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I have a customer with a really old piece of equipment. The last 5 visits the technicians have recommended replacement. She refuses to do that. I have done a few free visits but we have reached the point that I have to bill her a service call for all calls we run now. It’s hard to help someone that won’t take the steps to help themselves.
The lady called to comply that we charged her. I explained that we can’t keep coming out for free. I have to cover labor, truck, materials etc. She thought I was being unreasonable. I gave her rock bottom price to refurbish existing, replace or remove it. She wants to do nothing that costs money.,She threatens to give bad reviews. Fine, without working for free, I can’t help her.
Well then the daughter called back. I explained it all to her. Daughter argues that it’s our equipment and I explained her parents bought the equipment 25 years ago. We just installed it but they definitely own it. Throughout the entire conversation she just kept repeating that her mother is 82 years old... finally I said I am not sure what her age has to do with this 25 year old piece of no longer functional. She is a ****ty tone said, “mam, she has a limited income”.
I have a limited income as well. Don’t we all have a limited x amount of money to work with? I know no one that has a endless supply of money growing on a tree they can pluck off whenever.
What is this mentality that just because you made it to 82, that nothing should cost money?
It seems pretty simple to me. You fire the customer. Business transactions are voluntary on both sides.
Reminds me of when I had a business for 16 years, and several times people from different local churches would come in and ask for a discount, because they were "non-profit." My response was that I was not non-profit, I was trying to raise a family on the profits from my sales.
As for the aged, I have noticed that those elderly complaining the most about high prices are those that have the most money. Many of them that truly struggle never complain, they just pay what they have to.
lol I had that call this week also. Church called because they had a leak. Send a guy out and he determined it was a sink faucet leaking. They decline replacing it because one of their members can do it. Fine... bill then the $155 service call and they call and complain that’s a lot of money. He was there an hour, plus drive time... it’s like they think everyone makes $8 per hour
No. Water softener on well water. Installed when I was still in high school and I am now in my 40’s with a teenager in high school.... to put some prospective on it.
In many cities low income people get reduced transit fares, discounted internet service, etc. Combine that with the already numerous discounts for seniors and there is the expectation that someone who is both low income and elderly get a deal. The difference being that discounted bus fares are subsidized by the taxpayer whereas the situation of the OP would come directly out of his pocket. Big difference. My advice is to declare, "this is the price anyone else would pay for this service, take it or leave it."
This has nothing to do with age, as the woman's daughter proves, and everything to do with an attitude of "me first and scroo yew." People like this are rarely poor, despite their protestations of "fixed income" or whatever other excuse they come up with, because they always make sure someone else pays.
OP, you might want to keep an eye out on the review sites and post a rebuttal if these people give you a bad review. If I read a bad review like that and then found out that the equipment was 25 years old and you had been doing free visits but finally had to stop, I would pick you to do my well work. And I would tell my friends about you too, because you stand behind your work like nobody else! That bad review could turn into free advertising for you.
Doctors can prescribe a little blue pill to help with really old equipment.
At my age, when I talk about my little blue pill, I mean my Aleve.
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