A furnace story (that wasnt to be)

Posted by Bubba on December 9, 2007, 12:04 pm

We got a phone call from a potential new customer. After a little
info, we found that we had already been servicing their parents house
for years. Even replaced the parents furnace, A/C coil, air cleaner,
UV and water heater. We've been servicing the parents home twice a
year for years and years.
So the potential says, "Hey, we had a company come out, they had the
booties, a small red carpet, they camera'd our heat exchanger and told
us it was cracked, rusted, etc, etc and needed to be replaced. What
they have is a older 100k btu 90% that would need to be replaced with
a 60-75K 95% gas. This company tells them they will replace it with a
100k 95% gas furnace for..........................................
hang onto your hats now...............
$8,000 !!!!!!
Now this is replacing the furnace only. NO other accessories. Existing
PVC, modify the supply to fit and reuse the return air.
We gave them a price of $3500. Now they start to wonder so they start
checking around. (They are living with their parents while they
decide). They call a company that is huge and known for selling
appliances. They have a kinda neat online site where you answer a few
questions and you get a complete written estimate!!
They haven't been out to look at anything. The customer keeps calling
us back and saying, now I want to replace this, now I want to replace
that. The company is including "this", does yours?" "Now it includes
"this" too, does yours?". Finally the price is getting ridiculous and
I go off on them. I tell them, "Here is what I do as you can check by
asking your parents. We also advertise at the schools and churches. We
support the local schools in our town by providing money and gifts for
all their drives, outddor activities and anything else that goes on in
this community. Does the company across the river you want to use do
any of that? (No, they dont). Anyways, long story short, they are
probably going with the other company because we wont give the job
away for "free" and the husband has used that company at his office.
(So did the parents at their house and we won them over).
Anyways, thats life in the fast lane of the hvac world.
Bubba

Posted by Noon-Air on December 9, 2007, 12:18 pm

> We got a phone call from a potential new customer. After a little
> info, we found that we had already been servicing their parents house
> for years. Even replaced the parents furnace, A/C coil, air cleaner,
> UV and water heater. We've been servicing the parents home twice a
> year for years and years.
> So the potential says, "Hey, we had a company come out, they had the
> booties, a small red carpet, they camera'd our heat exchanger and told
> us it was cracked, rusted, etc, etc and needed to be replaced. What
> they have is a older 100k btu 90% that would need to be replaced with
> a 60-75K 95% gas. This company tells them they will replace it with a
> 100k 95% gas furnace for..........................................
> hang onto your hats now...............
> $8,000 !!!!!!
> Now this is replacing the furnace only. NO other accessories. Existing
> PVC, modify the supply to fit and reuse the return air.
> We gave them a price of $3500. Now they start to wonder so they start
> checking around. (They are living with their parents while they
> decide). They call a company that is huge and known for selling
> appliances. They have a kinda neat online site where you answer a few
> questions and you get a complete written estimate!!
> They haven't been out to look at anything. The customer keeps calling
> us back and saying, now I want to replace this, now I want to replace
> that. The company is including "this", does yours?" "Now it includes
> "this" too, does yours?". Finally the price is getting ridiculous and
> I go off on them. I tell them, "Here is what I do as you can check by
> asking your parents. We also advertise at the schools and churches. We
> support the local schools in our town by providing money and gifts for
> all their drives, outddor activities and anything else that goes on in
> this community. Does the company across the river you want to use do
> any of that? (No, they dont). Anyways, long story short, they are
> probably going with the other company because we wont give the job
> away for "free" and the husband has used that company at his office.
> (So did the parents at their house and we won them over).
> Anyways, thats life in the fast lane of the hvac world.
> Bubba

Just remember that when you lose one, something better is gonna come along.

Posted by Zyp on December 9, 2007, 3:23 pm

Noon-Air wrote:

>> We got a phone call from a potential new customer. After a little
>> info, we found that we had already been servicing their parents house
>> for years. Even replaced the parents furnace, A/C coil, air cleaner,
>> UV and water heater. We've been servicing the parents home twice a
>> year for years and years.
>> So the potential says, "Hey, we had a company come out, they had the
>> booties, a small red carpet, they camera'd our heat exchanger and
>> told us it was cracked, rusted, etc, etc and needed to be replaced.
>> What they have is a older 100k btu 90% that would need to be
>> replaced with a 60-75K 95% gas. This company tells them they will
>> replace it with a 100k 95% gas furnace
>> for.......................................... hang onto your hats
>> now............... $8,000 !!!!!!
>> Now this is replacing the furnace only. NO other accessories.
>> Existing PVC, modify the supply to fit and reuse the return air.
>> We gave them a price of $3500. Now they start to wonder so they start
>> checking around. (They are living with their parents while they
>> decide). They call a company that is huge and known for selling
>> appliances. They have a kinda neat online site where you answer a few
>> questions and you get a complete written estimate!!
>> They haven't been out to look at anything. The customer keeps calling
>> us back and saying, now I want to replace this, now I want to replace
>> that. The company is including "this", does yours?" "Now it includes
>> "this" too, does yours?". Finally the price is getting ridiculous and
>> I go off on them. I tell them, "Here is what I do as you can check by
>> asking your parents. We also advertise at the schools and churches.
>> We support the local schools in our town by providing money and
>> gifts for all their drives, outddor activities and anything else
>> that goes on in this community. Does the company across the river
>> you want to use do any of that? (No, they dont). Anyways, long story
>> short, they are probably going with the other company because we
>> wont give the job away for "free" and the husband has used that
>> company at his office. (So did the parents at their house and we won
>> them over). Anyways, thats life in the fast lane of the hvac world.
>> Bubba

> Just remember that when you lose one, something better is gonna come
> along.

Today's consumers [home owners] tend to be a little less trusting and a
little more investigative. Especially with the internet. But you can beat
a horse to death somtimes.

It seems to "win" over a new customer, you have to be price [economy]
concious and bend over backwards to provide [what may seem extra but is
standard to some] service.

There's been several times I lost 'em, but after they find out the 'other'
[technitions] really don't know, they come back.

--
Zyp

Posted by Noon-Air on December 9, 2007, 6:47 pm

> Noon-Air wrote:

>>> We got a phone call from a potential new customer. After a little
>>> info, we found that we had already been servicing their parents house
>>> for years. Even replaced the parents furnace, A/C coil, air cleaner,
>>> UV and water heater. We've been servicing the parents home twice a
>>> year for years and years.
>>> So the potential says, "Hey, we had a company come out, they had the
>>> booties, a small red carpet, they camera'd our heat exchanger and
>>> told us it was cracked, rusted, etc, etc and needed to be replaced.
>>> What they have is a older 100k btu 90% that would need to be
>>> replaced with a 60-75K 95% gas. This company tells them they will
>>> replace it with a 100k 95% gas furnace
>>> for.......................................... hang onto your hats
>>> now............... $8,000 !!!!!!
>>> Now this is replacing the furnace only. NO other accessories.
>>> Existing PVC, modify the supply to fit and reuse the return air.
>>> We gave them a price of $3500. Now they start to wonder so they start
>>> checking around. (They are living with their parents while they
>>> decide). They call a company that is huge and known for selling
>>> appliances. They have a kinda neat online site where you answer a few
>>> questions and you get a complete written estimate!!
>>> They haven't been out to look at anything. The customer keeps calling
>>> us back and saying, now I want to replace this, now I want to replace
>>> that. The company is including "this", does yours?" "Now it includes
>>> "this" too, does yours?". Finally the price is getting ridiculous and
>>> I go off on them. I tell them, "Here is what I do as you can check by
>>> asking your parents. We also advertise at the schools and churches.
>>> We support the local schools in our town by providing money and
>>> gifts for all their drives, outddor activities and anything else
>>> that goes on in this community. Does the company across the river
>>> you want to use do any of that? (No, they dont). Anyways, long story
>>> short, they are probably going with the other company because we
>>> wont give the job away for "free" and the husband has used that
>>> company at his office. (So did the parents at their house and we won
>>> them over). Anyways, thats life in the fast lane of the hvac world.
>>> Bubba

>> Just remember that when you lose one, something better is gonna come
>> along.

> Today's consumers [home owners] tend to be a little less trusting and a
> little more investigative. Especially with the internet. But you can
> beat a horse to death somtimes.
> It seems to "win" over a new customer, you have to be price [economy]
> concious and bend over backwards to provide [what may seem extra but is
> standard to some] service.
> There's been several times I lost 'em, but after they find out the 'other'
> [technitions] really don't know, they come back.

I tell 'em that its not about price but the very best quality and value for
their hard earned dollar. Are they looking for a top quality installation of
the very best equipment, done by a certified master contractor and tech, or
do they want it done cheap.

Posted by Zyp on December 9, 2007, 8:42 pm

Noon-Air wrote:

>> Noon-Air wrote:

>>>> We got a phone call from a potential new customer. After a little
>>>> info, we found that we had already been servicing their parents
>>>> house for years. Even replaced the parents furnace, A/C coil, air
>>>> cleaner, UV and water heater. We've been servicing the parents
>>>> home twice a year for years and years.
>>>> So the potential says, "Hey, we had a company come out, they had
>>>> the booties, a small red carpet, they camera'd our heat exchanger
>>>> and told us it was cracked, rusted, etc, etc and needed to be
>>>> replaced. What they have is a older 100k btu 90% that would need
>>>> to be replaced with a 60-75K 95% gas. This company tells them they
>>>> will replace it with a 100k 95% gas furnace
>>>> for.......................................... hang onto your hats
>>>> now............... $8,000 !!!!!!
>>>> Now this is replacing the furnace only. NO other accessories.
>>>> Existing PVC, modify the supply to fit and reuse the return air.
>>>> We gave them a price of $3500. Now they start to wonder so they
>>>> start checking around. (They are living with their parents while
>>>> they decide). They call a company that is huge and known for
>>>> selling appliances. They have a kinda neat online site where you
>>>> answer a few questions and you get a complete written estimate!!
>>>> They haven't been out to look at anything. The customer keeps
>>>> calling us back and saying, now I want to replace this, now I want
>>>> to replace that. The company is including "this", does yours?"
>>>> "Now it includes "this" too, does yours?". Finally the price is
>>>> getting ridiculous and I go off on them. I tell them, "Here is
>>>> what I do as you can check by asking your parents. We also
>>>> advertise at the schools and churches. We support the local
>>>> schools in our town by providing money and gifts for all their
>>>> drives, outddor activities and anything else that goes on in this
>>>> community. Does the company across the river you want to use do
>>>> any of that? (No, they dont). Anyways, long story short, they are
>>>> probably going with the other company because we wont give the job
>>>> away for "free" and the husband has used that company at his
>>>> office. (So did the parents at their house and we won them over).
>>>> Anyways, thats life in the fast lane of the hvac world. Bubba
>>> Just remember that when you lose one, something better is gonna come
>>> along.

>> Today's consumers [home owners] tend to be a little less trusting
>> and a little more investigative. Especially with the internet. But
>> you can beat a horse to death somtimes.
>> It seems to "win" over a new customer, you have to be price [economy]
>> concious and bend over backwards to provide [what may seem extra but
>> is standard to some] service.
>> There's been several times I lost 'em, but after they find out the
>> 'other' [technitions] really don't know, they come back.

> I tell 'em that its not about price but the very best quality and
> value for their hard earned dollar. Are they looking for a top
> quality installation of the very best equipment, done by a certified
> master contractor and tech, or do they want it done cheap.

Well, let me check it out, and I'll call ya tomorrow.

--
Zyp

Page 1 of 2 1 2 > last >>

Similar Threads	Posted
An HMS Warranty story	August 25, 2007, 9:05 am
Story time... Roofer says... "I can cap your chimney"	July 9, 2008, 11:55 pm
Funny story I just remembered about Andy Scheon	June 30, 2007, 12:13 am
(bought furnace off internet now it wont work )New High effiency Furnace dual fan temp goodman ny hvac duct	December 8, 2006, 9:55 pm
oil furnace	October 11, 2006, 10:09 am
Re: Cat in the furnace	November 30, 2006, 2:27 pm
furnace id: ACI	December 16, 2007, 10:56 pm
Oil Furnace	February 18, 2008, 11:55 am
Furnace Help Please	March 13, 2008, 8:15 pm
Need advice on a new furnace	September 15, 2006, 11:31 pm