Why are tradesmen so elusive ?
Discussion
Why can't I ever get a tradesman to turn up as agreed to give us a quote ? Doesn't matter whether the job is a few hundred quid or thousands, they say they're interested then never show. I don't know where their work comes from if they're incapable of doing quotes.
If anyone knows a renderer or a carpenter in NE Surrey that is in any way reliable, please let me know.
If anyone knows a renderer or a carpenter in NE Surrey that is in any way reliable, please let me know.
I always try and get back to people the same day or at worst the next day.
I am lucky in that i am generally more office based now and have others in the workshop, however we are so busy at the moment that we simply cannot take anymore work on this year and realistically well into next - and pretty much anyone of any decent standard is in the same boat.
Saying no is the hardest thing to do!
I normally respond to calls/texts quicker than emails and voicemails
I am lucky in that i am generally more office based now and have others in the workshop, however we are so busy at the moment that we simply cannot take anymore work on this year and realistically well into next - and pretty much anyone of any decent standard is in the same boat.
Saying no is the hardest thing to do!
I normally respond to calls/texts quicker than emails and voicemails
ChrisNic said:
We are trying to build a 30sqm single storey extension and contacted 5 recommended builders at the end of last week, how many have come back to us....zero.
Similar here - contacted 8 - mixture of recommendations and check-a-trade dont think i'm coming across as a particularly awkward f**ker?!?
it seems nuts to me!
Speed 3 said:
Why can't I ever get a tradesman to turn up as agreed to give us a quote ? Doesn't matter whether the job is a few hundred quid or thousands, they say they're interested then never show. I don't know where their work comes from if they're incapable of doing quotes.
If anyone knows a renderer or a carpenter in NE Surrey that is in any way reliable, please let me know.
This is why there is room in the mkt for companies like this.If anyone knows a renderer or a carpenter in NE Surrey that is in any way reliable, please let me know.
https://opun.co.uk
Wilmslowboy said:
Tried an equivalent: www.ratedpeople.comSum total of 1 quote and he was one of the ones who failed to show 3 times. Good idea but not backed up by any interest/capacity from the trades.
Also had a similar problem trying to get quotes for a respray on the car, several booked up for upwards of a year !
Beanbob said:
Just out of interest and this isn't a leading question, but why?
If I've a job I want completed (big or small) I usually pick a few highly rated people on Checkatrade or Ratedpeople and email them if they have an email address shown on their page or website. It's quicker for me to send the same email with pictures and description to a few people than have to make a load of calls. Also avoids the occasional misunderstanding as it's all in black and white.
When I do call during the day I rarely get through to a tradesperson - presumably because they're busy working!
Because emails are a pain in the arse, as you spend days playing "ping pong" when a 5 minuet call and all would be sorted. If I've a job I want completed (big or small) I usually pick a few highly rated people on Checkatrade or Ratedpeople and email them if they have an email address shown on their page or website. It's quicker for me to send the same email with pictures and description to a few people than have to make a load of calls. Also avoids the occasional misunderstanding as it's all in black and white.
When I do call during the day I rarely get through to a tradesperson - presumably because they're busy working!
Perfect for sending over quote's etc, but arranging a time that suits both partied over email is a royal pain in the ass.
Glasgowrob said:
tell me about it,
trying to find a gardener to pop out couple of times a month for grass and hedges after our regular guy decided to not bother anymore.
5 emails sent out and not a single reply
My dad might do this. I say might as he usually sticks to the southside but I know he's had a couple of customers die recently so might go further depending on where you are.trying to find a gardener to pop out couple of times a month for grass and hedges after our regular guy decided to not bother anymore.
5 emails sent out and not a single reply
Owned a garden nursery for years and been doing gardens since he sold it, so he knows the difference between plants and weeds. If you want someone oldskool who'll turn up PM me.
I am a reliable tradesman. I resolutely reply to all methods of communication as soon as I can and feel bad if I haven't dealt with any enquiry or customer query within a day.
Recently it seems, this is not the way to go on.
Once upon a time this attention to detail held me in good stead and customers seemed to appreciate a professional approach. More recently it's as if the potential clientele see this as a good reason to mess me around endlessly, spinning tales about their intention to pay deposits, not turn up for meeting they arrange and generally f
king me about. It's almost as if good customer service is a sign of weakness that should be exploited at every opportunity.
I'm thinking of having a change and acting like a complete ct for a while just to see if it's more profitable
I've got a horrible feeling it might be..
Recently it seems, this is not the way to go on.
Once upon a time this attention to detail held me in good stead and customers seemed to appreciate a professional approach. More recently it's as if the potential clientele see this as a good reason to mess me around endlessly, spinning tales about their intention to pay deposits, not turn up for meeting they arrange and generally f
king me about. It's almost as if good customer service is a sign of weakness that should be exploited at every opportunity. I'm thinking of having a change and acting like a complete c
t for a while just to see if it's more profitableI've got a horrible feeling it might be..
Speed 3 said:
Wilmslowboy said:
Tried an equivalent: www.ratedpeople.comSum total of 1 quote and he was one of the ones who failed to show 3 times. Good idea but not backed up by any interest/capacity from the trades.
....
Opun is 30% owned by Aviva, manages the whole end to end process and guarantee the work etc
Worth trying (although they don't cover all areas).
Trying to get quotes for some garden work done - probably 5k+, contacted 7 local ie less than 20 mins away companies with email of our thoughts and some pictures / details and a follow up phone call.
Of those, 1 has been round to quote all on time and helpful, 2 have said they'd turn up but then not - they've both apologised (unprompted) and are being given a second chance, and the remaining 4 said they'd call back / be in touch and then weren't.
Frustrating isn't the word.
Of those, 1 has been round to quote all on time and helpful, 2 have said they'd turn up but then not - they've both apologised (unprompted) and are being given a second chance, and the remaining 4 said they'd call back / be in touch and then weren't.
Frustrating isn't the word.
And this is exactly why I have little sympathy for tradesmen when times are bad, such as in a recession.
Ive rang a few different plasterers recently as I have two living rooms that need plastering and coving. They each promised to ring back in a few days time to arrange a visit. Not one of them ever did.
A quick phone call to say they won't be able to visit after all would have been appreciated. That way I could have immediately rang the next one on my list, instead of me waiting in the hope they would contact me.
Ive rang a few different plasterers recently as I have two living rooms that need plastering and coving. They each promised to ring back in a few days time to arrange a visit. Not one of them ever did.
A quick phone call to say they won't be able to visit after all would have been appreciated. That way I could have immediately rang the next one on my list, instead of me waiting in the hope they would contact me.
Edited by LeadFarmer on Monday 19th June 22:59
Funnily if you look through a trade forum, you will see exactly the same question being asked about potential customers, why dont they get back to you after youve visited them and spent time preparing a quote, why are they illusive when its time to pay, etc etc.
Not right on either front, but sadly it does now seem to be the way things are.
Lastly, if you continuously have issues with tradesman, then maybe something in the manner you approach them puts them off?
Not right on either front, but sadly it does now seem to be the way things are.
Lastly, if you continuously have issues with tradesman, then maybe something in the manner you approach them puts them off?
Neil - YVM said:
Funnily if you look through a trade forum, you will see exactly the same question being asked about potential customers, why dont they get back to you after youve visited them and spent time preparing a quote, why are they illusive when its time to pay, etc etc.
Not right on either front, but sadly it does now seem to be the way things are.
Lastly, if you continuously have issues with tradesman, then maybe something in the manner you approach them puts them off?
It isn't just trades either. Not right on either front, but sadly it does now seem to be the way things are.
Lastly, if you continuously have issues with tradesman, then maybe something in the manner you approach them puts them off?
I give out about 10 quotes a week to clients and have taken in the last 5 years or so to saying that i keep a record of them for a month. You never tend to find out that you are not going to be instructed to do a job with a thanks but no thanks, you just don't get a call back.
That's fine with me to be honest but sometimes people really do amaze you - a few months ago i got an e-mail to say that the client would like to accept my estimate and for me to go ahead. It took a bit of time but after a little digging it would appear that i had quoted them to sell a bit of land to a neighbour about 8 years ago...
Just terminated a plumber last night. Asked for a quote for a new boiler and bathroom refurb in Feb. Paid half up front (for materials), with the agreement it would take 2 weeks - I was on holiday for the second week, so he had the house all day every day as long as he wanted. Units supplied and ready, everything as he wanted.
Then the job started. He turned up the first 3 days to rip everything out and leave me with a shell of a room and nowhere to take a st. Then he'd show maybe once a month, left the bathroom totally U/S, took the door off and away with him, all sorts of st. Left all the waste/broken tiles in knackered cardboard boxes on the bed in the spare room. Pipes left sticking out the ceiling. 3 holes left through the kitchen wall where the old boiler was. Then the no-shows. There was one series of no-shows 6 times in a row ("Sorry mate, be there tomorrow"). It is now 4 months later, and I've had enough. Lost all enthusiasm for the "new" room, lost all faith in "tradesmen". Had an unusable house for 4 months. Mrs is doing her fking nut. Basically, white van wker has made my life very difficult, but with constant promises that he will show the next day, or the next day etc. His tools and gear are now all squirrelled away in my garage, and I'll be keeping them, and any outstanding money. Let the prick take me to small claims - I bet he's not even running my job through the books.
It's a shame, because it means the next person I employ is going to get little leeway from me - I am more than happy to turn in to ay customer purely to avoid the st I've had to deal with, from just one bad apple.
Then the job started. He turned up the first 3 days to rip everything out and leave me with a shell of a room and nowhere to take a s
t. Then he'd show maybe once a month, left the bathroom totally U/S, took the door off and away with him, all sorts of st. Left all the waste/broken tiles in knackered cardboard boxes on the bed in the spare room. Pipes left sticking out the ceiling. 3 holes left through the kitchen wall where the old boiler was. Then the no-shows. There was one series of no-shows 6 times in a row ("Sorry mate, be there tomorrow"). It is now 4 months later, and I've had enough. Lost all enthusiasm for the "new" room, lost all faith in "tradesmen". Had an unusable house for 4 months. Mrs is doing her fking nut. Basically, white van wker has made my life very difficult, but with constant promises that he will show the next day, or the next day etc. His tools and gear are now all squirrelled away in my garage, and I'll be keeping them, and any outstanding money. Let the prick take me to small claims - I bet he's not even running my job through the books. It's a shame, because it means the next person I employ is going to get little leeway from me - I am more than happy to turn in to a
y customer purely to avoid the st I've had to deal with, from just one bad apple.Bristol spark said:
Because emails are a pain in the arse, as you spend days playing "ping pong" when a 5 minuet call and all would be sorted.
Perfect for sending over quote's etc, but arranging a time that suits both partied over email is a royal pain in the ass.
^^^ Agreed.Perfect for sending over quote's etc, but arranging a time that suits both partied over email is a royal pain in the ass.
We needed an electrician for some work recently. Phoned him on a Thursday and agreed he'd stop by to quote the following Monday evening. Went through everything Monday, quote send out by email the next day, another phone call to accept and arrange a time to do work. The following Tuesday work was complete, invoice emailed that evening and payment sent online.
If I'd initially approached him by email I bet we'd still be going back and forth trying to sort out the details.
Neil - YVM said:
Lastly, if you continuously have issues with tradesman, then maybe something in the manner you approach them puts them off?
I would agree if I was being stty with them but the conversation (if not an answerphone) goes along the line of:me: "Hi, I would like you to give me a quote for some work [brief description] in [x] timescale, would you be interested ? "
tradesman: "Yes, [agree time]"
me: "great, see you then"
result: either no-show, text or call for rearrangement (not usually kept) or show and no-quote
Part of the problem is I'm not in a social or trade circle with any so never able to pull favours. Back when I played football (but had no money) it was less difficult.
I've been in sales roles where we measured win rates as a good indicator of competitiveness/reliability/quality so I'd expect even small firms / sole traders to do that at least to some degree. I always try to give feedback if I do happen to get more than one quote (typically more competitive works like doors/windows).
Edited by Speed 3 on Tuesday 20th June 12:49
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