Janitor Bob Posted March 5, 2014 Report Posted March 5, 2014 Soooo...New client (young mom) stops in with kid in tow to finalize/sign/pay. Her kids starts crying and screaming "I wanna PBJ!"...louder and louder....a tantrum ensues on my floor. The mom/client apologizes and says "I'm sorry...he's just sooo hungry and he gets this way when he's hungry." "I hate to ask, but do you have any peanut butter and jelly? and bread?" Huh? "If I could just make hima quick sandwich", we could talk taxes in peace." uhhh sure...follow me. So mom proceeds to take kid into my kitchen...makes him a Peanut butter & jelly sandwich. It works...kids eats eagerly and quietly and client/mom and I finish up and they depart. WTF just happened....is this normal? Who goes into someone's home they have only met once and makes their kid a sandwich? Quote
NECPA in NEBRASKA Posted March 5, 2014 Report Posted March 5, 2014 That takes a lot of guts. Most mothers are smart enough to take everything that they need with them. You are way nicer than me. I do have candy sitting out for kids, but they don't get meals. Quote
Janitor Bob Posted March 5, 2014 Author Report Posted March 5, 2014 It caught me so off-guard, I did not even have time to think about saying no. Maybe I'm just getting old, but it seems that attitudes and ideas of what is appropriate public behavior have sure changed since I was 22. So this young lady is either socially immature or just very gutsy and self-confident...oh well...at least she said she would definately be back next year and would tell her friends about me. I'd better stock up on sandwich supplies. 2 Quote
jklcpa Posted March 5, 2014 Report Posted March 5, 2014 That was kind of you. I don't know that I would have that much patience right now. "Perhaps we should reschedule" would have been about the nicest I might have managed. 2 Quote
Janitor Bob Posted March 5, 2014 Author Report Posted March 5, 2014 What Jack & Coke?....all I have left now is Coke....time to hit the liquor store. Cost of doing business. Quote
Janitor Bob Posted March 5, 2014 Author Report Posted March 5, 2014 I seem to have a lot of young mother clients...usually daughters of single-mom clients (70% of my client base is female for some reason). I have a 22-year old daughter myself (off at college), so I tend to lean more toward the supportive fatherly type to these young moms. Quote
mcb39 Posted March 5, 2014 Report Posted March 5, 2014 Well, I had a mother and three kids who arrived for their appointment and all four of them sat down on my floor (Yes, Mom too) and proceeded to eat their supper of Subways and some kind of drinks. Then, toddler needed his diaper changed (also on my floor) and finally Mom was ready to talk to me. Oh no, she had to call someone on her cell phone first. I know how you feel, JB. dumbfounded and speechless. 7 Quote
taxxcpa Posted March 5, 2014 Report Posted March 5, 2014 I avoid that problem since almost all of my clients fax, mail or e-mail their tax documents or just drop them off and leave without spending a lot of time with me. 2 Quote
MsTabbyKats Posted March 5, 2014 Report Posted March 5, 2014 I avoid that problem since almost all of my clients fax, mail or e-mail their tax documents or just drop them off and leave without spending a lot of time with me. This is how I operate also. I used to let people sit with me in my home....but now that's just reserved for a couple of very old technically challenged ones. Quote
Jack from Ohio Posted March 5, 2014 Report Posted March 5, 2014 Well, I had a mother and three kids who arrived for their appointment and all four of them sat down on my floor (Yes, Mom too) and proceeded to eat their supper of Subways and some kind of drinks. Then, toddler needed his diaper changed (also on my floor) and finally Mom was ready to talk to me. Oh no, she had to call someone on her cell phone first. I know how you feel, JB. dumbfounded and speechless. Extra time charge? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TkuZ5oI9uY 1 Quote
kcjenkins Posted March 6, 2014 Report Posted March 6, 2014 Of course, having an office in your home is part of the problem, JB, but clearly, those clients lack a basic understanding of simple good manners. I'd suggest you meet such a situation with "I will be happy to re-schedule your appointment, I don't want to have to charge you for extra time." Be pleasant but firm. You are 'at work' even if you are in your home. 2 Quote
Jack from Ohio Posted March 6, 2014 Report Posted March 6, 2014 Well, I had a mother and three kids who arrived for their appointment and all four of them sat down on my floor (Yes, Mom too) and proceeded to eat their supper of Subways and some kind of drinks. Then, toddler needed his diaper changed (also on my floor) and finally Mom was ready to talk to me. Oh no, she had to call someone on her cell phone first. I know how you feel, JB. dumbfounded and speechless. Extra time charge? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TkuZ5oI9uY Play this music in the background on a loop. 2 Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.