but I’m charging my client
Ok, this one just totally drives me “INSANE”!
We come into contact with some ProAdvisors and the like that have never dealt with a commercial construction client and know absolutely nothing about certified payroll, aia billing, or using QuickBooks in the commercial construction industry.
Ok, so I know that there isn’t much in the way of QuickBooks training out their for this kind of situation – what I know I learned the hard way with lots of long, hard unbillable hours….but PLEASE don’t call us up wanting free training and for us to teach you everthything we know for FREE while you bill your customer for your “training time”!
That is just so wrong!
If you want to become knowledgeable about using QuickBooks in the commercial construction industry, vist our On-Line Support Area and avail yourself of ALL the FREE TRAINING I’ve already provided!
Most Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisors (CQA), Intuit Solutions Providers (ISP), Enterprise Solutions Providers (ESP), Certified Public Accountants (CPA), what-have-you’s are really decent people—but the ones that drive me crazy are the ones that “play games”.
What do I mean by playing games? Good question, let me explain!
On our main website I’m pretty clear (ok BLUNT) about “How Sunburst Works with ProAdvisors, CPA’s, etc.“; as a matter of fact sometimes I feel I’ve been pretty harsh and really need to tone it down a bit. Well everytime I get to feeling like this, something like this happens:
Ben, Linda, or I get an email or a phone call from one of these folks asking for a commission or referral fee for recommending our software. We go through the “sorry, we don’t do that, instead, if you know your stuff, we’ll refer clients to you—-far more profitable situation for you, don’t you think? Well off they go, and don’t you know, the next thing that happens is Ben, Linda, or I get either a call or an email from that EXACT same person, asking the EXACT same thing!
I’m sorry, but just because you are talking to a different person—do you expect a different answer?
And let’s face it, would you rather have a 2% commission on a $375.00 or $195.00 piece of software–or profitable consulting engagement with a possible full time client that generates on-going revenue?
And while we are on the subject or wanting commissions/referral fees….how would you feel if I called you up and said, look I have this client that I’m willing to recommend to you—but ONLY IF you are willing to send me 2% of your total fees that stem from this client?
Sounds a little bit like blackmail and bribery to me…….
Owning your own business is great, but there are drawbacks:
- You can’t fire yourself because you own the business.
- When you are the boss, nobody will fire you (even if they might like to!)
- If you could fire yourself, you wouldn’t be able to collect unemployment (at least not here in Vermont).
- Your business consumes you, you think about it, talk about it, work on it, 24 hours a day/7days a week.
- Your customers think they own you, and that’s just not right!
- You no longer have a life, just a business.
and reduce your ink and paper costs too!
Are you tired of printing reams and reams of paper, or sending your Word documents/Excel spreadsheets as email attachments, and then worrying if the recipient is going to change something that they shouldn’t?
If so, the CutePDF is the tool for you! Visit http://www.cutepdf.com and download their free version (you’ll see advertisements) of CutePDF.
CutePDF is nothing more than a fancy “printer” which you’ll select when you go to print something, choose a location to save the document, and give it a name and “poof” you’ve got a .pdf file.
Just as an aside; if you use our software, you can print your certified payroll reports and aia billing to .pdf files and then send them as email attachments.
- Download and install CutePDF, using the link above
- From the Print window in our software, click the Select Printer button
- Choose CutePDF from the list of available printers
If you print each certified payroll report and/or AIA Draw individually you can save them to different job folders.
