What's the matter with tradespeople?

Are Am Eye

What's a matter you?

Alicano

the_pen_turner wrote: »

I don't think a guy working for himself could afford to employ someone that isn't making money directly

I'm applying this to small companies too. Intern? Apprentice? Young family member to log calls and numbers for a few € a week? That's not asking much. I don't see how the current format of answering a mobile whilst driving or middle of a job and forgetting, not planning, not replying etc is best practice?
Wouldn't be tolerated in other industries. It's really a basic function. Or maybe I'm expecting too much?

LirW

It was actually my very first job I had, doing this for my dad. I got paid for it, he could focus more on his business. It's really a case of money well spent. Treat is as customer service.

Same goes for having no online presence whatsoever. It's 2017, people rely heavily on the internet as tool of communication. While even some sleazy Bathroom supplier in the midlands has a web chat, plenty of tradespeople don't even have an E-Mail address that they actively use. It takes a bit more by now to just have your number listed in the golden pages.

Earthhorse

I know exactly how you feel OP.

I have hired two tradesmen this year for the same job; the first showed up on the day to say he wasn't going to do the work after all and the second never got back to me.

It is just really difficult to get someone to do work. Very frustrating.

listermint

the_pen_turner wrote: »

I wonder how many customers that complain about tradesmen not ringing them back actually ring back a tradesman to tell them they won't be going with their quote.
It works both ways

It doesn't a quote is an advert for business. If you expect a phone call back from every quote then your in the wrong business because it does not work that way.

Earthhorse

the_pen_turner wrote: »

I wonder how many customers that complain about tradesmen not ringing them back actually ring back a tradesman to tell them they won't be going with their quote.
It works both ways

I think most people on this thread are complaining about tradesmen not ringing when they have agreed to show up at the house at a particular time. Not really comparable.

listermint

the_pen_turner wrote: »

I don't think a guy working for himself could afford to employ someone that isn't making money directly

Sorry horse there is software that costs literally f all that can handle most of that for you send quotes from your phone organize work on the go.

There is no excuses, in fact you could Optimize your business for the guts of 500 to 1000 per year. Organising your time and getting more jobs in easily

pwurple

I noticed a massive difference in this in the last two years. We moved house around 2013. Very easy to get trades, arrived and did job, got paid, everyone happy. Getting work done this year, much more difficult. At one point I thought every electrician in Cork city must be working on Pairc ui coaimhe, because you couldn't get one.

I am delighted they are busy, i am busy myself at work.

xl500

the_pen_turner wrote: »

the general public don't see the behind the scenes scheduling that goes on
its very hard to nail down a start day
you have job over runs
delays on site from other trades not being ready
customers wanting more stuff done, 'while your here'
materials not turning up on time
weather
job cancelations at the last minute . (trying to squash in the only flexible job into too small a timeframe just so you have work that week)
some of us are even lucky enough to have lives outside our jobs
going to accountants and banks etc eats up time


there are lots of genuine reasons why we are unreliable. that's a consequence of the job.

Yea But A phone call to say your not going to turn up would help instead of just a no show

the_pen_turner

listermint wrote: »

It doesn't a quote is an advert for business. If you expect a phone call back from every quote then your in the wrong business because it does not work that way.

that the point.
you ring up a plumber and ask about changing a tap . plumber can choose to ring you back or not . it is all about being interested in the job. same thing when you get a quote . you are not interested in having the job done at that price. if you expect a tradesman that's not interested to ring you then you should ring back the guy that quoted.



also I do a follow up phone call a day or two after dropping off a quote to see if they have any questions or changes etc. the amount that ignore the call or don't call back is the majority

LirW

Maybe it's just that we're all human at the end of the day and calls like "sorry, not interested" or "sorry, won't show up, too busy" are incredibly awkward. And to be fair who likes awkward phone calls?

Still no excuse for it, stop making it so awkward.

xl500

the_pen_turner wrote: »

that the point.
you ring up a plumber and ask about changing a tap . plumber can choose to ring you back or not . it is all about being interested in the job. same thing when you get a quote . you are not interested in having the job done at that price. if you expect a tradesman that's not interested to ring you then you should ring back the guy that quoted.



also I do a follow up phone call a day or two after dropping off a quote to see if they have any questions or changes etc. the amount that ignore the call or don't call back is the majority

Op Stated

LirW wrote: »

So we made an appointment for him to come back this evening as well as the chimney sweep who said he'll call around this afternoon. I moved everything around in the living room but a no-show.

That is what I was talking about an appointment made and no show