If you start at 7am and don’t notify the homeowner your there you’ll have more awkward situations.
There’s no way I wouldn’t first approach the door and notify. That’s awkward
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I always call the day before and remind the customer what time I will be there. Never had an issue in over 14 years. Keep in mind I saw her husband in the house around 10am. His wife always comes outside to say hello around 7:30am. They knew I was there.
I always tell customers that if I don’t show up…that means I died.
Glad you notify your customers when you arrive Jeff. I work by myself and have had success with never knocking. Thanks for chiming in and understanding.
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Yes sir!
I have the same thought process.
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Perhaps it’s just part of growing up Texan, but I don’t roam the property without knocking first. Between the big dogs and bigger guns everyone seems to have, I’m not taking chances.
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I have two weird stories -
I went to clean a house once. Stopped by and gave an estimate, scheduled the job and came back a couple weeks later. I was supposed to be there at 9:00 am.
So I put up at 9:00 and the lady is getting in her car in the driveway, she says “the house is open, help yourself I am running out for a while.” And pulls out of the driveway.
So I get my stuff together, go inside and start cleaning (I have never been inside the house)
Tons of doors are closed so I am looking around finding out what goes where and I open a door to her husband fast asleep in the bed. I just quietly shut the door and went to the other side of the house and made a bunch of noise. He got up about 30 minutes later and acted like it was no big deal I was there.
I just couldn’t help thinking what if I woke him up and scared the mess out of him and he shot me or something.
Another time, same deal. Got to a huge house (110 windows) meet the guy (for the first time) and he says “ok I’m going work call me if you need anything, by the way my daughter is upstairs asleep”
She got up a couple hours later and left, she was 16. Now I know I would leave my 16 year old daughter alone in the house with a strange guy I just meet?
I just don’t get the thinking.
Strange people.
Joe
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There’s actually a company named that in my hometown lol
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Sounds weird or maybe just a pompous ass…
I nearly always knock on the door first. Then when the outside is finished, I also ask “Is everyone up & at it?” Sure don’t want to walk in on someone sleeping late. If there is someone still sleeping or in the shower, I will ask the home owner to open all of the other doors except that one. Then I do it last.
Yeah, I would’ve walked on that last story.
I recently lost a 7 year residential client because he left his 14 year old daughter by herself at the house. I called him up and asked if the nanny was going to be there when he said no, I thanked him for his trust but told him about my policy. Any minors in the house without an adult, we don’t work.
He owns his own biz and came home until I was finished and was pissed about it too.
I waited in the truck until he came home.
I apologized but he never used me again.
Thats not the first time either. That was the one that stung the most tho.
I’ve seen false accusations ruin people too. So weather its me or someone working for me, I really don’t care who gets upset by that policy, its a freaken protection for both the child (most important) and for US too. That was there ain’t no bullets to dodge. Problem solved.
I don’t get what people think either. If I had a daughter, there’d be no chance this would even be an oversight. Don’t people watch the news?
I have a 6 year old son, and I don’t see him being smarter than a box of rocks anytime soon. I’m crazy over protective with good reason and he is never outta my sight unless he’s in school.
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Yep it is funny both of these happened my first year in business.
I have done the house where the guy sleeps in every year. They are super nice, refer me, pay good. They just sleep in.
Every year I wake them up and they call to confirm the day before and then act surprised I am there.
The job with the young girl I never heard from again. They decide to leave the screens off, then called back the next day to ask for them to be put back in (which I did for no charge)
Then took 45 days to pay, then called me to complain that the window latches where not rotated “all the way” and someone might break in.
Yea wouldn’t want a strange guys getting in with my family home…
I didn’t mind that they never called back
Joe
Thank you, @thorSG1.
Smart policy and one which I use as well. I also have a policy if they are not home, pets need to be either caged or put someplace I will not cross paths with them.
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Thats a good one too. I might plagiarize that one. I’ve been bit twice by dogs that don’t bite. Both occasions not once did I hear I’m sorry, and one of them asked me what I did to make it mad!
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These are 2 good policy.
They should be in everyone’s “on the jobsite rule book.”
Thanks for sharing your policies with everyone.
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Pet owners their animals are like their children, especially when they don’t have kids living in.
They always think that their pet doesn’t bite and that if it bit you you must have done something.
I’ve been around dogs and cats my whole life I have never had a problem with any animal. People are often shocked when I am just standing there talking to them their cat will come up to me and start to brush up against me and they are like" he never goes near anyone"
I have a regular I have been doing for 6 years. As I’m working my way around the inside cleaning the window counterclockwise of the floor plan I walk into the open doored bathroom and the home owner is sitting there taking a dump! We’re both like - WHOA!. (Yea, shut the damned door buddy GRRR).
Otherwise a good quarterly customer. :-/
smarter than a box of rocks lol
got crop dusted by a clients dog last night that dog stank bad.
cant stand barkers dont mind the dogs checking us out but barking is obnoxious
