A political correctness follows contracting, proper edicate being evasive responses such as 'sorry we're booked up'or we can't get to you for a while are doled out to undesirables.


Lately, having had the radish with my share of aforementioned pond scum , i have adopted a blunter approach of informing these pita's that i simply feel they s**k to work for and why.

anyone else utilizing brutal honesty ?

~Steve

LMAO : :
That is definitely "Brutal Honesty" !!
Give em h**l Steve.

I can't say I've exactly put it as bluntly as that before, although there are certainly times I've felt like it!

Once at a supply house back in 84 at a young age I told this really big fat guy off and what I thought of him. That was after 20 minutes of him arguing demanding that we carried this rediculous fixture part. I even guided him through all our stock and he still wasn't convinced. After standing there letting the guy yell and blow may hair backwards, I had flipped. We dealt with electricians ever day that spent good money, not one of them ever treated me like this guy.

i dont return the calls of people who fit into that category. it gets the message through without making my blood pressure spike.

Question: Why don't you just start charging those people more? That way they will either go somewhere else or if they don't at least you will be compensated for having to deal with them. Then, while you are on the job and they are pissing you off, just think about the extra money and you will smile.
Brian

[This message has been edited by Brian Winkle (edited 08-03-2003).]

Ive been known to hand out the odd serve when its been required, As Brian mentioned stroke the rate upwards and they will either bugger off, or you can kick back and take the cash, They aint worth stressing over!

I normally bend over backwards to be nice to customers, but today I gave up. We are backed up for weeks right now and I can "afford" to lose a job, I don't like to, but it's not going to hurt.

We had a job lined up for Wednesday to add about 18 recessed cans in a house. Some were replacing dome lights, other were new installations. I call today to tell the HO the cost and she informed me that she'd already bought the fixtures and only needed us to put them in. Also, she'd been talking to other and they said about $20 a can was what she should pay. I told her that if she could get an electrician to do the work for $20ea, then let them do it. She said "don't you want to make a few hundred dollars instead of doing nothing". I kind of laughed and told her I could fill her appointment with higher paying jobs if she didn't want us to do it. So we cancelled the appointment. Good.

I don't like to be rude or turn away work, but I knew she was going to be a pain and the installations weren't going to be easy. She'll probably call back after talking to other electricians and compares prices or she find some "handy"man to do it for $20ea. Either way, I don't want the job.

heh~ great responses guys...

i guess there's a fine (if not aquired) line bettween 'brutaly honest' and 'rude'

but after a while i've personally found that i really don't need to be working anyone with a marked psychosis

that some think me customer seviced challenged is just ducky, better that than have them think me a teddy bear anyways...

Spark,
Why don't you tell us how you really feel?

Doc

I dont mean to jack the thread but if i could expand a little here.
My mechanic costs me NZD 45, couldn't get a plumber here at home for 45 - 50, and joe public gets the pricker when i want to charge 40$ per hour for something that could kill them if they mess with it or burn their home down. I have to sit a saftey course every 2 years and pay for a licence, 4 years of study & i cant remember how many exams i HAD to pass.


[This message has been edited by old Appy (edited 08-05-2003).]

Apart from my electric work, I have had more than my share of contacts within Nevada's legal brothels. I asked on girl how she dealt with an undesireable customer. Her answer:
"I charge more. Even an extra $20 makes up for a lot of aggravation."

The corrollary to this is that you sharpen your pencil for the repeat customers who pay promptly, and know what they want!

i can admit to prostituting my trade John, yet even a prostitute has limitations....

Went on an estimate the other day. The house is smokier that a local bar and the guy smokes constantly the whole time I am there. No way will I work there. Do I tell him what the problem is. Do I just forget I ever went and he will get the message eventually. Or perhaps send a VERY high estimate and not get the job. He also made it clear he is looking for the lowest price and "Never pays full price for anything". Yea, ok there Buddy.

Perhaps including a very sensitive smoke detector in the next quote might drop a hint?

paul, that's a good point. Maybe kick it up a notch with a powered respirator and purple cartridges, or a Scott airpack like firefighters and hazmat workers use. It’s really not much different than having to work in a 70-year-old attic with pigeon and cat dung all over the place.

yaknow, i've met more than my share of hearty souls in the trades, all good people fine and well....

yet the old addage "Nice guys finish last" has never, at least in my experience, been so applicable

personally, i'm tired of being some GC's scapegoat, or a kicking post for anybody

Now quite the while ago, when i was still soliciting corporate biz plans from SCORE (SBA subsidiary) and whatever other manner of high faluten ten dollar word spittin' guru's i came upon a conversation with a lawn jockey who's wife i'm sure tied his shoes in the A.M.

He eloquently stated the following in his best F.Gump style.........

(quote)

" well i just don't work for people i don't like"

(end quote)

the stark simplicity of it hit me like a brick, i went and threw all my 'how to contract' books in the roundfile.....

oh yea,,,,,that works,,,,,whack the price up to put them off and if they bite your laffin.

also works on those peeps who p### you off from the moment you walk in the door to the moment you start looking for "their" problem.
i feel a confession coming on.......and im sure we all have a few......!!!!!!