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BILLING FILES ON MY SYSTEM

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MABB:
Hi all, I am new but hope that you  can give me some insight. 

I have a billing company and a former client is requesting access to my computer systems to download information for the accounts recieveables that I have returned to them.  The former client has purchased the the same billing software I use and does not want to take the time involved to reenter the information into their new system for billing the accounts.  I feel that this request is absurd and a breach of my own privacy policy to allow a FORMER client access to anything on my computer systems!  I feel that it is of little consequence to me if it is labor intensive on their end, not to mention that any history in the files is the property of my company, not theirs.

Has anyone else had this problem?  Now the former client is calling my office repeatedly and does not seem to understand that the answer is no! 

Thanks, any responses would be greatly appreciated!
MABB

PMRNC:
You don't have to allow them access, however you do have to provide them with all of the same data. If push came to shove and if they force the issue they would win in court to either gain access to the files or at very least you provide the data for them via a backup disk or flash drive.  IMHO it's easier to just give them the necessary data and reports and be done with it. 

MABB:
I have already provided them with all of the accounts, names, addresses, amounts  and who we were billing as of the date the account was returned.  I dont think that they thought it though as what they were going to have to do when they rcv'd the accounts.  The history/narrative (work we did on the accounts) is the property of the billing company. I have made it known to them that these accounts need to be pursued and that it would be their responsibility to do so.  As the provider they have the original record that they would have provided to us in order to bill prior to them purchasing their own billing software.  I still don't see how it is my responsibility to reduce their labor costs, especially now that they are no longer a client and we do not represent them. 

Your thoughts? Thanks! ~MABB

Michele:
But couldn't she just provide them with the reports, hard copy, which would have all the data/information?  I understand her point.  If they decided to switch PM's they would either have to pay for a data conversion or re-enter the info.  I agree completely that she would need to provide all requested data but it sounds like she may have done that.  Is there anything that says she must provide it in electronic format so that they can use it in their PM system? 

Sorry, don't mean to start up anything, just curious.  We had a client that just had a major computer crash.  We did provide electronic data for him to have converted to save him but he is still a client.  It wasn't all data, mostly demographics.  Totally different scenario but it got me thinking.

Although I would give them a backup or flash before I allowed them access to my system, and I wouldn't fight it to the point of court, but I was just curious.   :D

MABB:
Michele, I agree with you.  I have provided all the data in hardcopy form.  Their complaint is that it is going to be too "time-consuming and labor intensive" to re-enter the info manually.  This provider is no longer a client and if they were I would make every effort to help them if something had occured.  I dont feel that I am responsible to help them reduce their time spent or labor costs now that they are no longer clients.  I feel that I have gone above and beyond what I need to do to help them transition since I stopped billing for them at the end of July but continued to do follow up and clean up some of their open accounts until they deactivated my provider id. 

There is nothing in my contract with them that says I have to provide them with the information electronically.  I feel that they are trying to take advantage of me by wanting the benefit of all the time and work that I put into entering it into the system without having to pay me for doing it.  I am not withholding information - I just don't feel that it is my responsibility to save them time and money since they are no longer clients. 

I appreciate everyone's thoughts!  I want to be sure that I am making the right decision.  :)

Thanks,  MABB ;)   

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