There are a few jobs at home which need to be done.
For example, I have some indoors work required. I went on the Internet and searched for good recommended traders to come round and give me an estimate of how much the work would cost. I contacted six companies and invited them to come round and quote. Three did not bother to reply. Two replied saying that they'll contact me soon for further information; and they did not. One promised to come round and fixed a time and date. Then did not turn up at all.
Another example. There's some heavy work to be done in the garden. I contacted several firms and asked them to come round. Some did not reply, others said they'll turn up and then did not. One came round. He looked at the site, took measurements, and stayed for an hour discussing what needs to be done. He took notes and said he'll e-mail me a quote within two days. He still has not.
What is the point of turning up and taking so many measurements and notes and then not even bother to quote? He was wasting his time and mine, not to mention his money spent in transport and perhaps doing something else more profitable.
All that these guys are doing is ensuring that people like me do NOT recommend them to someone else.
No wonder businesses over here fail within two or three years of starting.
And it's the same with big corporations too. I have been e-mailing to-and-fro with a large organisation for some time now. I have asked the same specific questions over and over again. They still have not sent a coherent reply. It's as if they're not reading the e-mail.
All this reminds me of MG.
MG worked for me in London when I managed a business team. He was older than me, a gentle giant of a man; softly spoken and always calm. Reliable and conscientious.
I used to ask him "please contact so and so" and ask for some information on a particular project we worked on. He always came through with the goods.
Once I overheard him say on the phone, "could you spell your name please so I get it right when I complain about your poor service!"
What a brilliant tactic. No wonder he got results.
God bless you MG wherever you are.
...incompetence is rampant!
ReplyDeleteYes it is. Look what they've done to my haircut.
DeleteGod bless, Tom.
Brilliant, indeed! (I'd probably be too timid to do it, however.)
ReplyDeleteIt sounds as if finding good, reputable labor is as scarce there as here. We recently had to hire a professional to fix the ice maker. Nice enough fellow, he came and diagnosed the problem, said he would order the part and call right back with a price. Two weeks later, nothing. I called his boss to see what happened. She (and he, later) couldn't have been any nicer and more apologetic which kind of took the wind out of our sails.
I suspect there's a money tree out there somewhere we don't know about. Why else do these people not want our business?
My thoughts exactly, Mevely. Don't these people want our business?
DeleteThe garden job consists of erecting a new fence all around. A big job. Yet many firms are not interested. I'm still waiting for it to be done.
God bless always. I hope you manage to fix the ice maker.
What you describe is very frustrating, I like your example of MG and how he got good results. Here in California last week I needed a plumber who arrived promptly, and I got 3 detailed quotes for a new roof and picked one of them, so my experience is a bit different. The new roof is to be installed sometime in August, so I will report back on how that goes. You are kind to pray for commenters, I will pray for you too.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for visiting me here Terra and for your much needed prayers. I'll pray for you. Please call again soon and often; and invite your friends here.
DeleteI hope the work on your roof progresses satisfactorily. Let us know how you get on. Over here, I'm still waiting for a new garden fence.
God bless always.
There is plenty of incompetence going around these days. I like MG's way of handling it.
ReplyDeleteYes, MG had a way of getting results. I was fortunate to have him working for me.
DeleteGod bless, Bill.
With a president like ours (who shouldn't even be in office), In competence rears its ugly head every single day.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Victor, and God bless MG!
We all need prayers, Martha; including MG wherever he is.
DeleteGod bless you.
Sometimes, if it's a small job, they don't want your business. Several years ago, Little Girl was learning to drive and crashed into a wall of our house. The insurance estimated it would cost about $12,000 to repair. I called contractors and they all told me the same thing, the job is too small, we don't take any job that's going to earn us less than $25,000.
ReplyDeleteFinally Grandpa found a good friend of his who was willing to do it, for friendship's sake, not because he was interested in taking a "small" job.
If your job isn't going to pay them enough, and they can make more with a bigger job elsewhere, they won't bother with you.
Yes, I think you're right, Mimi. One day, these people will be out of business because there aren't enough "big" jobs to go around.
DeleteGod bless always.
What you describe in your post is annoying and very frustrating!
ReplyDeleteWe are fortunate that over the years we discovered some good trades people, most of them through friends recommendations.
All the best Jan
That is fortunate indeed, Jan. The plumber said he'll call round on 25 August 2026. I asked him, "WHEN?" He said "in the afternoon" because he had to go to the dentist in the morning.
DeleteGod bless.