# Forum More Stuff Debate & Technical Discussion  We've had a whinge about tradies how about...........

## wonderplumb

PITA clients/customers, I would like to hear about peoples (especially tradesmen) experiences with people that are too much hard work for what the job's worth.
Perhaps you're one of these people? ( :Biggrin: ) 
Scenario; 
A good friend of mine moved a water meter for a fella 3 weeks ago today, had him picked for a PITA the minute he got off the phone.
Said friend turned up on time, this bloke had somehow worked out to the 1/4 of an hour how long it was going to take my mate to do the job, then presented my mate with a box of fittings and some pipe (all of which had been under this blokes house for eons) to which my mate said no good they are yorkshire fittings etc. etc.
The job got done, the bloke paid cash after arguing that my mate only used not quite half a stick of solder and insisted that he knock $2 off the bill.
This bloke rang my mate thismorning and said there is hot water in the downstairs toilet come and have a look.
Turns out the duo valve on the HWS had failed and the toilet in the laundry was sucking hot water straight out of the HWS when it was flushed.
My mate got it sussed, replaced the duo valve and all was well. He then told this fella how much it was going to be and the bloke said "nah, not giving you a cent you were the last one to dick around with the water sevice you are responsible for it" and so on.
So my mate has lost 2 1/2 hrs including travel plus materials due to this wanker, who pays for that? Was this bloke right? Its hard enough to make a living without having to put up with idiots like this. What are your thoughts?
BTW this bloke is sitting in his house with the @@@@s as he has no water at all for the time being.............................................  ..

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## wonderplumb

Funny you should mention that mate, Im still waiting for nearly the same amount of super from a previous employer.....
I wonder though if this fella actually believes he's right or is he just an outright prick? I reckon the latter! 
My mate got a bit back on him though I reckon it wont be untill tomorrow afternoon when he gets his water back on!

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## Pugs

pretty much having to chance up cleints info and payment is about it really....
it is all well and good to want 35 dat outlets ina house but at least pay your cabler quickly....

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## elkangorito

My father used to install metal roofing as a sideline job (weekends). 
From what he told me, about a third of the customers were pricks & would nitpick everything to the extent of saying, "I'm not paying you that much!", at the end of the job. All of his jobs were quoted & he worked with another guy. 
Upon hearing the "I'm not paying you that much!" crap, he & his mate proceeded to climb back onto the roof & begin removing the metal roofing. This was usually close to sunset. 
It was amazing how quickly the payment problem was resolved in 100% of the cases.  
I reckon more tradesmen should "undo" their work if they have a prick of a customer.

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## JupiterCreek

I remember my Dad telling me a story about a picky customer back in the late 1940's. Dad worked as a painter with a mate, and the mate's Dad did that fancy pinstriping and scrollwork on the doors of cars and trucks that was all the rage back then. The customer wanted red pinstripes on a black truck. The old guy quoted the price, the customer agreed, so the old guy got out his good brush and the paint and proceeded to do the pinstriping... all freehand and perfect. The customer decided it had only taken half an hour so he shouldn't have to pay as much. The old guy didn't say a word. He just got a rag soaked in turps and wiped off the paint, smiled at the guy and pointed to the door. 
My best was a customer who wanted a uke. I build solidbody electric musical instruments - basically weird little electric guitars. He was fussy as hell about the parts and told me how long it should take and how it was such an easy job he could do it himself out of the goodness of his heart but wanted me to build it for him. I quoted him my usual 3 month lead time, but I was getting emails every few days asking for photos and progress reports. I put all the parts and the timber on my workbench and took a photo, then emailed the pic to him and said I'd be shipping his uke that day seeing as he was in such a hurry, but there was "some assembly required". I got an email within minutes saying he was sorry to be a pain, and I didn't hear a peep from him until it was finished and ready to ship about 6 weeks later.

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## Terrian

> Upon hearing the "I'm not paying you that much!" crap, he & his mate proceeded to climb back onto the roof & begin removing the metal roofing. This was usually close to sunset.
>  It was amazing how quickly the payment problem was resolved in 100% of the cases.
>  I reckon more tradesmen should "undo" their work if they have a prick of a customer.

  the garden supplies I worked for had a bobcat, we took that to a couple of jobs and retrieved mulch / soil / sand .

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## Master Splinter

A mate who was a landscaper would always leave a loop of watering system controller cable in an easy to reach location - so customers reticent about paying their bill would experience a mysterious failure in their new system, which he would 'come out and fix' as soon as their bills were paid. 
He reckoned that the worst for arguing over bills were the people with huge houses, expensive cars, speedboats and all that - they were quite happy to do anything they could to shave even $20 off the bill.  
He overquoted by about $3k on one job he didn't really want - he had picked the guy as a prick - but he got the job, and at the end the guy started haggling over the price, so he agreed to knock $300 of the bill.  Then the guy paid in cash for a $10k+ job.

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## chipps

Am I a P I T A Customer ?  :Biggrin:  
Here's the secret,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,   *1. The phone-call* 
Never, ever admit you know what the problem is or know what's needed to fix it.
Just a rough description is needed. 
Examples: Calling a Plumber: Well there's this pipe thingy with water squirting everywhere with a mattock stuck in it..........My kids must have done it when I turned my back.  
Or.. I think the stump grinder may have hit the Telstra cable, a bloke down the road tried to fix it, but he put everything back exactely how it was. 
Secondly, don't ring again unless it's seriously necessary.   *2*: *Clothing* 
Wear clothes like the tradie's.
Make sure your king-gee shirts & shorts are real faded.
Steel capped boots are nearly worn out.  *3. Dogs* 
Always greet the dog _before_ greeting the tradie & then ask if it can play with your own dogs.
Tradie's dogs love playing with other dogs & the tradie will automatically feel at home. Don't worry about your vegie patch, you were gunna move it anyways.  *4. Ute's* 
After greeting the dog, ensure a few moments are spent looking gobsmacked at his ute. 
It can be a heapo crap, but still pretend to be gobsmacked.  *5. Refreshments* 
Offer a cuppa before looking at the job, usually they'll say "No Thanks, just had one" 
Offer a beer:
If it's late they often say, "Sounds good, I'll just finish the job first."
If it's early, pretend it was a joke & hope they say "No".  *6. Time-Out* 
Never, ever stand there watching while the tradie is working, I know it is hard, but you have to pretend to be busy elsewhere. This is probably the toughest part of the job, but hey, I can sit in the shed & walk outside for a glance 50 or so times before I need to ask some dumb question.  *7. The Dollars* 
Always appear humbled when you get the price, "Struth, is that all it'll cost, well I have the cash if you need to buy anything" & secondly "Would your dog like liver strips or chicken wings, mine love em?". 
Always sling a few extra bucks their way, it really does bring a smile to a tired tradies face  :Biggrin:

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## GraemeCook

An accountants solution :Redface:  
Simply double your invoices, and then give a fifty percent discount for immediate cash payment.   25% for payment by end of month;  5% by end of second month. 
If not paid in next month then hand to professional debt collectors - they will already know the PITA - and they will pursue him for the full "double sized" account.   After deducting their 25 - 33% collection fee you will still be ahead. 
You will have the cosmic pleasure of collection.  PITA's friends will learn your reputation. 
Cheers 
Graeme

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