How do you deal with difficult customers???

[Sysop]

I've been in business for about 15 years and can tell you without a doubt, there are always folk who are never happy. There are also plenty of people out there that will "test" you. If they can get more work for the same money by complaining, they will. They just like to feel their getting the most for their money and some people think that such behaviors are the means to that end... If you give in and do the extra work at no charge, she'd feel you were initially trying to rip her off. By standing your ground saying "no, this is what it costs" in the end she'll know she got the work she paid for and you may very well get more calls from her in the future...

Big thing is, please yourself with the quality of work you do and stick to the rates that pay the bills; because in the end, happy customers are a dime a dozen but so are unhappy ones...

To answer the question of the thread title. I don't, I let them go to the competition...

 

[hawkeye08]

No mis-understanding at all.

Sure I could have met first, and scoped the place out, but she done live there. She just bought the place so it would be an inconvenience for both parties. And after talking with her on the phone, and google mapping it, I had a clear understanding of what needed done, AND so did she which was confirmed when I got there and she showed me.

The issue was: I finished sooner than she expected. (It actually took me longer than I expected to mow 2 acres). And since she thought $150 was worth more of my time than 2.5 hrs + 0.5 hrs road time, she wanted me to do another hour of work that was NOT discussed before hand.

People like this dont have a clue what owning and operating equipment cost. And they think $50/hr is outrageous cause they only make ~$20 at their day job. They dont get the fact that their $20/hr job has no overhead and is closer to a $40/hr job with insurance, retirement, and other benefits. They dont have $60k invested in truck, trailer, tractor, and mower. And dont have to pay insurance accordingly.

Like I said, I a reasonable. I have a $150 minimum. And if I was only their for an hour. I would have done whatever else she asked for the next 1hr+ and not charged a dime more for it. I spent alot of extra time doing a good job and getting right close to trees and taking out some big briar parches that normally I would just go around in a big field. I guess maybe I shouldnt have done as good a job so I could have done the other plot for her, but I am sure she still would have found something to complain about or want something else done after that.

It all boils down to SHE dont think $150 was fair for my time. But I bet if I had a 4' cutter and a SCUT and taken half a day, she would have had no complaints.

I guess I am luck I just have a small tractor and 6' cutter. Imagine her complaint if I rolled in with a 100HP and 10' cutter and did the same work in 1hr......

I agree completely. She was obviously satisfied with the work done or she would not have been asking for more. Change order, cha-ching, here is what that change will cost ya. Cash in advance on future work.

 

[jenkinsph]

LD1,
You mentioned she just bought the place, and will have to learn the costs of having acreage. Hold your ground and make sure all future arrangements are discussed if you work for her again. I hate to argue about prices with customers, I dropped one this week over a small charge for plumbing work. Don't think I would wan't any future business with a customer demanding free add on either.

 

[J F]

All part of the "joy" of owning a business. I've done a pretty good job over the years of pre-qualifying (carpentry/remodeling work) the "stinkers" before getting involved with them, but sometimes one just slips through every once in a great while and then ya grin and bear it until you can finish up.

It happens, and like already posted (and we all know), you can never please everyone, you can just try to do your due diligence and use your "spidey sense"/intuition/experience to get you out of most of these kind of people's lives before you do business with them.

Life's too short to work for/with people who don't appreciate a good/honest job, and that would begrudge you a profit.

 

[murphy1244]

All part of the "joy" of owning a business. I've done a pretty good job over the years of pre-qualifying (carpentry/remodeling work) the "stinkers" before getting involved with them, but sometimes one just slips through every once in a great while and then ya grin and bear it until you can finish up.

It happens, and like already posted (and we all know), you can never please everyone, you can just try to do your due diligence and use your "spidey sense"/intuition/experience to get you out of most of these kind of people's lives before you do business with them.

Life's too short to work for/with people who don't appreciate a good/honest job, and that would begrudge you a profit.

And when you get a good Contractor you take care of them!

 

[orezok]

We have the same people in construction. I call them "grinders". The will grind on you, and grind, and grind until you either give in or just get raw.

Their favorite saying is "Can't you just..."

For further information, see my avatar! :laughing:

 

[J F]

We have the same people in construction. I call them "grinders". The will grind on you, and grind, and grind until you either give in or just get raw.

Their favorite saying is "Can't you just..."

For further information, see my avatar! :laughing:

That's when you say, we sure can and start putting together the change-order for them. :thumbsup:

 

[J F]

And when you get a good Contractor you take care of them!

Yep, just like everywhere else in life. We love our mechanic, have been going to him for 15 years and can just leave the vehicles with him and tell him to take care of whatever and just totally trust him...it's like gold, I hate to think about the guy ever retiring, he's probably about 70 or so.

We just went out to dinner last night with a retired couple that we finished their basement for 6-7 years ago as well as some other projects over the years...and they picked up the tab. It's our turn next time.

 

[murphy1244]

Yep, just like everywhere else in life. We love our mechanic, have been going to him for 15 years and can just leave the vehicles with him and tell him to take care of whatever and just totally trust him...it's like gold, I hate to think about the guy ever retiring, he's probably about 70 or so.

We just went out to dinner last night with a retired couple that we finished their basement for 6-7 years ago as well as some other projects over the years...and they picked up the tab. It's our turn next time.

You can't beat that! Good Service and Trades people are hard to come by.

 

[orezok]

You can't beat that! Good Service and Trades people are hard to come by.

With 34 years as a licensed general contractor and 12 years of experience before that, I can tell you that there are some who you can tell what you want in general terms, tell them to bill you when they are done and walk away. When you come back it will be perfect and reasonable.

Then there are some who tell you that they have 20 years experience, but what they really have is 1 years experience 20 times over without ever learning.