Chatterbox customers ?

[Tree Man Tom]

On a slightly different note why do people talk to you when you have ear defenders on?

 

and feeding the chipper. Drives me mad lol

[Jon Lad]

The customers I find it difficult to deal with sometimes aren't the talkers, but the ones who are over-friendly. It's like you've automatically become their friend because your doing work on their property.

 

I've had it happen a few times and always thought it strange. I do become friendly with customers, especially regular ones. But I still like to keep that distance between you, it's a business relationship at the end of it all.

 

I have found that some of the ones who start out being your new best mate, end up wanting extras doing for nothing or expect the price to begin to decrease the next time you go.

[armchairarborist]

make sure you tell them you are going deaf at the start of the job, then ignore them all day:thumbup: (i really am though)

[Nick B]

I try and say must get on your paying me to work not chat

[Taupotreeman]

I often have my MP3 player going under my headphones if it's a small job. I tell all my customers I can't hear them and if they need me they should wave. Strangely, they all come up to me and start talking so I ignore some of them until they get the idea. I do try and do it without being ignorant though and some custies are great to have a chat with. I find the worst ones are those that ring up at 8.30 9 Oclockish at night and want to talk about their Camellias or garden plantings. I had one recently that spent an hour on the phone talking about the possibilites of uprooting shrubs to move them 2 feet to the left or right to improve the payout of the garden. Drove me nuts and she just kept going and going. Couldn't get a word in edgeways. On the flip side; had a customer the other day that fought the Japanese and in Italy. We had a fair old yarn after the job was compleeted and I never felt like I needed to leave at anytime.

[geoff]

Priced a 3 day job up last sunday,got there at 9 in the morning,didnt get away before mid day,lonely old girl,had the life story,and felt that when I am her age,in her shoes,it would be nice to get more than just the time of day,

It was doing my nut in as I had more to go look at,but the wise old bird gave me things to think about once I started realy listening,main thing I learnt was to take time for people,it can be it can be quite enlightening.

 

Mind you she did rattle on a bit!

[TArrryan]

On a slightly different note why do people talk to you when you have ear defenders on?

 

Totally agree, Its a regular moan from me about people talking to me while I'm wearing them. Its made worse by the fact I wear my earmuffs while I'm not even using the saw I just so use to the silence I forget I'm even wearing them.

 

I have one client who I do work for on a yearly basis, she is housebound now because she refuses to go to the doctor, believes herbs she grows in her garden will save her from arthritis!! I had great trouble getting away from her to start with until I discovered the timer on my phone has the exact same ring as my ring tone! simply set the timer and wait a while until It sounds like my phone ringing, quick apology and say goodbye I think you get use to cutting conversations short after a little while, like many tough tasks in life, they become easier with practice.

[Littletree]

Priced a 3 day job up last sunday,got there at 9 in the morning,didnt get away before mid day,lonely old girl,had the life story,and felt that when I am her age,in her shoes,it would be nice to get more than just the time of day,

It was doing my nut in as I had more to go look at,but the wise old bird gave me things to think about once I started realy listening,main thing I learnt was to take time for people,it can be it can be quite enlightening.

 

Mind you she did rattle on a bit!

 

Yes very much so ,Taking time out for others is one hardiest skills in this life for people to learn . Those who can master this skill will go a long way the more you listen to someone and show your interest in them the more the person will warm to you . its amazing how many new opportunities and doors can be opened up just with this simple skill lone.

 

Littletree:001_smile:

[White Noise]

Some good thoughts and ideas here cheers Some of my regular customers remember the conversation you had on the previous visit . For example one old guy remembered I liked fishing and asked if I caught anything when I went to Wales . Well Id forgot about this and so the conversation carries on ha ha ha . Is cool when you get the stories like did I tell you about the time when I ? . Then they show you there war wounds

[janey]

Try to remember that in our fragmented society, you are quite possibly the only person that your customer has spoken to all week and they are desperate for a bit of human contact.

 

Thought you were 'just' an arborist? Now you're a part time social worker as well. Stick that on your CV

Edited September 3, 2010 by janey