29 replies to this topic

[tpoindexter]

I'm not a lawyer, but if I'm not mistaken,

that would only cause the owner problems, if and when he was going to try to sell the house ...

The judge did tell him that he shouldn't do something like that again and that it could have easily been a different story.had the previous line already not been unusable. I don't really know any other details.

Edited by tpoindexter, 17 February 2013 - 04:56 PM.

[tpoindexter]

can put a lean on someones property here for $25. and a trip to courthouse. If ya got the time to go.

[Scottthewolf]

I had another crazy lady today. She calls me on 1PM on a Saturday (after hours) and requests an after 4PM on  Monday.  I specifically set it up for after 4 because she says she gets home from work at 4:00. I arrive at her house at 4:30.  She's STILL not home but her son is.  I diagnose her dryer that it needs a new motor, give her the quote ON THE PHONE  because she's still not  home. The Motor is $150 retail price and my labor rate is flat rate of $150 to replace the motor. She says "NO WAY, I can buy a new dryer for that price.  I also got the dryer running again , BTW.  I then tell her she owes me $106.50 for my $59.95 trip charge and $50 diagnostic charge.  She throws a hissy fit  saying she should only have to pay me $59.95 because I really didn't fix the dryer.  I then tell her we have to add $50 to the trip charge for my labor because I got the machine running again. She says she will never use my services again, and she will call the BBB on me.  I say "Good Luck."  I don't need customers like you who think they shouldn't have to pay for labor and tell her that if we just drove around and only collected trip charges of $59.95 that we would no longer be in business.

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

After dealing with this same situation years ago, part of our SOP to prevent this includes:

 

1. courtesy call when I'm on the way over (also let's me know if the person who will be paying is home or not)

 

2. from my insurance company's recommendation, I don't enter a home if the only person there is an unattended minor, but this is usually discerned from 1 above.    

[Scottthewolf]

Her son was 28 years old but he acted like he was high on drugs.

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Her son was 28 years old but he acted like he was high on drugs.

 

 

Then you should have asked him to share!      

[Scottthewolf]

He prolly uses the drugs to totally ignore his mother.

[RussTech]

My total service call is 69.95 whether they take my bid or not.. I've definitely been thinking about raising it. At least on ice machines and built ins, and anything eclectic.

[BrntToast]

i state price and confirm payment before running calls

i as well dont enter if its kids or house sitters there

 

if after all that a custer refuses to pay, i will remove my parts if i installed any

 

if its just a service call you are kinda stuck

but i have caught one customer who refused to pay trip charge

turned out they replaced the old range with a nice new LG

when the customer opened the door i handed him a bill for my previous visit and told him i wouldn't enter until his debt was paid

 

got my money, and once his LG range is off warranty, he better pray it never breaks cause i wont go there for a pay call ever again

[PDuff]

     Usually don't have many problems collecting upon completion.  Just as Master Samurai suggests,  I know everything is laid out for the customer from phone call, estimate approval, and what's expected upon completion of repair.  As for the occasional customer who says they never were told anything, I know automatically that they are lying.  Now I am a fairly large fellow so if a customer declines payment after job is complete, I'll walk across the room, stand directly in front of them, and walk them through the service process-from estimate approval to accepting repair.  They'll usually pay.  It could be my patience or the look I give them (I'm going to eat your face like a piece of chicken).  Nah, it's the patience.