[The Floridian]

Especially north-central Florida area?

I can't get people to show up, let alone answer the phone!

- Home Gutter companies
- Motorcycle trailer companies
- asphalt sealing

The list goes on and on.....

Is it just me or does Florida have a serious lack of urgency when it comes to working?

Thanks!

[On-da-Beach]

This is definitely a huge issue and once again I'm not sure that this is a 'Florida only' problem. I've a good friend who had a large refrigeration company based in Pinellas Co. and was involved in new construction for Publix Supermarkets. He told me that when Publix started to expand into other states, he would hire local help. In Ga. he would hire 12 to 15 men and be surprised if 4 or 5 would actually show up for work. Hunting season??...forget about anyone showing up.

All too many so called professionals simply look at work like it's short term and if they have work for today then tomorrow will take care of itself.

[D-R-B]

It has always been this way. It will probably always be this way. Employers don't value quality employees, and employees don't give a crap about being the best they can be. Just a way to pay bills and pass the time until they can get drunk again. Just one of many reasons Florida pretty much sucks.

[HIF]

I have no experience outside of FL, but must agree with you- I can't tell you the number of times I have met roofers, drywall companies, marina repair folks, spent a couple of hours with them and never received a bid. Or they will start a job and then it's like pushing them with a rope to have the job completed. In this economy especially, it makes no sense.

My DH and I had the same values when it came to work- you do whatever it takes. Not "do our best", but whatever it takes. Period. That is how I learned to drive a forklift to load a flatbed with pallets of veggies at 2:30am on 20 minutes notice. It wasn't my profession and it wasn't part of his business (veggie sales), but if it needed to be done to honor his commitment to his customer, darn right we showed up to get it done.

I sound like an old fart, I guess, but I remember sitting with friends who were carpenters and they would boast of the quality of their work. They were just hourly workers, not owners of companies, but their work was a reflection of who they were.

Maybe it isn't a Florida thing as much as a change in work ethic thing. I've seen a secretary leave a job half-done because it was time to leave for the day. What's up with that?!

Hopefully a positive that will come from the current economic crisis will be a wake up call that good work = $, slacker = the scraps.

[BornInFL]

Because they all just got here from somewhere else, looking for a paycheck, and they'll be moving outta FL sometime soon anyway, they dont seem to care really.

[The Floridian]

I've lived in Brazil, Colombia and Tennesse, and five years in Los Angeles and although I was not there trying to build a home, I did witness people in California had more urgency in their lives; more passion, more feeling and worked harder in all aspects of their lives; especially Mexican people. I think western US is better.... the south is prolly worst, and Florida somewhere in-between. The northeast with NY, they work better too. I'm just sick of people not showing, not answering phones and basically doing half-ass jobs. God forbid, you have a problem and call the company back!

Example: Rocket Motorcycle Trailers ( www.rocketmotorcycletrailers.com ). With today's horrible economy and nobody buying anything, I'm about to drop $2,000 + shipping and I'm trying to get a hold of them for 3 weeks now. I even called two Dealers listed on their website and both dealers said, "we're also calling and no answer". One dealer I spoke to, got so mad, he screamed "I dropped their product line!"

My Father owns a beautiful older home on a crystal clear canal in Crystal River... the home is over 40 years old in need of restoration, however according to Dad, he won't do it, stating subs, contractors, skill labor is horrible. "Son, they might show up if it's sunny outside" he says. I guess unless you're John Travolta with big bucks to throw around, it's almost impossbile to get anything done anymore.

[TANaples]

We had a major leak outside and my husband called a plumber. It was late in the day and the man said he would be here first thing in the morning at 8 AM.

My husband ended up fixing the leak himself. He called the plumber at 7 AM and got his wife on the phone. She said her husband was at a late job the night before and didn't get home until 4 AM. He was still sleeping at 7 AM. He lived in Cape Coral and had to be in Naples at 8 AM. My husband told the wife to tell him not to come. The plumber called us at 11 AM to say "he was going to be late".

Is this what you mean? We have had experiences where workmen were supposed to come, but never even showed up. They never even called. We just called them up, cancelled, and found another contractor. I guess these people are so rich they can afford to lose business? Yes, this has happened more than once.

We NEVER had any experiences like this in New York in 30 years of home ownership.

[HIF]

Originally Posted by TANaples

.....My husband ended up fixing the leak himself. He called the plumber at 7 AM and got his wife on the phone. She said her husband was at a late job the night before and didn't get home until 4 AM. He was still sleeping at 7 AM. He lived in Cape Coral and had to be in Naples at 8 AM. My husband told his wife to tell him not to come. The plumber called us at 11 AM to say "he was going to be late".

Is this what you mean?

It means that you got lucky- he called to say that he would be late- LOL!

[**NoodLes**]

Because you DON'T GET PAID MORE! You can bust your tail, sweat, blood, exhaustion and guess what...when it comes time for yearly review, ZIP! That's exactly why.

[HIF]

So what does that mean, Noodles? That for crap pay you will do crap work? What about your self-esteem, your self-respect, your reputation in the eyes of your customer? Scrig your employer- if you are the one that customers ask for based upon the quality of your work, wouldn't that count for something in the short-range and more $ or a better place to work in the long-range?