PDA

View Full Version : lying to customers about scheduling



huggytree
02-02-2010, 07:04 PM
im a very honest guy...its hard for me to B.S. people..

Its slowing down a bit now and i dont want to lose any jobs..ive had a large remodel setup for a week, but got a call yesterday for a 1/2 day job today...it was an emergency job and had to be done today....so i called the original remodel and came up with a story about yesterdays job running long and that id have to start their project 1 day late....i didnt want to tell them the truth that i bumped them for an emergency call....i want them to think they are the most important thing to me...

i reassured them that i have 2.5 days devoted solely to their remodel and it will be done this week...he was happy with that answer.

what tactics do you use when putting off a good customer to get the emergency work?.....do you turn down the emergency work instead?.

im going to be sitting around next week....i need to capture every job right now....This will be my 1st profitable February ever..part of it is a change in tactics...lowering my prices temporarily.....working to death while the work is there..10-12 hour days.....

Patrysha
02-02-2010, 07:32 PM
My business is different, so there's no temptation to stretch the truth for clients like in yours.

If I take in extra work at my request (ie like right now when I am taking on really crappy jobs so I can pay a few bills and save up for a new car) then I work "overtime" and it doesn't affect the jobs already in the cue. When it's at the client's request they pay a rush fee and I work "overtime".

Business Attorney
02-03-2010, 12:50 AM
Honesty works best. Most customers understand that a plumbing emergency needs to be dealt with and I doubt that being truthful would have hurt you.

Harold Mansfield
02-03-2010, 01:26 AM
I just some "Emergency" work today. "Emergency" work for me is when someone needs it done in a couple of days.

My services don't require me to leave the house, so I can very well answer emails or phone calls from a client that has me on sort of a retainer, while working on another.

I would think that it is in your best interest to honor what ever agreement was made first and finish the job in the appropriate time frame. I wouldn't blow off a current paying customer for a new one..."bird in the hand" and all.

Most likely would do them both, even if it meant staying up to all hours to finish it.

I do however think ahead , especially recently and tell people not to bother me on Super Bowl Sunday, and not till noon the day after...you will still get your projects on time.

Dan Furman
02-03-2010, 01:38 AM
I wouldn't make up a story. I think your customer would have been just as understanding had you said "another customer has rising floodwaters" (or whatever it was). Then, assure that customer that someday, it might be them with an emergency, and they will also get treated accordingly.

Steve B
02-03-2010, 04:35 AM
This time of year I have to juggle schedules quite a bit because of the weather. I also have emergencies come up - I don't recall ever telling a lie about it.

People are trememdously understanding if you give them enough notice. I've had only one case where I had to reschedule someone and they seemed upset about it.

Paper Shredder Clay
02-03-2010, 11:09 AM
I agree. Besides if it gets out you are lying about something that most people would understand, then your creditability is shot. I would be more angry with you lying to me vs. having to wait another day because of an emergency. You could maybe even have offered them a discount, and then that would have gotten them talking to others about how great you are: 1) helping in an emergency, and 2) you took care of them by explaining and giving them a discount. If you are like me you charge more for "expedited" work. You could have made a little extra on the emergency client and used that money to offer the discount to the client that had to wait.

You missed this opportunity to be honest and make a happy customer. Think about what I said in the future.


I wouldn't make up a story. I think your customer would have been just as understanding had you said "another customer has rising floodwaters" (or whatever it was). Then, assure that customer that someday, it might be them with an emergency, and they will also get treated accordingly.

huggytree
02-04-2010, 07:16 AM
i dont think they would have understood so easily....i think they would have thought 'why are you pushing my important job off to make a couple of extra bucks from a stranger'

and maybe they would be right....i had to turn down a job yesterday because im on vacation next week and couldnt get to them for a bid until the end of next week....it hurts to turn down potential work....but it hurt worse if i turn down an emergency job i know i have...

either way it all worked out...im working my butt off now to get the original large job done before my vacation...im probably going over there on Sat. to finish.

Steve B
02-04-2010, 08:41 AM
I'm guessing most of us understood "emergency" to mean that someone was going to have a flooded basement or would have gone without water if you didn't get there ASAP. If the "emergency" means that they were willing to pay you extra because they were inpatient (or because they didn't plan properly) - then it wasn't really an emergency and the answers you got from some of us may have been different.

What made it an emergency?

KristineS
02-04-2010, 12:13 PM
I don't think that lying to customers is ever a good idea. Most will understand if you present the truth to them. Plus, I would worry about getting caught being untruthful. That would do far more damage to your business and reputation than making one customer angry.

Vivid Color Zack
02-05-2010, 02:38 PM
^ Agreed. You never know who knows who, or who will talk to someone who was just talking to that customer the other day. The lie being uncovered will hurt you far worse than delaying a half day or a day. That's a risk I'm not willing to take.

Harold Mansfield
02-05-2010, 04:03 PM
Personally, I can't fabricate excuses because I forget what I said and end up screwing it up anyway...and you can never get that back.
Once people (paying customers) have reason not to trust you, even if it's the smallest thing, you have lost trust forever.

thx4yrtym
02-07-2010, 01:38 PM
I would have called the original job and explained that you just got a call for an emergency and explain what is needed and that it will take xx amount of time. Then ask them if they are alright with delaying their project that long to help these folks out.

If they agree to it, you just made them feel good about it rather than feeling slighted. They appreciate your honesty and became part of the solution to these other folks problem.

If they don't agree, well they still appreciate your honesty.

huggytree
02-10-2010, 03:59 PM
the emergency was a commercial property with 2 sump pumps which failed...it would have flooded...i would have lost the job if i didnt do it the next day..i didnt have to take the job...it was a referral from a new source...i would have wrecked that source for future work if i didnt take care of his customer...

i couldnt tell the original customer the truth because they wouldnt have understood...it was either lie or lose $1,350 and a new referral source...

everything worked out in the end..the project was completed on time and both customers are very happy...

rob0225
02-11-2010, 09:07 PM
I'm not saying I've never told a fib...but you probably need to take this statement off your website if it's not true:

"Honest. What we say is what we mean, every time."

huggytree
02-12-2010, 08:53 PM
thats why i wrote this post...i dont lie (normally)...it bugs me....i was wondering if anyone else runs into these situations and what they do.

it was either lie or lose $1,300...

rob0225
02-13-2010, 09:29 AM
I'm not trying to ride any high horse here or anything, but I have always valued my integrity, my word over anything else.

I have always found it is better to be honest and straight forward from the get go. The consequences of being caught are ALWAYS worse then if one told the truth from the beginning. It's like I've told my kids, if they do something wrong to be honest about it. Sure they may still get in trouble, but the punishment will be much more severe if I've find out they have lied.

You compromised your word and integrity for the almighty $$$. Was it worth it?

Robert

Steve B
02-13-2010, 06:52 PM
You may need to re-write that line in your website, or just take it out. You are either honest every time or you are usually honest, but you can't be both. If you clarified that you are ALWAYS honest unless there is a significant financial motivation for you to lie, it wouldn't come across very flattering so you'd be much better off removing it.

I don't understand how you can be so sure your original customers wouldn't have understood. Perhaps you're right, but you'll never know.