Closing the Front Door

[Andrew]

If you don’t want a job, or don’t want to deal with a certain person, price it high then if you do do the job it’s worth it.
I would suggest his attitude puts him in the second camp.
Of course, only you know if you need the money - if you do, then perhaps this isn’t the right approach.

Since you quoted the first time round work has taken off and you are snowed under, so you have had to put the price up.
Covid has also had an effect and has caused a second price rise.
So original quote +20-30%.
50% deposit up front.

 

[Highland Mule]

Rule 1 of consultancy is don't turn work down. Rule 2 is don't pee of the client.

Agree with 2 but not 1. Some will price extra high but I think that can kill your reputation more than saying “not this time”. I won’t take a job on unless I’m able to give it what it needs, which inevitably means that there are lean times and good times.

 

[Nearly]

I sat in his office last year for a few hours discussing all his requirements, got on well with him.
The phone call regarding the quote completely changed my opinion on him (possibly just having a bad day).
As nice as nice could be on the phone the other day (not my first rodeo, needs my help so has to be nice)

He is a farmer that has diversified into a few different projects over the last few years, hid behind the "simple farmer" line and COVID would have saved him a lot this year from regulatory bodies but time has run out for him and he needs help to get all sorted out. I did get the impression from meeting him that he is very good at acting stupid.

There's just this small voice in my head saying that its going to end up in a "mark that one down to experience"

20% Git Tax required. Payment in advance.

 

[JD 6610]

Unless you really need the work I would avoid this one. You are too busy. He could take the work you do in order to satisfy the compliance requirements then just start arguing about quality and payment. To me it’s not worth the risk. Not the right sort of person I would want to do business with.

 

[Netherfield]

Wish I'd known about Git tax, could've been a rich man by now.

 

[Nearly]

Wish I'd known about Git tax, could've been a rich man by now.

or not?

 

[ollie989898]

With the greatest of respect how can anyone have a working, possibly longterm relationship with anyone who behaves as you say in the initial stages?

Just tell him to boil his head.

I agree.

I sat in his office last year for a few hours discussing all his requirements, got on well with him.
The phone call regarding the quote completely changed my opinion on him (possibly just having a bad day).
As nice as nice could be on the phone the other day (not my first rodeo, needs my help so has to be nice)

He is a farmer that has diversified into a few different projects over the last few years, hid behind the "simple farmer" line and COVID would have saved him a lot this year from regulatory bodies but time has run out for him and he needs help to get all sorted out. I did get the impression from meeting him that he is very good at acting stupid.

There's just this small voice in my head saying that its going to end up in a "mark that one down to experience"

I suspected as much and what you have written has confirmed it. Huge alarm bells appearing in front of my eyes concerning this guy. Will want the work done, typical old fashioned farmer mindset who will know the cost of everything but the value of very little. If anything goes wrong even in the slightest manner, you and the entire world will know about it.

It's like a farmer having an issue with a crop, the very first phone call is always to the supplier of the seed. It's never his fault.

 

[Tubbylew]

I'm not sure I'd take the client on unless you have to, be polite about though and recommend one of your competitors you don't like, not every customer is your customer.

 

[d williams]

Last year a guy asked me to quote him to get his businesses compliance in order, a pretty big undertaking with SOP,HACCP, Working Plan, H&S, ISO and all that other good stuff to do as well. He needed this done ASAP.

Gave him a quote to then receive a phone call of him which was just a barrage of abuse, got called all the names under the sun, basically how dare I quote him such a figure, F off.

So... to my surprise when his name flashed up on my phone during the week,
He has achieved nothing, under serious pressure from regulatory bodies and realised maybe my quote wasn't too bad after all but did understand when I said I will have to re-quote him and it defiantly will be a higher figure than before.
I know he would have died a little inside when he phoned me.

What would you do??

A) Middle finger salute.
B) Be a great guy and help him out, Still re-adjust the quote but fairly.
C) Put the arm in and if he doesn't like it.. revert to option A

I like helping people out in their hour of need but this time I'm really just considering option A.

I hate closing the door without opening a window though

30% more than original quote money up front
And smile sweetly to yourself

 

[Barleycorn]

He may be a drinker, you may have caught him p!ssed on the phone?

 

[bitwrx]

Agree with 2 but not 1. Some will price extra high but I think that can kill your reputation more than saying “not this time”. I won’t take a job on unless I’m able to give it what it needs, which inevitably means that there are lean times and good times.

Yeh, I worked in a consultancy where it felt like rule 1 applied. Effectively, I burned out, and decided I'd rather be a farmer than go through all that again.

 

[ollie989898]

20% Git Tax required. Payment in advance.

Cripes, if I had to git tax anyone whose kitchen or farm office I have had to sit in for a protracted period of time I would never have kept customers for long. The bulk of the time the reason I was sat there for such a long time was because I was quite happy to be there or they had great tea and biscuits.

 

[ollie989898]

I would never front load work and have never done so in my career. It's not what I am about as a person. Better to pass the work off and simply say you hate to turn down work but you won't be able to do it in time.

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

I'm not sure I'd take the client on unless you have to, be polite about though and recommend one of your competitors you don't like, not every customer is your customer.

And the way to find out if you have to, is to price accordingly, add the stroker tax and get a good wedge up front, with strict terms of payment for the balance. Risk and reward springs to mind. Good luck.

 

[Renaultman]

Personally A. For the following reasons. He may be awkward to get the money out of after. There’s little chance he will be singing your praises in the local seeing as he deems your services over priced in the first instance. Remember no good deed goes unpunished, but I write this as a previous business owner who got pooped on from a great height too many times! If you can afford the hit and don’t think he will be a nightmare to work with go for it

This for me too. If you can afford to live without his work, I would..

 

[7610 super q]

That's the problem, there is risk in all things in life and if you don't take on risk you will never get anywhere,
Could be best thing ever or could be a valuable life lesson learned.



Very hard to compare, I would be offering a more complete compliance package whilst others would be just be doing bits and pieces. Competitors would be getting a higher rate per piece work. I would assume that is why he phoned me back when he added all quotes up.

I do know that an another consultant quoted him £6,000 for a fairly basic HACCP for his small food business. I don't know where he got that figure from though, possibly just didn't want the work.

£6000 ? This folks, is why we are totally uncompetitive in this country.........Sigh

 

[MRT]

Wish I'd known about Git tax, could've been a rich man by now.

MrsT is an expert in reducing Git Tax liability through timely advice such as: "don't be a bellend"

 

[MRT]

He may be a drinker, you may have caught him p!ssed on the phone?

No excuse.

 

[d williams]

I would never front load work and have never done so in my career. It's not what I am about as a person. Better to pass the work off and simply say you hate to turn down work but you won't be able to do it in time.

The reply that the man had originally had off him there’s no way would you work for him without monies up front he sounds a right girl

 

[Lincsman]

At the moment he will ( or did) tell everyone you charge a fortune, what will he say when you actually do the work? add a bit due to xxx and do the work... there is always another day.