[CrystalCreek]

Ok, I'll try to keep this short. My superduty's drive shaft decided that yesterday would be a great time to destroy the carrier bearing. I'm going away this weekend and had to scramble. The truck is somewhat still driveable as long as at low speed. Carrier bearing (center support) only holds the shaft in place. So this morning I set out extra early in hopes to get today's route and tomorrow's route done. The big guy upstairs must have been watching my back because EVERYTHING went so smooth. No equipment trouble, truck survived, no customer problems, well almost I did so well that I even started a few of Wednesday's route. I have a very close relationship with my customer's. The Wednesday's route consisted of elderly people, so their happy that the lawn just gets cut once a week. Most asked questions as to my re-scheulding. You could set a watch to my timing. But most of my customer's were very understanding. In fact alot of my customer's said it was an admirable effort to see that the lawn's are done before the holdiday weekend. Made me feel good. Well, only ONE customer had a complaint. She is a early Tuesday customer, but today she was done around noon. She came out with an attitude and I tried to explain the situation. She said that I should have taken care of my truck better. ARE YOU F'ING KIDDING ME:angry: My truck lives the life of a princess. I wish I had it as good. So now I'm a little mad. I ask her if she would like to have it cut on Thursday. She said no, but I still should have planned this better. I told her I was trying the best I could do. She said, Well, maybe you should try harder. GET A NEW LANDSCAPER! was my next words. I have been looking to unload this sack of S$#T. And now she is gone.

To top all this of I picked up the neighbor to her left. I now do 7 houses all around her. I was cutting her house at a great price. About $5 less than it's worth. This might explain the several calls to my cell from her husband appoligizing for her action's and asking for one more chance. I'll let them sweat for another day or so. Really don't want them back.

Sorry for the long post. Have a good evening to all. :usflag::waving:

 

[ALC-GregH]

I'd try to keep them if it were me. Just deal with the husband from now on.

 

[CrystalCreek]

I'd try to keep them if it were me. Just deal with the husband from now on.

Been down this road TOO MANY TIMES!!! Three to be exact where the husband (cool guy and always nice to me) tells me he will talk to her and not to worry about her. Well it works for a month or so and then back to the same old stuff. I have been nothing but nice to them and ALWAYS professional. I am here to do a job, not be their slave. I have always believed that when one door closes another will open. I will have to sleep on this and see how I feel in the morning. I am not afraid of her badmouthing me because everyone else on the block already knows me. Good work and a great attitude will always prevail. It's her loss.

 

[mississippiturf]

I like your attitude. One door closes, but if you stay professional in both your work and your dealing with customers, another will open, always.

 

[whoopassonthebluegrass]

There ain't much in life more liberating than dumping a PITA. :clapping::clapping::clapping:

 

[CrystalCreek]

Thanks Guys!!! I know in my heart of hearts I did the right thing, but always good to hear it from other we work with.

 

[stroker51]

Wow, most of that is like, ok just a PITA customer, but the part about taking better care of your truck, like that's any of her business. What would she say to a guy who had a brand new (er) 6.0 that happened to have a turbo puke or any other 6.0 problem. If you can deal with the husband, keep em. I had one like this last year, no irrigation, talked the wife in like july, which was fairly wet, and told her we would probably go to bi-weekly mows in august. Well, i did that, and she got home as i was leaving, and read me the riot act about how mowing more than once a month when it was hot was going to kill her yard. If it werent' for the crabgrass i wouldn't have had to mow, and told her that. About 3 weeks later, after it started raining again, her husband called me apologizing, saying they missed me and wanted me back. I took em back and deal strictly with the husband now.

 

[CrystalCreek]

Wow, most of that is like, ok just a PITA customer, but the part about taking better care of your truck, like that's any of her business. What would she say to a guy who had a brand new (er) 6.0 that happened to have a turbo puke or any other 6.0 problem. If you can deal with the husband, keep em. I had one like this last year, no irrigation, talked the wife in like july, which was fairly wet, and told her we would probably go to bi-weekly mows in august. Well, i did that, and she got home as i was leaving, and read me the riot act about how mowing more than once a month when it was hot was going to kill her yard. If it werent' for the crabgrass i wouldn't have had to mow, and told her that. About 3 weeks later, after it started raining again, her husband called me apologizing, saying they missed me and wanted me back. I took em back and deal strictly with the husband now.

This made me laugh because my truck is a 2004 F350 6.o.:laugh: Of all the things to break it was the carrier bearing. I guess the trailer is taking its toll.

 

[S.I.]

I don't get what the situation is ?????
You are planning on going out of town for the weekend and wanted to get all of your cuts in early, but didn't relay these plans to the customers?
What do the issues with the truck have to do with you mowing Tuesdays accounts on Monday?
Why would you tell the customer that you are mowing a day early because your truck is broken?
What did she have an attitude about? The fact that you showed up off schedule with no advance notice and for no apparent reason?

Maybe it is me, but something isn't coming together in this story.

 

[ALC-GregH]

I'm sure theres a few pieces missing in the puzzle.

 

[Beau Rivage]

How old is she??? :laugh: If she hasn't got long to go, you might should have kept them so you'd have the cool old man once she bit the big one. :laugh::drinkup: No, just kidding...from what you said it sounds like you did the right thing.

 

[CrystalCreek]

Ok just to clarify, the truck was still in service. I was cutting ahead so I could free the truck up for wednesday serviceing. I guess I could have called and told all my customer's but like I said this driveshaft failed Sunday night, not leaving me with much time to alter my plans. I didn't want to go away this weekend without the lawns getting done, so I made every attemp to do the job. I'm was just really surprised she flipped out like this. Like I said she has always been a pain. I just hope that everything ALWAYS goes smooth in her life:laugh: Maybe someday she will feel what I was going through, but than again, she would have probably just let everyone down.

I talked to the husband and told him the WHOLE story. He was very upset with his wife and was very sorry. I told him I was still deciding if I would continue. At this time I told him that I was a few weeks away from a price increase on his property SINCE they had not been raised in three years. He said not a problem. Still need the weekend to think about it.

 

[CrystalCreek]

How old is she??? :laugh: If she hasn't got long to go, you might should have kept them so you'd have the cool old man once she bit the big one. :laugh::drinkup: No, just kidding...from what you said it sounds like you did the right thing.

She is around 40. Three great kids which must be the husbands doing seeing how much a pain she is. I don't think she will be biting anything anytime soon. I wouldn't even wish for that no matter how mad I was. I know your only joking. :nono:

 

[CrystalCreek]

I don't get what the situation is ?????
You are planning on going out of town for the weekend and wanted to get all of your cuts in early, but didn't relay these plans to the customers?
What do the issues with the truck have to do with you mowing Tuesdays accounts on Monday?
Why would you tell the customer that you are mowing a day early because your truck is broken?
What did she have an attitude about? The fact that you showed up off schedule with no advance notice and for no apparent reason?

Maybe it is me, but something isn't coming together in this story.

All the accounts would have been done on their proper day IF the truck didn't fail. I told my customer's why I was mowing a day early because IT'S HONEST!!! I don't like to lie about things even if it's because of a broken truck!!!. Hope everything in your life always works out in your favor. Maybe it me but you seem to have missed the point of my thread.