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I think it was the first time ever I had to bump a client.

I sold the job...first one for the etailer who sent me samples. I had her sold on the product, she ordered it. I told her I was going out of town when she called and said she finally had the product delivered after ordering the wrong one without a sample to look at. Lets go back, I showed her samples I had been given, she looked at the site and decided to order a different one. That one turned out to be too yellow so she took it back and ordered the one I orginally showed her. This was a month later.

Anyway, I had a few days open before I had to go to LA. She had the next week off which conflicted with my schedule. I asked her if she could give me her key to the house. She told me she could give me the garage opener the upcoming weekend.

OK, that was cool, called her on Saturday...answering machine, no call back. Called her Sunday...answering machine...no call back again. Waited until Tuesday to call again, answering machine again.

Now I am thinking she blew me off and got another installer....thats happened before. I have help lined up and he is asking me if I have the job lined up. What do I do?

I called a fourth time the day before the job was scheduled and told her I had to bump her. I mean...I have ten other people clamoring to get wood and laminate in.
Not 30 minutes later she called and left me a message on my cell crying that she just couldn't be bumped and that she only had heard one message from me on Saturday.

What do you do?

That depends on if you want the job or not.
If you want it you'll squeeze her in.
I do understand how a customer dragging their feet can frustrate you.

It must not have been too important to her, if she didn't return your call on Saturday.

For me, I get a contract and set a date in stone, only when I get the deposit. No Deposit, no place in the schedule. First come, first served.

Had one just like that last week, Only thing is, she didn't e-mail, fax or snail mail me back the signed proposal. She was very upset. She is now 2½ weeks out on the schedule and she still has not sent her 10% scheduling fee. Until she does, I push her back, and back.

he ones that erk me the most are the ones that at the time your there measuring, they ask how is your schedule, and I tell them my next available days. I give them the proposal and tell them to think it over and get back to me ASAP. Then they wait a week or so before sending the signed proposal along with the scheduling deposit, and then think the day is still open, when it was taken days prior, when while they were thinking about it. Then they get all huffy.

A few weeks ago I was trying to schedule a repair for a client and left three VMs over two days and he finally got back to me two weeks later. He said he was going thru his saved messages when he had realized his wife had listened to the messages but never told him.

Two days ago I got a voice mail glitch where the first three words of the message were repeated over and over like a broken record.

I couldn't do business without my electronic secretaries but I won't create tension or conflict over an unnaswered VM or email. Especially if like loon says, it's a profitable job that I want to keep.

I undersatnd that spence.

But the lady lied to me and said she only got one message on her machine. That really puts me in a spot where the trust has been broken.

Even though I know she has some kids and teenage girls around the house that may have listened to the message and not forwarded it to her...its not my problem. That issue lands on her lap.

I actually gave her a low bid because I really feel for the single mother taking care of their children where the FATHER has skated out of town on them but in all reality I need to take care of ME first, unless I have fathered those children.

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...teenage girls around the house that may have listened to the message and not forwarded it to her...its not my problem

If she accused you of not sending three messages I might question her motives. Though she claimed not to receive three messages which obviously could be true. Calling her a liar is a stretch and then skipping out on the job based on that fabrication is a bit underhanded.

It sounds like you underbid the job due to your philanthropic nature...or, wait- you said, "...but in all reality I need to take care of ME first..."; maybe you thought you were gonna get a piece and when you figured that wasn't gonna happen you unconsciously were looking for any reason- true or not, to skate.

Is this thread really about etiquette or ethics?

Thank you Dr. Phil. Your right, I shoulda went there and stood at the door until she came home or jumped her early before work or sumpin.

I will seek help with my condition. How much do you charge?

Hey, I'm no Dr. Phil...I speak from experience. I'm not saying you're anything other than human, but let's be honest with ourselves at least.

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Originally posted by ĶĦĄØŞ:
Hey, I'm no Dr. Phil...I speak from experience. I'm not saying you're anything other than human, but let's be honest with ourselves at least.

Did she call you wayner?

No, but I've heard "Jesus Christ!" quite a few times.

I get it.....

quote:

Originally posted by Bullitt:
But the lady lied to me and said she only got one message on her machine. That really puts me in a spot where the trust has been broken.

Even though I know she has some kids and teenage girls around the house that may have listened to the message and not forwarded it to her...its not my problem. That issue lands on her lap.

I actually gave her a low bid because I really feel for the single mother taking care of their children where the FATHER has skated out of town on them but in all reality I need to take care of ME first, unless I have fathered those children.

Me First? Of course.

So with this basic understanding of your principles;;; why did you Under-Bid the project to begin with?
I think Wayne is on to something here; you either made a mistake and are not man enough to follow through with your "word" to maintain honor/integrity, or she said "no" to the offered "discount".

It's always about YOU Stephen.... I think you walk around the house saying "Me, me, me, me, me, me,,,, hey everybody;;; Look at Me, Me, me"...

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Not 30 minutes later she called and left me a message on my cell crying that she just couldn't be bumped and that she only had heard one message from me on Saturday.

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It sounds like bumping her was okay...She said that she got your message on Saturday, (receiving one of your messages was enough) but didn't bother to call you back until 3 or 4 days later, the day before the job was to begin. She was rude to not call back. She didn't care about your schedule, only hers. Once it became evident that she had a problem that might disrupt her schedule, all of a sudden she calls. Forget about it!



GO WHITE SOX!

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It's always about YOU Stephen.... I think you walk around the house saying "Me, me, me, me, me, me,,,, hey everybody;;; Look at Me, Me, me"...

Jezzz, you sound like my wife!

Thank you Craig.

I have a business to run, that business is directly aimed at making me money and a profit. I cannot drag my crew over to a house where the client will not confirm the schedule and sit around hoping the client is actually coming or not. I have chillin to feed and a kid in college. Plus I have qiute a few other people begging to get in the schedule.

Had one just like that this week.

I went and measured her home here where she is moving back into. She had rented it while they lived in South Carolina for a few years.

I measured it and gave her the proposal 2 months ago. As I hand it to her and try to get it signed on the spot, I get the I'll discuss it with my husband, line. I explain my schedule fills fast and it is first come first served, and I don't have more than one project going at a time, that it is just me, and me only doing the work. She says OK, we are planning on Sept. move in. and they were having the kitchens and bathrooms, remodeled and the whole place painted.
OK, let me know ASAP so I can get you on the schedule.

Don't hear anything, until a local retailer calls me and asked for my sq.footage on the project?????? LOL I thought he was bidding against me, as she was suppose to be buying wood from "Hardwood Maniac" over at the Floormasters Forum. I told him double what I had bid. LOL!!! Then last week a GC calls me and he is her GC, and is finishing up and wonders when I'm coming??? What the fudge!!! I explain to him that I have not spoke to her since the day I gave her the proposal. I have no signed proposal back and no deposit from her at all. I thought she got someone else. He needs it started this past Monday or Yesterday... LOL, Ya right, get in line, I say. I can't start the floor prep till mid October.


This lady thought I was going to hold a spot big enough in my schedule, to do 1600 sq.ft. of gluedown over concrete.(I block out 2 weeks just in case I run into the unexpected) She finally realized her big mistake when I explained it all to her. She was very upset, to say the least, and wanted to make it all my fault.

No scheduling without a signed proposal, and a 10% non-refundable scheduling deposit. I block out 2 weeks and have not heard a word from you. No contract, and I call you the day before, and you say, Oh, I hired someone else. My next 2 weeks and the $7000 I would have made otherwise, are a virtual loss. I can't stay in business like that, lady. The world doesn't revolve around you. Good Luck!!!

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Originally posted by Craig Curry:

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Not 30 minutes later she called and left me a message on my cell crying that she just couldn't be bumped and that she only had heard one message from me on Saturday.

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It sounds like bumping her was okay...She said that she got your message on Saturday, (receiving one of your messages was enough) but didn't bother to call you back until 3 or 4 days later, the day before the job was to begin. She was rude to not call back. She didn't care about your schedule, only hers. Once it became evident that she had a problem that might disrupt her schedule, all of a sudden she calls. Forget about it!



GO WHITE SOX!

Craig has some good points here.
Go Marlins and Bay Boys

quote:

Originally posted by Bullitt:

quote:

It's always about YOU Stephen.... I think you walk around the house saying "Me, me, me, me, me, me,,,, hey everybody;;; Look at Me, Me, me"...

Jezzz, you sound like my wife!

Thank you Craig.

I have a business to run, that business is directly aimed at making me money and a profit. I cannot drag my crew over to a house where the client will not confirm the schedule and sit around hoping the client is actually coming or not. I have chillin to feed and a kid in college. Plus I have qiute a few other people begging to get in the schedule.

You are right Stephen. Besides; a schedule is always tentative due to the industry we are involved in. How often do you install a job that went EXACTLY as planned or run into a problem resulting in additional hours or days to complete?

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How often do you install a job that went EXACTLY as planned or run into a problem resulting in additional hours or days to complete?

All of them.

I can count on one hand, all the projects that didn't go as planned. So, I say one a year doesn't go as planned.

quote:

Originally posted by Bullitt:

quote:

How often do you install a job that went EXACTLY as planned or run into a problem resulting in additional hours or days to complete?

All of them.

You have to have good planning and and excellent product knowledge. And from what I have read and seen about you and your jobs that is very clear.