Abusive customer

[Tidy Max]

Alreet chaps.

I have a customer who is somewhat of a local celeb. He is also a friends Uncle.

I had a call last week as he needed some led lights fitting. Got there 9,15am Monday as that's what time they open. LED tubes T8 8ft.

Their fittings are 6ft flurrys. I call and let him no its a no go. I leave, and proceed to call up wholesalers/companies and other sparks trying to get some old 8ft fittings. He texts/rings daily and i let him know where i am at.

I get two texts earlier.

Got some.

Don't see what was so hard.

I ring him, and proceed to get belittled and insulted. I told him i hadn't lied etc i had tried my hardest to locate some fittings and would he tell me where he got them from.

"Doesn't matter. They are sat on my desk.".

No problem i say, leave them out and i will pick them up and convert them tomorrow.

"OHH no, you can forget it. ill get one of the lads to put them up, nothing needs converting. But ive got a tv you can put up, that's something you might be capable of".

I told him to forget it and get 'the lads' to put it up, but what exactly was it that didnt need converting?!

He has rang a guy who has come and dropped off some t8 lamp holders for the fittings. i told him to swap the lamp holders all he likes but they won't fit an 8ft tube into a 6ft fitting.

Well he's all laughy jokey and matey then.

I have since had a text apologising.

So, what do i do. I haven't been this angry in a while. The Mrs says i should just do the work and not say anything in case he starts to put a bad word out about me.

 

[jeremy]

What is a "local celeb"? is that someone who will damage your limbs if you don't comply? If not, tell him to go forth. I'd tell him to **** off, but I'm not very polite. He needs you more than you need him.

 

[Tidy Max]

No limb damaging will occur... i hope.

Your suggestion is very close to my own Jeremy.

 

[7029 dave]

Em, depends how much you want the work, else tell him to get stuffed.

 

[trev]

Local celebrity = Someone who has a very high idea of his own importance.
Like Jeremy said, you're busy.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Do the work and Sting him on the bill for being a prat lol

 

[ipf]

Local celebrity = Someone who has a very high idea of his own importance.
Like Jeremy said, you're busy.

Well, it's not Peter Kaye, then.................is it Vernon?

 

[Tidy Max]

Yeah that's exactly what i was thinking. Cheers for the replies. One of those days tbh where the last thing i needed was a customer to ring up and start acting up. My head has felt like it was going to explode for about 2 hours now.

 

[Tidy Max]

And no, non of the Kays lol.

 

[snowhead]

He'll be nothing but trouble in the future, ignore him.

 

[Geordie Spark]

Alreet chaps.

I have a customer who is somewhat of a local celeb. He is also a friends Uncle.

I had a call last week as he needed some led lights fitting. Got there 9,15am Monday as that's what time they open. LED tubes T8 8ft.

Their fittings are 6ft flurrys. I call and let him no its a no go. I leave, and proceed to call up wholesalers/companies and other sparks trying to get some old 8ft fittings. He texts/rings daily and i let him know where i am at.

I get two texts earlier.

Got some.

Don't see what was so hard.

I ring him, and proceed to get belittled and insulted. I told him i hadn't lied etc i had tried my hardest to locate some fittings and would he tell me where he got them from.

"Doesn't matter. They are sat on my desk.".

No problem i say, leave them out and i will pick them up and convert them tomorrow.

"OHH no, you can forget it. ill get one of the lads to put them up, nothing needs converting. But ive got a tv you can put up, that's something you might be capable of".

I told him to forget it and get 'the lads' to put it up, but what exactly was it that didnt need converting?!

He has rang a guy who has come and dropped off some t8 lamp holders for the fittings. i told him to swap the lamp holders all he likes but they won't fit an 8ft tube into a 6ft fitting.

Well he's all laughy jokey and matey then.

I have since had a text apologising.

So, what do i do. I haven't been this angry in a while. The Mrs says i should just do the work and not say anything in case he starts to put a bad word out about me.

Tell him you're too busy just now and will ring him when you have time ...... which of course you never will have.

 

[Adam W]

Do you think he's being an a-hole deliberately or does he think that's the way you're supposed to speak to tradesmen? If it's the latter you could play the game he wants to play - do that sucking in air thing, give him a sky high price, turn up late, knock off early, speak to him as bluntly as you can, spend half the day ----ing it off and if he questions it tell him to eff off you're on your tea break. "Yeah my sixth one today, and what?"

 

[trev]

Inquire into his preferences for intercourse and travel.

 

[Tidy Max]

Yeah your all saying exactly what i thought. Thanks for the replies.

 

[Tidy Max]

Do you think he's being an a-hole deliberately or does he think that's the way you're supposed to speak to tradesmen? If it's the latter you could play the game he wants to play - do that sucking in air thing, give him a sky high price, turn up late, knock off early, speak to him as bluntly as you can, spend half the day ----ing it off and if he questions it tell him to eff off you're on your tea break. "Yeah my sixth one today, and what?"

I think he gets away with the aggressive say what you think attitude as a lot of people look up to him (i think) and he maybe didn't expect me to get the hump back. It was just offensive and belittling to be honest. One of the reasons i started my own business was so i didn't have someone above me taking the **** and being belittling.

 

[7029 dave]

He'll be nothing but trouble in the future, ignore him.

Defo, he will be a nightmare.

 

[trev]

I've often had people trying to talk down to me, often it's a wealthy customer who thinks they somehow have a right to do it because "you're just a tradesman" I find they usually change their tune when you start packing the tools away

 

[Marvo]

Are you sure you don't want this thread in the Arms Tidy Max?

 

[SPARTYKUS]

I've often had people trying to talk down to me, often it's a wealthy customer who thinks they somehow have a right to do it because "you're just a tradesman" I find they usually change their tune when you start packing the tools away

Packing your stuff away, always works.

got a story about that, different trade, different time, wanted to be a tree surgeon (yawn) anyway I did the training and it was assessment time, proper assessment time, december. In the woods. Felling hoofing great trees in all manner of FUBAR ways just to show you could deal with it.

the assessor I got was old school but he was basically a bully. He spent an hour or three telling me I was too slow/ cautious then too fast, etc etc.

in the end I calmly laid the chainsaw on the ground and switched off

"Wha wha wha wha what are yer doing"

(me) "well its time to go now because its obvious to me that whatever I do you are going to fail me"

(him) "back peddle"

Passed anyway probably because he was late for his christmas shopping with his equally fat obnoxious wife!

hate bullies.

 

[davesparks]

I find that generally it's 'new money' rich people who are a*holes. Wheras the real 'old money' people are some of the nicest to work for.

One of my clients are great, they are as rich as hell and he travels all over the world doing some sort of business. When you are working there everyone stops at 10am (gardener, cook, tradesmen) and has coffee at the kitchen table with the old couple. When a trench needed digging for a cable he was out there with the gardener digging it for me and telling me that a skilled tradesman shouldn't be digging trenches!

 

[Tidy Max]

Are you sure you don't want this thread in the Arms Tidy Max?

Please Marvo. I forget why that section is there sometimes. Thanks

 

[Marvo]

If I get customers like that I just tell them it's obvious that they've got no confidence in me or the company so it would be better all around if rather they find someone they do have confidence in.

 

[Marvo]

Please Marvo. I forget why that section is there sometimes. Thanks

No probs, moved to the Arms.

 

[NDG Elecs]

Can I swear in the arms?? Cos this bloke sounds like a right ****ing ----er! Get shot of him mate. What happens when he rings you back if a lamp fails... Get rid mate.

 

[Pete999]

How much work do you get off him? if it's not a lot tell to go smeg himself

 

[Pete999]

How much work do you get off him? if it's not a lot tell to go smeg himself

 

[dansk]

It was a blessing in disguise mate, stay well away.

 

[Tidy Max]

Yeah, when i woke up this morning inwas still angry about it. I think i will tell him i am too busy. This will be the first job i have ever turned down. I would normally consider myself a champion of gritting my teeth and taking the money as its better off in my pocket than theirs. Not this time!

 

[Silly Sausage]

What is a "local celeb"? is that someone who will damage your limbs if you don't comply? If not, tell him to go forth. I'd tell him to **** off, but I'm not very polite. He needs you more than you need him.

:smilielol5:That was instantly my first thought when I saw the thread title, haven't even read the opening post :smilielol5:

 

[Marvo]

.....This will be the first job i have ever turned down.........

There's a big difference between being a good electrician and running a business that makes money, part of the way you make money is by knowing when to walk away and not being afraid to do so. There's also a difference between walking away and burning bridges which will likely come back to bite you in the future so do it in a way that makes the customer believe you're doing what is in his best interest, don't just tell him to **** off.

Walk away.

 

[Des 56]

There's a big difference between being a good electrician and running a business that makes money, part of the way you make money is by knowing when to walk away and not being afraid to do so. There's also a difference between walking away and burning bridges which will likely come back to bite you in the future so do it in a way that makes the customer believe you're doing what is in his best interest, don't just tell him to **** off.

Walk away.

Excellent advise,yeah tell him your too busy or it would be beneficial for him to engage an alternative tradesman or any other excuse you can think of
After you have given him the lame duck crack,stick your nose directly over his,with eyeballs in a fixed glare,then utter some purposeful advise to the gentlemen,"You can stick your work as far up your rectum as will it go,that is before I shove my hand up your arse and pull your tonsils out