"When Work Relationships Go Bad" (A MUST READ) - Page 2 - Plumbing Zone

pcplumber · 04-11-2009, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roast Duck

I type around 120 wpm so it's not hard to type fast, especially 1 eye closed and fading.

The "more to the story" begins as a customer called to fix another plumber's issues, and then I become their plumber as a result. Along the way, I get along with them to let them hear the stuff going on in my business life and they take it as a comedic act. Sometimes it is comedy without the pay.

As time span on, it turns into a different work relationship that makes you think charging for what talents you have as "wrong" of sorts, knowing that you have to, but you don't want to charge full rate because you like the people and feel offering up your goods and services a little cheaper because you think these people deserve it.

I still think this is the case with these people but if someone cannot argue with me and see no other path than "parting ways"... That wasn't a friendship, because there was no understanding that 2 people can converse, not agree and still remain friends.

In the true sense however, I was robbing myself in this relationship and now know that friendliness is a kind gesture, but it will not go any further than that. Some people just don't like others who defiantly stand their ground, thinking there's a 1-up I'm going to give out. If I'm that headstrong to believe in myself, the other is leaving the table emptyhanded, or in this case, found no just reason to understand and decided the only way is to end it. Some just can't handle friendships, plain and simple, and if there was no money in this mix? Still the same situation would of happened. I can bet money on that statement and I venture to say I'm right.

It's all part of the big picture. I'm glad I represent what people want in a plumber. 1 difference of opinion doesn't grade the well wishes I recieve for being a sharpshooter in this profession and troubleshooting plumbing problems.

Lots of people close to me as of late get to see me through the objective view of hearing about me, not knowing me personally which I think is awesome. It means that I'm doing and saying things that people don't like, or they found out the hard way that I can't deal with certain things anymore, and I'm not stopping. <<< These people I'm mentioning are those who are time killers or I don't value their spot in my life. Might hurt feelings but when I fired those emails back at the guy in question, my intent was to show the door if you can't agree with my sentiment.

We need to keep a professional client relationship like a psychiatrist. It is against the law (I think) for a psychiatrist to date a client and there are probably some good reasons. I never tell customers I am the owner of my company, If I can avoid telling, because they always want a discount and expect favors. Every once in a while, I find myself talking too much about my family, or business and I have to stop myself because the customer and I get off-track and I feel that we are losing valuable time. On the other side, I may be a little unfriendly and have a hard time finding a good balance.

It sounds like you learned your lesson!

Bollinger plumber · 04-11-2009, 07:49 AM

thats why all my friends have four legs anda tail.

Protech · 04-11-2009, 12:40 PM

Never was there a more true statment.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plumber

Friends with customers? No way!

Call me jaded after 10,000 or so jobs spanning three decades, but I seen it all and have come to these conclusions:

The best plumbers have a loner gene.
Everybody is insane.
If it wasn't for the people, plumbing would be fun.

Protech · 04-11-2009, 12:49 PM

Bells and sirens should have been going off at that point. When ever a HO calls and says that some other plumber screwed everything up I'm instantly on high alert. In 1/2 of those cases the plumber did nothing wrong and it's the customer that's the wack job. Don't let your ego run you into a ditch in these situations. We all have a tendency to come in and be the hero and fix the other guys screw up because it makes you feel proud that you are so much better than the other guy. Nut job customers use this against us. Remember, when a HO calls and gives you the story about how the last plumber f***ed it all up and needs you to come to the rescue, be on guard. There's a good chance it was the HO not the plumber.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roast Duck

I type around 120 wpm so it's not hard to type fast, especially 1 eye closed and fading.

The "more to the story" begins as a customer called to fix another plumber's issues, and then I become their plumber as a result. Along the way, I get along with them to let them hear the stuff going on in my business life and they take it as a comedic act. Sometimes it is comedy without the pay.

As time span on, it turns into a different work relationship that makes you think charging for what talents you have as "wrong" of sorts, knowing that you have to, but you don't want to charge full rate because you like the people and feel offering up your goods and services a little cheaper because you think these people deserve it.

I still think this is the case with these people but if someone cannot argue with me and see no other path than "parting ways"... That wasn't a friendship, because there was no understanding that 2 people can converse, not agree and still remain friends.

In the true sense however, I was robbing myself in this relationship and now know that friendliness is a kind gesture, but it will not go any further than that. Some people just don't like others who defiantly stand their ground, thinking there's a 1-up I'm going to give out. If I'm that headstrong to believe in myself, the other is leaving the table emptyhanded, or in this case, found no just reason to understand and decided the only way is to end it. Some just can't handle friendships, plain and simple, and if there was no money in this mix? Still the same situation would of happened. I can bet money on that statement and I venture to say I'm right.

It's all part of the big picture. I'm glad I represent what people want in a plumber. 1 difference of opinion doesn't grade the well wishes I recieve for being a sharpshooter in this profession and troubleshooting plumbing problems.

Lots of people close to me as of late get to see me through the objective view of hearing about me, not knowing me personally which I think is awesome. It means that I'm doing and saying things that people don't like, or they found out the hard way that I can't deal with certain things anymore, and I'm not stopping. <<< These people I'm mentioning are those who are time killers or I don't value their spot in my life. Might hurt feelings but when I fired those emails back at the guy in question, my intent was to show the door if you can't agree with my sentiment.

highpoint · 04-11-2009, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Protech

Bells and sirens should have been going off at that point. When ever a HO calls and says that some other plumber screwed everything up I'm instantly on high alert. In 1/2 of those cases the plumber did nothing wrong and it's the customer that's the wack job. Don't let your ego run you into a ditch in these situations. We all have a tendency to come in and be the hero and fix the other guys screw up because it makes you feel proud that you are so much better than the other guy. Nut job customers use this against us. Remember, when a HO calls and gives you the story about how the last plumber f***ed it all up and needs you to come to the rescue, be on guard. There's a good chance it was the HO not the plumber.

I am printing these words and posting them at my wholesaler!
excellent stuff here. i was recently stiffed for some cash and was not going to fix a thing until i got paid in full. competetion went in fixed it for 20 times what it would of cost and now the HO is coming after me for the money.
I will post the whole story when i get more time,

pcplumber · 04-11-2009, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Protech

Bells and sirens should have been going off at that point. When ever a HO calls and says that some other plumber screwed everything up I'm instantly on high alert. In 1/2 of those cases the plumber did nothing wrong and it's the customer that's the wack job. Don't let your ego run you into a ditch in these situations. We all have a tendency to come in and be the hero and fix the other guys screw up because it makes you feel proud that you are so much better than the other guy. Nut job customers use this against us. Remember, when a HO calls and gives you the story about how the last plumber f***ed it all up and needs you to come to the rescue, be on guard. There's a good chance it was the HO not the plumber.

I agree 100%. It seem like every time a customer calls and tells a story about how another contractor messed up a job, we usually find out the customers are mssing a few screws and the other contractor probably went crazy before bailing. I think most of the time there are legitimate contractor problems is when customers actually pick up day laborers at Home Depot to do an entire bathroom remodel, entire copper repipe, or entire replacement of a drainage system. I was called to many of these jobs, the customers paid almost as much as we charge, and then many customer did not want to pay us a reasonable fee to make corrections, and they went back to the day laborers. Cheap! Cheap! Cheap!

Plumberman · 04-12-2009, 08:30 PM

We have alot of that down here. Usually when they say another company came in and screwed things up if its the handful that I know of then the customer is right. Some of them are franchise and a few are local companies

Faz · 11-05-2009, 01:00 AM

I agree with all this. Best to draw the line and not get to freindly with any customer. As soon as you do they want everything dirt cheap and discounted and think he you have all kinds of extra hours in the day to just swing on by and check this and that free of charge of course. Then comes the " Moneys tight can I pay you in a week" line. Nice guy that I am I say yes. now the guy dont call or give me any other work for 6 months because he is to embarrassed that he owes me money.

Protech · 11-05-2009, 11:49 AM

You know you can use brass instead of copper to connect to the galvo, dunbar. It sorta softens the difference in electronegativity between the copper and the galvi.

Colgar · 11-05-2009, 01:05 PM

Interesting story dunbar.

I find myself in a similar situation with a job for a close friend of my wife.

My wife and I feel like we have been professionally taken advantage of and the customer feels like she's been screwed. Ultimately, it will cost my wife a friendship and our business some profit, as we're ready to do just about anything to make her go away.
Bottom line though- it's my own dam fault. She hasn't exactly been a peach, but I lost control of the situation and it was down hill from there.

I'm gonna try to learn something from it and go from there.

"Breathe in, breathe out, move on." - jimmy Buffett

04-11-2009, 07:49 AM	#12
Bollinger plumber Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Sedgewickville Missouri Posts: 1,326 My Photos	thats why all my friends have four legs anda tail. __________________ http://alsdrainservice.services.offi...m/default.aspx Only two devining forces have died for you. One is Jesus Christ and the other is the American soldier. One died for your soul the other died for your freedom.

11-05-2009, 11:49 AM	#19
Protech ٩(͡๏̯͡๏)۶ Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Polk County, Florida Posts: 7,167 My Photos	You know you can use brass instead of copper to connect to the galvo, dunbar. It sorta softens the difference in electronegativity between the copper and the galvi. __________________ Plumber, Repiping, Replumbing, Leak Detection, Solar Water Heater, Drain Cleaner, Pipe Leak, Polk County Plumber, Lakeland Plumber, Winter Haven Plumber, Haines City Plumber, Bartow Plumber

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Selling Approach for "Bio-" Products	Titan	Drain and Sewer Cleaning	7	04-05-2009 12:40 AM
Are People Generally "Good" or "Bad"	DUNBAR PLUMBING	Off Topic	5	04-01-2009 09:17 AM
"Go Green" water saver dishwasher	user823	General Plumbing Discussion	6	03-12-2009 10:51 PM
How To "quote" a post On Video	Wethead	PlumbingZone.com Help and Suggestions	3	12-30-2008 11:17 PM
"Functioning of a drum, float, or water column"	I'mYourTourGuide	Plumbing Code	0	08-26-2008 09:31 PM

11-05-2009, 01:00 AM	#18
Faz Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Cleveland Posts: 4 My Photos	I agree with all this. Best to draw the line and not get to freindly with any customer. As soon as you do they want everything dirt cheap and discounted and think he you have all kinds of extra hours in the day to just swing on by and check this and that free of charge of course. Then comes the " Moneys tight can I pay you in a week" line. Nice guy that I am I say yes. now the guy dont call or give me any other work for 6 months because he is to embarrassed that he owes me money.

11-05-2009, 01:05 PM	#20
Colgar Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Peo, IL Posts: 1,153 My Photos	Interesting story dunbar. I find myself in a similar situation with a job for a close friend of my wife. My wife and I feel like we have been professionally taken advantage of and the customer feels like she's been screwed. Ultimately, it will cost my wife a friendship and our business some profit, as we're ready to do just about anything to make her go away. Bottom line though- it's my own dam fault. She hasn't exactly been a peach, but I lost control of the situation and it was down hill from there. I'm gonna try to learn something from it and go from there. "Breathe in, breathe out, move on." - jimmy Buffett