I'm never ceased to be a amazed at they way in which contractors will bad-mouth their competition. I was on a site the other day and the the owner approached me for some advice with a problem he had with some other works. He said we seemed like responsible and professional people and could we offer some direction. Essentially he had two sub's both of which were competing for some more work and they were hanging crap on each other. Because of their un-professional ethics and because I sat down the bottom of a trench with the drawings and explained to the guy what was possible and why etc etc...I ended up getting the work, even though its not my thing and I will probably charge more. He was just sick of the bulldust!. We have always made it a policy never to speak ill of the competition...well not in public anyway. Even if we think the guy is a clown it does not further our reputation by going around telling everyone. Smart people will work that out for themselves. I believe that its in the best interests of my business to have a good relationship with my competition. I'd rather have a bunch of friends out there than a bunch of enemies...That way we can refer work and cooperate etc. Just one piece of contractor etiquette I believe strongly in...that and never leaving a worksite with our rubbish on it. What etiquette helps you in your business?
For me it's been letting someone(a representative of a co., usually) know, in a calm, polite, informative way that their plans(in which I'm involved) haven't the slightest possiblity of happening. And then offering a solution which is feasable.
So you stole my other rule of "never go into a problem without already having a solution". Thats ones always making me look good.
So the manicures and constant primping of your hair is kinda overkill then???:bouncegri
Oh no, appearances are very important...there was oneday where I even ironed my shirt! I thought this topic would generate a bit more discussion?
Well, it is the week-end so.......... Most of the motley crew we call members are probobly out spending their time away from work related stuff.(some are even fishing AND rubbing our faces in it right Dwan ) It'll get more input, I'm sure, once the weeknights roll around. Well,it's either that or they haven't any etiquette?! (spelled: etiquettte down under I guess?):bouncegri
Just being honest with the customer helps. Telling them up front that if they want it done right it will cost them, if they want it done cheap, it will cost them twice. I've found that the customers that I don't want want it done as cheap as possible. This makes it real easy to not have to deal with them. The other is returning phone calls. My good customers all know I will call them back in a day or so. It may only be to tell them I'm booked for two months and I'll get there when I can, but they appreciate the communication.
i have a question. the other day a plumber called me to price digging out a sewer line. very easy digging straight forward job. i gave him my price then he gave the homeowner his price with me there. i couldn't believe my ears when i heard the price he was asking. the parts for him could no way be over $50.00. with the ditch dug to put it together would be minutes. he was asking $900.00. for what would take about an hour at best. his price didn't include my costs. the homewner in this case was a woman who had no idea what the work should cost. she didn't agree to have him do the work. so the question is when you hear someone blatantly ripping someone off do you let the homeowner know or keep quiet? take care,
i do what i am hired to do and i dont care what the customer pays not my place to open my mouth
I 2nd Dusty, plumber will never call you again. I once hired a mason to do a sidewalk for me that was part of a job I quoted, he quoted me a price and did the work (I helped him), then I made the mistake of telling him how much I got paid to do it. He was a friend at the time so over a couple of beers it slipped out. He was mad that I didn't give more money than he quoted me to do the work. I never called him again. It was my job, my insurance, my money spent on advertising, my name, my customer, etc.
With the plumber situation, I'd leave that alone. He's acting as a general contractor, sure the parts may cost him $50 bucks, but he has to 1. meet with the customer, 2. meet with you, 3. tell the customer the price in the second meeting or phone call, (if he gets the job), 4. Pick up the parts, 5. Watch you dig the trench, 6. Pay his employees if he as any, 7. on top of all that he has ins. a truck and alot of other stuff going on. Your not paying just for parts your paying for his time in every aspect of the job. -Eric
Another point is: If she has no idea what the work should cost than get competitive quotes like she should. What if she decides not to pay him, does that mean that you don;t get paid or will the plumber have to pay you anyways? Not to get on the soap box but, some jobs are home runs and some are lossers, so the home runs make up for the bad (you hope) and if you want to share is the plumbers good fortune on this job than you have to share in the jobs he lost money on also, and that is a partnership, and I don't think he asked for a partner.