What's worse? The guys that screwed up the delivery and install, or the company managment that hires idiots like that and doesn't monitor their work product? Or, is it the idiot that came up with the idea of subcontracting the work in the first place? Or, is it the customer service person that has to be getting phone calls from pissed-off customers and not doing anything to solve the root problem?

This used to be a great country that was capable of accomplishing about anything that could be dreamed up. Now it's on its way to being a third world ****hole.

It's sad, very sad.

JR

Maybe it's the people that buy solely on price and aren't willing to pay $50 more for competent installers. It's hard to provide good help and stay in business.

I suggest paying extra so you can upgrade from bitter to sour. And, if you act today, for just a little bit more, you can upgrade to umame.

What was wrong with the Boxster? Not to derail the topic, just curious.

It's all on the Boxster forum.

I looked over there, but not well enough.

Milt, the regular, natural state of affairs in the universe is messy, unclear, breaking constantly, and generally fubar. You have been a contractor for how many years? If, in that time, you feel like you've done a good job, and earned your keep, why should you be bitter? Smile that your smart enough to understand what the workman did wrong, smile that your a decent enough guy to move your broken car out of the way so others can get gas, and move on.

I read your whole story, and all I heard was a story about an honest contractor trying to set things right in the world.

Yup. Good thing you were there.

Milt:

Look at it this way: incompetence is pretty much standard equipment. We can rail against it and say that's not the way it should be, but we both know better.

When I read this story I see only you going above and beyond the call of duty, ensuring that some renter doesn't have a life-threatening and expensive electrical fault as a result. That, and the fact that you probably weren't compensated in the slightest for helping, should be what the smile is all about. Call it Karma or storing up treasure for yourself where moth and rust do not destroy, but good nonetheless.

And on we go. . .

that was pretty funny

Oh yeah, I got paid. But that's another problem, why she pays twice. Anyway, I had to be there to punch a hole for the dryer vent and I didn't know where the exit was on the unit. Coulda got a .pdf installation guide off the Net, but due to hoses and the clearance, I would have missed the layout. Better to wait to see the actual item.

Clients know about our track records before they talk to us. They know we will set things right no matter what. That's one reason we get 80% of the projects we look at but good deeds only go so far. I have been there many times as well, staying late, fix other people mistakes that should have been done correctly the first time if they choose to do so. Be there on the weekends to meet with designers and what have you making sure my clients are taken care of and not get cheated. At the same time, I kick myself and wonder why can't they just do their job so I can go home and see my kids just like those Sears installers would. This isn't even about pay. I think this is where Milt is piss about. Pick up after someone is a real pisser. It gets real old after years of doing this *****. There are so many slaps on the back you can have to make yourself feel good. Any yet, people like Milt, myself and two of my guys will continue to do this kind of stuff to ensure the world still turn even if it drives us nuts each and every time.

Jeff

It's rampant. Years ago- the first and last time I tried one- I watched through the showroom window as the Jiffy lube guy put antifreeze in my windshield washer bottle. I pointed it out to the manager, who reached up and tried to yank the water hose down from the ceiling reel, but the spray nozzle came off in his hand and the hose flew around up in the ceiling like a wild snake. Got every car and tech soaked before they could find the shut off valve.

Try going into an auto parts store lately? If you want more than an air freshener, you need to man the parts book yourself. Hopeless.

Our sears delivery people seem ok, very nice, speak English (the main guy), and seem competent. I still don't have them install my appliances. They bring the stuff into the house and unpack, that's it. I do the rest.

ot ot.... but still makes me wonder how the world still turns

recent true story is a middle aged female spends about $90k on a new MB

a year later and the MB still has a ton of bs problems and it's in/out of the MB service on a regular basis

she started complaining to the guy who sold her the car and he talks her into buying a new one so she can get rid of the first one. She's had the new one about 2 months and is happy