Thats another 3 customers lost tonight!!

[Kev the gas]

And another night of phoning last years, {and many years before} customers to book in their yearly service.

Out of 10 phone calls answered, 3 said they have joined a national company to cover their boiler for servicing and breakdowns.

King grate. I didnt even bother to discuss what was actually included in there new insurance policy.

Probably not a lot, Im sure out of the 3 , 2 will be sold a Powerflush / Magnaboost ! or at least a carbon monoxide alarmimp:.

I am fully aware of customer retention, and the expected losses.

However these 3 separate customers came to me because their previous insurers let them down badly, when they really needed them 3 years ago, and I got them out of the .... This included 2 of them on Sunday mornings, when snow was on the ground and the insurance companies could not get the vans near their houses.

Rant over.

ps

I never forget a customer who lets me down :rockon2:

 

[sparra1100]

yep theres rogue customers aswell as rogue traders, been there done that,they,ll probs end up paying for nothing and call you when there in a fix

 

[diamondgas]

Kev the gas ... It's there choice at the end of the day mate! Customer loyalty is sharp becoming a thing of the past ... They'll shop around, maybe get fleeced then if you're lucky come back with their tails between their legs! There's a few on my books haven't bothered returning my calls ... their loss!!

I hope you still got enough!

 

[Kev the gas]

Hi Diamond,

I always phone the regulars @ the begin of the month, to book in the on the way home jobs.

7 I phoned tonight were over the moon I phoned them and were waiting my call, as I said Im well aware of losing customers/ retention but these 3 I really put myself and my family out for them in the past.

The best thing is Im working near them all in 2/3 weeks time for 7 days.

I have to drive past them, as it is a very small private development, so I shall wave and smile as I go !!!!

Kev.

 

[Jonwells]

Never ring back to book in a yearly service, as life is too short to waste it over a waste of time, I have read the 57 pages of clauses wrote up by the gas board, if they don't want to repair your system, their solicitors tell you in small print, then they don't have too. Us sole traders are there to get a cheaper price, but clients won't pay you or me £27 a month to do nothing. Look after your clients and they will take the ****, but not all. Glowworm and Valiant even contact your clients and steal them off you after you have convinced your client to have one of their boilers installed by you, great, and £1800 cheaper than the G board would quote for. my rant over Jon.

 

[diamondgas]

I've actually slipped behind with my regulars, been doing to much work for others, if I'm honest! I know it's a pain when you loose folk, end of the day though we're "just" their gas man! If a better offer comes along, in their eye's, then some go for it! Don't take it personal Kev. I honestly think its in our nature to "put ourselves out" for people. I've felt like I've gone that extra mile for loads. Some recognise it, others couldn't give two fluffs!! That's the world we live in alas .. Let them pass my friend, they ain't worth the angst .. IMHO

 

[Kev the gas]

Sorry Jonwells

'Never ring back to book in a yearly service, as life is too short to waste it over a waste of time,'

The above practice brings me at least 20 services a month, 20 X £ 55 = 1100 + vat

So surely not a waste of time.


All that happened tonight was me feeling a little let down, and maybe harder on future customers when they
are desperate.

Any one fancy a beer ??

 

[Resolute]

Any one fancy a beer ??

I'd love one!

 

[fuzzy]

me too.

there is no customer loyalty really, its quite rare id say

 

[dontknowitall]

Now the topic's changed slightly, I was phoned last night by a customer who wanted another 1/2 day of plumbing done (house renovating).

Said I could come out next Wednesday. Not sooner? Nope.

I'll phone around to see if I can get someone sooner. Funnily enough I can do tomorrow morning (this morning)! Coincidence? We had a giggle about it this morning and I'm returning in a couple of weeks to do another day.

Yes, much customer loyalty left when the last government came along.

 

[jase158]

Sorry but 90% of my customers say that they can not get hold of a plumber and when they do, its a 3-4 week wait.

So all be it, if you are happy to wait 3-4 weeks and are good with money so can hold onto it for 3-4 weeks, but 3-4 weeks for a leak?

but then you see it from plumbers view, you cant just turn a customer away as another customer has rung up and willing to pay more.

there is no loyalty because there is no reliability.

however people believe that the contract means you will get a proffesional job, fast response, everything covered, i.e.

how deluded they are, until they actually need a plumber.

and finnaly, if customer is paying by direct debit each month, they don't have to worry about it, money comes out each month and they have a number for whenever it goes wrong.

Has anybody thought about offering customers direct debit payments to pay for boiler service,

£55 per boiler = £19800 a year
30 customers per month = 360 a year
£1650 per month by direct debit, beginning of month

Each customer pays £4.58 per month and you don't have to call them each month as you already have there money, just call at the time for their service.

 

[gasmarc]

nice idea , unfortunately some customers have no heart as I found out , fixed a cooker customer ****ing himself because it would have cost him an extra £35 . Another his usual guy charges him an extra £35 , YES the mug but customers for life when the rest let them down so I HOPE LOL

 

[DJNelsonHeating]

There will always be a loss of returning trade, as people really want the cheapest they can find. If you've done the best job you can, been polite, cleaned up your mess and provided the sort of customer care YOU'D expect from a professional tradesman, then you've done everything you can, and ultimately, it'll be their loss if they get a cowboy in for the sake of a fiver.

When they finally come back to you after realising your service outweighs the cost of a fiver, you'll have a customer for life and you may have to sort out (and charge) to sort the mistakes of the cowboy. Sometimes people needs to make mistakes to learn.

Don't beat your self up over it, even though you feel let down considering what you did for them first time around.

 

[obseen16]

i have loads of loyal customers and yet i also have the one hit wonders to, i never take it to heart, some people are out for a bargain and others are in it for the long haul. might get a bumper sticker saying "a plumbers for life not just for that one rad valve" hahaha. on second thoughts i think ill just wash the van as its well overdue.

 

[Destroyer2813]

Have quite a few customers who are loyal been treated badly by other customers and fell i offer a good service, theres a development of 10 nice 4/5 bed houses near me and ive been in 6 of them and look after one of the ladys rental houses as well and i get regular referals of them as well

 

[gasmarc]

I only service a few boilers a year and usually most people that call and mention a service have a boiler that is not working correctly in the first place .Now that does make me laugh after they have spent 2/3 hundred pounds they dont appear to mention servicing

 

[Pssst]

What do lads think about paying for referrals? I mean, if someone recommended you as a decent guy who would provide good service for a boiler change/heating system or whatever,would you pay a "tip" to the person who referred you or would you just take the job and keep schtum?

 

[mfgs]

If any of my mates in other trades pass any work my way I always sort them out with a drink and they do the same when I pass any work onto them.

 

[DJNelsonHeating]

I had a guy ring me for an oil boiler service (I'm gas only), so took his details, searched for an oftec guy, rang the oftec guy, gave the details to his wife he acts as his 'PA', and haven't heard a thing back - you'd think at least a courtest 'thanx mate', but no.

 

[jase158]

What do lads think about paying for referrals? I mean, if someone recommended you as a decent guy who would provide good service for a boiler change/heating system or whatever,would you pay a "tip" to the person who referred you or would you just take the job and keep schtum?

been reccomended that if customer reccomends you, nice way to thank them is send them a 10% voucher off next time they use you.

 

[gasmarc]

I gave a referral for a job that i was not interested in and got a £200 drink ,I was well happy , The guy gave me a small job he could not cover and I bought him a wet and dry hoover , He was well happy and I did a free FGA test on a boiler he installed also

 

[Guildfordboiler]

i give a £100 drink for boiler change leads i get add it to the price so all win