Would you revise your quote if comm acct wasn't ready(seal coating) or just a pita???

[jcooper]

So, drove to appt(car dealer) about 35-40 minutes away, get there and the flipping parking lot is being seal coated(no access)...

Speak to owner asking wtf is going on, as he sits in his car(cuz he's in a big hurry) waiting to go on some trip. He's Mr. Important! Guy made me wait while he ate lunch just to give him the quote.

He says, "I didn't know you needed to be next/close to the show room, bla-bla-bla-bla..."
As I'm thinking, Really? Because YOU asked exactly how the cleaning would go when I gave you the quote... As I pointed at the front door and said. "I'm going to park RIGHT there and blast the snot out of this dump".

It's a $300 job and I already wasted 25 bucks in gas and 1.5 hours on a FLIPPING Sunday. Guy was getting a great deal, hwe and post encap. Did some work in his house a couple years ago, maybe $200 if that.

When/if(don't really care if not) he calls to schedule again would you charge him more for wasting your time?

If so how much?

And how would you bring this up to them?

 

[ruff]

That's always a tough situation Jerry.
If you already quoted him the price I would stick with it. Most clients don't really know our procedure and it's is our job to make it crystal clear to them what we need. Whenever one gets into a "penalty" situation with a client, one can only lose, even if absolutely right.

The fact that he may be arrogant, self important and inconsiderate would make anyone annoyed. Therefore, swallow hard first and still stick with the quoted price.

Be friendly, do an awesome job and next time charge him whatever will make it worth your while.

 

[Dolly Llama]

When/if(don't really care if not) he calls to schedule again would you charge him more for wasting your time?

if you "really" don't care, send him $120 bill for waste of time/travel expense .
He won't pay it, but he won't bother you again either


..L.T.A.

 

[jcooper]

That's always a tough situation Jerry.
If you already quoted him the price I would stick with it. Most clients don't really know our procedure and it's is our job to make it crystal clear to them what we need. Whenever one gets into a "penalty" situation with a client, one can only lose.

The fact that he may be arrogant, self important and inconsiderate would make anyone annoyed. Therefore, swallow hard first and still stick with the quoted price.

Be friendly, do an awesome job and next time charge him whatever will make it worth your while.

Dam you, Ofer!!!

I guess that makes sense...............



Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo hawks!

 

[ruff]

Dam you, Ofer!!!

I guess that makes sense...............

I was expecting a box of chocolate, but I guess this is more personal

 

[Goomer]

Guy was getting a great deal, hwe and post encap.

Issues like that are slightly more tolerable when you are getting a good price for your time.

"Great deals" don't come with much patience for unexpected bullsheet.

 

[hogjowl]

I suspect you may have unconsciously given him the impression that you were a carpet cleaner.


Thus, your time is not important.

 

[handdi]

he calls back tell him you are busy

 

[Desk Jockey]

If he were understanding of your time I would but pigsheet is right. He sees no value in yoir time.

Decide if you want the job or not. If you want it, just do it as quoted.

If you feel so strongly you want to make a point. Then tell them PRIOR to cleaning you cannot do it at the price quote. Since you showed up Sunday as requested, there is a cancellation fee. Just a nominal charge that covers fuel and time. No profit. Don't gouge them just charge them for what they owe you.

 

[Shane Deubell]

I suspect you may have unconsciously given him the impression that you were a carpet cleaner.


Thus, your time is not important.

Dam marty, you're a smart mofo sometimes!

Unconsciously is the key word here....

 

[TomKing]

That is why we avoid weekend work like the plague. Sorry that happen to you. Sounds like you did a good job of setting expectations. I had that the other day for a quote at a fitness center. Never met a fitness manager that wasn't a pita.

 

[Charlie Lyman]

I would go work out a deal on a car and then walk away. Waste their time too.


....

 

[Buck1955]

I wouldnt have a problem asking for gas money for a wasted trip.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Better communication would have avoided all this.

 

[Shane Deubell]

That is why we avoid weekend work like the plague. Sorry that happen to you. Sounds like you did a good job of setting expectations. I had that the other day for a quote at a fitness center. Never met a fitness manager that wasn't a pita.

I find that shocking.

The weekend is our payday, the saturday profit alone can be worth it.

 

[jcooper]

Better communication would have avoided all this.

I guess I could have asked if they planned on having the lot seal coated!

 

[TomKing]

I and my team work hard all week. We do select residential on Saturday. Guys volunteer.
If I have trucks out I am working. We don't have a middle management yet.
I rarely have a commercial job that can not be done Monday thru Thursday. When I explain quality staff needs time off. They totally get it.

I find that shocking.

The weekend is our payday, the saturday profit alone can be worth it.

 

[TomKing]

Don't forget to plan for natural disasters

I guess I could have asked if they planned on having the lot seal coated!

 

[Desk Jockey]

We work every Saturday AM and have a crew or two working commercial work quite a bit. But we don't work too much during the week unless its an emergency.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

You will have a contact person that you will communicate with either the day before, or morning of, your scheduled appointment.

I did a large weekend job at a major Toyota dealership in Memphis (180 miles out) a few weeks ago. All went smoothly, but we stayed in communication before and after the project. I'm a firm believer in the certainty of Murphy's Law interfering if I let my guard down.

 

[hydracat]

after 2 days why didn't you tell him his credit isn't good enough and you'll have to charge him more interest. Meaning you have no interest. So let it be written, so let it be done!

 

[Charlie Lyman]

I would go work out a deal on a car and then walk away. Waste their time too.


....

 

[Desk Jockey]

LOL

 

[C&S]

I guess I could have asked if they planned on having the lot seal coated!

upsell, carpet protectant, charge for every pc of gum, to make up the extra money.. you did give a "quote" id revise it if at all possible.

 

[Shane Deubell]

In general i try and not take these people personal but in this case he would have to go to the back of the line.

So if he called i would tell him not until next month, hopefully he would just shooo away.

 

[Ed Valentine]

I have to agree with PiG$hiT on this one.

What would a Plumbing, or Heating/Cooling contractor do? They would charge them $75.00 service charge period. Either call on him in person or send him the bill. What have you got to lose?

Don't allow him to treat you as if you are a low-life.

Only my opinion.

best;
Ed Valentine
cross-american.com

 

[ruff]

What the distinguished proud group above forgets to take into account is what clients can do to your business as far as bad mouthing it.
Regardless of the fact that you're in the right.
Keep the estimate, smile and do a great job.

Let them exercise pride (and or any of the other deadly sins ) in their own business.

 

[Desk Jockey]

$300.00 job that because of gas is now a $275.00 job and nobody wants it?

Damn, tough crowd they'd probably refuse a blow job too!.

I'd be there, an eager beaver bright and early Sunday AM.........and when I'm done I'd dump my waste water on his newly sealed drive.


j/k

 

[Shane Deubell]

We work every Saturday AM and have a crew or two working commercial work quite a bit. But we don't work too much during the week unless its an emergency.

Yeah, given the choice of working late nights on weekday or early sat they almost always choose saturday.

Can be very difficult keeping people long term on long late night shifts. When they call in sick, quit, fired, move its a real clusterfook.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I think it depends on what is being cleaned.

Tom does a lot of restaurants that need to be done at night. I'd like to have his restaurant schedule but our city is too small for the kind of numbers he has available to him.

Our Saturday work is mostly corporate stuff where the staff is gone or the area of the facility we are cleaning is not in use. Mostly easy stuff 4-6 hours for a crew or two.