Acceptable to ask for bill to be checked?

[Deleted User]

Childminder - Ours is great but we find the bill can be a bit variable sometimes. Usually just let it go because shes so good so its not a big deal.

But this month, we were charged for a day when daughter wasn't there. So I asked her to check. Perfectly polite email etc.

Shes got really upset about it. Seems to think I'm questioning her which is not what I did. I was really careful to be tactful because we want to keep her and I had no intention of upsetting her.

In the end it turns out there was a bit of confusion about the day and whether we'd forgotten to cancel so I just said OK dont worry I'll just pay no problem at all. But she wont let it go now and is still upset!

Surely, its perfectly acceptable to ask like this in a polite manner? Or have I done something wrong because I'm a bit confused....

Rain_Shadow

It's perfectly acceptable, IMO, to ask the question if you believe there has been a possible mistake. It's also perfectly acceptable to accept that the bill was correct and pay it even if there may be a doubt.


But we only have your assurance that you were polite and what one person thinks is polite another may find rude or condescending etc.

Clive_Woody

I would say it's fine to ask them to check a bill, but often emails are very impersonal and some people read a certain tone into emails that was never intended by the person who sent it.

My suggestion would be, in future, do anything like this in person or over the phone as this adds more of a personal touch and can allow for any misunderstanding to be immediately cleared up.

It's common these days to try and avoid awkward or difficult conversations by sending an email, but so often a phone call end in a better result.

A small bunch of flowers might help smooth over the situation....even if you don't feel you were in the wrong.

foolofbeans

Emails don't convey tone so how you read it may not be how the childminder reads it.

On the other hand I would be wondering if childminder has been a little creative with her billing and is now acting on the defensive as she's worried you may find other discrepancies.
But I'm a horrible person and think the worst of people!

tea_lover

Anyone running a business should be happy to check invoices if asked. Sulking is not an attractive trait in a childminder!

jemb

She allows you to not pay when your child isnt there? Majority (ours included) still bills you for when your child isnt there, and 50% off for when the childminder is away. We pay same amount every month and average it out at 4.33 weeks per month. She only goes one day a weekbut then at least it's the same every month.

Guest101

Ignoring the whole you get charged or don't get charged if child is away thing.


A carefully worded, tactful email, which skirts the issue is not what you need here.


Dear Childminder,


Thank you for your invoice, please can you check the date <__/__/__> as I believe we did inform you within the notice period that <child name> would not be attending that day.


Please feel free to ring me if there's some confusion.


Regards


paulfoel

warehouse

tea_lover wrote: »

Anyone running a business should be happy to check invoices if asked. Sulking is not an attractive trait in a childminder!

Exactly this.

My Wife is a childminder and if she's found to have made a mistake on an invoice she's usually horrified and very apologetic. That's normal behaviour. The way your childminder is acting is as if she's been caught with her hand in the till, it would concern me.

BigAunty

It's unprofessional to respond that way to a simple request, bad customer service. A more mature organisation would have quality assurance and customer satisfaction at its core.

But this is a one-man band so there's much more chance of simple queries being seen as insulting and taken personally as they are directly responsible for their clients.

She is unable to separate the personal from the professional and has chosen to see it as a slight on her integrity rather than a learning opportunity or simple enquiry.

Poppie68

The poor childminder is in imminent danger of being hung drawn and quarted on here!
Maybe it was something in the email that has got her backup, maybe she is dealing with constantly moaning parents who knows but OP you and your wife are 2 professionals and really need to try and learn to live drama free. Did you really need a validation of your request on here?

Money_maker

Yes because paulfoel has interesting posts and invariably they end in a bun fight.

*sits down with popcorn*