You can smell these customers over the phone

[Mule]

Here's a call I got today...These people irritate me....I can smell them in the first sentence or two....

Customer: Im building a bedroom above my garage in the attic....I need 18ft on conduit and four outlets.......how much will it cost?

Mule: Sir, I dont price jobs like that, we will be glad to come over and look at it and give you a price

Customer:Ok when can you come?

Mule: Well first let me ask you when you want the work done?

Customer: Oh, by Sunday

Mule: Sir, there is no way I can do that, we are 3-4 weeks out, but if its something small that we can knock out quick, maybe we could squeeze it in.

Customer: well surely you can do it, I just need 18ft of conduit and four outlets.

Mule: Sir, We normally do the rough in stage...nail up the box's...drill holes..pull wire....make connections...set temp ligts....then come back for the trim out phase and plug and switch and hang the fixtures.

Customer: Dont need to worry about the lights, I'll take care of that, I just need 18ft conduit and four outlets.

Mule: Sir, I think you need to call someone else, because we can't help you.

Customer: SLAM

 

[quogueelectric]

Here's a call I got today...These people irritate me....I can smell them in the first sentence or two....

Customer: Im building a bedroom above my garage in the attic....I need 18ft on conduit and four outlets.......how much will it cost?

Mule: Sir, I dont price jobs like that, we will be glad to come over and look at it and give you a price

Customer:Ok when can you come?

Mule: Well first let me ask you when you want the work done?

Customer: Oh, by Sunday

Mule: Sir, there is no way I can do that, we are 3-4 weeks out, but if its something small that we can knock out quick, maybe we could squeeze it in.

Customer: well surely you can do it, I just need 18ft of conduit and four outlets.

Mule: Sir, We normally do the rough in stage...nail up the box's...drill holes..pull wire....make connections...set temp ligts....then come back for the trim out phase and plug and switch and hang the fixtures.

Customer: Dont need to worry about the lights, I'll take care of that, I just need 18ft conduit and four outlets.

Mule: Sir, I think you need to call someone else, because we can't help you.

Customer: SLAM

You dont want customers like that.

 

[Fulthrotl]

Customer: Dont need to worry about the lights, I'll take care of that, I just need 18ft conduit and four outlets.

Mule: Sir, I think you need to call someone else, because we can't help you.

Customer: SLAM

now you've done it... that was the big job for feb.....

i had one of those call, and needed a receptacle (plug for those in calif.)
on a wall, and there was a plug on the other side of the wall,,, 3' of romex
and a cut in box.... and she wants to know how much.... it's a mile from
the house, so i say.... $90.

she says she will get back to me, she needs to get three bids..... i couldn't
help it, i started laughing... and said... "looking for someone to do it for $83?

she said yes, and hung up.

next day she called back, and asked if i wanted the job... by now, i am
curious, and bored, so i drive over... the house is in huntington harbor,
and has 40' of dock out back.... maybe $3m or so value... i walked up,
rang the door, and when she answered, i said.....

hi, i'm randy, the electrician you called.... i just wanted to see what someone
looks like who would call around to save the price of a cheeseburger....
here ya go... it was worth it.... and i handed her seven one dollar bills....

turned, walked back, got in my van, and went to have lunch...

 

[Mule]

now you've done it... that was the big job for feb.....

Yep, I should have told him......"Sir your in luck, we are having a winter labor sale and I will do it for no profit at all, but I'll work extra slow to do it right !!"

Randy, your previous post was a hoot.....your more gutsy than me

 

[normbac]

now you've done it... that was the big job for feb.....

i had one of those call, and needed a receptacle (plug for those in calif.)
on a wall, and there was a plug on the other side of the wall,,, 3' of romex
and a cut in box.... and she wants to know how much.... it's a mile from
the house, so i say.... $90.

she says she will get back to me, she needs to get three bids..... i couldn't
help it, i started laughing... and said... "looking for someone to do it for $83?

she said yes, and hung up.

next day she called back, and asked if i wanted the job... by now, i am
curious, and bored, so i drive over... the house is in huntington harbor,
and has 40' of dock out back.... maybe $3m or so value... i walked up,
rang the door, and when she answered, i said.....

hi, i'm randy, the electrician you called.... i just wanted to see what someone
looks like who would call around to save the price of a cheeseburger....
here ya go... it was worth it.... and i handed her seven one dollar bills....

turned, walked back, got in my van, and went to have lunch...

I was looking to save a 100.00 I will be waiting for you to ring the door :grin:

 

[Minuteman]

Hey Mule, give me his number... I'll do it!

 

[Mule]

Hey Mule, give me his number... I'll do it!

My guess is he's also looking to buy a hamburger with Randy's 7 bucks....:smile: Hey Randy, are you bored?

 

[480sparky]

Exactly eighteen feet of conduit? Sounds like someone already gave them a price with a material list.

 

[Mule]

Exactly eighteen feet of conduit? Sounds like someone already gave them a price with a material list.

Could be....but I get tired of
"Mr. I want it now, and I dont want to pay anything for it" I wished I had asked for his address, I bet he was upscale salary class.

 

[Minuteman]

ME: "Let's see, 4 plugs and 18' of conduit? Our price, for a normal installation, would be about $300"

Now, in case you didn't know this, NOTHING is normal. :smile:

 

[TOOL_5150]

3-4 weeks out huh? I wish I had that problem.

~Matt

 

[Fulthrotl]

My guess is he's also looking to buy a hamburger with Randy's 7 bucks....:smile: Hey Randy, are you bored?

honestly, it was well worth $7 to see the look on her face.

it all comes back around...... not to worry....

right before christmas, i waw working over on the back side of john wayne
airport, in a commercial building, and it had been a long day, and i was filthy.
i'd had a hard lid to crawl, etc... and on top of it, getting out of the ceiling,
i had split the inseam out of my levis', so there was alot waving in the breeze,
and that was the deciding factor in calling it a day.:roll:

so, i'm loading up the van, and the drywaller was loading up as well,
and there was a guy panhandling in a beat up lexus.... (in so calif. the
panhandlers drive up in their cars to ask for money) and he get's to the
drywaller first, and get's a couple bucks.... then comes to me.

i'm filthy dirty, look like i'm living under a bush, and have the pants split
out.... and he starts his pitch... i cut him off, and say "lemme look", and
reach into my pocket for money, causing the tear in the inseam to become
immediately apparent.... he looks at me, says "nevermind. you need it more
than i do", and hands me the $5 he got from the tin knocker, and drives off.

the drywaller just about split his pants, laughing.


randy

 

[mark32]

Randy, those posts of yours are hilarious, you're probably a fun guy to work with.

 

[Rewire]

Insulting customers is always a great Idea as this will insure that they will give your company a positive recommendation to others and with these difficult financial times it is even more important to tell customers you cannot be bothered with giving estimates.I recieved a call from a lady seeking bids to hang several new ceiling fans I gave her our flat rate price she said she was calling for other estimates I thanked her and hung up two days later she called and we went to install the fans it was in a million+ home we hung the fans thanked her and got paid a week later her son calls he asks if we would like to be "his" electricians I said sure he says great I am builidng another house like my moms and will bring you the prints.

 

[Mule]

Insulting customers is always a great Idea as this will insure that they will give your company a positive recommendation to others and with these difficult financial times it is even more important to tell customers you cannot be bothered with giving estimates.I recieved a call from a lady seeking bids to hang several new ceiling fans I gave her our flat rate price she said she was calling for other estimates I thanked her and hung up two days later she called and we went to install the fans it was in a million+ home we hung the fans thanked her and got paid a week later her son calls he asks if we would like to be "his" electricians I said sure he says great I am builidng another house like my moms and will bring you the prints.

With a attitude like that, you WILL stay busy IMO....you know where your breads buttered !!!! I've seen so many contractors that have such a gruff, better than thou attitude, then, Im getting alot of their customers. :wink:

 

[tonyou812]

now you've done it... that was the big job for feb.....

i had one of those call, and needed a receptacle (plug for those in calif.)
on a wall, and there was a plug on the other side of the wall,,, 3' of romex
and a cut in box.... and she wants to know how much.... it's a mile from
the house, so i say.... $90.

she says she will get back to me, she needs to get three bids..... i couldn't
help it, i started laughing... and said... "looking for someone to do it for $83?

she said yes, and hung up.

next day she called back, and asked if i wanted the job... by now, i am
curious, and bored, so i drive over... the house is in huntington harbor,
and has 40' of dock out back.... maybe $3m or so value... i walked up,
rang the door, and when she answered, i said.....

hi, i'm randy, the electrician you called.... i just wanted to see what someone
looks like who would call around to save the price of a cheeseburger....
here ya go... it was worth it.... and i handed her seven one dollar bills....

turned, walked back, got in my van, and went to have lunch...

I would have charged 165 for that.

 

[Greg Swartz]

Randy, those posts of yours are hilarious, you're probably a fun guy to work with.

Wait until you get the PMs... then it gets really good!

Randy has a LOT of experience! :wink:

 

[Greg Swartz]

Insulting customers is always a great Idea as this will insure that they will give your company a positive recommendation to others and with these difficult financial times it is even more important to tell customers you cannot be bothered with giving estimates.I recieved a call from a lady seeking bids to hang several new ceiling fans I gave her our flat rate price she said she was calling for other estimates I thanked her and hung up two days later she called and we went to install the fans it was in a million+ home we hung the fans thanked her and got paid a week later her son calls he asks if we would like to be "his" electricians I said sure he says great I am builidng another house like my moms and will bring you the prints.

Rewire,
RELAX...
Randy has been in business for quite a while now. years... multiple years. I think he knows what he is doing.

I think a lot of us have been in the situation you are in. We get a lot of calls too. I give them a flat rate price, and we do a good job. So, we're in.

Let us know when the $1M home kicks off... I'll give you a kudos.

But do relax. This is an electrical forum. We are all professionals here. This is a place where WE can can unload. And, I'm sure that some (if not all) of us embellesh (sp?) our stories.
I'm still tearing up about the slinky tagline I just read...

Greg

 

[Greg Swartz]

Here's a call I got today...These people irritate me....I can smell them in the first sentence or two....

...Mule: Sir, I think you need to call someone else, because we can't help you.

Customer: SLAM

Mule,
I can smell 'em too!
I'm surprised you even got that far. "18' and 4 outlets... hmmm... $600. Have a good day!"

In the middle of '07, I was very new in the business thing. (I still am too...) And I was hungry. I got a call for ceiling fans. I told them $75 each. (Everything was pre-wired)... they thanked me, and an hour later, they called back (I'm sure to see if I would lower my price) saying they had someone willing to do them for $50 each.

$7... Yeah, I think it would have been worth seeing their face.

 

[Mule]

Mule,
I can smell 'em too!
I'm surprised you even got that far. "18' and 4 outlets... hmmm... $600. Have a good day!"

In the middle of '07, I was very new in the business thing. (I still am too...) And I was hungry. I got a call for ceiling fans. I told them $75 each. (Everything was pre-wired)... they thanked me, and an hour later, they called back (I'm sure to see if I would lower my price) saying they had someone willing to do them for $50 each.

$7... Yeah, I think it would have been worth seeing their face.

Yea, I just dont like working for folks with a attitude....I want to put it in right, get it inspected, and I dont need anyone dictating what we put in and what we dont, when its required by code anyway....