What do you say to these customers

[Scott_D]

Doesn’t know what’s leaking but knows how long it will take to fix.
Do you bother explaining or just ignore them?

 

[Harvest Fields]

Inform them That I would come and look and price on site.

 

[mfgs]

I just quote them and hourly rate.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

As above but call out charge even if no work done

 

[SimonG]

Far too busy at the moment, do have availability in 6 to 8 weeks, at which time I can take a look and give you an estimate for the repair.

 

[SJB060685]

Do you genuinely need the money? If it were me I'd ignore them, I'm sure we've all dealt with customers before that think they know it all and try and dictate the charge. Nothing but trouble.

 

[Ric2013]

Well, they could be timewasters, but possibly not. They may just want an idea how much it's going to cost them as it's not urgent and their budget is what it is. The 30-40 minute job comment might just be their guess and intended to be read as 'assuming it does indeed take under an hour and a bit of silicone or a couple of washers, what are we likely to be talking?'. Which is a fair question - one of my neighbours tells me he was once charged £270 for a repair to a kitchen tap.

What I'd say is I have no idea how long it will take until I've diagnosed the fault, which I can't really do from a photo. At a guess I'd say that job could be anywhere from £50 to £100, but if they're happy for me to have a look and do the work assuming it's not over £100, I'll go ahead and find a timeslot. That way I'd be setting the setting the rules, but if I turn up and what it actually needs is a new basin, there's no committment to go ahead, which seems fair.

I used this approach with a potential customer who had a list of things needing looking at. First item was an overflowing F&E when the boiler was in use. Sounded to me like a ballcock overhaul and water level reset so I said I think I can guess the problem. If it's what I think it is, it'll cost around £65 to put right. As the customer wasn't quite as local I'd like, I asked whether the customer would be happy for me to do the F&E on the day (assuming I could do it for that price) so I'm not coming out just for the quote? Customer agreed, I recified the overflow and later got more work from this customer. Turned out to be a nice person to do work for.

 

[Scott_D]

I serviced the boiler at the property a few weeks back. Standard service £75, took an hour and there were no complaints.

Its just the 30-40 minute comment. My first thought is they are expecting £10 and a cup of tea

 

[Ric2013]

I serviced the boiler at the property a few weeks back. Standard service £75, took an hour and there were no complaints.

Its just the 30-40 minute comment. My first thought is they are expecting £10 and a cup of tea

Add £10 and the cost of a cup of tea to your price then

 

[Ben-gee]

At least they’re one rung up the customer ladder from “ you serviced our boiler last week and since then the basin’s been leaking, come and put it right “

 

[Scott_D]

He back at 11.30 pm
Told him my hourly rate but think it went unnoticed

 

[mfgs]

Messages at 11.30pm for a non emergency wouldn’t sit well with me. Ignore.

 

[Ric2013]

Messages at 11.30pm for a non emergency wouldn’t sit well with me. Ignore.

In an emergency, I would not send an SMS - I would phone. Phone calls require an instant response - texts do not.


I'd answer that text the next day, and wouldn't even be reading texts at 11.30. My line is that text and email follow the same rules as traditional post: people can post me a letter any time of day or and I will reply at my leisure.

I hope no-one will be offended if I give an alternative reading? The customer is trying to get a date for Scott to come and look at the job. Scott has replied 'later this week'. So it is understandable that on Thursday the customer chases Scott by phone and, when Scott is presumably unable to answer, the customer leaves a text, to see if Scott is free that day. Scott says he isn't available that day without giving any further information as to when he may be free, despite having previously suggested 'this week' (so if not Thursday, then Friday?).

At this point the customer wants to know if s/he is wasting time waiting for Scott and whether to should find another plumber. To find out whether Scott is even interested in doing the work, he states politely that he needs an answer in a certain timeframe. Scott now has the choice of replying and clarifying the situation or continuing to leave the customer not knowing whether to wait for Scott or not. At this point, if Scott has not replied, the customer will probably reluctantly look for another plumber.

 

[Scott_D]

In an emergency, I would not send an SMS - I would phone. Phone calls require an instant response - texts do not.


I'd answer that text the next day, and wouldn't even be reading texts at 11.30. My line is that text and email follow the same rules as traditional post: people can post me a letter any time of day or and I will reply at my leisure.

I hope no-one will be offended if I give an alternative reading? The customer is trying to get a date for Scott to come and look at the job. Scott has replied 'later this week'. So it is understandable that on Thursday the customer chases Scott by phone and, when Scott is presumably unable to answer, the customer leaves a text, to see if Scott is free that day. Scott says he isn't available that day without giving any further information as to when he may be free, despite having previously suggested 'this week' (so if not Thursday, then Friday?).

At this point the customer wants to know if s/he is wasting time waiting for Scott and whether to should find another plumber. To find out whether Scott is even interested in doing the work, he states politely that he needs an answer in a certain timeframe. Scott now has the choice of replying and clarifying the situation or continuing to leave the customer not knowing whether to wait for Scott or not. At this point, if Scott has not replied, the customer will probably reluctantly look for another plumber.

You are probably correct that the customer thinks I am wasting his time and not the other way around.
My rest of message that you can’t see says that if you can tell me what is leaking I can give an accurate cost to fix as I will arrive with everything needed for the job. otherwise I charge £70 for the first hour and £50 for additional hours and will probably need to go and collect materials (a matching basin waste)

I could have explained that 5 minutes in his house would cost me an hour of my day, plus fuel and potentially not getting to a paying customer, all for a little job he will then try and get fixed by someone cheaper.
I can pop in on my way past but you will have to wait until I am in the area and have time to spare.
It could be a 5 minute job or the basin could be cracked and need replacing.
I am not a charity and if I went to every house to ‘look’ at plumbing issues I would never get any work done.

but I chose to ignore and moan about it to other plumbers 😅

 

[Ric2013]

You are probably correct that the customer thinks I am wasting his time and not the other way around.
My rest of message that you can’t see says that if you can tell me what is leaking I can give an accurate cost to fix as I will arrive with everything needed for the job. otherwise I charge £70 for the first hour and £50 for additional hours and will probably need to go and collect materials (a matching basin waste)

I could have explained that 5 minutes in his house would cost me an hour of my day, plus fuel and potentially not getting to a paying customer, all for a little job he will then try and get fixed by someone cheaper.
I can pop in on my way past but you will have to wait until I am in the area and have time to spare.
It could be a 5 minute job or the basin could be cracked and need replacing.
I am not a charity and if I went to every house to ‘look’ at plumbing issues I would never get any work done.

but I chose to ignore and moan about it to other plumbers 😅

Well, agreed, you're obviously busy. It's frustrating when tradesmen don't get back to you, but I understand why and I generally persevere with the electrician I use.

 

[Scott_D]

Well, agreed, you're obviously busy. It's frustrating when tradesmen don't get back to you, but I understand why and I generally persevere with the electrician I use.

Thanks for your input.
In future I am going to try replying with
‘I charge X. Let me know if you wish to make an appointment’