A humorous call today...

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Mule

Mule

Senior Member
Location
Oklahoma
A lady called today

Customer: My daughter is now living in our rent house, its got some electrical problems and we need someone to look at it.

Mule: Ok, Im in a attic presently,got your number on my phone, I'll call you back....Is it something you can wait on? because Im about three weeks out currently..

Customer: Yes thats fine

Call back

Mule: sorry, how can I help you?

Customer: Well the dryer blows the fuses, and the sockets need replaced...bla bla..

Mule: Ok, I should be able to come by in a day or two and look at it, but we cant do the work for around three weeks.....we seem to run around a three to four week backlog...

Customer: Ok, that will work.....I'll call you back in the three weeks....

Mule: Ok...Give me the address and info, So I can write the work order

Customer: Oh, I'll just call you back in three weeks then you can do it...

Blonde, or what?
 
Mule

Mule

Senior Member
Location
Oklahoma
Yes, and I dont mean to brag on that at all, as I know alot of folks are slow, but I just thought this was funny!!! She just thought she'd call back in three weeks, and I'd be sitting there waiting on her to call.......:D
 
Mule

Mule

Senior Member
Location
Oklahoma
George Stolz said:
But I wasn't trying to be funny. :( :D

If most of the time they don't, I don't understand how you can sustain a backlog.

Have you thought of expanding?
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HA HA when you underlined YOU I took it as a poke!!


Here's why.....Id say 75% of our work is from 4 customers, so the daily calls have to be placed in the balance of the 25%...so this pushes those customers out there as I hold true to the hand that feeds me.....So, most of them dont wont to wait, and I pass them off to some budy EC's....but a few just want to use us, because they know me or my family.


So I know this is not a good way to maximize my business profits, but its winter, Im a newbie contractor, and Im just hangn on , like everyone else...

And yes Im planning on putting on another Jman in the spring "Lord willing and the creek dont rise"
 
George Stolz

George Stolz

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Windsor, CO NEC: 2017
Occupation
Service Manager
Mule said:
HA HA when you underlined YOU I took it as a poke!!
Click to expand...
Not really intended. I'd be lying if I were to say I didn't see it potentially being read that way, but being kinda funny I couldn't resist leaving it. :)

So this is a short term strategy to keep digging for the moment, but not your ideal operating scenario? Or do you think you'll cultivate this and continue using the method you're describing, albeit in a slightly different form?
 
stickboy1375

stickboy1375

Senior Member
Location
Litchfield, CT
I also work for a two man outfit, were not out 3 weeks as of now, but alot of times we are, people want what they want so they wait. not sure why but they just do.
 
George Stolz

George Stolz

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Windsor, CO NEC: 2017
Occupation
Service Manager
Stick, that comes back to my first (kinda funny looking question) to Mule: what is so special about you (that they'd know about), and would be willing to wait for?
 
H

hardworkingstiff

Senior Member
Location
Wilmington, NC
stickboy1375 said:
:) Not speaking for Mule, but alot of our customers are repeat customers, I'm guessing they are happy with the service and would rather wait than roll the dice with someone else. Just a guess.
Click to expand...

I think this is exactly right. I also think when Mule puts on that extra man he will find out it's harder for him to make the same money (as in take home, like pay taxes on) and at the same time keep the customers as happy as they are now.
 
Mule

Mule

Senior Member
Location
Oklahoma
George Stolz said:
Not really intended. I'd be lying if I were to say I didn't see it potentially being read that way, but being kinda funny I couldn't resist leaving it. :)

So this is a short term strategy to keep digging for the moment, but not your ideal operating scenario? Or do you think you'll cultivate this and continue using the method you're describing, albeit in a slightly different form?
Click to expand...

I really dont know, I dont scheme about it too much, I just charge what I think it fair, and try to be the best installer I can. I make mistakes like everyone else, but I try to provide a good safe value...

stickboy1375 said:
:) Not speaking for Mule, but alot of our customers are repeat customers, I'm guessing they are happy with the service and would rather wait than roll the dice with someone else. Just a guess.
Click to expand...

I think relationships are paramount. If they like your total package, they will call you back....but for me its a slippery slope, because its easy to string someone out too far, thus loosing the momentum of that word of mouth...Its also tough to plan a job effectively so that at T/M its a value price when your done....

hardworkingstiff said:
I think this is exactly right. I also think when Mule puts on that extra man he will find out it's harder for him to make the same money (as in take home, like pay taxes on) and at the same time keep the customers as happy as they are now.
Click to expand...

I think you are exactly right, I think about that alot, and wonder if I really want to take that step. With my age as a factor, physicaly, Im always boarderline keeping up, so I think I need to make that move toward having a second person. But when I do, I've got to change my structure for sure. It will be three more years until the SIL become JM so I dont know, we'll see. I also have the option of backing off on the hours a bit and teaching guitar which Ive done for years and I really enjoy, and is much less physicaly demanding...If I were to bet, thats the path I would take....maybe a 70/30 split between elect and teaching...

See you guys, Heading off to my "out of town'' gig ...see you in a couple of days....
 
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cowboyjwc

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
I was kind of the same as Mule, I would tell customers that I could get one of my buddies to do it and many would simply say that they would wait.

It made me feel good that they thought that highly of me, but like mule I had no idea why they did.

I haven't had my tools on for at least 10 years now and I had an old customer call me the other night.
 
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