No more benefit of the doubt from me
Don’t try too hard to understand someone


1) People show you who they are.
Believe what you see. Not what they say with one exception

2) When a person tells you that they are an a$$whole*, believe them

You are correct.

I projected my BS into his thread.

I have clients like his, only show up when they need something fast cheap and right.

I laugh at them.

One has my work cel phone #, he has been blowing it up for a week trying to get to me and go around my receptionist. I have not had an order from him in 5 years, FIVE years.

He thinks he can pop up out of nowhere and get VIP treatment.

Wrong.

I let him languish for a week, he refused to email my office, per the instructions in ALL of my voice mails (office and my work cel phone)

He finally emailed and got a prompt response. He then fished around for fast and cheap and did not get it. He got quick and expensive and responsive (good luck finding anyone else) and took the offer. I never spoke to him. My receptionist did what I pay her to do.


I still contend I am done helping "friends" that show up when they need something.

People suck, dogs are awesome.

I just got home a few minutes ago. Had to put all my gear away I use for lighting stuff. A couple caddys plus a container of new bulbs and some hand tools and flashlights. Not a big deal - just tools of the trade but that's the kind of thing "some" people don't even realize - when you go to a property to do work - you have to load a bunch of stuff you'll need into your work vehicle and then unload when you get back. Then store it all somewhere where you can get to it next time. Then re-order replacement parts - plus diagnostic tools, etc etc.

I know I'm preaching to the choir (but it always feels good to vent a little!) :)

I do have a $100 check though that I didn't have at the start of the day. Not a huge amount but better than nothing. Client got an education too on several levels.

I did show them how to replace the bulbs themselves and where to buy so they have that if they want - I'm happy to assist in any way.

BTW, I replaced 9 of those Volt path light bulbs that are supposed to have a lifetime warranty - going to give them a call tomorrow and find out why their "premium" bulbs are crapping out so quickly. I couldn't charge the client for those because they paid for the warranty. But that's why I had to charge for my time anyway.

Some women have a ridiculous capacity to rationalize. An extreme but real example: a friend of mine's (now ex) wife rationalized f***ing a random stranger because he (the husband) didn't compliment her on the $400 shoes she spent his money on.

Legion

I’ll bet your friend believed her other less extreme rationalizations earlier in their relationship

Thus, I should add #3 to the list

#3
Avoid a$$wholes

Hard to separate the wheat from the chaff sometimes. The best approach is to treat all customers the same, at least in the beginning. People talk and they figure out things. I once installed some doors in a 55+ community for a nice older couple. I had to go through a home owner's assoc to get approval. I get a referral and the t next thing I know is that the individual representing the HOA was giving out my prices to whomever that asked. You know I had to keep consistency there.

It's no different anywhere. However, once a customer treats you (their contractor, mechanic, whatever) badly, you can avoid them by being 'busy' or the job is not quite up your alley, but you cannot all of a sudden get significantly more expensive. That will kill you.

The title of this thread is "No more freebies...." and that's the way it needs to be from the beginning. Freebies and being a good Samaritan are not the same. I'm just as guilty as Baz.

Some wisdom in your post, Milt.

FWIW, I've become more cynical about this topic as the thread has aged.

The good news is because I'm on the retirement glide path, I consider myself no longer in direct line of fire - or - in battle shall we say.

Still won't stop the snipers from trying, though.

Umm. A long time, very close friend of mine's daughter moved to the town where I live. She was looking for a place to stay while she got a job and a house. I thought she would be fairly much camping there and gone in three weeks. I offered her a rental of mine at a discounted rate as a favor to my friend effectively.

She left yesterday after about a year and a half, and the place had more "careless" damage than someone could do in five or ten years. And I can't exactly say anything as I don't want a falling out with my friend :(

Maybe since you gave her a deal, you can ask your friend to come in and help you prepare the place for the next tenant.

It's awkward. I think I've earnt some brownie points by just saying it was nice to have her around etc. He knows that fairly much everyone has had a guts full of her in a short period of time. I think he buys dinner, somewhere expensive :) , is a good idea.

As I said - there are always exceptions.

Got a nice thank you card and $50 Wawa gift card from my neighbors around the corner. Their son is a friend of mine who has a landscape business south of us in Fellsmere and he comes up here on weekends and hangs out. They have a garage with an upstairs apartment he stays in. Their house is on the ICW - a real sweet setup. Their son, Marty, has done me some favors including bringing a few palms up to me in his truck that came from down south...some I couldn't source locally. Anyway he called a few weeks ago with some irrigation issue at his parent's house so I rode my bike over to check things out. This was on a Sunday afternoon but day of the week doesn't really matter to me - but I knew Marty would be leaving to go back down south in the morning so I knew coming over that day would be for the best. It turned out a few of the sprinklers had clogged filter screens. He had thought there was a water supply issue when he called because some of the heads weren't spraying far. I had done some work to the system a few years ago - put in a new pump, timer, pump start relay, and converted from index valve to solenoids, so he knew I knew about these things.

I stayed and helped him do the repair work - which wasn't that big a deal for me. Also double checked the timer programming - someone had put time on the 6th zone when there was only 5 zones - (oops) - so resolved that. Pump sounded good so their well is doing what it should.

I didn't think any more about it - was only glad I could help and it was something simple. I told Marty how much I appreciated his help in the past and was glad I could return the favor.

Getting this card and gift card today though demonstrates how different people "operate" in this world.

Conversely, I got an email from an existing client informing me their property had sold and they no longer needed my maintenance services. This was good news for me because I was only helping them while waiting for the place to sell. I've never been a maintenance guy - just took the job on 10 years ago because I thought it'd be an easy place to maintain, since I did all the landscaping and built in as much low maintenance as I could. 10 years later though and I'm working alone and semi-retired and didn't really want that account - but was staying with my client 'till the end. I sent her my final invoice and got her check in the mail today. No thank you card or anything "extra" - just a post-it note on the check with "Thank you!". It doesn't matter to me - but demonstrates the differences in people.

This stuff happens every day with all of us. Part of life. Ying....yang.....

I had a very good customer that had moved to another service company. They had chosen another manufacturers machine and wanted factory service from them.
They wrote a glowing letter of appreciation about my service and a gift card for a $200 to a big box hardware store as they knew I was renovating my house at that time.
There are some great customers out there that appreciate the extra effort but many or most do not.

Personally I think that was nice of her to put a personal note on it

I find 99% appreciate me more than I do them.

Maybe I'm getting soft in my old age.

Hi Baz,

How old was the son? Curious if someone is still raising considerate children these days or if he’s older?

Take care of yourself and stay healthy,
Rutager

Hello Rutager.....

Not exactly sure - but he's older than 40 - so that may answer your question.

His parents drove by this morning while I was working in the yard. They are the ones who sent the cards. I stopped them and thanked them for their considerate gesture. The husband worked in the trades while growing up, so he's old school. I'm sure much of that rubbed off on his son, because he's a real go-getter...but at the same time is as down to earth as you'll find.

Nice to have neighbors like these - I don't have to tell you.

I'm helping another friend of mine right now with his irrigation system. Picked up a new pump and bunch of fittings for him this afternoon. There won't be any expectation of payment other than reimbursement for materials. He's done things for me over many years going back to the 80's. He's Russian in heritage and pretty interesting personality. Worked down at rocketland (Cape Canaveral) for many years and is now retired. I have stacks of tee shirts he's given me over the years. Cool NASA stuff.

Always great hearing from you, my friend. Keep well! SmileWavy

No truer words.