How do you decide when to turn away a potential client? I'm getting better at spotting time-wasters but I still take on some accounts that end up being more trouble than they're worth.
When to turn away work
Red flags I watch for: client won't sign the LOA promptly, client wants to negotiate the contingency percentage before you've even started, client says they "just want a quick look" at one bill, or the utility spend is under $2,000/month. Any one of those and I walk. Life is too short for $1,500/month accounts with demanding owners.
Karen's red flags are good ones. I'd add: if the client has already been audited by two or three other firms and nobody found anything, the bills are probably clean. Also, be cautious with clients who are in active disputes with their utility over something unrelated — they may be looking for you to build ammunition for their fight, not for a genuine audit. Finally, trust your gut. If a prospect feels wrong in the first meeting, it won't get better.
The gut feel point is underrated. Every bad client experience I've had, there was a warning sign in the first meeting that I ignored. Not anymore.