David Gretzmier
10-06-2009, 12:36 AM
at the risk of my client reading this , I still will vent-
After losing a 5k rehang on a residence last week, This week, I had a commercial client let me know via email today that we will not be hanging his 11k rehang this year, and I cannot stress this enough, ON THE DAY WE WERE TO HANG THE JOB. He did not even bother to call me. I began a conversation with him over a month ago, and then he was talking about adding 8k to his design this year. he basically gave me the oral ok to do what we did last year, but asked for me to go ahead and write it up along with the price to add the 8k add-on. not really in the can, but as much as most anyone else.
I feel sucker punched. Let this be a lesson to me and everyone out there. I gave them many free c-9 runs on thier building, completing a picture last year on a 20k install that was absolutely stunning. I spent the extra money and time to lay down the lite-clip strip, looking for a long term return on my investment. probably 10 outlets and 10 20 amp breakers were installed on what must have been a several acre roof. How many times must this happen to me before I just realize you should never give anything for free? why give people more than they ask for if they then turn around and break your heart the next year?
I cannot even imagine what you renter guys must go through when you get less than me in the first year and this happens the next.
The tougher pill for me to swallow is these 2 clients represent about 10 % of my rehang sales. for me, it is like losing 16 clients. It is really nice to pick up the biggies, guys, but it really hurts to lose them. This reminds me of last year when I lost a 14k rehang. when you really dig into the time and actual profit made and the risk you take of losing the client on the rehang end, it is way better to focus on getting lots more $1000 rehang eggs in the basket than 1 or 2 really big eggs.
After losing a 5k rehang on a residence last week, This week, I had a commercial client let me know via email today that we will not be hanging his 11k rehang this year, and I cannot stress this enough, ON THE DAY WE WERE TO HANG THE JOB. He did not even bother to call me. I began a conversation with him over a month ago, and then he was talking about adding 8k to his design this year. he basically gave me the oral ok to do what we did last year, but asked for me to go ahead and write it up along with the price to add the 8k add-on. not really in the can, but as much as most anyone else.
I feel sucker punched. Let this be a lesson to me and everyone out there. I gave them many free c-9 runs on thier building, completing a picture last year on a 20k install that was absolutely stunning. I spent the extra money and time to lay down the lite-clip strip, looking for a long term return on my investment. probably 10 outlets and 10 20 amp breakers were installed on what must have been a several acre roof. How many times must this happen to me before I just realize you should never give anything for free? why give people more than they ask for if they then turn around and break your heart the next year?
I cannot even imagine what you renter guys must go through when you get less than me in the first year and this happens the next.
The tougher pill for me to swallow is these 2 clients represent about 10 % of my rehang sales. for me, it is like losing 16 clients. It is really nice to pick up the biggies, guys, but it really hurts to lose them. This reminds me of last year when I lost a 14k rehang. when you really dig into the time and actual profit made and the risk you take of losing the client on the rehang end, it is way better to focus on getting lots more $1000 rehang eggs in the basket than 1 or 2 really big eggs.