Terrible Customers

[IDCHAPPY]

Anyone got some horror stories? We've had a couple of them in the last 2 months.
First one, the cheeky old cow refused to pay us the amount she aggreed on and then got two heavies to try and threaten us( she's my brothers girlfriends mother).
She eventually paid us less than half the due sum and had the gaul to ask for warrenties on the work :ciappa:.
The second one is like your most picky annoying customer x 10, i'm sure the bathroom suite we fitted and tiled could have been done by the finest tradesman in the world, be made completely of gold and fitted for free, and she'd still be complaining.

Sometimes it makes you wonder if it's worth it, still a valuable lesson learned, never work for older, toad faced, single women :biggrin5:

 

[SimonG]

That's the one thing I truly hate about my job..........................dealing with customers! 🙂

 

[jase158]

Customer ordered the wrong unit, then tried blaming me as I didnt notice, even though I told her it was the wrong one.

 

[Joseph]

The only difficult job is to deal with and to satisfy your customers..!!!
And it really irritates me...!!:evil:

 

[cobra]

get a deposit ie at least for materials, or if they refuse walk away- no point in doing work for free

 

[secret squirrel]

Anyone got some horror stories? We've had a couple of them in the last 2 months.
First one, the cheeky old cow refused to pay us the amount she aggreed on and then got two heavies to try and threaten us( she's my brothers girlfriends mother).
She eventually paid us less than half the due sum and had the gaul to ask for warrenties on the work :ciappa:.
The second one is like your most picky annoying customer x 10, i'm sure the bathroom suite we fitted and tiled could have been done by the finest tradesman in the world, be made completely of gold and fitted for free, and she'd still be complaining.

Sometimes it makes you wonder if it's worth it, still a valuable lesson learned, never work for older, toad faced, single women :biggrin5:

One thing worse than friends and families and thats friends of the friends and family.

What did you do when the heavies were there?

I used to do a bit of bouncing at pubs etc when I was younger. Bought a car from a muppet (dealer) car was a dud, trouble was I paid top money for it. I explained that I wanted my money back or else (after a couple of weeks of him trying to put the car right). Still came D day and as I walked into the office he had got a couple of lads in to persuade me the error of my ways! I shook hands with them because I worked regulary with them at various venues.

Not surprisingly he gave me my money. Oh to be 10 years younger and not so responsible.

 

[IDCHAPPY]

Customer ordered the wrong unit, then tried blaming me as I didnt notice, even though I told her it was the wrong one.

Yip, this one customer went through 5 baths before she was happy with one. Not once accepting any responability for the delay or aggro it caused

 

[IDCHAPPY]

One thing worse than friends and families and thats friends of the friends and family.

What did you do when the heavies were there?

I used to do a bit of bouncing at pubs etc when I was younger. Bought a car from a muppet (dealer) car was a dud, trouble was I paid top money for it. I explained that I wanted my money back or else (after a couple of weeks of him trying to put the car right). Still came D day and as I walked into the office he had got a couple of lads in to persuade me the error of my ways! I shook hands with them because I worked regulary with them at various venues.

Not surprisingly he gave me my money. Oh to be 10 years younger and not so responsible.

Well, it nearly turned into a brawl, but we left with what they wanted ( the house keys, which we were going to return to the bag in question). I'm glad i didnt have any tools at hand that day..........

 

[Mrs Tara Plumbi]

o yes got some stories - when I've got more time and am more sobber then can share!
Certainly had to tell a few that we don't want to work for them again.
I've been known to tell a few and then they phone back to speak to Mr TP and complain about me! You can imagine what he says - (btw, that I'm quite right).

 

[AWheating]

An old gaffa of mine had a couple of hench men who would take great pleasure in breaking legs and arms of any really bad customers, he even had bathrooms ripped out with water still turned on over a few hundred quid. He even sacked his own cousin after an arguement over £5 missing from his wages. So he was a bit of a ******* but a rich one!

 

[Ian10261]

Started a bathroom job for a copper and his missus (also a copper) price was already agreed and they'd bought all the stuff themselves. The hateful pig then tells me she expects a reduction in the bill because i refused to conceal a 40mm waste pipe in a 3" stud wall as it would weaken the structure and they had to do it themselves (morons) This was in spite of the fact i'd already explained this to them. On top of this she was moaning about a few other things none of which were anything to do with me. So.... goes to me van fer a bit of peace and quiet, thinks about it a while and seeing as the job probably only owed me a couple of hundred quid in labour to date, walks back in picks up me tools, tells the cow to shove it (you know where) and cleared off leaving them with no bog, basin or shower. basically cut me losses and gave me the satisfaction of knowing they aint gonna be having a good time of things for a while.

 

[SimonG]

Started a bathroom job for a copper and his missus (also a copper) price was already agreed and they'd bought all the stuff themselves. The hateful pig then tells me she expects a reduction in the bill because i refused to conceal a 40mm waste pipe in a 3" stud wall as it would weaken the structure and they had to do it themselves (morons) This was in spite of the fact i'd already explained this to them. On top of this she was moaning about a few other things none of which were anything to do with me. So.... goes to me van fer a bit of peace and quiet, thinks about it a while and seeing as the job probably only owed me a couple of hundred quid in labour to date, walks back in picks up me tools, tells the cow to shove it (you know where) and cleared off leaving them with no bog, basin or shower. basically cut me losses and gave me the satisfaction of knowing they aint gonna be having a good time of things for a while.

Very satisfying, been really tempted to do the same but normally when things get like that I screw em for every little thing not covered in the estimate.

 

[stevetheplumber]

ivalways found turning the stopcock of so tight the head breaks a very satisfying experience

 

[steosman]

get customer to sign terms of sale attached to detailed estimate before work starts. 10% deposit, 60% on delivery of all materials, 40% on completion. Terms of sale: accept no responsibility for damage to house, customer gives you the right to access their property to retrieve items unpaid for, etc. If you have their signature they know you don't mess about. We're in business to make a wage, not a charity.