Nowadays I am famously desk bound, sitting in my corner surrounded by archive boxes of files. Over recent weeks I have however been let out a couple of times. On the first occasion the client insisted they wanted to pay more actually to have me check their files on site. Next up it was to attend a real, live audit.
Now audits and me famously don’t mix, am at an age, and of a temperament, when I find it hard to bite my lip when faced with stupidity. Fortunately this one passed of without incident. We stuck to their agenda and had a polite disagreement about a couple of decisions, one of which I might blog about when concluded. If anything it was a “more with sorrow than anger” event, watching a capable, senior CM sent out with a set agenda and script but no discretion, and seemingly having to cover her back against any identifiable use of the latter.
Contrast that with today when we hear of an audit where the CM immediately departed from the agenda and had the firm’s practice manager chasing round for records not previously requested – and for no apparent reason. This included rounding up, file review registers, budgets and business plans etc. on the day when advance warning could easily have been given.
I raise the latter not to speculate as to the inconsistency and possible reasons for this. Rather you need to be aware that they can and do depart from their stated plans and you need to be ready for any eventuality. Be prepared.
