Verry Intelligent Customers

[village idiot]

I was meant to refit a WET ROOM for a customer in January, but the work load meant I moved it to Mid February. She did ask me to price for Gas Safety Certs (two) in Mid January. I told her £50 each but she said her neighbours plumber can do Certs for £40. If I can match that, the job is mine. Well, I said NO.

Today she sent me a message reminding me of the Wet Room job, asking if it was possible, could I do it sooner?

She doesn't know yet, but there is no way I am now going to do the Wet Room job. Besides, I will not bother responding. When she eventually gets round to phoning me, I will advice her to get the plumber who did her Gas Certs to sort out the Wet Room. If he can't, then he will know someone who can.
I really will not be able to sleep soundly at night, knowing that she could have had the Wet Room done for cheaper than I am charging her. For the time I took to remove the old tiles, I will let her have that for free and will not bill her.

 

[A1TEC]

Some customer expectations are unreal, the ones that tell you that they have had a cheaper quote i just say that is great get them to do the job.:smiley2:

 

[cr0ft]

Right up there with the ones who tell you within 5 minutes of entering their house to do a bathroom installation that they have already seen all the materials they want. And then act as though they have done you a huge favour choosing them already...

I usually ask a few questions like - oh, does the shower enclosure come assembled or does it require assembly? What pressure are the taps manufactured to work at? Is the shower tray plastic or stone resin? How much space is under your fitted furniture so I know if I can run a soil pipe underneath it or not?

Doesn't win you the quote lol but it does make the point quite clear that they aren't doing me a favour.

 

[village idiot]

Right up there with the ones who tell you within 5 minutes of entering their house to do a bathroom installation that they have already seen all the materials they want. And then act as though they have done you a huge favour choosing them already...

I usually ask a few questions like - oh, does the shower enclosure come assembled or does it require assembly? What pressure are the taps manufactured to work at?

Some years back, I was called to replace all the taps in a property in Lower Kingswood. The gentleman was all talk, bragging to the wife how he had gotten himself a wonderful deal, buying all the taps at less than 20% of their value (it was some sort of show and the display taps were then sold to the public at a ''give away'' price. There were no packaging etc.

I asked the chap if he knew if the taps were meant for high pressure use or low pressure use? His house taps were fed by tank in loft. He asked if I was ok? Could I not notice that the taps were Victorian and meant for old houses like his?

Well, I fitted the bath taps and all that came through was a trickle. He started screaming, claiming I had no idea of what I was doing. He wanted to know why more water wasn't coming out? Touching the cold tap, he said he could feel the water right there at the body, but why was it not coming out? Much as I tried to inform him that he bough high pressure taps, he would not accept. It didn't help that the wife was looking at him funnily. When he wouldn't stop screaming, I asked him to please just give me £60 for what I have fitted. He did, then as I was leaving asked me to replace the taps I had removed earlier. Out of sympathy, I did and could not be bothered to charge him anymore, I just wanted out.

 

[gasmanrob]

Kwik fit quote you £300 for four tyres and £160 for an exhaust however ford have quoted £360 for tyres and £140 for the exhaust. You get the exhaust fitted at fords but decline the tyres nip round to Kwik fit and get the tyres at £300... We do it every day I see this customer as no different sign of the times everyone is online looking for discount codes and special offers etc

 

[Ray Stafford]

Kwik fit quote you £300 for four tyres and £160 for an exhaust however ford have quoted £360 for tyres and £140 for the exhaust. You get the exhaust fitted at fords but decline the tyres nip round to Kwik fit and get the tyres at £300... We do it every day I see this customer as no different sign of the times everyone is online looking for discount codes and special offers etc

I agree with all of this, except the highlighted part.

Its not a "sign of the times". Its basic economics. My grandmother shopped around. My mother shopped around. My wife shops around. My daughter shops around.

The only thing that has changed is that the internet makes it quicker to do what people have always done.

 

[village idiot]

You are right. Life is a decision making process. You will not tell Ford in advance that you will be taking your car to Kwik Fit though, would you? May be you would. The staff will not be that bothered as they would consider that at least they made a sale from the exhaust. As a one man band, I cannot afford to have my price plan diluted by Joe Public.

Look at it this way. TEN Polish chaps live in a Bed Sit. They charge £10 an hour for Plumbing jobs and £12 an hour for Gas work in the london area. Will you decide to match their prices? May be you will, but I will not. I have a mortgage, a family, various business overheads, they just share the £100 weekly rents between the 10 of them, so they can charge peanuts

 

[gasmanrob]

I wouldn't match their prices definitely not my price reflects my work and my knowledge.

But..... You haven't had to match his price for the wet room. Like a prize on bulls eye it's in the bag and your taking it home

 

[gassafe]

Gas man rob is on the right track...

I'm guessing the wet room job is much more lucrative so let the gas Certs slide... And if you want revenge then make up an unforeseen extra on the job, and then tell us about it on the "confessions of a plumber thread" that is currently ongoing

 

[gassafe]

I will often pay more for items or services if I think someone will do a better job, or for a more quality item... I just wish my customers thought the same lol!

I recently had a van alarm fitted, one place quoted 360 for the system, but the guy just pulled the figure out of thin air and took no interest in my van neither did he look at it even tho it was outside his garage! The 2nd guy was recommended, he quoted 475 for the same system but asked questions about the van & made sure i got the system I was after... It was the same make as the first guys quote but I paid more and went with the guy who showed a bit of enthusiasm!!!