT Distance Learning Manager
