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DanaMac

05-27-2004, 09:16 PM

What do you guys do when someone doesn't show up for a scheduled appointment? I've had 5 this week so far. Two were for adding a zone or revamping a system (never worked on before), two were existing customers for repairs, and one was a newbie for repairs. The ones on adding or revamping I will probably not go back to or follow up on. The existing customers for repairs, one I could still do some of the repairs even though he wasn't there, but he also wanted a drip zone extended to about 25 new shrubs and trees which I wasn't prepared for. Now he's upset that it will be next Thursday and is getting someone else. The other will have to wait.

If I go back to these homes I will find a way to charge them for not showing up. No itemized "no show fee", but the parts and labor will be higher than normal.

Do you make "courtesy calls" the day ahead? there is no way I can do that or want to do that. If they are calling me for work, it is obviously a priority in their life. So I put it in my schedule. They should also put it in there schedule. Not just try to remember it. I don't expect them to call me reminding me that they will be there.

I'm a bitter man right now and am at my blow up point with most people right now. I'll probably vent some more to you all in the next few days. IF I can take time off this Memorial Weekend.

Ground Master

05-28-2004, 02:48 PM

I've had a few Dana.........I thought about courtesy calls, but have a hard enough time getting original messages called back.

Some "no-shows" had legitimate reasons, others simply forgot. I suppose its the nature of the beast. Re-schedule if you can or just move on. Yep, easier said then done!

The worst for me is when you arrive at someones house and they figured out how to fix it themselves and didn't call to let you know!

Or, people setup an appointment and expect you to show them how to fix (so they can do it themselves) and ask "do, i owe you anything for coming out"?

I blew up a few weeks ago.............have since settled down. Force yourself to take sometime off. I'm taking off these next 3 days! Ok maybe 2 days.

Tom

JimLewis

08-03-2004, 02:34 AM

Hmmmm. Good question. Never had that happen before.

I guess I've shown up to give a bid and the customer wasn't there. But usually I either have their cell phone number or they call me - and usually they're just a few minutes late.

I always just start checking out their system anyway. I'll wait 30 minutes before I finally give up. But I can't remember a time when I've ever had to give up.

Usually, it's the customer waiting for me. I always seem to be late. But at least I always call and let them know. Always too many things going on in my day.

Mdirrigation

08-03-2004, 08:35 PM

We check as much of the system as we can or do what we can and leave a bill and a note , telling the customer we needed them there for acess. I have had complaints , but I tell tham that my business I am selling my time , my tim ewas spent , and if I wasnt at their property I would have been at someone elses billing my time.

jerryrwm

08-04-2004, 09:07 AM

Those that are new to me, they get a call from me as I leave the previous job-site. Not so much as a courtesy call but a reminder for them, and a heads up - no one's home for me, that lets me make adjustments and get to the next one.

Sure, you put it on your schedule and we would hope that they would remember to put it on theirs, but that doesn't always happen. They get busy, they get detained, they forget. (Have you ever missed an appointment?) With the price of cell phone plans these days, a call to the customer is not that hard to do, and it keeps your headaches down to a minimum.

Charge them if you want, bump the price when you do, and get on with the business of doing business.

JimLewis

08-04-2004, 11:03 AM

but that doesn't always happen. They get busy, they get detained...

Detained??? Who you giving bids for? Mark Hacking and Scott Peterson???? ;)