Asking for more $$

[SueC]

I recently got a new client who is not a health-care practice. (For anyone who doesn't remember, my business is medical billing, but I took on a client managing their A/R--I'm hard up for work and it was pretty darn close to what I was already doing). Anyhow, I just got together my invoices for each practice and realized that I made double for the medical billing for doing about 1/3 the work I do for the other company. Bascally, I busted my a** for peanuts (pardon my French). I do a lot of extras for this guy that I'm happy to do, and I don't mean to sound like I think I'm being taken advantage of. It is just that the terms we originally worked out don't reflect the effort I'm putting out. I've only been doing the work for a couple of weeks--is it too soon to ask for more money? I did send and email with my invoice telling him the amount owed didn't really reflect the work I did. I told him that I didn't want him to think I was "slacking off" and that I hoped to get more results in the next few weeks. I'm hoping that he is happy enough with me (he keeps giving me more responsibility so I think he likes my work) that he will realize he needs to pay me more. So, should I wait a little while and see what happens, or should I email him now. Right now, I need the money either way, but if another medical client comes along I'd have to ditch him, unless he was willing to pay me more, of course.

[Meenah]

I would be honest and up front. Let him know the honest facts, and if he doesn't want to be dropped if a more lucrative account comes along, he will pay more. If not, you don't want to let the relationship go on too long, then you could set a precedent for yourself with his account. YOUR TIME is valuable. Just my opinion, I have NO business experience.
Luanne

[houseelf]

One idea that consistently comes up when people talk about the pay difference between women and men is that women are less likely to speak up and ask for what they deseve and want. You will never know until you ask.

A colleague of mine who is pregnant with number 3 fretted and fretted about going part-time and had many sleepless nights. She carefully constructed a plan and timed the delivery of her proposition with military precision. Her boss said yes within five minutes...well before she got to explain the nuts and bolts of how she planned to make part time work for him.

You have absolutely nothing to lose. Go for it! Even if he says no, you will feel more confident about setting parameters and understanding the value of services that you provide. Good luck.

Kelly

[Auspicious]

Definitely ask for more money.

One of my responsibilities is hiring freelancers and deciding how much to pay them. I have people that I WISH would ask for more money. I hate to see them working for less than what they're worth, but on the other hand I have a responsibility to be cautious with my budget. I have, on occassion, given out rate increases to people who were seemingly content working for less, but I think if my bosses knew that they'd be, um, displeased.

I don't know anything about billing or A/R, but I'll tell you that if you were someone asking me for more money, I'd be inclined to give it to you for three reasons:

1) Your non-complainy attitude toward the work and the situation--I always want to keep people like this. Good help truly is hard to find:

I do a lot of extras for this guy that I'm happy to do, and I don't mean to sound like I think I'm being taken advantage of.

2) I understand that some jobs DO turn out to be bigger than they originally looked, and I'm willing to renegotiate when that happens:

It is just that the terms we originally worked out don't reflect the effort I'm putting out.

3) You get more money from other clients. This one tends to carry a lot of weight with me; I don't want good people to be dumping me for higher-paying clients:

I just got together my invoices for each practice and realized that I made double for the medical billing for doing about 1/3 the work I do for the other company.

Probably the worst I would tell you is that what I was paying you was the maximum I could afford to pay you or that we should give it a few more weeks before reevaluating the situation. If you continued to do the same good job, though, I wouldn't hold the fact that you had asked against you in any way.

Sorry if this is way more of an answer than you were looking for --this is just an aspect of my own job that I struggle with.

Bottom line: I think that no, it's not too soon to ask. Most people don't offer up money they haven't been asked for. Feel confident about asking (you're justified). Present your case in a direct and unawkward way (it's not personal, it just feel that way). Don't worry if he says no. And I also second everything that Luanne and Kelly said.

Good luck!!

[SueC]

Thanks you guys--I'll start "constructing" my request today. We communicate by email so it will be much easier to ask for more money when its not face to face.

[PrincessFiona]

money

I'm late chiming in, but I say go for it too....you don't know until you ask....Good LUCK!!! :!: :!: :!:

Kris

Best of luck, Sue, we're rooting for you!

Thu Van

[PrincessFiona]

and

well...did you DO IT????


8)

Kris

[SueC]

I was so worried that one of you guys were going to ask me that! I haven't YET, but here is why. My sister just gave me a lead for a doctor that might need a new biller. I sent the doctor a letter and brochure and am going to call her on Thursday. If it looks like I have a prayer of getting her business, I'd probably have to let this other guy go, anyway. Billing for a general practitioner is pretty high volume and would be very lucrative for me and I'm pretty sure this other guy couldn't pay me enough to justify keeping him on. But, on the other hand, if after Thursday I don't get the feeling I'm going to get her business, I'm going to email the guy and let him know we need to renegotiate. I swear I'm not procrastinating--well, maybe a little!
Thanks you guys for the advice, by the way! I was worried that it was too soon in our business relationship. But, I have been putting in a lot of hours for him and so every day I realize more that I need to ask for a raise. If there is one thing that working out of the home with two small kids has done for me is make me realize how valuable my time is!!!

[PrincessFiona]

money

And NOW???

[SueC]

OK, OK!!!
I will send an email today!!!!
Thanks for the reminder, Kris!

[SueC]

I did it!!!
Originally I thought I'd construct a draft and ponder over it for awhile before sending it, but then I thought to heck with it! So I sent a lengthy email outlining what I have been doing for him, what I've been paid so far, and asking to "restructure" our agreement to better reflect the work I have done. I'll keep you posted about what he says!

[DCJenn]

Sue-

You are woman- hear you roar! Feels good, doesn't it!

Jenn

[PrincessFiona]

sue

So...did you hear back from them?


Kris

[SueC]

Yeah, and I was pretty frustrated when I got the reply. Basically he told me the "extras" I could forward to the sales department. But, let's say someone send an invoice and writes down some changes they want made to their listing--it would take me just as long to type it into an email or xerox and fax it as it would for me to just make the changes myself. Another thing that I do that is time consuming is keep records of all the checks I enter. He told me I didn't need to do that, but I don't feel comfortable not having those records. When someone calls me telling me they sent a check, I want to be able to look at exactly what I entered--otherwise I would have no way of knowing. The only thing we did agree on is that I can charge him a little extra for each check that I enter. I haven't decided how much more that I want, though. So, I feel good about asking for an increase, since normally I wouldn't have the guts to do so, but I still am not satisfied. He did say that he is happy with my work and wants to keep my happy. I guess if the current arrangement isn't acceptable to me I need to stick to my guns about it or quit working for him!