Is it just me?

[Guest111]

Seem to read a lot of posts these days with the phrase "and the customer won,t allow me to " lift floorboards chase wall etc,usually connected with some urgent piece of work such as fault finding or rewiring,then the spark spends ages trying to find a way of appeasing customer.Are sparks going a bit soft these days?When I was on the tools I did try to be helpfull and often found ways to do a job with less upset than the customer was expecting,however if a board needed lifting then it either came up or they could get someone else to struggle with the job.Am I just turning into a grouch as I get older or is the customer really wanting the impossible,saying that I remember one job where a lady wanted a socket next to her phone point with no trunking or chasing and the house had solid floors,told her that wireless electric hadn,t been invented yet,and walked out.

 

[Rockingit]

I think it stems partly from a 'showroom' culture, and also the fact that people are increasingly de-skilled at patching up and repairing... so whereas twenty years ago 'dad' would just go get a pot of filler and some paint and do the job in ten minutes, now it becomes this whole debacle that takes a weekend and requires hours of research and stress.

 

[Guest111]

I think it stems partly from a 'showroom' culture, and also the fact that people are increasingly de-skilled at patching up and repairing... so whereas twenty years ago 'dad' would just go get a pot of filler and some paint and do the job in ten minutes, now it becomes this whole debacle that takes a weekend and requires hours of research and stress.

Thats true,mates son in law once asked me what I,d charge to go and put some clips in an alarm cable round a door frame!

 

[Engineer54]

Thats true,mates son in law once asked me what I,d charge to go and put some clips in an alarm cable round a door frame!

Haha, ...haha!! That's got to be a classic!! Nearly fell off my chair laughing!! lol!!

 

[Guest111]

Haha, ...haha!! That's got to be a classic!! Nearly fell off my chair laughing!! lol!!

Ha you think thats funny, they bought a house about 1/4 mile from her parents house and he got her dad round to knock nails in for hanging pictures.

 

[Engineer54]

Ha you think thats funny, they bought a house about 1/4 mile from her parents house and he got her dad round to knock nails in for hanging pictures.

haha, ...So we can safely say, ...this is one guy that won't be going to one of the sheds to buy a CU to change out himself then!!!

 

[Farmelectrics]

charge him a day rate for clipping alarm cable

 

[Darkwood]

clips... so 70's been using staple gun since the eighties ... now that'll be a pound a staple, reminds me of a similar story where neighbour had new door fitted and asked me to clip alarm wire back to frame again, as she let me in door she went to get her glasses .... 40seconds later she came back job was done (neat stapling) and she was gobsmacked lol ....quite rightly i refused to take anything off her but possible the quickest callout ever i was back home before adverts were over.

 

[Dave 85]

Seem to read a lot of posts these days with the phrase "and the customer won,t allow me to " lift floorboards chase wall etc,usually connected with some urgent piece of work such as fault finding or rewiring,then the spark spends ages trying to find a way of appeasing customer.Are sparks going a bit soft these days?When I was on the tools I did try to be helpfull and often found ways to do a job with less upset than the customer was expecting,however if a board needed lifting then it either came up or they could get someone else to struggle with the job.Am I just turning into a grouch as I get older or is the customer really wanting the impossible,saying that I remember one job where a lady wanted a socket next to her phone point with no trunking or chasing and the house had solid floors,told her that wireless electric hadn,t been invented yet,and walked out.

Anyone who is incabable of imposing their will on their clients should not be running a business.
You tell the client the various options for how the job is done, and the implications of each, let them pick one or choose not to have the work done.
You don't let them tell you how to do the job.

With regards to the guy clipping the phone cable....well unless he is a fully apprenticed, time served, part P registered electrician he should not be doing DIY electrics, no matter how basic. People will die!

 

[Guest111]

I dont think its a case of imposing ones will on a customer,I always told them it was a case of you tell me what you think you want and i,ll tell you what you need and subject to compliance with relavent regs we will find a happy medium.usually worked for me.

 

[jaresquire]

I think most customers are put off by their experience with plumbers and the chaos they cause !

 

[ian.settle1]

Ha you think thats funny, they bought a house about 1/4 mile from her parents house and he got her dad round to knock nails in for hanging pictures.

Sounds like he is an office waller and does not want to get his hands dirty

 

[Guest111]

Sounds like he is an office waller and does not want to get his hands dirty

I think he was useless in all departments,last time I saw my mate he said his daughter had divorced the lad.

 

[Guest55]

If i see laminate flooring down , i turn round and walk straight out the door , dont care how much i need the work lol.
Domestic work has always been a hassle and lifes too short.

 

[1shortcircuit]

Anyone who is incabable of imposing their will on their clients should not be running a business.
You tell the client the various options for how the job is done, and the implications of each, let them pick one or choose not to have the work done.
You don't let them tell you how to do the job.

I'm a firm believer of informing the client of the options, in your preferred order obviously and allow them to choose.

I won't have a client dictate to me, If I'm not happy then someone else can have the job.

If i see laminate flooring down , i turn round and walk straight out the door , dont care how much i need the work lol.
Domestic work has always been a hassle and lifes too short.

I've started to adopt the same attitude. I will always offer to take it up but explain that it may not be fit to go back down lol

Electric work with no chasing and no boards up? lmao