Customers that just........

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TreeHouser
Joined
Jan 15, 2011
Messages
20,193
Location
Delavan, WI
make you want to kill them! I got a call from a guy who asked me my availability and right now I am about three weeks out. So I told the guy let me call him back and see if I can arrange my schedule. So I did and it was just red flag after red flag, and all of this is via phone, text, and email to the tune of ten to fifteen different conversations a day for the last week. So today, the job was on Thursday, I told him I passed on the job and to have a good day. FFS! Really! Later dude! ok I feel better.
 
If you want bumped up it's time and a half. We don't like calling to reschedule 1 person 2 or 3 weeks later than they planned or the entire schedule 1 day.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #7
Bodean said:
It's all about first impressions. .......If I smell fish, See Ya!
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That's the kicker I never met him in person.
He has some rundown lake house rental on one of the smaller lakes around here trying to play on the Lake Geneva name sake.
 
I fired a customer a couple of years back and now I see him all the time. His daughter is in my son's class at school and in religion. They live not far from me and even closer to one more my son's friend's house. I love it because every time I see him I can tell he's uncomfortable with it. He was a d-bag who required way too much maintenance right from the get go. He was the second customer that we fired..... Both times was the right choice and they were easy decisions to make. You have to trust your gut.
 
sotc said:
If you want bumped up it's time and a half. We don't like calling to reschedule 1 person 2 or 3 weeks later than they planned or the entire schedule 1 day.
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I tell people I'll call and ask someone how much they'd want to buy their spot in line. If the new client is willing to pay the other people to wait, I'm cool with it.

Tomorrows client paid $600 to not have to wait!


love
nick
 
Iv fired clients, but I always try to be professional about it. It's only business after all, nothing personal. Deliberately inconveniencing someone to get one over on them isn't on in my book, it's not a reputation I need or want. Of course, the earlier you can spot a troublemaker the easier it is to pass them over.
 
I'm now quite wary of people that are in a big hurry, I don't like taking the time to provide a competetive bid for quality work only to be passed over for someone that can "do it tomorrow", colossal waste of time that makes me pretty irate to say the least
 
When someone sounds bizarre or like an asshole, I don't even take it to setting up an estimate. I end it over the phone. There's too many good people out there. No need to rip your hair out over dealing with a loon. For what? A day of work? That day will become occupied one way or another. One way to guarantee i don't set up an estimate is to say "but I'm letting you know up front I'm getting lots of bids so be on your A game if you want my work". Done. Too busy. Can't help ya. If I'm going to low ball a bid, it'll be for a fixed income elderly couple. Not a jerk off that thinks he is going set me straight ahead of time so I know I better be cheap when I arrive.
 
I've got a guy in a huge hurry right now. Healthy tree way out in an open yard. He lived with it for 20 years now and never hated it. 80 foot Norway spruce. Gave me the go ahead a week and a half ago. Asked to have it done ASAP. Told him I could move him up ahead of some people that are in no hurry but can't put him at the front of the line. Has called several times since a week and a half ago to hound me. I told him the ground is wet and I bid his job to back up to the tree. He asked about me parking along the dirt road out front and bringing the material to the road. No. Bid it to do it properly and not make it longer then it needs to be for no reason. I had to level with him and tell him yesterday that ill be out Thursday and absolutely no sooner. I told him a 2 week wait this time of year is pretty good. It could be a whole lot longer and that I was happy to hurry him ahead but it had to be on my terms. Seemed ok after I got a little firm with him. He wasn't bad enough to fire. I think he was excited to see the tree gone once we made a plan of it and didn't realize he was being pushy. I think that once people decide they no longer want a tree, they sometimes seem to develop a hate towards it quickly. Like the tree never bothered them once but the day they decided they wanted to open up the yard, a sudden snowballing disdain for the tree takes off.
 
NickfromWI said:
I tell people I'll call and ask someone how much they'd want to buy their spot in line. If the new client is willing to pay the other people to wait, I'm cool with it.

Tomorrows client paid $600 to not have to wait!


love
nick
Click to expand...

I really like this approach, Nick. Might use it today ;) as I have three asking for earlier attention... I'll start a bidding war, and tell each I need a 10% commission to coordinate the event.
 
I can deal with irksome personalities so long as I get paid for it, once it crosses to pushing to get the job done at the expense of safety then I'm passing.

Often there will be some branch or limb removals for an elderly HO, once I get a hint of them being a bit "difficult" I'll insist on them staying near by to point out exactly what they want done, I'm not 'bout to let them leave the site with some "instructions" and come back saying I didn't do everything they wanted and try to get out of paying the agreed price.
 
brendonv said:
I like firing customers. I have a friend who lets every customer beat him up, its a crying shame being a pansy.
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In sales your job is to do whatever you can to please a customer but you have to remain firm. A great salesman can say no. You create value by saying no.

If a customer values your service or product, they will allow you to deliver at a fair price without harassing you.
 
RajElectric said:
Often there will be some branch or limb removals for an elderly HO, once I get a hint of them being a bit "difficult" I'll insist on them staying near by to point out exactly what they want done, I'm not 'bout to let them leave the site with some "instructions" and come back saying I didn't do everything they wanted and try to get out of paying the agreed price.
Click to expand...

That's a double edged sword IMO as it can lead to them standing at the base of each tree and pointing at branches "whilst you're up there with the chainsaw, see that one to the right there". When you explain its not included in the price they may want to offer to trade pieces of work whilst the job is underway, you can then pause operations for as long as it takes them to point at all the branches they now want cut and point out those that they no longer want cut because they have changed their minds.:X Some folks can keep this up all friggin day

If a client wants to start directing the work then its gonna be hourly rate and we can talk as long as they want;)

In saying that its definitely wise to summon a client over upon completion whilst the climbing system is still in place, 2-3 extra cuts is easier to handle than an unpaid bill. I think its also handy to point out that these are extras not in the bid rather than just doing as requested without question, these types of customers need to be managed to minimise the extra time they consume. just my 2 cents
 
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