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GIVE THE SHIRT OFF YOUR BACK DURING YOUR PERSONAL AFFAIRS,
BUT HOLD THE LINE IN YOUR BUSINESS
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I must admit it’s gratifying to witness my contractor clients developing a strong and personal relationship with their customers. Not. Do not become the friend of your client. Nor, should you be their enemy. Be friendly but businesslike at all times. I hate to disappoint you, but when the project is done, they will drop you like a hot potato. They were only nice because construction is an arduous and stress-laden event for them which they want to get through as fast as they can. They are nice to you primarily because this makes the process more livable. I may sound rather jaded, but this comes from hundreds of actual cases.
I am always alarmed when I see my clients going out their way to give one freebie after another in order to allegedly bolster a good relationship. It’s almost as if they are saying to themselves, “I’m not entirely certain about the quality of my workmanship, so I’m going to make them like me by giving things away.” All you end up doing is cheapening yourself.
It is an inverse rule that the more personally you become involved with someone, the more you will be “screwed”. After 28 years of practice, the greatest fraud I see is practiced by friends and relatives who gave too much and opened themselves up. The persons that act thoroughly businesslike throughout the negotiations and the project itself, are the ones that have less problems. I am not entirely certain why, but it’s clear you are taken advantage of in the former situation. More freebies, less respect. I keep telling my wife that it’s okay for us to give hundreds of hours of volunteer time for charities, but when it comes to business, we should hold the line. Unfortunately, neither of us can really do that, especially because lawyers need to develop trusting relationships with their clients. Try to do what is difficult for me and others: Distance yourself and act as a thoroughly consummate business person at all times.
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