I have gotten that email  as well.  In my case, I received the fax at 9 PM.  I assigned it to my abstractor for that county at 8AM.  I got the first of three calls at 9AM wanting status.  I replied, "I'm sure she's in the car by now."  At 11 AM, I got another call from a different person wanting status.  I replied, "I'm sure she's found a parking space by now."  At 1 PM I got a call from yet a third person.  My reply this time was "I'm sure she's working on it."  I was asked to call my abstractor and get status.  I refused!  I told this person that everytime the phone rings, the abstractor has to stop working, answer the phone and remember where they were when they got interrupted.  And I want my abstractors to be focused on their work--not answering an inane question from a person who clearly had never actually completed a search in a courthouse before.  Finally at 4 PM, I got "the email".  Saying that I had to call them within 15 minutes with a status or it would be reassigned and they wouldn't pay for it.  I called them.  I won't repeat what I said.  I did not use unprofessional language but I explained that I was appalled and if they were more worried about how LONG it took, then that it was RIGHT, then this would be our last search with them.  I told them that my time was valuable and if this EVER happened again, I would demand compensation for the time wasted by the calls.  The search was turned in to me at 5 PM, it was typed by me and emailed to them by 9 PM.  I think a 24 hour turn-around on a full search is DAMN good.  And, yes, they have sent us more work. 

I don't mind clients calling.  Mostly they call to make sure I got the order or to "ask" if it can be done in a certain amount of time.  At which time, I answer "yes" or "no".  But repeated phone calls WITHIN the first 24 hours of even HAVING an order for a FULL search is absolutely absurd.  I know everyone here thinks I just a big B**** but I've had it!!  Nothing changes unless we change OUR attitudes.  Only when we start seeing ourselves as professionals who perform a valuable, needed service will others begin to see us that way.  If we don't wake up and change this "please, sir, can I have some more" attitude, we absolutely DESERVE to be replaced by those in the great country of India.