How do you deal with difficult customers???

[Car Doc]

I learn from them is how I deal with knuckleheads. I see where I can do better next time to better communicate- IE WOW ma'am that's not what I call "mowing" sorry but no minimum this is a straight time job still want me to unload? Ill be happy to do it just cant say how long its going to take.

 

[murphy1244]

When doing HVAC I got a real loser I charge a 5% Idiot Tax.

 

[Whitnel]

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.

Thats is a very good way to state that. I just had a house build and some of the subs were supposed to be top notch and been in business for years, some of their work looked horrible. I could have done better with what little experience I have, they could not even caulk a window properly.

 

[Zebrafive]

I'll bet the travel time was what did not "compute" with her.
She might be under the opinion she goes to work and does not get paid to get there, so why should you?. Then thinks she should only pay for your time on her property.

I think you handled it properly.

If I REALLY thought she misunderstood about travel time, I would have worked 1/2 hour more and taken the $25 loss, but I would have explained it was "this time only"

It would have been worth the $25 to me either way, if I got repeat business, or never called again.

 

[Lt CHEG]

You're cheap LD1. I do this on the side and don't put the tractor on my trailer for less than $75 per hour with a 4 hour minimum. I figure I've got $55,000 worth of tractor and mower sitting on an $8000 trailer being pulled by a $55,000 truck so I don't plan to work for peanuts or depreciate my equipment over such a long period of time that I'm not operating newer, comfortable equipment. If I was doing this as a true business I'd be $90 per hour at least. I also bid the job up front the same way that auto mechanics bid a job, with a flat rate so to speak. I look at the job and I'll estimate that I can do it in let's say 4 hours, plus 30 minutes transport time each way. I would charge (4 + 1/2 + 1/2) x $75 = $375. If I take a little longer and it takes me a total of 5 and a half hours the customer doesn't pay more, but if I finish in less time the customer doesn't pay less. And I always allow for some sort of issue when bidding a job because you never know. I very rarely work for straight hourly or per acre pricing unless I tell the customer that there will be a certain guaranteed minimum. It's taken me a while to get my system down but life has been so much smoother for me since adopting my current strategy. And I still have repeat customers.

 

[EastTexasGuy]

whoever was wrong, am i the only one that seems to sense people are getting much more difficult to deal with?

 

[tmc_31]

LD1, I am curious, did she have you go ahead and mow outside the fence? I don't think you ever said. We have had these discussions before and I think you are in the right here. If she had given me that song and dance, I think I would have gotten paid for what I had already done and then walked.

Again, I am curious. You say that you don't price by the hour. If that is the case, isn't a little dangerous to quote a job sight unseen?

I run both a Skid steer for mowing, land clearing, demolition and anything else I can make a buck at. I also run a 70 hp tractor with a 7' mower for mowing. For the skid, I charge by the hour (onsite, meter running) I also add 1 hr for transport within 25 miles of home (plus a mileage charge for any travel outside of 25 miles). I also upcharge for any attachments that I have to rent. So far I haven't had any complaints. I guess customers are used to paying this way for this type of equipment.

For the tractor, I have found that most customers want to have some idea of how much it is going to cost to get their pastures mowed. I have developed a sliding scale rate (based on acreage) that I use to ESTIMATE a job. A 1 hr transport fee in included (hidden) in the rate. I actually bill by the hour. I make sure the customer understands that up front. So far, no complaints. So far I have been pretty lucky at estimating the time takes to do a job. I try to go look at a job before quoting it. As you know, that is not always possible. For this reason the hourly rate protects me.

I am not suggesting that you move to this type of rate structure. It works for me but I am sure what you have works for you just fine.

I wouldn't worry about her to much, as has been said, you can't please everybody.

chill man

Tim

For the tractor (mowing)

 

[94BULLITT]

I think she probably thought you would mow last acre for free or a little bit of nothing since you were already there. People are always looking for something for nothing.

My friend told me this week he quit doing residential work with his back hoe because of these type of situations. He also said he charged a 4hr minimum.

 

[Sysop]

whoever was wrong, am i the only one that seems to sense people are getting much more difficult to deal with?

I'd have to say yes. From my perspective it seems the smart people are getting tired of dumb stuff and they're being outnumbered by greater numbers daily. :laughing:

 

[LD1]

You're cheap LD1.

I think location has alot to do with it. I certainly aint the cheapest in my area, and certainly aint flooded with work either.

Y I also bid the job up front the same way that auto mechanics bid a job, with a flat rate so to speak. I look at the job and I'll estimate that I can do it in let's say 4 hours, plus 30 minutes transport time each way. I would charge (4 + 1/2 + 1/2) x $75 = $375.

Kinda similar to how I bid, only the customer dont know my hourly rate, nor do they know how long "I" think it is going to take. But In my head, that is exactally what I base my numbers on. In the end, I just quote a flat price of X dollars for Y amount of work. That way time is of no question wether it takes me 1 hour or 10 hours.

LD1, I am curious, did she have you go ahead and mow outside the fence? I don't think you ever said.

No. She agreed to pay me the $150 for what I had done so far, but didnt want to spend another $50 for me to do the additional ~acre or so outside the fence.

Again, I am curious. You say that you don't price by the hour. If that is the case, isn't a little dangerous to quote a job sight unseen?

A little risky yes, but I cannot possibly go out and bid ever single job, and take an hour or more of my time + fuel bidding every potential job. I have been mowing awhile, and asking the right questions (like when the last time it was mowed, any obsticals, large trees, etc) gets me a good idea. THat in combination of google earth to verify location and acreage. So far, every job I have bid/done has worked out. And this one pretty much did to, except here last minute change that wasnt discussed prior. So even If I went out, she showed me what needed done, and I quoted her the same as I did, I still think the outcome would have been the same. Because just like she didnt mention "outside" the fence on the phone, I doubt she would have for a face-to-face bid either.

But I find, even without bidding in person, charging PER JOB is still better than hourly. Because even hourly, the customer has no Idea what it is going to cost, and is less likely to offer the work to me without knowing. And If you even hint that "it may take xx hours", if it takes even an hour longer, be prepared for a pi$$ed customer. But a flat price for given work, there is no question. Some I come out a bit better than $50/hr, some a bit worse, but it all evens out in the end. And so far, everyone has been happy and never questioned anything.