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View Full Version : customers who cancel at the last minute



huggytree
05-16-2013, 09:11 PM
its the time of the year when I get more service type calls

about 5% are canceling on me the day before the job....they are typically fixing it themselves or having a friend fixing it.....its nothing to do with my service, its all about paying me $200 to do a small/easy job....I get it...I just did the same thing with my dishwasher....if I could run and do the job on the spot I would have gotten all of them.....im typically 3-5 days out and that gives them 3-5 days to 'think' about it

when it gets annoying is when I buy parts to fix it......then what? should I call and ask them to pay for the part? or the restocking fee?

just had another one cancel on me tonight....they are selling their house and decided to let the buyer fix it.....but now I have a disposal that I rarely use....so It will sit for 6 months-1 year.....all my time ordering it, setting up a job folder, phone time.....

im just venting.....it just bugs me because its happening more frequently

the ones I really hate are when you show up and no ones home....I get that once a year

Steve B
05-17-2013, 08:41 AM
I run into the same - except I don't have to buy the parts in advance. I don't know how I'd handle the parts thing. On the other, I just consider it a part of doing this type of business. I never give anyone a hard time about it.

Wozcreative
05-17-2013, 10:17 AM
Maybe you already thought of this, but can you not return, or buy the parts from a place that will accept refund?
If it is something large, like a water heater, usually you can't return it because its from some company.. can you not take a "deposit" over the phone for it?

Harold Mansfield
05-17-2013, 11:47 AM
I was going to say that too. Can't you take your service fee right on the phone when you are making an appointment?
I know a lot of service companies that do this (even doctors and resturants), or at least get a CC number and if the customer cancells the appointment at the last minute, or aren't home, they still get charged for the time that they wasted.

Some people have no problem wasting your time when they have nothing invested.

huggytree
05-17-2013, 09:24 PM
I was going to say that too. Can't you take your service fee right on the phone when you are making an appointment?
I know a lot of service companies that do this (even doctors and resturants), or at least get a CC number and if the customer cancells the appointment at the last minute, or aren't home, they still get charged for the time that they wasted.

Some people have no problem wasting your time when they have nothing invested.

they aren't canceling same day...they are canceling 1 day before....it leaves a hole in my schedule

I can return the materials...sometimes there's a restock fee(30%)....returning things isn't that easy anymore....they wont come over to my house just to get a $75 disposal........I typically have to drive it to the supplier to return it or wait until someone else asks for the part...

I agree w/ steve that its just part of doing business.....its just annoying....nothing I can really do about it