In addition to the often very personal and confidential matters that may be disclosed, the financial investment such a decision entails is usually unexpected, unwelcome and one for which the majority of potential clients are unprepared. Few, if any, individuals maintain an emergency P.I. fund 'just in case'.

One of the most frequent comments voiced by potential clients relates to the cost of retaining private investigation services. A common remark when fees or rates are discussed with a client is, "That's expensive!" The question, however, that needs to be addressed is, "Expensive in relation to or compared to what?"

As a matter of fact, fees for private investigation and surveillance services are usually the least costly financial challenge a client may face when compared to fees charged by other allied professional services such as legal counsel, forensic accountants, investment advisors or privately retained medical, psychiatric or other 'experts'. Yet, whether or not a litigation, estate or asset recovery issue is successful, and to what degree, often depends on the information discovered by the private investigator whom the client has been wise enough to retain.

The often-heard expressions of, 'Caveat Emptor' ('Let the buyer beware') and, 'You get what you pay for', apply to the investigation business to the same degree as to any other private commercial enterprise.

Whenever one is faced with the decision of having to make an unwelcome and unanticipated expenditure, especially for services which are largely misunderstood and with service providers who are not known or trusted by the client, the natural temptation is to check with several suppliers and then to choose the least costly.

Although attractive, this decision is usually wrong. Quality investigative results cannot be purchased anywhere for unrealistically low fees and retainers. Company owners who offer cheap, 'bargain-basement' rates have no choice but to cut corners, assign personnel with little or no experience or motivation, and artificially inflate invoices with phantom expenses in order to remain profitable. It is not surprising, then, that the 'cheapest' company often turns out to be the most expensive. Unfortunately, many potential clients sacrifice common sense in order to 'save' ten or fifteen dollars an hour. It does not 'cost' to invest in quality, it pays!

A properly funded investigation permitting access to viable sources and databases, the assignment of credible and experienced personnel, outfitted with the appropriate number and kind of vehicles and equipment necessary to effectively fulfill the assignment in question and allocated sufficiently adequate and realistic time constraints may prove to be initially - or even ultimately - more costly, but this investment will usually yield better quality results and a far higher probability of success than an inadequately funded venture which must, of necessity, rely on short-cuts and deceit to be viable. Wise individuals understand the difference between 'cost' and 'value'.