So I have a customer (more exactly, a “client”) who hasn’t paid his bill. I call him up today to ask for the money. (All of $112.50)
He tells me he’s gotten some papers in the mail and he wants to talk about them. I say sure, come by my office, but bring the 112 bucks. He tells me he won’t have the money until Friday. I say fine, let’s meet on Friday so you can bring the money with you.
So he says that I seem to be more interested in making money than helping people. Gahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!
Look pal, you hired me, we agreed on my fee, the state approved my fee, you’ve owed it to me for a month now, and you want me to do more work for you without any payment for the old work?!?
Anyway, Mr. High-and-Mighty, you hired me for the same reason everyone else does - to get money. You’re trying to get money, and I make money by helping you get money. Is that so freaking outrageous?!?
This reminds me of the days when my kid was in day care. The woman who owned the place was telling me some of her customers would come in during December and say “I’ll pay you in January - I need to buy presents.” Like the day care providers didn’t have presents to buy themselves when they got paid!
Unfortunately, I’m not allowed to take payment in advance for this kind of work. The funny thing is, I really do enjoy helping my clients. Often after I help them with a case, if they have further issues, I will help them out; give them free advice; use my connections with state officials to expedite things for them, etc., all without charging any additional money. And most of my customers appreciate that I’m hustling for them and freaking pay.
This brings to mind all the wonderful deadbeats who call me the day before their telephone is going to be disconnected to say they can pay $100 of their $500 past due phone bill, only to say when I tell them this won’t keep their line in service “what’s the point of paying anything if you’re going to shut my phone off anyway?” Uh, maybe because you consumed $500 worth of phone service and you should pay for what you use, assholes? I’ll be dealing with about 90 of them tomorrow. I love my job I love my job I…
Big mega-church around here, dozens of employees. This woman I know has worked there for years in a highly skilled technical position. Asked for a raise (while making WAY LESS than market) Preacher refuses, tells her “Your working here a part of your SERVICE TO THE LORD.” This guy has two houses, a boat, month off every year for “sabbatical”…what an asshole.