Have you ever "fired" a customer?

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JohnME

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I was called to go do a bid on a job. I went to the home, no one was there. I called the house, left a message and got a phone call back about 30 minutes later. I turned around, wrote the quote up and then emailed it to her that night. She was very happy with the price but didn't have the funds to do it anytime soon.

Two months later I get the call from her and we set a time up. The morning of I was up in the ceiling grid of a local school in a live j-box when she calls. "I really want to take my kids to see the charlie brown play, so I will leave the house unlocked". I then explain how thats not the way I work, and I would bump our time ahead 2 hours so she can still meet me there.

I get there at 5:00, get 1/2 the job done and they are asking me how much longer will I be (I was only there 30 minutes). I told them an hour, I asked if they cleaned the attic out, they said "no we forgot to do that it is a mess up there".

At this point I said I would come back another night when the attic was opened up and they had more time. We set another date. I get there on time to a dark house. I call, knock, no answer. I drive off and head home for the weekend. I leave a message saying that it would be best for them to find another electrician at this point and good luck with any future projects. I was nice about it, but had enough.

She later left me a message saying that her kids were to blame or something, she was in tears, but time is money to me and thankfully I already collected my $60 for the first part of the job, which ended up being not enough to cover my expenses! Live and learn, I should have not come back after she said they did not have the money.
 
Yes I have problems with men that whine on and on, for that manner women the whine on and on get old fast also. Dumped two in some 20 odd years and after a meeting Friday I have a 3rd to add to that list.
 
I have refused many jobs for various reasons. I've developed a sort of "flake radar" and I should pay attention to it more often than I do.
 
I used to get calls in the middle of the night chewing me out for not finishing something or when would I get there to do so and so. I discovered if I raised my rates those flakes would disapear and my receivables would increase and my late pays would decrease. If you are having to fire costomers its time to raise your rates. You will find you will go fishing more often and still make the same kinda money with a lot less headaches.
 
Fired a customer the other day. We went to his house to hook him up to central station monitoring for his burglar alarm. He knew he was supposed to pay us $300 for the 1 year at $25.00/ month. He's not there, wife puts my guy through the wringer with ridiculous questions, etc and proceeds to hand him a check for $25.00 when they are through. (After nearly 2 hours to show her how to use the alarm) My guy says you are supposed to pay us $300. She says she can't write a check that large. (They just moved into a $700,000 house.) My guy calls me. I call husband's cell and get voicemail. Following day husband calls with a bunch of excuses. But does say he will get us the money soon. He rubbed me the wrong way, so I told him I'll send him back his check and he can find someone else to monitor him. I'm leaving out a lot of little details, but you can get the gist of the story.
 
The customer I failed to fire

The customer I failed to fire

My partner handles the 'business' end; he usually does well enough. Indeed, wesee no need to advertise, or even be in the phone book. (Yes, we're licensed, etc.)

Last year, about this time, we had a proven customer send someone our way. The gent was a "well accomplished businessman," starting up a transmission shop. So far, so good.

Like all good salesmen, he could spin a yarn. This was most entertaining, utill he inadvertantly spoke of 'being in negotiations' to buy an establishment that, unknown to him, was operated by a woman I was very close to. (So close, I got to bury her). My "BS alert" started flashing.

The next day, the guy had what can only be described as a nervous breakdown. He seemed OK the following day, but by then it was clear he was having trouble with his landlord. The landlord was a real winner, as well.

So, by now my "BS alarm" is screaming. The guy's a flake. To make a long story short, I bit my tongue, continued work .... and didn't really push the matter with my partner.

Next thing we know, the customer is locked out by the landlord, had left for points unknown, and we have both an unfinished job, and and unpaid bill of $3000.

Sometimes, you just have to walk away from a job.
 
Yes, used to get one that would call at 2:00 AM with cows in a miliking parlor that could not get out (long story) and had been there for several hours while he tried to fix things himself. Finally told him I due to the condition of building I could just not longer help him. Another with cat urine on the receptacles....hog farms and previous dairy were better by far. Raising the rates works best.
 
Have "fired" a few customers myself for bad behavior. Also if the house is squallid (month old food lying out rotten or dried up on kitchen counters and on the floor. You could se dried up spills on top of other dried up spills). Some houses are deceiving from the outside. Don't want any cockroaches jumping in my tool bag!:grin:
 
GUNNING said:
I discovered if I raised my rates those flakes would disapear and my receivables would increase and my late pays would decrease. If you are having to fire costomers its time to raise your rates. You will find you will go fishing more often and still make the same kinda money with a lot less headaches.
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It took us a while to discover that, but yes it sure helps.
 
TOP EXCUSES FOR FIRING A CUSTOMER I HAVE EXPERIENCED ARE. 1.The ones who always call you out for service with one little job ,but while your there it turns into (well since your here i also have a few more lil things i forgot about) and the next thing you know your changing light bulbs or running back to the supply house for something, and when you finish they want you to bill um or leave the bill and they will mail it,it arrives 4-6 weeks later. 2. CONTRACTORS who love to nitpick every lil item or try to back charge you cause you touched a ceiling with dirty hands or any other dumb ideas they can come up with to hold your money. 3. Homeowners who you go to meet and go over the job with and the next thing you know the couple starts arguing over what each other wants to do. 4. The ones who pull up in a lexus or mercedes and start complaining about the price you gave um for a lil 1000.00 job. 5. The ones who need to reschedule you to come out 3 times or more ,and when your on the way they call and say i got to pick up the kids in 15 minutes.
 
jameshot said:
. . . when you finish they want you to bill um or leave the bill and they will mail it, it arrives 4-6 weeks later.
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You get the check? I'd consider that a success!
 
I have never been aware of an engineering consulting firm firing a customer, at least while I was working for that firm. But I suppose it happens. However, I have often seen a firm decline to pursue a consulting job that was offered by a former client, based on bad experiences from that client. Problems include slow to pay, whining about the costs (after having signed a contract that clearly showed the costs), and (the big winner) continually asking us to do more design work and to make more and more changes, without agreeing to pay us for the extra work.
 
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