Is it wrong to Sub-Con work without consulting the customer?

[Contract Killer]

Im an electrician, and due to a rather ridiculous amount of work this year, I have taken on a Sub-contractor to do some of the work for me, as I can only be in one place at a time! and customers always seem to want everything done yesterday...

I usually meet the subby at the job first thing, along with the customer, and again at the end of the day to check how he has got on.


However today I got a call from the customer outlining that she was not happy with me subbing the work out, and that she hired me based on her impressions of myself and not of the person I have hired to do the job. ie she was expecting me to do the job myself!

She has no actual issues with my subby or the work completed so far, but was wanting me to do the job myself...


as far as I can tell, if the job gets done for the stated price, to the required standard and on time, I don't see the issue with who does the actual work, its domestic stuff so its not in any way technical at all.


So is this customer just a bit nuts, or am I in the wrong?

Cheers

[alfie2244]

Does Richard Branson have a pilot's license?

[surveyor]

Bit of both...

If you have quoted based on doing it yourself and then dished it out I can understand a bit of discussion.

But your effectively guaranteeing the work so should be easy to reassure that it’s done to your standards.

[anonymous-user]

She may have had a particular motive for having you alone with her in the house for hours on end brandishing your voltmeter....

And didn't fancy extending her special hospitality to your subby


More seriously, she may have chosen you based on having met you and being happy to have you in the house. Then surprised when someone (anyone) else rocked up. Quite understandable.

[98elise]

Unless you specifically said you would do if they you are entitled to sub it out.

I can see her point though.When you're getting quotes you are also forming an opinion about the person. If you made it clear up front that you would sub it out then I suspect the person would not have given you the work.

[andyb28]

Perhaps you can avoid this by getting them branded work wear and magnetic signs for their vans.

There is no need for the customer to know, make your team look bigger by utilsing branding.

[technodup]

andyb28 said:

Perhaps you can avoid this by getting them branded work wear and magnetic signs for their vans.

Aye, it's one of the reasons so many vans are plain white.

Find a guy with a plain van. Give him a polo shirt. Customers will be none the wiser.

Having said that trades guys are a pain in the arse. I've had guys working for company A turning up with company B fleeces, in company C's van. Couldn't care less.

[dan_87]

Unless there are no clauses saying you cannot employ subcontractors, you can.

[bga]

If you have given the impression that people are getting you then it’s bad form to sub it out without prior agreement.

It can be very easily dealt with by stating up front that it will be you or one of your team who will be doing the work - that way the customer is left in no doubt and can ask any related questions.

[Eric Mc]

One of the key "proofs" that you are genuinely "self employed" (i.e. running your own business) is that you, as the proprietor of your won business, have the power to hire whomsoever you want to do the work on your behalf.

That's the legal and tax position.

Obviously, from a "relationship" point of view it might be wise to notify your customer how you run your business and that, from time to time, you might provide a replacement worker.

[alfie2244]

How on earth someone is expected to build a business beyond being a one man band is beyond me if not able to subcontract or employ others without the clients' permission.

Not that it matters OP but do you trade under your own name / a trading name or combination of both?

[Mr Pointy]

Contract Killer said:

So is this customer just a bit nuts, or am I in the wrong?

Yes, you are absolutely wrong & if I had been your customer the subbie wouldn't have made it past the front door.

Find decent tradesmen is almost impossible these days & has often been said the most reliable route is via personal recommendation. Your customer did her research & interviewed you when you came round to quote & then you surprised her by dumping an unknown subbie in her house. She clearly thought she was employing you & she didn't get that.

If you want to work this way you need to make absolutely clear when you visit that it may not be you personally doing the work & then your customers can either choose to go elsewhere or accept that it may be someone else but you'll still be checking in at the end of the job to confirm all is well. Just don't surprise them with a change they were not expecting.

[Eric Mc]

That's what I said. You have the absolute right as a business proprietor under law and tax rules to use a substitute as and when you feel like it. However, you need to be clear to your customers - up front - that a substitute might be used.

[Frimley111R]

Contract Killer said:

So is this customer just a bit nuts, or am I in the wrong?

Cheers

It's just one customer, ignore it. The biggest companies in the UK sub stuff out. All ours are sub contractors and no-one has ever said a thing (electrical business too)

[Mr Pointy]

Frimley111R said:

It's just one customer, ignore it.

What a fantastic attitude. No wonder getting hold of decent trades is almost impossible.

[Frimley111R]

Mr Pointy said:

Frimley111R said:

It's just one customer, ignore it.

What a fantastic attitude. No wonder getting hold of decent trades is almost impossible.

So much fail from you in one short post.....

You are clearly utterly clueless in managing customers. I'm not sure why you are posting in a thread about something you know absolutely nothing about unless you're just trolling it.

You can't change your entire business based on the opinion of one customer. What if one says 'You're too pricey'? Do you cut all your prices even though all the other customers buy at your current prices? What if one says 'I want one with <insert option> on it.' Do you spend time and money adding that even though no-one has asked for it?

[M_A_S]

You're wrong.

Whilst I'm sure the work was fine the customer met you, trusted you, was expecting you to do the work. Regardless of the rights and wrongs, a lot of females of my acquaintance are nervous about inviting tradesmen into their homes, you can't send some random dude they've never met and expect them to be happy.

[alfie2244]

M_A_S said:

You're wrong.

Whilst I'm sure the work was fine the customer met you, trusted you, was expecting you to do the work. Regardless of the rights and wrongs, a lot of females of my acquaintance are nervous about inviting tradesmen into their homes, you can't send some random dude they've never met and expect them to be happy.

So let's say their washing machine breaks down........they ring the local company and then what? refuse to let the engineer in until they have met the company owner and had him DBS checked?

[williamp]

Its how the big FM companies work. They win the contract, then subcontract...

...and they take a cut and subcontract...

...and they take a cut and subcontract...

...and they etc etc. The perskn who does the job is so far removed from the FM that quality could go to pot, and the value is terrible. Still, its onyl customers...

[Sa Calobra]

Can't speak on electrics but Everytime a builder or P&D has subbed his work out some random looking unemployed type turned up and the work was Sub-parr.

I hired based on recommendation and examples of previous work. I hire someone and two months later when he comes to do the work and another bloke turns up I'm not impressed.

If he was the company owner I'd have more faith but someone so snowed under won't have the time to fix correctly and that price I paid for a good service is now a percentage equally a lesser perceived quality required. After all when you sub work you don't give 100% of the money on do you?