Real-Life Decision Making -- Solution
You do the work and send him an invoice for $1,000.
You think to yourself, "I really need this money. And it isn't as if I am taking advantage of my client. He has asked for this work twice. It is not my fault if he doesn't know what to ask for."
The client is satisfied. He pays your bill with no further comment.
You do not feel very proud of yourself. Sometimes you feel guilty over the transaction.
Six months later, you hear that your client has given a very large contract to a terminologist who charges a lower hourly rate than you do.
You wish that you had told the client the truth and charged only $500. "If I had shown the client how honest I am, he would have been very loyal and would have continued to use my services. Now he is just looking for someone who will do the work cheaper."
"Honesty always pays in your heart of hearts. You know you have done the right thing," says Pascale Chapuis, a terminologist. "It shows you have integrity."