Do you side step customers who can't form complete sentences

[James 3528]

I sometimes catch the service line and find myself telling people that call and sound like their IQ may be hovering around single digits that they may want to call another company because we are slammed. More so when it is very hot. Statistically speaking I find these customers to be problematic by meaning you get finished at their house and you forgot to ask them if it was their house and then they tell you their renters and where to mail the bill. Or they haven't changed their filter in a year or any number of circumstances that people come here and complain about customers being dim bulbs about. Most all don't know what kind of airconditioner they have and call it "the thing outside".

I have just found over the years that many over the phone let you know they are going to be trouble. Like wanting up front pricing or you to tell them how to fix it over the phone. The ones that leave messages that say "I have a few questions I want to ask you about my A/C" by far I have seen are the biggest waste of time.

I just feel like just talking to them is the best pre-qualifying of a customer and making a decision at the point of the call means profit or loss

Sometimes I find myself feeling guilty that I dump them but then that feeling shortly goes away and then comes back the next time one of these think tanks call.

How do you deal with the guilt?

[RoBoTeq]

Having worked in the Baltimore/DC area for years you get used to those calls.

I didn't know anyone in the Georgia swamps could put together a complete sentence. Isn't that why you give so many one and two word posts James?

[James 3528]

Having worked in the Baltimore/DC area for years you get used to those calls.

I didn't know anyone in the Georgia swamps could put together a complete sentence. Isn't that why you give so many one and two word posts James?
Georgia has one swamp of any size in one county out of 159. Even people that aren't smart enough to form a complete sentence are smart enough to know that.... and not park under dead trees.

[makinmoney]

I cannot reply to you unless you tell me how much it will be first.............


Love those pics, Bro.

[sarge]

How many calls do you get from people who cannot speak English?

[James 3528]

How many calls do you get from people who cannot speak English?
waaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too many.

[mcr]

Georgia has one swamp of any size in one county out of 159. Even people that aren't smart enough to form a complete sentence are smart enough to know that.... and not park under dead trees.Ouch!:D :D

[orlandotech]

I hate it when you start to quote prices to a customer for work that needs to be done to his system and he starts saying " ohh the office only quoted me this much for this and that " which I have a good feeling is BS. Happened to me once recently. If he wasn't already a customer of ours I would've packed it up and got out of there right then. I started thinking as I was trying to break the world record for quickest resi PM " I can't help it if mommy didn't give you enough lunch money today ". cheap assed customers are the ones that really get under my skin. Haven't had too many " no speaka no english " or " Jethro " calls though. Most people could care less about it unless it's broken. some of the HO's actually care to know the inner workings of it.

[ryan_the_furnace_guy]

Now come on James...don't forget about the messages that start out "Hello. I am an electrical engineer and my AC is not working. I think I've got the voltage drop tracked to the control circuitry in the condensipator, however, my giggawatt meter is not working for such low voltages, could you send out a technician? Or maybe just send him over and I can borrow his multimeter and ask him a few questions?":D

*slight exaggeration, but not so far off*

[oroy54]

As an outsider, I know with out a shadow of a doubt, That the resi guys are in a woman's eyes are little geniuses. They are the man. Women are grateful and hateful all at he same time. Some are good looking and have big boobs. :D

[bb]

I hate it when you start to quote prices to a customer for work that needs to be done to his system and he starts saying " ohh the office only quoted me this much for this and that " which I have a good feeling is BS. Happened to me once recently. If he wasn't already a customer of ours I would've packed it up and got out of there right then. I started thinking as I was trying to break the world record for quickest resi PM " I can't help it if mommy didn't give you enough lunch money today ". cheap assed customers are the ones that really get under my skin.

I had one of those today as a matter of fact. Check and service ac usually takes about 30 min., which is our service call allowed time. We charge every 15 after that. I had service the unit and she ask about cleaning the A-coil. When I told her that would be additional time she says " Oh, I knew there was a catch!"
No catch lady.

I took a quick look at her coil and quickly blew out her trap.:D

Of course, she was saying that I should be there for an indefinite amount of time for $XX.xx .

Her HD 52" and her I-phone didn't seem to be a problem obviously. :rolleyes:

[chucko615]

What's the next qualifier for you James, are you going to start counting teeth. If they have less than 4, you don't show up.........:D

[NSdave]

i just find that customers that dont have any clue of what goes on try and sound like they do so in the middle of your sentance they repeat what you say in different words.

[oroy54]

For the real answer. Fill out the form yourself and have them sign it. It may cost them a little more. If they come into the area that you are working, have them wear a "Coscoe". Armadillo shell for a Mexican.

[billva]

Women are grateful and hateful all at he same time. Some are good looking and have big boobs. :D

Most aren't and don't.