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Posted by Bubba on December 24, 2006, 1:52 pm
>Noon-Air wrote:
>>> Bubba wrote:
>>>> Customer 1
>>>> She calls Thur and says her heat works sometimes, other times it
>>>> doesnt. I go Fri morn and she is telling me whats wrong and swears its
>>>> the thermostat because its electrical??
>>>> I check the 16 yr old T87F. Its fine and looks like new.
>>>> Downstairs is the 16 yr old Bryant 398A furnace we installed way back.
>>>> It too looks like new other than its had most of its parts changed
>>>> over the years like all the 398's. It has a leaf in the intake pipe
>>>> causing the burner to stay off. I go up stairs and she asks me if I
>>>> changed the stat yet???? I said, "Hold on". Out to the truck for 2
>>>> diff digital and prog stats. She picks the digital programmable. I
>>>> install it, charge her for the call, charge for cleaning the pvc flue
>>>> and the diagnostic. Go figure. As they always say, "The customer is
>>>> always right"
>>>>
>>>> Customer 2 Sat the calls start at about 4pm. New customer in town has no
>>>> heat.
>>>> Just blower. Go out and find a 13 yr old Coleman 90% CUG furnace.
>>>> Igniter but no 24 volts to gas valve. The W/R ignition module is bad.
>>>> Then I notice, the module is 11 months old. Still under warranty. I
>>>> told her I can change it but I use H/W S8610U's and it wont be
>>>> warranty. She says, "OH, I guess I'll call Dave from the other end of
>>>> town. I found him at the bar. He does some A/C work". WTF!! hehe. I
>>>> collect my $100 Sat trip charge and she pays with a smile. "Go figure"
>>>>
>>>> Customer 3
>>>> Old guy with Apt complex. Tennants heard noise last night???.......and
>>>> he just calls me at 4:30pm today?? Sure. Why not. Makes sense to me???
>>>> His buildings have older boilers with series 100 circulators. He tells
>>>> me, "now you do know we have complete pumps, circulators, and pump
>>>> couplers in the parts room up there?"
>>>> Hell, whaddo I care. I'll use his pumps, charge him Sat rate including
>>>> a flat rate new pump price like anyone else and just subtract out the
>>>> pump price. He gets absolutey no warranty and thinks he is saving
>>>> money. I just smile when the check comes. It's all in a days work. Merry
>>>> Freaking Christmas to me. :-)
>>>> Bubba
>>> And you sound proud of the way you dealt with the customers??? Did you
>>> feel no obligation to fully inform them of the results of their decision?
>>> It is one thing, if after having been informed by a professional (YOU) of
>>> what was needed, they still want unnecessary repairs done. But you sound
>>> like you delighted in letting them make the wrong decision. I am sorry,
>>> but it is behavior like yours that makes customers suspect of those in
>>> your trade.
>>>
>>> I hope you have a "Merry Freaking Christmas" none the less.
>>
>> You tell then whats wrong, and they *still* insist that its a bad thermostat
>> (didn't have anything to do with the original problem), you change the stat
>> to make them happy. You collect your money and move on. It happens a lot
>> more frequently than not. There are a lot of folks out there that have their
>> mind made up and you can't change it with the facts. But then again, your
>> not in the trade, and probably not even in a service business. Before making
>> judgements, you might want to walk a mile in our shoes.
>>
>>
>
> I do NOT disagree that a customer wants to pay as little as possible
>for the repair. My guess is that if YOU hired someone to repair
>something you could not repair, that YOU too would want to pay as little
>as possible for the repair. That is simply human nature.
>
> What Bubba said however was: "It has a leaf in the intake pipe
>causing the burner to stay off. I go up stairs and she asks me if I
>changed the stat yet???? I said, "Hold on". Out to the truck for 2
>diff digital and prog stats. She picks the digital programmable. I
>install it, charge her for the call, charge for cleaning the pvc flue
>and the diagnostic."
>
> Now if he had said: "I have repaired your system and it does NOT need a
>thermostat. If you want one, I will replace it for you as I have some
>in the truck." There is nothing wrong in replacing a component at the
>insistence of a customer. But it sounds like the customer did NOT
>realize the problem was repaired and did NOT need a thermostat. The
>scenario is like a patient going to a doctor and when the doctor asks
>what is wrong, saying he thinks his appendix needs removal. Following
>Bubba's procedure, the doctor would remove it even if he knew the
>patient only had stomach gas.
>
> Finally, although I am not in business for myself, I have dealt with
>customers seeking to have items repaired. It IS true that they often
>THINK they have an idea where the problem lies. But since they called
>me to solve their problem, they have already admitted that they lack the
>ability to fix their problem. I felt it was my obligation to explain
>that they were wrong in their diagnosis, if that was the case. I can't
>tell you how many times a person has said, "I think it is just a bad
>fuse." I did NOT keep replacing fuses until I found one that wouldn't
>blow because the customer thought it was the fuse!!
>
Ken,
You're a total fucking idiot and you havent a clue about the service
industry. You wouldnt last a week in this business.
Same thing happens in the summer.
Customers call. "My A/C is running but its just not cooling well at
all and its hot in my house. I think it needs freon".
When you arrive at the call the customer reiterates the same thing.
"Its not cooling well, I think it needs freon".
Check out the A/C. Air filter is clogged and condenser is filthy.
You clean the system, check the refrigerant and it is working like new
again. No parts. Just cleaning.
Its 95 degrees out and the house is 85 degrees inside. You finish and
talk to the customer. You tell them what you did. First thing out of
their mouth is again, "Did you put freon in?"
Let me tell you. 99% of the time, if you didnt tell the customer that
you added "freon" you will get a call back until you put it in.
Ive tried it the other way. It doesnt work. They want what they want.
What do I do you ask?
I charge them for 2 lbs of refrigerant that never gets installed. Im
not about to argue with them when thats what they think they want.
The "sane" customers get a cleaning and no further charge.
The "Nuts" get exactly what they wish for.
Come back her after about 20 yrs in this field KEN and then tell me
your words of wisdom.
Until then, go preach your babbling shit somewhere else.
Bubba
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