Kenneth this is what I have found to be true.  One stand by my fees, especially in a market that so many of the searches we get are difficult and/or out of the range of the courthouse computer in the larger counties.  Any county outside your immediate county should have a first order minimum to cover all expense of getting there and back.  Our fees are not just to cover us for now but as for everyone in business to cover us in the ups and downs of work flow.  Not to say I would never make a deal but would never based on a promise but rather it would be based on this is what I have in my hand right now.  

Second, I don't believe that you should handle what should have been professional email to your client a post belittling the company on SOT.  The only thing we should be sharing is not getting paid which is just helping to protect all of us.  If you like the company, you should maybe try and privately email other abstractors to talk about your frustrations.  Perhaps even taking the person who you received the email from up on their offer to answer any questions you might have could also be an alternative.  .  

Companies will try what they can.  Especially if a company is giving them pressure to reduce their rates or they are trying to get a new company.  They will want us to reduce ours before they reduce their portion. Just remember most companies make more on the search than we do and it costs us transportation and upfront monies for copies.   Take and keep control of your business but in a professional way.