How do you charge?

[Questionguy101]

Let's say you called the IRS for a client and charge the client by the time. And before you could talk to a representative, you had to hold for 30 minutes. So do you start counting the time when you placed the call or when you actually talked to someone after the hold?

[Burke]

Hopefully, you could put it on speaker and do something else while holding. If so, I would start with the actual conversation.

[erchess]

I do charge by time

and I can go either way. If I have the client on threeway or have gone to the client's location then the clock starts ticking when I either arrive on their premises or they answer the phone. If I have a POA on file and they are off somewhere else then I am free to work on another client or pursue a personal interest during the mindless hold so I don't start their clock until a person picks up. The conundrum posed by this issue is why for a long time I charged a flat fee per contact. If I got told to call another number or got transferred to another number I did NOT count that as a new contact unless the client was with me in person or on threeway and wanted to break off for now and resume another time.

We face the same problem any business does in deciding what to charge. We need to make a decent living off our profits and at the same time we need our clients to perceive that we give good value for their hard earned dollars.

[Uncle Sam]

How to Charge

It depends on what the reason for the call is for.

If it's for a reason caused by a client induced error, discrepancy, or fault - I charge - but not specifically for that
1 call. I tack it on at year end for preparation of the tax prep fee - because I have documents in the file when I
made contacts for the client and what they were for.

If it's due to my error or an IRS error - I don't charge. I feel that I'm getting paid to do a professional job the client
can rely on and don't want the client to feel afraid to contact me for important reasons simply to be billed for it.

I just wish I can bill the IRS and state tax authorities for wasted time due to their errors.

[JoshinNC]

When I start dialing

And then I add 15-30 mins for after call work.

[erchess]

Reaction

I doubt any of us charge for whatever is necessary to fix a problem we caused. There should be a mechanism for clients to get reimbursed for our fees when the government loses its case BUT I can see two problems. Any agents who would ever go outside the bounds of professional conduct would surely do so when the alternative was to recognize that a mistake is going to cost their agencies money. Second penalties and interest on clients who do have to pay more would be increased in order to cover this new expense.

I see Uncle Sam's point about wanting clients to call. But I believe my clients would prefer to pay as they go although I have not surveyed them to ask.

[Jiggers]

Depends. To quote a CPE instructor!

Just remember that the only thing we sell is "Time". We have no other product to sell.

Sometimes I charge, sometimes I don't. Depends on the client and the type of error. And the time involved.

Though I bill by the form/schedule for 1040's, I do keep track of time for all work done for a client.

[Kram BergGold]

First Things First

When I call the Priority Line and I get the message that the wait will be more than 10 minutes I call back. Why wait for 30 minutes when you can call back and wait 2 minutes.

[Uncle]

When I call the Priority Line and I get the message that the wait will be more than 10 minutes I call back. Why wait for 30 minutes when you can call back and wait 2 minutes.

Must be nice. I wish I had your service. Until about noon Hawaii time, my wait time is usually over 50 minutes, ofter much longer. Later in the day, my wait times can get under 30 minutes. I have never had a wait time of less than 20 minutes. I put the call on a speaker phone and do something else until I get an answer.