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Old 06-16-2010, 10:27 PM
 
Location: Tricity, PL
61,729 posts, read 87,147,355 times
Reputation: 131710

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Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasRedneck View Post
Try when you spend weeks giving someone advice on how to repair equipment - spend over an hour on the phone w/them, and then when you price them some parts, they say you're "too high" - that they can "buy it on the internet" for $25 cheaper (on $500 worth of parts).
I don’t think that’s the point of this thread.
I think that OP is talking about calling “tree folk, painters, masons, roofers” etc. making an appointment (both parties agree to the date and time), then waiting, and waiting… but they never show up.

Quote:
Originally Posted by suziebuzie View Post
Well I cannot defend the "Wannabe Handyman"...but all I can say is that my father is the trade himself, and sometimes he gets upset mostly because he will waste gas going out to someone's place, only to find that they do not want to pay. My dad gives free estimates on all jobs, but it does tick him off when people do not want to pay the price he quotes them. He has had people that will haggle the price on him, not want to pay for the trash dumping, and when my dad gives them a fair price, they still complain about extra stuff they wanted done. I cannot speak for the others that do not show up/ do crappy work/only go when they want..but I can speak for the one's that do like my dad.
How do they know if someone will not want to pay, or haggle the price, or complain - if they never show up to give the "free" estimate in the first place.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lee W. View Post
2-way street, indeed. Many people call a company and tell them they'll be home for a certain amount of time. Then the employee gets to the house within that time. No answer to repeated doorbell, knocking at door, etc., etc. Wasted time and gas. Happens all the time!
Nono... we are talking about people that were at home on the appointment day and time, maybe even took off from work and waited for nothing.
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Old 06-17-2010, 01:15 AM
 
Location: South Central Texas
114,838 posts, read 65,841,950 times
Reputation: 166935
Don't call anyone from a neighborhood paper such as the Recorder or Reporter.. If they advertise in the yellow pages they'll show up trust me!!!
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Old 06-17-2010, 06:04 AM
 
4,329 posts, read 7,237,536 times
Reputation: 3488
Like so many others, I have experienced "no-shows" many times. Even worse is when I've taken time off work for a mutually agreed upon time, and they don't show or even call. It is especially problematic when requesting quotes or estimates. It amazes me how many of these operations, even independent contractors, operate strictly on a M-F 8-5 schedule. No one can come out after 5 or on a weekend to give me an estimate? If their workload is too heavy, why don't they just tell the prospective customer in advance that they can't take on any more jobs at this time? A no-show doesn't do anything to help their image.

Just within the last couple of weeks, for example, I contacted my communications provider about an intermittent problem I had been experiencing. They set up a house call that required me to take time off work. They were a no-show. They did leave me a message the next day that they came by, but no one was home, but that wasn't our agreed upon date or time. We're talking about a major corporation here.
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Old 06-17-2010, 06:41 AM
 
Location: Smalltown, USA
3,111 posts, read 9,209,594 times
Reputation: 2056
This just happened to me this week with a Progressive insurance claims adjuster. You would think that a business such as Progressive wouldn't do business this way.
The guy never showed up and never called. He called the next day and told us that he got lost. Whateva! He could have called for directions

Luckily we didn't lose time from work. Got him back when we told him to ignore the little girl with the 30-30. He was all scared! and said to please call her and tell her I'm on my way. LOL
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Old 07-25-2010, 12:49 AM
 
1,131 posts, read 1,713,297 times
Reputation: 286
Default "Yup......."

Quote:
Originally Posted by GEM-Texas View Post
Just a rant. It has happened so many times. You need repairs or an estimate - from tree folk, painters, masons, roofers. You make an appointment and they never show.

Sigh - yes - you can post about them on various sites but I just don't understand the mentality.

I've heard it explained that lots of the independent guys work till they have enough money for a bit and then laze around till they run out.

Rant over.

Quote:
Originally Posted by suziebuzie View Post
Well I cannot defend the "Wannabe Handyman"...but all I can say is that my father is the trade himself, and sometimes he gets upset mostly because he will waste gas going out to someone's place, only to find that they do not want to pay. My dad gives free estimates on all jobs, but it does tick him off when people do not want to pay the price he quotes them. He has had people that will haggle the price on him, not want to pay for the trash dumping, and when my dad gives them a fair price, they still complain about extra stuff they wanted done. I cannot speak for the others that do not show up/ do crappy work/only go when they want..but I can speak for the one's that do like my dad.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lee W. View Post
2-way street, indeed. Many people call a company and tell them they'll be home for a certain amount of time. Then the employee gets to the house within that time. No answer to repeated doorbell, knocking at door, etc., etc. Wasted time and gas. Happens all the time!
Agreed on all counts up above.....




Quote:
Originally Posted by ged_782 View Post
Like so many others, I have experienced "no-shows" many times. Even worse is when I've taken time off work for a mutually agreed upon time, and they don't show or even call. It is especially problematic when requesting quotes or estimates. It amazes me how many of these operations, even independent contractors, operate strictly on a M-F 8-5 schedule. No one can come out after 5 or on a weekend to give me an estimate? If their workload is too heavy, why don't they just tell the prospective customer in advance that they can't take on any more jobs at this time? A no-show doesn't do anything to help their image.

Just within the last couple of weeks, for example, I contacted my communications provider about an intermittent problem I had been experiencing. They set up a house call that required me to take time off work. They were a no-show. They did leave me a message the next day that they came by, but no one was home, but that wasn't our agreed upon date or time. We're talking about a major corporation here.
Believe it or not, I have actually heard 2 or 3 people in years past say that the customer is NOT always right, aye.....


I also heard another guy once say: "We do not live in a democracy, rather what we live in is Capitalism."
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Old 11-10-2010, 12:54 PM
 
Location: Helotes, Texas
101 posts, read 170,719 times
Reputation: 48
It's happened to me twice this week. The first guy came out and gave me the estimate, which I agreed to right then. I had to call him twice to get him to make an appointment; we stayed home for it and he didn't show up.

I called another guy about the same issue. He was driving and asked me to call and leave my number so he could return my call. He didn't call.

I flat don't understand the mentality.
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Old 11-10-2010, 01:59 PM
 
Location: Charleston, SC
5,615 posts, read 14,794,627 times
Reputation: 2555
Reason number 42 why I DIY whenever possible...
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Old 11-10-2010, 09:25 PM
 
Location: Helotes, Texas
101 posts, read 170,719 times
Reputation: 48
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boghaunter View Post
It's happened to me twice this week. The first guy came out and gave me the estimate, which I agreed to right then. I had to call him twice to get him to make an appointment; we stayed home for it and he didn't show up.

I called another guy about the same issue. He was driving and asked me to call and leave my number so he could return my call. He didn't call.

I flat don't understand the mentality.
I think I understand now why the first guy didn't come back. He underbid the job, and when he figured it out (checking parts costs, maybe) he didn't have the balls to tell me - he just didn't come back. I will find a place on the web to rate him...
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Old 11-10-2010, 09:54 PM
 
Location: New Braunfels, TX
7,130 posts, read 11,838,269 times
Reputation: 8043
Boghunter....why not call back and leave a message saying something along the lines of "If you think your original quote was too low or something please let me know. I'm ready to move ahead on this, and really liked what I saw of you, so I'm not sure why else you wouldn't be calling me back."

That, or just leave it be. Sometimes, things just happen. I DO understand your frustration, though, and wish I had a better answer for you!!
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Old 11-11-2010, 06:34 AM
 
Location: Helotes, Texas
101 posts, read 170,719 times
Reputation: 48
TexasRed,

This no-show epidemic is incredibly frustrating, and cost me thousands of dollars of lost work over the last few years - it also costs me in trust. Like the "friends" you greet when you go out on a job, I try to be a good client, asking advice on best approaches, paying promptly, never missing appointments, etc. When the repairman misses an appointment without calling, he's abused my trust, and I don't want him back, for any amount of money.

In effect, my recent experiences have moved me away from dealing with the small tradesman (house and appliances, mostly - I can't do anything about Cable and other utility no-shows) in favor of larger, more disciplined organizations. Some of them aren't as capable as a good individual shop, but they show up.
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