brian john

Do you keep your scheduled appointments?

If you are going to be late do you call the customer?

I took the day off to meet two HVAC contractors, I need to replace two separate HVAC units, the indoor and out door units. Seems to me this would be an excellent job for two contractors that by their own accord need the work and I let them set the original time to meet.

If I had not called either contractor to verify the appointment I would have been sitting wasting my time, even though both confirmed, neither showed up. When I called back they had excuses. But at a minimum a call earlier would have stemmed my temper and may have swayed me from calling an other contractor.

I always try to be early and if I am going to be late I call well in advance, same with cancellations, I try to forewarn the customer as soon as possible.

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I void warranty's

Frank Reynolds

I could NEVER tell someone I was going to be there and not come without a call and a sincere apology. I couldn't imagine having someone sitting there waiting all day, possibly missing work, having to make plans with someone else to pick up their kids, etc. etc.

If I were you I would call those contractors back and have them come by, but not answer the door. Then give them an excuse equal to theirs. Then try to have them come back again and do the same thing. See how they like it.

BryanMD

Lesson from the foreman at the first job I had to punch a clock on:
"There is no such thing as being on time. You're either early... or you're late." -Dave Green

(I've heard the quote is attributed to Vince Lombardi)

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March 2010: On the road with my RV. California is first primary destination then it is off to Eastern OR, Northern ID and Western MT for drycamping and fly fishing until Labor Day.

user5941

I have ine rule that never gets broken
DON'T WASTE MY TIME.

A big selling point is scheduled appointments for our service trucks.No three hour window but an actual time for your doorbell to be ringing.

If a sub does not show for an appointment they don't get a second chance.If I bring someone in on a job I need to know that they will give the same level of service that I will because if they don't it reflects on me.

Magnettica

Always call the day before to confirm an appointment and always, always call if I'm going to be even 5 minutes late. This goes for meetings with other contractors and customers. I believe it says a lot about YOU as not only a person but also as a contractor if you can't call or be somewhere at a specific time when you promised you would. Of course things come up during the day but that's no excuse in the age of cell phones with text messages, emails, and of course phone calls. There's just no excuse for this sort of nonsense. I have a schedule to keep too.

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Zog

I think the mystery of why they need the work is solved.

bobelectric

Nope.I never showed up for a 5:00 a.m. appointment at a business to work before opening and the owner shows up at 6. "Oh,I forgot".

Black4Truck

I agree with him.. ^^^^^^

robnj772

I always call if I am going to be late BUT if your using your cell phone make sure you put your number on hide. Nothing is more of a PITA when customers get your cell number. Nothing pisses me off more then customers just calling me cell for stupid crap or giving it out

2 weeks ago I was in the middle of bugging in a service when I get a call from somebody looking for a price,someone I did work for 3 years ago recommened me.I was running late and called the guy on my cell to let him know,well he kept my cell number abd was giving it out,I like getting referals but call the office to schedule something,thats what I have an office and a wife for.

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"I don't worry about terrorism. I was married for two years. "
Sam Kinison

user5941

telemarketers also hide their number which can get you sent to voicemail or worse hung up on.

Frank Reynolds

I don't answer the phone for people who hide their number. I don't want to have to deal with voicemail either so, as you said, I will usually just hang up on them so it silences the call and doesn't go to voicemail.

MDShunk

A smart man told me a long time ago that if you do what you say you're going to do, at the time you said you'd do it at, in the amount of time you said it would take, and for the price you agreed on, that alone will set you ahead of 95% of all the contractors out there.

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Trimix-leccy

Sat reading these posts whilst watching TV.
There is a prog on about Synthesisers in Britain [Moogs etc]
Sparks are on, playing 'Beat the Clock'...now to me that is very spooky

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TRIMIX...Deep down you know you want it! Trimix-leccy; pulling the envelope---not pushing it

Black4Truck

Too bad the Cable Guy never feels guilty when they tell you between 7am and 1pm, and show up at 5pm

NolaTigaBait

I'm gonna pull a Kramer on the cable guy.

electricguy

Cable customers can be the toughest customer to deal with they want everything for FREE, they cannot understand that extra charges can apply. yeah i can see where installers can run Late.

Black4Truck

They have this thing called a telephone.. why not use it and tell me your running late

They are a monopoly, even with the phone company now trying to muscle in on their customers

Black4Truck

Even better were the guys from Russia who were going to give Jerry an illegal box

The cable company here uses a "magic bullet" to zap the boxes bought on the Internet

Mr. Sparkle

Illegal converters are no longer an issue since the signal went digital.

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"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect."
— Mark Twain

Black4Truck

They are still being sold

http://www.ultraluxfx.com/