I declined this job. Would you have done the same?

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Coppersmith

Coppersmith

Senior Member
Location
Tampa, FL, USA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Today I received a lead from one of my lead services. It said "customer has six AFCI circuit breakers. None of them work when pressing the test button. They want them all replaced." I declined this job. Before I tell you why, tell me if you would have accepted or declined and why.
 
I can't answer the question as I don't use lead services. All they do is create another layer between me and the customers, and that merely increases the price.
 
For me, it would depend on the lead service and their history of lead quality.

I used to get leads from 2 different services, and both were gimmicky in the way they generated leads. Too many tire kickers.

So, buy a lead for a $1,000 job and have them start trying to pick at you for how to do it themselves 🙄
 
Coppersmith said:
Today I received a lead from one of my lead services. It said "customer has six AFCI circuit breakers. None of them work when pressing the test button. They want them all replaced." I declined this job. Before I tell you why, tell me if you would have accepted or declined and why.
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NONE of them work? I’m not sure I would want to fool with this either. Number one, lead service. Won’t do on a lead service.
Number two, already diagnosed by the customer “wants them all replaced”. Perhaps the AFCIs have the wrong neutral in them, or installed wrong altogether. Don’t want to fight with a customer that already knows what the “problem” is..
 
What is exactly meant by “pressing the button and nothing works”?


“ shoot low boys their riding shetland ponies”
 
Hv&Lv said:
NONE of them work? I’m not sure I would want to fool with this either. Number one, lead service. Won’t do on a lead service.
Number two, already diagnosed by the customer “wants them all replaced”. Perhaps the AFCIs have the wrong neutral in them, or installed wrong altogether. Don’t want to fight with a customer that already knows what the “problem” is..
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480sparky said:
I would probably be able to TS it over the phone. A couple of minutes, and I might well have a loyal customer.
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I agree it might be something simple that could be dealt with through a phone conversation, but with the lead service involved you might not get a chance to have a phone conversation. They might only tell you an address and a scheduled time to be there. That’s the problem with the lead service situation.
 
AC\DC said:
Would not take. They work until test button is pressed . There working fine.
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Wait...

I assumed they meant the test switches wouldn’t trip the circuit..I never thought the OP could mean what you just stated...
Maybe I misread the OP...
Either way, I’m out.
 
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I had a customer that called and said his GFCI for his pool pump was bad. I explained how to reset it but he said it wouldn't work. I get there and it is tripped. I reset it and it holds. I tripped it several times with the test button and it tripped & reset every time. I let the pump run for about 30 mins. with no problem. I told the customer I couldn't find anything wrong and ask him how he was trying to reset it. Here is what he said............
"I turn the breaker all the way off, then back on, then push the little white button, nothing works":rolleyes:
 
480sparky said:
I would probably be able to TS it over the phone. A couple of minutes, and I might well have a loyal customer.
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In Coppersmith's case, he could talk his JW thru the finer points over the phone, and perhaps charge for the service call.
 
So I would have tried to fix the OP customer over the phone. I would explain how to re-set and what the test button did. Also explain if I come and all that I do is reset them, they will receive a bill for the service call.
 
Little Bill said:
So I would have tried to fix the OP customer over the phone. I would explain how to re-set and what the test button did. Also explain if I come and all that I do is reset them, they will receive a bill for the service call.
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This type of job would never pay for the lead charge, they charge based on how customer words what they are interested in, not on what they actually need done.
And like @James L said too many tire kickers using those lead services. My experience has been 70% or more are "I was wondering how much to do X" but no real interest in having it done, and everyone of them costs me money. I get more bang for the buck from a website presence and good Google placement. I would consider helping if got this type of call as a result of my web, but not worth it from a lead service.
 
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