It must
be Tax Season. How do I know?
I'm swamped with work.
And I
just fired a client. Again. It happens
every Tax Season -- I don't like to do it, but it's something
that just has to be done every now and then. Let me
explain. First,
let's define our terms. I use the word "client"
to describe the people that pay for my tax services. You may
use the word "customer" or "patient" or
"subscriber". Ya' know,
whoever buys what you sell. Second,
let's get something straight here. When you own your own business,
you get to call the shots. It's your business, so you get
to do things your way. That's
how I see it, anyway. So I have
certain rules that my clients must follow. Policies, procedures
-- the way things are done around here. Example:
I prepare tax returns in the order received. First come, first
served. Fair enough? I don't know any other way to do it.
So last
week a client comes in and says, "Can you please 'put
a rush' on my return. I really have to get it filed right
away. My ex-wife and I don't have a written agreement re:
who gets to claim our children as dependents. So whoever files
first gets to claim them."
"Last
year I didn't file first, but I went ahead and claimed the
kids anyway. So the IRS rejected the return. My refund was
delayed. I'd really like to avoid all that mess this year.
I know my ex hasn't filed yet, but she told me she plans to
do so within a few days. So I need you to do my return right
away -- I really want to stick it to my ex this year!"
Here was
my response. "I'm
sorry Mr. Client. Normal turn-around time for a return is
3-4 weeks. When you bring me your return, you just got in
line. You don't get to go to the front of the line at the
grocery store, do you? And you don't get to go to the front
of the line here, either." "The
fact that you and your ex-wife didn't put something in writing
about this doesn't give you the right to expect me to treat
you different than any other client. Your problem doesn't
become my emergency." [NOTE:
most divorced people put this kind of thing in writing, usually
as part of the divorce agreement.]
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