Customers!

[Millsy 82]

I've got an elderly couple that I have worked on there oil boiler and heating system pretty much since I started. When I'm there they are always nice and have a chat but I've had enough of them calling over the weekend!

They always seem to phone between 5pm on a Friday and 8 am on a Monday which I'm not usually too bothered about but they don't think twice about phoning at 7:30 in the morning which on a Saturday and Sunday I don't like at all as I like a bit of a lie in, also they just keep phoning so if I don't answer at 7:30 they will phone again at 8:30 and always leave a message slowly getting more irate.

This weekend they phoned at 8pm on Friday asking about a part which I ordered last Tuesday after countless calls last weekend and left a message and then again on Sunday morning at 8:30 leaving another message then again this morning at 7:15 I phoned him back and he got very shirty about me never answering my phone at which point I snapped back well stop phoning at stupid effing times and try phoning me during the effing week for a effing change. I'm normally very mild mannered and very chilled out but constantly being woken up over the weekend by this couple has really peed me off.

I think it's time to ditch this customer.

 

[Ray Stafford]

I find that sometimes retired people don't differentiate very well between weekdays and weekends. I guess if you arent working, all days are the same?

Do you keep a separate business phone? If so, you could maybe have a message which stated your trading times?

 

[mountainman]

You can become too accommodating to some people.
Perhaps you should have told them your acceptable times sooner.

 

[Millsy 82]

I find that sometimes retired people don't differentiate very well between weekdays and weekends. I guess if you arent working, all days are the same?

Do you keep a separate business phone? If so, you could maybe have a message which stated your trading times?

No I just have the one phone. I find 90% of people will leave a message and wait for me to get back to them but they will just keep going.

It's not so much the day they phone more the times. I wouldn't dare phone anyone before 10 on a Saturday, to be honest I try not to phone trades over the weekend if anything I might just drop a text then they can get back to me at their leisure.

 

[oz-plumber]

Had the same problems years ago.

Best solution, get a second number for your home and only give it out to people that you don't mind ringing you anytime - ( even family members )

I have a Landline and mobile no listed as a business no. - the landline is permanently diverted to my mobile.

So on weekends and after hours, most of the calls go to voicemail.
Had a few people complain they cannot reach me on weekends or after hours.
Most people leave a message, if they don't - I don't care.

I even went through a stage, when we were doing a lot of emergency work, where I left a landline no for people to call. I also stated that if they called the no they would be asked for a credit card no and a minimum fee will be payable prior to commencing any conversation.

That didn't work - and cancelled the no.

So now, unless the leave a no. on message bank, they will not get a call back outside business hours. ( Unless they are calling to pay a bill )

 

[SimonG]

With Ray on this one. Older customers tend to not know what day of the week it is.

But they can be a pain in the backside. They think you have as much spare time as them.

 

[lame plumber]

it isnt the old ones that wind me up, it is the young ones with a bit of cash, who think they are special. If a customer gets on my wick too much I just ask them to move elsewhere, politely and explain why, they either learn not to call or move, easy all round. Always treat the oldies with care and respect, mainly coz it is my turn next 🙂

 

[oz-plumber]

it isnt the old ones that wind me up, it is the young ones with a bit of cash, who think they are special. If a customer gets on my wick too much I just ask them to move elsewhere.

You being repugnant to customers......

could never have guessed.

 

[WaterTight]

I wouldn't dare phone anyone before 10 on a Saturday.

I tend to guage what times I will call based on what times they call me. If someone phones me at 10pm on a Saturday and leaves a message about something non urgent they will highly likely get a return call 7am the following morning.

 

[JCplumb]

Got a call yesterday, constant leak from under bath, as it was 7pm I said I could get there today at 2:30ish give or take half an hour, he was happy with that.
Got there today at 2:45, woman answers door and says he's just having a bath and could I wait? What the actual eff??
Customers...

 

[rpm]

Got a call yesterday, constant leak from under bath, as it was 7pm I said I could get there today at 2:30ish give or take half an hour, he was happy with that.
Got there today at 2:45, woman answers door and says he's just having a bath and could I wait? What the actual eff??
Customers...

Should of asked if she wanted her back scrubbed whilst you were there. :smilewinkgrin:

 

[Leo21]

I hate this ****, but it seams part and parcel of this trade now. I should ignore the phone, but I find it sooo hard. I'm always thinking " have I left a leak" I'd better answer to find out. Or ring them back with a ridiculous call out charge. Which seams to upset them more than ignoring th call. Strange that?

 

[Millsy 82]

Got a call yesterday, constant leak from under bath, as it was 7pm I said I could get there today at 2:30ish give or take half an hour, he was happy with that.
Got there today at 2:45, woman answers door and says he's just having a bath and could I wait? What the actual eff??
Customers...

The answer your looking for is no I will be back next week. That'll soon shift him out of the bath.

 

[JCplumb]

The answer your looking for is no I will be back next week. That'll soon shift him out of the bath.

Going back Thursday, the kitchen should be pretty soggy by then, the ceiling's already down. The bill went up too 🙂

 

[hammers4spanner]

I hate this ****, but it seams part and parcel of this trade now. I should ignore the phone, but I find it sooo hard. I'm always thinking " have I left a leak" I'd better answer to find out. Or ring them back with a ridiculous call out charge. Which seams to upset them more than ignoring th call. Strange that?

I always think that ,
Phone rings with the last date and time that number rang , first thought leak !!!

 

[tomplumb83]

If I had somebody to man the phone Id definitely start taking card details and charge a call out.
I'm getting a lot of calls asking for poxy jobs doing. "I think Ive got a dripping tap"
"There is a smell" "Can you come and have a look"
Ive been doing it long enough to be used to it but the amount of people that want quotes for the smallest jobs. Since when has anybody been truly ripped off by a local tradesman on a small job

 

[JCplumb]

Got a call yesterday, constant leak from under bath, as it was 7pm I said I could get there today at 2:30ish give or take half an hour, he was happy with that.
Got there today at 2:45, woman answers door and says he's just having a bath and could I wait? What the actual eff??
Customers...

Well went back there today, turned out that a fibre washer had perished in a tap connector, really quick fix. Added £20 on the bill for Tuesday and he gave me a £20 tip. I don't dislike the guy as much as I did on Tuesday now 😉