people

[hammers4spanner]

Although am busy with work can honestly say have had enough of working self employed and next year going to look at sub contracting to agencies as much much less hassle .
Apart from getting home after seven most nights and plodding through invoices and doing booke keeping til gone ten the biggest hassle is how people treat you when you work direct .
For some reason they think they can treat you and talk to you like your scum of the earth. I would say 1 out of every 3 jobs the cust is out right rude and curt .But today took some beating it beggered belief !

Had been asked to go back and look at the heating as it wont switch off from the timer , previous call from the hubby who was rude and abusive saying that i had installed boiler wrong . I explained to him thats its a control issue and you would have to take it up with the sparks as obviously a link has been left in somewhere hence why its not shutting off on heating .

Anyway been asked to go back today where wifey was there this time and as i walked in got issued how she was an energy efficiency lecturer and knows all about thermal dynamics.So immediately lets rip at me over the time clock refused to listen to me or say my piece as she decided to talk over me so now she wants me back unpaid to rewire the sparks work .(not happening )

She then decides shes bored of talking about that and abruptly stops in her tracks and rants about a combi system and how i must balance it as its to hot in the building .I reply it all works as has been comissioned gas rated , all rads work all trvs work the temps accordingly to suit to which she replies 'utter rubbish all systems need balancing so balance this system'.
I then walk round turning lockshield on off to rads that work perfectly fine .

Then aparently its balnced and working fine as to which it was in the first instance .

after that she then completely blanked me and mouthed off to the painter about me who was doing some touch ups .

Now from this years experience this is becoming more and more common practice and speaking to other trades i am not alone in getting this form of approach from custs .

So how do you guys handle this without chinning the cust (which maybe i should have done today)

 

[Leo21]

Where are you. I don't get that at all. And being self employed you can answer back to a certain extent, your the expert not them.

 

[zeebeedee]

Chin em!

 

[Guest123]

I genuinely don't get treated like that, but there's no way I'd allow anyone to talk to me like that. Haven't you seen all the signs in hospitals, offices and public buildings about courtesy being expected and abusive mannerisms not being tolerated? Bet that woman has one in her office.

Control the situation, don't raise your voice but calmy let them know that you will not tolerate abusive a abusive manner or you'll leave. Bet they change their attitude if faced with a problem boiler and the prospect of it not getting fixed or worse still having to pay someone else to fix it.

 

[AWheating]

What i would do is just walk away and ignore them. If they dont like it tell them you will only speak to them when they can be polite and adult. If they carry on the same way i would walk away after capping the gas meter and go home.

 

[villa_tom]

Remind me never to work round your way 🙂

i don't find many people rude, but I do find people want more for their money and jobs done for nothing in some instances. I feel the complaint culture is rife, I've never known it so bad. I've contracted to BG for the last 3 years with a five month gap in the middle. I've noticed a huge difference coming back a second time. I've had two complaints against me, one bloody huge one. And they are a both a complete pack of lies. It's things like this that bother me and make me sometimes think about working in a different environment.

People don't have any money a the minute and feel they can abuse the system to get what they want. People are naturally selfish and single minded and I think we are just seeing this to a greater degree during this dire financial times.

But, the way I see it, is that these types of people will get whats coming to them.

I quite enjoy working win arseholes to be honest, blind them with science and let them know who's boss, then disconnect the flue and leave the heating on 🙂

Only joking, but sod these types of people. If their happy being the way they are then so be. I can sleep nicely at night knowing I'm a decent bloke.

 

[Rickster123]

I became very cheesed off with customers this year. They seem to want the earth for not a lot of money. I got fed up with people ringing and expecting me to be there right away. Going out to boilers I'd fitted because the rads aren't working, only to find the room stat turned down. Then try and get payment. As you all may have noticed I'm not a people person at the best of times so maybe I'm better off out of it!

 

[Leo21]

But, the way I see it, is that these types of people will get whats coming to them.

I quite enjoy working win arseholes to be honest,

Wver heard, bit to much info for me fella.

 

[Mike Jackson]

I've not had any customers like that. Payment is not a problem, I write the invoice out there and then and they pay it. It's even easier now I've got the card terminal.

 

[mfgs]

I reckon in the past 18 months of working for myself, I have had maybe half a dozen people be rude. They are nearly all friendly and polite. I do need to learn to deal with the rude ones better, as I am always polite and try and sort a problem that doesnt exist. When really I should just tell them to **** off and walk out as that way it wont stress me out and annoy me as much.

 

[Millsy 82]

It always makes me laugh when I have rude customers as I try to help people as much as possible but the moment they change I change. I work for a company and had a go at quite a few customers my way of looking at it is im a heating engineer not a punchbag if they have problems they should keep it to themselves.

My most memorable one is

A bloke we were doing an install for he wanted the fire servicing as well the installer hadnt really serviced many fires so called me in. I got there looked at the fire and said see all those black marks thats been spilling like mad your lucky not to be dead big mistake as then he stood there looking over my shoulder saying "I want to know what you are doing and why you are doing it" at this point my gas manager walked in to do a check on me, My answer was "I am servicing your fire as that is what you asked me to do, If you leave me to it I will give you a full report at the end with all my findings" I thought that was a good response I knew the bloke was an bum and he kept going he then took my manager outside and complained about me this went on for the next hour as I was leaving the bloke collared me for a chat just after my manager had left and said "I think your rude and dont know how to do your job I have been using my fire for 10 years and im not dead" I tried to say something back but he interupted me "you should really work on your people skills blah blah blah" I then tried to say some thing again and he said " I havnt finished talking yet blah blah blah" my response before he could finish was "Well ive finished listening to you you C " As i walked off he said "there is no need to talk to me like that" I then ranted at him in the middle of the street for about 1 minute with the installers looking on and laughing their heads off. The bloke never complained again and I was fuming the installers asked what my bosses said when they found out and they laughed their heads off when I told them.

 

[stevetheplumber]

i give what i get anyone is rude to me i ask them if they think thats the way they would like to be treated its easyier working for your self if your working for a company you have to take it if you want to keep the job to much and i would tell then to stick their job

 

[jase158]

I always have an open mind. If they have a complaint I will investigate.
The only time I loose my patience is when they dont pay.

for instance, got a call last night (was waiting for it as system was installed wrong and I didnt tell them)

"we have had another plumber in and he says the pipework is still blocked even though you have powerflushed it) the system has got worse. you must come back as it is broke and I need heating before xmas."

I replied "I am fully booked until after xmas" and she went mad saying she had 2 kids and it was my fault, blah blah blah.

went back last night (nice as pie to my face) turned out it needed a new vent for f and e as it was sucking air in.

Walked away 3 hours later with a massive cheque and she was happy.

As a plumber you have to take the good with the bad (especially with powerflushing)

the questions isnt should you be subcontracting (you will be getting the same customers) the question is "have you had enough of plumbing?"

can you change your attitude, dont let it get you down. just remember that plumbing is difficult and anybody who shouts doesnt know there bum from there elbow!
And anybody who doesnt listen will end up paying more because they will still have to get the work done but will have caused more damage.
and finnally with the example above couldnt you try to change the way you say things. for instance, the fire is dangerous rather then your lucky to still be alice?

i am a strong believer in changing yourself rather then expecting others to change.

 

[Rickster123]

Thank you doctor phil! :wink_smile:

 

[Howsie]

I always get one of the lads to have a quiet word in the owners shell like telling them that the last person to shout at me lost a tooth.

Served her right 😉

 

[hammers4spanner]

Fact is plumbing/heating can be a big headache at times and you really dont need know all book read muppetts chirping on about how they know everything about heat loss like i had later today .
the funny fact about it all is how she and her husband never gave me a heat calc for the job , all i was asked is double up all the rads and any existing k2's make bigger .
Now they are moaning its to hot lol er no wonder , one room probably needs about 3 kilowatts yet they demanded 4 double rads in this room . told them they dont want this amount of heat but they no best !

 

[Rickster123]

I'd link the room stat out and slowly cook them to death over Christmas!

 

[julesverne]

Never had a problem with customers generally they always seem nice enough if they query stuff I always try to explain in leymans terms. But dont get custs with attitude and rudeness. It never happens

 

[stani]

I work for a company and most of side is in vicarages, these are some of the nicest people about, however there are the odd one who perhaps are not as nice as they could be, a recent new vicar to one of the vicarages I look after complained to my boss that he was not impressed with our gas engineer (me) it appears that the gas fire in the large living should have an air brick for ventilation, because all gas fires have to have one. My boss came back explained the situation re the vicars remarks, I explained that I would not interrupt one his sermons unless I was completely sure of my facts, a 4 kw fire. I also asked him to let the vicar know in the best possible terms ' you do not fxxx off the one engineer who is on call all Christmas for no heating, bursts, and then expect him to turn out to you, in the likely event he will need me before I need him.

 

[Millsy 82]

I always have an open mind. If they have a complaint I will investigate.
The only time I loose my patience is when they dont pay.

for instance, got a call last night (was waiting for it as system was installed wrong and I didnt tell them)

"we have had another plumber in and he says the pipework is still blocked even though you have powerflushed it) the system has got worse. you must come back as it is broke and I need heating before xmas."

I replied "I am fully booked until after xmas" and she went mad saying she had 2 kids and it was my fault, blah blah blah.

went back last night (nice as pie to my face) turned out it needed a new vent for f and e as it was sucking air in.

Walked away 3 hours later with a massive cheque and she was happy.

As a plumber you have to take the good with the bad (especially with powerflushing)

the questions isnt should you be subcontracting (you will be getting the same customers) the question is "have you had enough of plumbing?"

can you change your attitude, dont let it get you down. just remember that plumbing is difficult and anybody who shouts doesnt know there bum from there elbow!
And anybody who doesnt listen will end up paying more because they will still have to get the work done but will have caused more damage.
and finnally with the example above couldnt you try to change the way you say things. for instance, the fire is dangerous rather then your lucky to still be alice?

i am a strong believer in changing yourself rather then expecting others to change.

I did change my attitude before I used to take it and hate my job not wanting to upset customers now I will take a good load of grief but when they say something its like a trigger and I tend to walk away if they follow carrying on they then get what I think.

Yesterday I went out to an external oil boiler went off on the 7th the people wanted it servicing even though it wasnt working as they didnt want to pay for the first half hour (£55) to diagnose the problem as they only wanted a service the job could only be fitted in on the 12th I went out to service it and the pump was seized and low pressure in the boiler I said I will order a pump (I had already used my 15-60 during the day and it was 5.30) so I topped up the pressure and freed the pump all started circulating. I left in the morning had a phone call bloke going mad at the 18 year old girl in the office who is always very friendly and helpful she was quite obviously affected. I went back out and they had had a pipe burst in the evening due to a pipe being frozen. I didnt have Hep fittings on the van and again it was gone 5 so had to rebook itfor the next day I told the wife this and explained I would be back the next day. The next morning he phoned up first thing and went mad again at the girl in the office. I went out fitted new pump and repaired leak filled the system and the heat exchanger had obviously frozen and pin holed I said to the customer "I am very sorry but the boiler is beyond economical repair and recommend replacing it but unfortunately we would not be able to fit it in before christmas" She then started moaning at me that they had been without heating and hot water for a week my reply was "If it was a breakdown then we would have got out to you within 24 hours as that is what our company does in cold weather which would have prevented the pipework freezing and the boiler freezing I would have also got out to you during the day and not left it so late so that I would have been able to get the parts in and not left it to the evening" She responded with "You are a heartless B and you have ruined my christmas" My reply was I have been here after I finish work every night to get the job done I can say nothing more" and walked away

I believe in treating people as I would like to be treated myself but if they treat me or the girls in the office like dirt I think they deserve the same

 

[Leo21]

I did change my attitude before I used to take it and hate my job not wanting to upset customers now I will take a good load of grief but when they say something its like a trigger and I tend to walk away if they follow carrying on they then get what I think.

Yesterday I went out to an external oil boiler went off on the 7th the people wanted it servicing even though it wasnt working as they didnt want to pay for the first half hour (£55) to diagnose the problem as they only wanted a service the job could only be fitted in on the 12th I went out to service it and the pump was seized and low pressure in the boiler I said I will order a pump (I had already used my 15-60 during the day and it was 5.30) so I topped up the pressure and freed the pump all started circulating. I left in the morning had a phone call bloke going mad at the 18 year old girl in the office who is always very friendly and helpful she was quite obviously affected. I went back out and they had had a pipe burst in the evening due to a pipe being frozen. I didnt have Hep fittings on the van and again it was gone 5 so had to rebook itfor the next day I told the wife this and explained I would be back the next day. The next morning he phoned up first thing and went mad again at the girl in the office. I went out fitted new pump and repaired leak filled the system and the heat exchanger had obviously frozen and pin holed I said to the customer "I am very sorry but the boiler is beyond economical repair and recommend replacing it but unfortunately we would not be able to fit it in before christmas" She then started moaning at me that they had been without heating and hot water for a week my reply was "If it was a breakdown then we would have got out to you within 24 hours as that is what our company does in cold weather which would have prevented the pipework freezing and the boiler freezing I would have also got out to you during the day and not left it so late so that I would have been able to get the parts in and not left it to the evening" She responded with "You are a heartless B and you have ruined my christmas" My reply was I have been here after I finish work every night to get the job done I can say nothing more" and walked away

I believe in treating people as I would like to be treated myself but if they treat me or the girls in the office like dirt I think they deserve the same

Its when people try to get clever with me they lose out. Serves em right.

 

[jase158]

and thats the hardest thing, drive round the corner, go mental at a lamp post. scream and shout.
get back in van, drive home with music blaring (stops you thinking)
get home and forget all about it.

Don't let it get to you.

(easier said then done)

 

[jase158]

The thing is the customers think that we should care. we do not care and we have no reason to care.
They have not looked after there system, they have left it until the last minute, so why do I care when they call me panicking about the system not working.
you have to be thick skinned in this job or you will have a melt down

 

[Leo21]

I'm pretty loyal to my customers, but iff there not loyal to me I don't care. I'll do it for the price I want and when I want. A lot of them just don't get it, why should you put yourself out for them?

 

[jase158]

I occassionally get a call every so often.

"hi I have a toilet that wont flush, do you know whats wrong with it?"
"no I can not see it, I can come out in 2 weeks"
"ok can you give me another plumbers number please?"
"no sorry I do not know any"
"you are so helpful, not, I will not be using you again, i have completely wasted my time, thank you for nothing i.e."

Like I am suppose to be all knowing and have a yellow pages sat next to me at all times