Read this before you start your own practice - please
I am a proadvisor, a CPA, and have 20+ years of experience and a MS in Taxation.I want to share this with the community as an example of how icky having your own business can be. Right at this moment I would trade this business with any of your jobs. Honest.I began working for this QB client 8/07/07. Her books were a mess, never reconciled, never up to date, no credit card info in them, and every problem you could think of was in them. My bookkeeper took 40 hours to fix, and then this new client complained so much that I discounted. Her fee for a routine comp, bank rec, payroll and sales taxes was $100/month. I have to do comps according to the Statement of Standards for Accounting and Review Services.I have been trying for over a year now to (a) get paid (b) get her to sign one of Michelle Long's engagement letters ("What we will do, what we need from you).I explained that since she had paid ZERO in the last year, I really needed her to sign the engagement letter (which she demanded I produce by the way) and pay something toward her account, which now stands at $1807.86. This does not include tax work, since I will not release a tax return until paid for (this also caused a hissyfit).At any rate, besides being out a year's worth of bookkeeping wages, I share with you how just plain icky clients can be. And, until I asked for money, she was sweet as pie. What follows is the actual letter, redacted to preserve her precious confidenciality:Greetings Char:I received your email last week and truly have not had time to tend to that given health issues with my father, this kids and running my own business.While I understand your request to have my credit card, I'm quite frankly not comfortable with anyone having that. So either you take a check mailed to you or we keep the BillPay we're using and are a "slave" to its system. Your choice there.I will seek to review your agreement this week but do not guaruntee I will sign it until I'm convinced I'm actually getting what we need from it.If you cannot wait any longer, then do what you need to do.-- Reply:I can also offer you the option of direct bank draft, which acts like a check. I must also remind you that all applicable attorney fees and collection fees are the responsibility of the customer.----The last emailThreatening me, Char doesn't sit well with me ever. So stop doing it.Remember, we are the "buyer" enlisting your help. Our goal in obtaining a proposal/list of services you are to provide was so we could understand what you are supposed to be doing for us and our small company; and to determine if that's what we need.3/4ths of your standard services isn't even necessary for where we're at now or what we need.Again, no contract ever existed and still doesn't, we are presently reviewing it and comparing it to what and when you did provide us with actual service and when you didn't since -- we've basically been paying you on a "project" level or for services you provided cost on in advance and completed. These you have been paid for.What we are determining, since what you say you provide and what we've been "getting" don't match, what it is that we truly owe you -- as you're well aware, you have charged us for times or months we didn't utilize your services.We will then provide you with a figure and explanation along with an appropriate payment plan as done and indicated prior of what we can afford each month. It will then be your choice as to whether or not you can perform those duties and live with that payment. Again, don't ever accuse me or threaten me again. This is never the way to do business and most clearly NOT with me.----Maybe someone out there can explain how I can only clean up selected months?What do I cut out to meet her "needs?"Why she shouldn't have to pay when she is sick or busy?I am sorry this is long,but it serves as a reality check and I feel stupid for trying to help her.
