One of my jobs is a building company, so as standard, as with most companies, not just contruction, we have to have PODs or collection notes to match up to the invoices before we pay them. As with most builder types, some of them chuck the PODs into the back of their vans and they get chucked out with the rubbish, so one of my jobs is to get copies of the signed PODs so we have proof that they were taken by someone at the business. I normally have no problems obtaining these - all companies are understanding and fully obliging. However yesterday I encountered an absolute first. A B&Q store told me it was against their customers privacy to send me a proof of collection and I could just be any random person on the phone asking for it. Why anyone would randomly ask for a POD that isn't for the company they work for is beyond me and I have never come across this before. Other B&Q stores that we have used have emailed things to us without problems.
I don't think the store in question really understood what I was asking for, and kept telling me the collection note contained private information on it - it has the company name and the trade account number on it. I find it bizarre that people work in an industry where PODs are standard and not actually know what one is. In fact a POD is standard in accounting - as its even covered when taking the AAT - so surely most businesses have them.
Has anyone else come across bizarre replies to standard requests?
Exactly how much information you are presenting them to indicate you are who you say you are,
What information is on those PODs over and above what you already know, as presented in #1
What there is in your contact information that ties you to your client
I'd be inclined to say the person at B&Q is in the right.
If someone claiming to be my bookkeeper, accountant, solicitor, rabbit catcher, or whatever contacted one of my suppliers requesting paperwork to do with my business - no matter how innocuous, I'd be furious if it was given to them without something in place that either ties them to my business (such as an email address at my business domain) or some form of confirmation (that has come directly from me to the company being asked for the paperwork) that they have permission to provide it to the third party.
Even on a POD, if you were a Dodgy Geezer, there might be some small piece of data you could gain that would make it that little bit easier to do further phishing or commit fraud further down the line.
__________________
Vince M Hudd - Soft Rock Software
(I only came here looking for fellow apiarists...)
Totally agree with Vince on this one and it does surprise me the number of people who give out information with no regard for privacy etc. That said - it doesnt stop me from trying to get the information myself, although I dont deal with PODs. If I get someone pushing back then I tend to suggest my client calls direct or I will email my client with the background to the request and what it is I am requesting, quoting as much information as possible in terms of references/account numbers etc to make it easy for the company Im trying to get info from, then ask my client to forward that exact email with their authorisation. Usually I then get the information direct, only occasionally some might suggest they have to send it out to my client.
__________________
Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
