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Clients that make you go hmmmmm.


Mick Dempsey
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Now, I'm a big boy, been paddling my own canoe for more than two decades now, I know that when you price work there are no guarantees, and you have to take the rough with the smooth.

 

Today though, the literal biscuit was taken, I was out all day, and the first appointment was 30 minutes away, arranged by email, so I pull up, look at the abandoned cars and neglected garden and instantly think "probably not" but I'm here now so put on my game face.

 

It was a dying thuja hedge and a couple of small lombardies, all about logistics so I give it some ol' chat and price it.

 

The lady then told me that they are doing it themselves and wanted to know what it would have cost!

 

Luckily the rest of the day was more successful but that really riled me.

 

Any outrageous time wasting client stories?

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37 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Now, I'm a big boy, been paddling my own canoe for more than two decades now, I know that when you price work there are no guarantees, and you have to take the rough with the smooth.

 

Today though, the literal biscuit was taken, I was out all day, and the first appointment was 30 minutes away, arranged by email, so I pull up, look at the abandoned cars and neglected garden and instantly think "probably not" but I'm here now so put on my game face.

 

It was a dying thuja hedge and a couple of small lombardies, all about logistics so I give it some ol' chat and price it.

 

The lady then told me that they are doing it themselves and wanted to know what it would have cost!

 

Luckily the rest of the day was more successful but that really riled me.

 

Any outrageous time wasting client stories?

Did you not tell her it would cost a little bit more now that she had to pay your " call out/time wasting fee ?

Edited by Stubby
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You could have given them a really high price and they would have been delighted with all the money they saved !!!!!!   ........ I once felled a tree for some one  a good  few years ago , for about £100 , an easy days work   and they were very grateful and said it saved them a lot of money not having to hire in a professional  !!!!!   

 

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Thats fair enough Mick- you've obviously got more self control then me/most. I can't help thinking I would have explained in a fairly dry manner that I was glad they felt it acceptable to waste your Saturday when they had no intention of paying to have the job done. 

It makes you think though, it's be nice to charge say £20 for a quote- refundable on acceptance of job- I know i know- it'd never work but still- it cut out the time wasters

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Devon twig, I did think of that on the drive away!

 

Yes Matthew, cutting out the time wasters is something that most of us have to do craftily on the phone or in the emails, not easy though, especially if one is scratching around a bit for work.

 

The line "I want someone to come and look at my trees" is often a flashing beacon.

 

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1 hour ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Now, I'm a big boy, been paddling my own canoe for more than two decades now, I know that when you price work there are no guarantees, and you have to take the rough with the smooth.

 

Today though, the literal biscuit was taken, I was out all day, and the first appointment was 30 minutes away, arranged by email, so I pull up, look at the abandoned cars and neglected garden and instantly think "probably not" but I'm here now so put on my game face.

 

It was a dying thuja hedge and a couple of small lombardies, all about logistics so I give it some ol' chat and price it.

 

The lady then told me that they are doing it themselves and wanted to know what it would have cost!

 

Luckily the rest of the day was more successful but that really riled me.

 

Any outrageous time wasting client stories?

What is more annoying is the fact they had the brass neck to even tell you their plan admin if there was nothing wrong with it.  Some people are amazing 

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