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Last year, during one of our trips to find investigative resources in other countries, we met with several investigators in Bangkok, Thailand. The two most notable were good examples of what can be found in many countries. One was located in an expensive high rise building in
city center. The manager was an employee of a large investigation/security firm based in another country. He was professional and appeared well qualified. That office has since been closed. The second agency was located on outskirts of Bangkok in a single story building with small, Asian type cubicles. The principal was local but spoke fluent English. He explained they also do collection work and it was obvious business was a going concern. He expressed reservations about doing work for foreign clients without money up front but said he would work with us to allow us to gain knowledge of each other. We have referred several cases to this agency with good results and fees charged have been reasonable. The same type of progress is being made in many other countries.
Another factor that causes foreign investigations to be difficult and expensive is difficulty of establishing trust with someone unknown. A foreign investigator who receives a request for investigation usually does not respond in way most clients are used to. In U.S. work is usually commenced on a verbal agreement. Foreign investigators generally want detailed instructions, in response to which they quote a fee for job which they expect to receive before beginning work. Considering their problems collecting from a foreign bureaucracy when a check gets "lost in mail", their position is understandable. The investigation process is non-linear and since it is impossible to know exactly what any investigation is going to involve until it is completed, flat fees quoted before work starts are usually based on worst possible scenario. An investigation that, in U.S. would cost $2,000 worked by hour, would probably be quoted at a flat fee of $5,000 or more in most foreign countries. As confidence between clients and foreign investigative professionals increases, this disparity can be reduced. We are already seeing more reasonable fees from countries we refer cases to regularly.
ION's Resource Line is bringing better competition to this overpriced market, but it will take time and a volume of cases to bring about a system fair for both clients and local investigators. We will continue building database and trust relationships because only alternative is for clients to hire agencies that charge substantially more than competent locals charge. When ION is unable to provide needed resources in a foreign country, client is so advised and put in contact with best alternative in U.S. or some other country.
Copyright © 2000 by ION Incorporated - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Leroy Cook worked as a private investigator for over 15 years and is presently President of ION Incorporated, a worldwide referral service for private investigators.
