We had the weirdest estimste on Wednesday. It was a nextdoor lead for gutter cleaning. The moment the customer busted outta the front door like Kramer he was cracking jokes and talking nonsense. It was offputtting because it’s just not how we roll. Nonstop jokes about everything.
Finally we discuss the gutter involved, how much etc. Both @Erica and I notice a pool screen dangling from the very top and point it out. It’s obvious, but the clown keeps his jokes going and doesn’t listen to us. I go yesterday, clean the gutters and that’s that.
Get a message after 9pm that the water pressure from the hose “apparently” caused a screen to get loose. Call him today, I ask him specifically about the location and he gives a vague answer. but he wants he fixed asap. Sorry, earliest I can come is Monday. Mind sending a picture? Dude flips out, starts swearing and hangs up. Call him back, same thing. I tell him there was one loose screen when we did the estimate and told him about it but he was too busy joking around. Hung up again.
I drive out there, ring bell/knock on door, doesn’t answer. He works for legal shield and went on a sales pitch during the estimate. I figured he might just be trying to scam us because that was the first thing he started talking about when we met him, in between all his goofing around. Anyway, how would you guys handle this? He got defensive when I started asking him questions. Knew he was whacko, but now I dunno how to go from here.
Oh and I stopped by because I had a very brief window in my schedule to swing by just to try and settle this.
Ah I forgot to mention, when I said Monday was the earliest I could stop by he immediately said he’d call someone to fix it and that 2 weeks ago people were there fixing screens. Old man is nuts.
What do you mean by pool screen? Is it a window screen or some type of gutter guard? If it is a window screen why not put it back in for him? If it is a guard why didn’t you put it back on?
If a customer won’t acknowledge what you are telling them then you need to repeat yourself. You have to steer the conversation away from jokes and small talk to discussing the job. If the customer is not responding properly then that would be a huge red flag to mental issues.
I want to resolve the problem, though. But it’s difficult when he hangs up twice and is belligerent when I asked him questions about what he’s complaining about. Then he sends and quickly deletes a message on nextdoor providing more details about his concern, providing his phone number. So it’s: do you want your problem solved when I can get to it and deal with it patiently and clear up any misunderstanding OR do you just want to be an infant and get mad since I won’t swing on your roof at the snap of your fingers? For a $100 it’s turned into such a PITA. Ughhhhhhhh just gotta vent dudes!
I’ve become very liberal with turning down work if I get any kind of weirdo or cheapo vibe off a potential customer. I know that policy means leaving money on the table, but honestly I rather enjoy my line of work and I’d like to keep it that way. I’m ok with letting one fall by the wayside here and there if it means I don’t have to deal with headaches like the one you’ve got.
I take pictures before I start, especially of anything that is wrong to begin with. (ie damaged screens or wire, cracked windows, etc… I don’t have the time on the pictures themselves, probably need to do that, but my camera puts the time and date in the photo information.
Like you, I bring it to the clients attention because maybe they aren’t aware of it and if I can fix it than it is the perfect time for an up sale. Also, if I feel I need to protect myself, I make a note of it on the pre-work report/estimate paperwork.
Personally, if he isn’t happy and the screens in question have been fixed I would refund him some or all of the money…it’s a hundred bucks, and you already think this guy is crazy, this could go on for years. No refund without something in writing from this kind of person though. People like this guy are why I take pictures, inform the client before I start work, and if I get that weird feeling inside I walk away.
If you are wanting to make a stand then it is time to get off the phone with this customer and start putting things down on paper. Write him a brief letter and try to sum up the problem as you see it and how you are willing to address it. Give him a time limit of how much longer you are willing to deal with the problem. You want to offer a way of solving his problem…on your terms, not his. Thirty days is plenty. Be politely stern about it.
I stopped by today. The screen that was hanging at the top of the pool enclosure when we did the estimate and did the cleaning is the one he had repaired. He insisted it wasn’t like that before I did the work and I pushed back but at the end he said it didn’t matter, it is what it is.
Then came the kicker, and I knew this would be his angle since he works for legalshield: he told me if he’d known FOR SURE it was me who messed up the screen and that I wasn’t going to do anything to fix it, he would’ve called his attorney. I think it’s a reflection of American culture, to use attorneys for frivolous matters instead of seeking a reasonable solution without that drama. Then he went on his legalshield sales pitch again so maybe the whole thing was a way to say “I have a pre-paid disposable lawyer at the tip of my finger, you don’t”.
Anyway, he couldn’t pin it on me so at the end he had nothing, just suspicion it might’ve been me who messed up his screen. Nice start to the week, avoiding a lawyer over pool screens…
HA HA HA ha HA ha ha
He would call his attorney over a $100 gutter job. Oh man, this guy is awesome. I bet his neighbors love him!!! I bet hollow threats, like that, have gotten him out of a lot of arguments in his life. Well, at least he thinks they have, right?
I’m very glad it turned out okay for you.
I hope you put him on your “Don’t Call Ever Again” list.
Then he says the guy who repaired the screen would’ve cleaned the gutters for $60…hmmm $1 a foot for 60 feet. Sounds like me not to long ago quoting jobs based solely on length and not actual work involved. Thanks @Garry!