It always amazes me how some people just write, or say for that matter, the first thing that comes into their head rather than reflecting on it and, maybe, expressing it more appropriately and effectively.

For example I had an invoice for $210 from the anaesthetist who assisted at one of my operations for the “gap” amount I owed. It was accompanied by this cryptic note (the all upper case is their work although it is shouting at me!)…

“A 25% SURCHARGE WILL BE ADDED TO THE TOTAL OF THIS ACCOUNT IF NOT PAID IN FULL WITHIN 4 WEEKS OF THE DATE OF ISSUE.”

Naturally I thought that that could be much better put so I wrote back…

I loved your work thanks (although I slept through it) but this got up my nose. Surely it would be better to invoice me for $280 but add a note along the lines of:

“There is a courtesy discount of $70 if paid with in 28 days”?

I’m sorry to say that, in what appears to be the usual medical practice, I got no response.

But I felt better… and so will you when you express your thoughts in the best possible way.

 
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