4 replies to this topic

[kc5saw]

This is not quite a war story, but I thought it might fit in.
I was sent to install an airhandler this morning. At first everything seemed normal until the tenant(it was rental property) started ranting about how his landlord had made him pay 1000 dollars to have the unit replaced. It was then that I realized that the unit had no refrigerant in it at all and there was a hole in the evap coil about 1/8" in diameter. Upon questioning the ranting started again complete with punching walls,throwing things around, etc. Don't get me wrong, if he would have thrown anything even close to me he would have experienced an ass whippin. So with all the yelling this guy was doing one statement got me, and I qoute "I can't beleive that just because I chipped the ice off of it with an ice pick, that I sould have to pay a thousand dollars to replace it." After he calmed down a bit I continued my work, and was told that yes he did get a face full of refrigerant. The thing that realy got me is that he kept asking why it had iced over to begin with, when I told him I had no idea at this point and that it could have been as simple as a dirty filter, the ranting started again.
After all the crap I had to listen to I was happy to inform him at the end of the day that if I were his landlord I would have charged him the same amount and then kicked his ass out!

[nickfixit]

He needs to spend some time in the street, then he might have a better appreciation of life indoors.

[Jimi]

If you indeed told him you would have kicked his ass out, you need a lesson in customer service. Customer complain that is what they do. We do not ass whip them or stoop to their level.

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

If you indeed told him you would have kicked his ass out, you need a lesson in customer service. Customer complain that is what they do. We do not ass whip them or stoop to their level.

Wisdom! Let us attend!

Although, I must confess that I have gotten into exactly two yelling matches with cussomers, both involving profanity, getting in faces, and near fisticuffs. But that was waaay back in my younger days when I was full of piss and vinegar. I've mellowed considerably since then. After some years go by, irksome customers just don't bother you the way they used to.

Besides, at 51, I'm just too damn old to be fighting anyone anymore!

[Jimi]

I have to agree, when I was younger I walked in om my dad fighting verbally with a customer and I almost got in a fight. Now this job is way harder and way more people seem to get upset. I do say some no so nice things under my breath when I am away from the situation. These are stressful times when it comes to dealing with money and I do feel for the customers but I would never treat someone fixing my car badly. I have a situation with a smart phone not working and I was just thinking do I have to actually be one of those ahole customers to get my problem solved. I choose not to but I get it.

I should have even made my comment about customer service to kc5saw in a nicer more constructive tone, sorry about that.

I would not be surprized if I read in the paper a tech was shot because he told a customer to f off, it can be a scary place sometimes.

peace