I should know the answer but don't
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Patrick88
Plumber
Verdeboy said:
Every time I lowered my prices to "help" a person in need I ended up kicking my self. The job goes way bad or they were calling me back to fix it again cause they went and messed around with it after I left. Then when I'm there to make things right in there eyes. they give me a load of crap up till I leave again. I never have problems when I don't give a break.
Dunbar Plumbing
Master Plumber
Higher Power
Whole lot of truth to those words right there. Almost like it's designed to be that way and when you lower your wages/give it away......another "instructive" hand deals a blow to teach you a lesson not to do it again.
And I have a feeling I know who that might be......
patrick88 said:
Whole lot of truth to those words right there. Almost like it's designed to be that way and when you lower your wages/give it away......another "instructive" hand deals a blow to teach you a lesson not to do it again.
And I have a feeling I know who that might be......
Cookie, you're absolutely right! Yea, I am a little touchy on the subject, and I owe an Im sorry to all involved here. My touchiness on the subject does not involve my not being able to get help when I needed it. I made it through just fine. Where my overly strong feelings come into play is actually over the people who do get the free rides, the government insurance, and the habbitat house, yet they ride around to apply for all of this stuff driving their brand new caddy, or lincoln! I guess technically, I shouldve agreed with HJ to a point, instead of jumping up and down. Basically most of us are saying the same thing with differing words, and for that HJ (and whomever else) the Im sorry goes to you!Cookie said:
Dunbar Plumbing
Master Plumber
One thing abikerboy..
Guys like myself understand that there are those who exist that do need help....and for the most part, they are the ones that will purposely leave it out of conversation, will conceal it to a degree and let the reputation of the service provider provide the discount.
The ill-willed though will enter it into conversation immediately and pound it into your head to make it your focus. I spoke of a woman and her daughter living together that I did a service call for $90 after hours to replace a thermocouple.
She started crying on the phone about her desperate situation, started crying twice while I was there speaking of her personal health situation.
She had just activated a card to pay for my services, but the card got denied when I ran it for $90; She failed to advise me that her and her daughter ate at Cheddar's for $60, "because they've worked hard for it and deserved it" in her head.
So I sit there.....listening to these sob stories the entire time I'm there, only to find out they've trumped the cheese crackers in my stomach against the rich food in their bellies. I sat there until I got paid cash for the call and pitched the idea they was hurting. Total manipulation and it happens very often in my profession.
Here's another recent call that when this woman calls back, I'm ending her ability to use my company.
Two daughters taking care of a mother with allheimerz sp? and I've talked in great detail, showed up for a 40 minute estimate and another 15 minute phone call yesterday. Not paid one dime and I refuse to even do this job now......knowing I could recoup some of the deadbeating time I've invested.
All of the above is my fault, it's because I pulled this call from a church bulletin I recently did $400 worth of work for free, just doing my part for thanking them for the ability to advertise in their church bulletin.
Anyway....I keep hearing this conversation revolving around a laundry tub that has a lead trap arm leaking like a seive and the tee entering the drain stack is in need of replacement.
One of the sons is a doctor, the one daughter lives out of state and apparently took off work for the past 5 months while her family lives on the east coast.
She keeps calling me back, keeps wanting me to do the job incorrectly or install a bypass into a vent line. They keep telling me that money is tight and that they don't have the money budgeted for the expense and they don't want to spend more money than they have to.
So.....they've spent well over an hour of my time trying to get me to either bend/cave in to a cheap fix. I won't do it and I keep standing firm on 3.5 hours labor and $100 in materials to correctly do this job according to code because IF I do it any other way......when the home inspection comes in, they'll red flag a half ass installation and guess who comes back on my own dime.....me.
I truly feel that these people are working this angle so they can get the work for practically nothing.
Once again......using the ill woman upstairs in a bed in the living room as a pawn to ask a licensed service provider to hack a plumbing repair and between the 3 siblings they make enough to pay this measely repair.
But of course, this would be too easy.......they'd rather take the deceptive path which is clearly so evident by their actions.
I'll take responsibility for playing "tag along" by being nice again and trying to accommodate their needs......but it sure looks like I've been sucked for information and knowledge, my free time without any regard to my financial needs to run a business. << This is the draw that adds up yearly that is lost sales, down time.
This wouldn't happen so often if I hardened my attitude to ALL of my customers. But as you see.....the bait was there for me to take, and I f'd up and took it because I cared indirectly for a stranger that had bad intentions for asking of my time.
I bet the old lady with no memory of anything right now doesn't have a bad bone in her body; it's just the ones surrounding her.
Guys like myself understand that there are those who exist that do need help....and for the most part, they are the ones that will purposely leave it out of conversation, will conceal it to a degree and let the reputation of the service provider provide the discount.
The ill-willed though will enter it into conversation immediately and pound it into your head to make it your focus. I spoke of a woman and her daughter living together that I did a service call for $90 after hours to replace a thermocouple.
She started crying on the phone about her desperate situation, started crying twice while I was there speaking of her personal health situation.
She had just activated a card to pay for my services, but the card got denied when I ran it for $90; She failed to advise me that her and her daughter ate at Cheddar's for $60, "because they've worked hard for it and deserved it" in her head.
So I sit there.....listening to these sob stories the entire time I'm there, only to find out they've trumped the cheese crackers in my stomach against the rich food in their bellies. I sat there until I got paid cash for the call and pitched the idea they was hurting. Total manipulation and it happens very often in my profession.
Here's another recent call that when this woman calls back, I'm ending her ability to use my company.
Two daughters taking care of a mother with allheimerz sp? and I've talked in great detail, showed up for a 40 minute estimate and another 15 minute phone call yesterday. Not paid one dime and I refuse to even do this job now......knowing I could recoup some of the deadbeating time I've invested.
All of the above is my fault, it's because I pulled this call from a church bulletin I recently did $400 worth of work for free, just doing my part for thanking them for the ability to advertise in their church bulletin.
Anyway....I keep hearing this conversation revolving around a laundry tub that has a lead trap arm leaking like a seive and the tee entering the drain stack is in need of replacement.
One of the sons is a doctor, the one daughter lives out of state and apparently took off work for the past 5 months while her family lives on the east coast.
She keeps calling me back, keeps wanting me to do the job incorrectly or install a bypass into a vent line. They keep telling me that money is tight and that they don't have the money budgeted for the expense and they don't want to spend more money than they have to.
So.....they've spent well over an hour of my time trying to get me to either bend/cave in to a cheap fix. I won't do it and I keep standing firm on 3.5 hours labor and $100 in materials to correctly do this job according to code because IF I do it any other way......when the home inspection comes in, they'll red flag a half ass installation and guess who comes back on my own dime.....me.
I truly feel that these people are working this angle so they can get the work for practically nothing.
Once again......using the ill woman upstairs in a bed in the living room as a pawn to ask a licensed service provider to hack a plumbing repair and between the 3 siblings they make enough to pay this measely repair.
But of course, this would be too easy.......they'd rather take the deceptive path which is clearly so evident by their actions.
I'll take responsibility for playing "tag along" by being nice again and trying to accommodate their needs......but it sure looks like I've been sucked for information and knowledge, my free time without any regard to my financial needs to run a business. << This is the draw that adds up yearly that is lost sales, down time.
This wouldn't happen so often if I hardened my attitude to ALL of my customers. But as you see.....the bait was there for me to take, and I f'd up and took it because I cared indirectly for a stranger that had bad intentions for asking of my time.
I bet the old lady with no memory of anything right now doesn't have a bad bone in her body; it's just the ones surrounding her.
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Patrick88
Plumber
Just had a guy bounce a check for the final payment. The guy is claiming He did not know the price was that high. Well what he is choosing to forget is I got a signed invoice and a proposal plus have two checks one for the first half one for the second half. The second one bounced. The proposal clearly states how much and the payment terms half at start and final when the job is done. I so love land lords.
Dunbar Plumbing
Master Plumber
patrick88 said:Just had a guy bounce a check for the final payment. The guy is claiming He did not know the price was that high. Well what he is choosing to forget is I got a signed invoice and a proposal plus have two checks one for the first half one for the second half. The second one bounced. The proposal clearly states how much and the payment terms half at start and final when the job is done. I so love land lords.
Take it to your local county attorney's office.....see if they have a implemented bad check program.
They have one here that solves the problem of bad checks real quick, only costs $25 which is paid by the check writer.
I've had two, really 3 in the past few months and all got paid in full.
All had HUGE flatscreen TV's.
Patrick88
Plumber
Thanks bro I will let my boss know that.
It's a sad day the techs need to find this stuff out. I'm sure there is a reason the bosses are the bosses. I just want to make sure I get paid for the work I did. I keep forgetting if the customers bounce there checks I get screwed. It's bad enough the bosses make the money they make. I should not be chasing losers. That's the whole point of working for a big company letting them deal with the BS.
It's a sad day the techs need to find this stuff out. I'm sure there is a reason the bosses are the bosses. I just want to make sure I get paid for the work I did. I keep forgetting if the customers bounce there checks I get screwed. It's bad enough the bosses make the money they make. I should not be chasing losers. That's the whole point of working for a big company letting them deal with the BS.
Patrick88
Plumber
Oh you like that? Well I get a base pay Plus commission If the customer forces us to take them to court I don't get what I worked for until the customer pays up. I get screwed hard. This was not the way it was at the last place I worked.(Same nation wide Co. Diff location Diff owner). The last one I worked for did it the way it should be done. Pay the tech and fight the home owner in court. I don't own the company so I should get what I earned either way. That is the whole point of working for a Big Company.
If I wanted to deal with people and there bad checks I would run my own company.
If I wanted to deal with people and there bad checks I would run my own company.
Patrick88
Plumber
Oh I am in such a good mood
Cwhyu2
Consultant
What is wrong with this picture.we all know what it takes to be a service
tech in any trade.You have deal with the good and bad!
tech in any trade.You have deal with the good and bad!
Patrick88
Plumber
cwhyu2 said:
I do agree with you. I just think the techs doing the work. The other staff doing the chasing for bad checks or such stuff. That is the point of not running a company of my own
Molo
Member
hj said:
OK HJ,
Let's come full circle (well almost full) on this extensive post.
You ask a Good Question, now I'll ask you or anyone to define "charitable intervention" and it's parameters.
Cwhyu2
Consultant
That is why I am now a marketing consultant
Individuals associated with charitable organizations must be familiar with the permissible parameters of being involved at both the organizational and individual levels. I look at things much simpler and find the golden rule works well. Treat others as you would want to be treated works for me.
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