Just moaning -

secret squirrel · 06-07-2009

Today, I had two calls for prices,

First, to install a new washing machine. Fittings were already in place and it is (apparently) a straight swap. The customer is 70 and just picked up his new machine at Makro. I quoted £50 providing its a straight swap and as I'm going past the tip I said (as an act of kindness) I'd dispose of his old machine (I know, can't carry waste etc.)

This was too much for him as it was £50 added to the cost of the machine. Purely a retorical question, HOW cheap does he want it?

Second, customer has just got a new bathroom suite at B & Q and wants a price to fit it. Its just a straight swap with no adjusting of pipe work and no bits to buy because the suite has got everything.

I explained that this is never the case and its never just a "quick swap" and there's always fittings to put on and adjustments would probably be needed to completed etc. I was under pressure to give a rough figure so I quoted £300-£350 but would need to see the job.

He laughed...... and said he'd leave it. I was just about to justify the cost and thought theres no point here.

I'm a little annoyed to say the least, when my kia picanto (a roller skate disguised as a car) goes for a service I don't say to the mechanic why are you charging me £55 ph....

Still thats business.......

puddle · 06-07-2009

Chin up secret squirrel
Customers like that come around like Busses; they seem to come all together
You end up thinking one of your mates are winding you up or when things are going well they bring you back to reality,tomorrow is another day,with decent customers just waiting to ring.....honest

**migoplumber** · 06-07-2009

dont fret mate, wait for the next one.

shaun

Winston · 06-07-2009

Dont let it get to yer, but it is upseting I had it the other week. I had done a quote customer agreed on price job done. Invoice printed then rang not happy with the price! knocked it down as a gesture of goodwill, he then said he was recording this and would report me to the IR!

What is it with people they expect stuff for nought, but today good customers who pay no quibble in fact its a pleasure doing business with them.

Phil · 06-07-2009

Sounds like you picked a bad one there Winston, I'm interested, what was the job? and how on earth could he moan when he agreed to a written quote?

He dosn't have a leg to stand on.

Winston · 06-07-2009

Changing bath taps, basin taps, lever valve on HTW and float valve on the CWT, sod him is what I say I aint going back and had to throw my dust sheet away house was full of cat ****/****, made house of grime look like buckingham palace.

johnmcginty · 06-07-2009

JUst part of the job squirrel, I had a call today from a london number wanting a quote on a set of basin taps and a bath filler/shower , She said she lived in my town ( somewhere in leeds) I said i will pop round free of charge and give her a free quote .....no not happy she wants it over the phone ....I dont do that as I always like to see a job first I explained, " oh I'll just leave it then, thanks anyway" haha I have had a few of these of late , I think it is some marketing nonesense pretend customer and all that . Never over the phone will I quote now. Just all part of the job. It is the same with insurance work "oh I need three quotes " Then the insurance company can choose the cheapest non insured non tax paying cowboy offering silly money to do the job. Don't lower your prices mate ...stick with your prices and your honesty and you will get a good many job from it , when all these silly beggers like the woman last week who wanted a outside tap fitting and ball cock swap and syphon swap for £ 10 pounds you wont feel funny about laughing in her face. ( I tried hard not to though guys

)

stevetheplumber · 06-07-2009

you can never do enough for a good customer and youll never do enough for a bad one

bathroomboy · 07-07-2009

Yes this is right, I like the customer who appreciates what you are trying to do for them and will go the extra mile, I had the bathroom from hell a few months ago, it got to a point where the job and the customer got me down so much I lost my rag with her, which was unprofessionel, I finished the job which was perfect. I got a call a few weeks later she was complaining about the shower pump and the noise it made, bathstore told her it would be quiet lol, I told her to take it up with bathstore and the manufacturor, some people are never happy. She mentioned that in the future she would like a quote for her ensuite, this will be expensive lol.

heinz57 · 07-07-2009

I installed a macerator in an ensuite bathroom and in order to get into this
part of the guys loft i would have to cut a hole in the ceiling and then turn
it into a loft hatch when i was finished. Having already seen there was no other
way into this part of his loft (unless we greased up a midget and slid him through
the timber support gaps!!!) he declined. I then suggested he would have extra
storage space - a benefit! But he said no! I then suggested that i could plaster
the hole up afterwards, he still said no and this guy was not short of cash, not by
a long shot. In the end i said f##k it and left the job. To this day he still hasn't
been able to find a Plumber to do the job (got a real bad rep apparently) and his
Mrs was as nutty as monkey sh#t!!! It does bother me when you meet people like this,
you ask yourself - is it worth it? but then along comes a customer who's as good as
gold and lets you crack on.

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