Take it, Leave it?

MMI Enterprises

MMI Enterprises

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Dinky places boss wanted me to do another location.
I mention an approx. upkeep price figure with language such as "be about $xx.xx if done every 2 week after the other place (set on busy weekday route) or I try to get done day before if I got time". So initial clean gets done on that 'day before' day and but the holiday causes a late situation for to start the upkeep...no problem. Next opportune time for to start the upkeep happens to fall same day of week as the initial clean. Should be fine, right?.. Nope!.. I call as a courtesy, clerk acts liek we're good to go. I show up, setup, then the clerk guy 2 min later says 'boss says we gettin shipments in(hours after I'll be gone) so ya can't do it, boss says come back Sun?, have to do on Sun. or can't do.' ...I'm like umm hell but ok, I guess I'll be flexable and try it out. I don't even charge em for a canceled show...
Week later Sun. middle of night has me showing up, that's like 4 weeks in, and a nice clerk lady says after I set up "How much?"
...I says "$XX.xx" (which is a measly $10 higher then weekday route, still lower than other job, and way lower than you can imagine btw)
So 2 minute later clerk says after getting off phone "boss said it was to be $xx.xx....take it or leave it"...I asked her did he really say that and she said yea thats exactly what he said. That little phraze struck a cord in me. Yea mostly a prideful one but also one related to sensability. I thought to myself heck I should pay attention and consider it a question to be answered. Took all of about 5 seconds to conclude that this work is definitely not the type I am after and my time would be better spent getting up hours earlier in the mornings with family or to spend getting quality day work. (I mean look what time I am up writing this crap)..So I says to clerk as I am loading up "Tell him I'll leave it and the other one too if he likes". She thought he was very unprofessional saying that to me and before I was on my way I let her know she was nice about it and not her fault or anything.

So at what point do you take it or leave it? Is it when ya hear a harmless statement as such or are you totally immune to this kinda stuff because you prequalify or are very strict and clear in your contracting, etc.?
 
There are some jobs you can just feel that it will be a problem. his statement was unprofessional it shows lack of respect and the fact that they cancelled and cost you money. I would have had no problem either saying leave it. I have walked a way from a couple jobs for just getting that bad feeling. You did what you thought was right. Move on to the next project
 
I agree with Jeff. I have walked away from many jobs. Call it gut feeling. Besides, we are professionals, and should be treated that way. I accept nothing less from my customers. If they want to hire a non-professional then I have plenty of phone numbers for them to call.
You did right.
 
I have realized when you get that bad feeling then LEAVE IT, yes you need the money but other opportunities will come up.
 
Sometimes you get that gut feeling and sometimes it almost makes you sick thinking about the job, better go with those feelings and walk or you will probably end up regretting it.

I found out later last year on a job I walked away from that the guy that ended up doing it did the job for a lot less and got screwed out of the payment after renting a manlift and did an ok job but still did not get paid. It was one of those middle eastern hotel owners.

I am glad that I walked.




_________________
Superior Power Washing<O:p</O:p
Chris Chappell<O:p</O:p
361-853-2513<O:p</O:p
Exterior House Cleaning in Corpus Christi Texas<O:p</O:p
Cleaning Concrete Driveways Sidewalks and Walkways in Corpus Christi Texas
 
I totaly agree also. Can you imagine how long it would have been before you would even get paid!

I have a car wash right now that I've been doing just over a year now! The owner called originally and was in a big rush to clean it up, which I did. He wanted it done once a month. No Problem. I show up next month, do the job and get a call 10min later asking why didn't I call first. Blah Blah Blah. Over the past year this guy has had me call everytime before I go to clean and half the time he say's lets wait a couple more weeks. Then he will call and tell me you need to get out there now, it looks like crap. He's promised me a bunch of other work and continues to put it off all the time. I've contacted him 3 times since November and each time he has told me lets wait a couple more weeks. I cleaned once in the middle of the day and he freeked because he thought he was gonna lose $5.00 on a wash while I had it shut down to clean it. Now he only wants it done after dark. It's only a small automated wizard wash area and only takes me 40min to do. Now I have to go back out and drive 30min each way for a lousy $100.00? Long story short, I'm about ready to drop him. What was supposed to be a monthly small commercial account has only turned into me cleaning it 7 times this past year with alot of reschedualing and hassles. Sometimes they are just not worth it!
 
Sometimes you have to punt.I have done it and to be honest it feels good to let them know that you are not the cat eating from the trash.I have always tried to be polite and professional with them even after I drop their job.Sometimes polite and professional doesn't cut it.I had one guy call me back after he told me the same thing take it or leave and after he couldn't get anybody else to do it he called me back.I told him he couldn't afford me and hung up.Man that felt good!
 
Larry Millette said:
Now I have to go back out and drive 30min each way for a lousy $100.00? Long story short, I'm about ready to drop him. What was supposed to be a monthly small commercial account has only turned into me cleaning it 7 times this past year with alot of reschedualing and hassles. Sometimes they are just not worth it!
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Larry,

What I try in similiar situations is a quote for first time/one time cleaning. i.e., $145.00 and I show up usually within three days of the customer call.

If the customer is looking for a better value, then a monthly contract is only $100.00, but I get to schedule, and I try my best to not catch the location on a day where thier business would be really busy.

Newbie Note: I've got exactly one account and did my first cleaning for hire on November 4, 2008, YMMV.
 
We have a once a month price and a higher "on demand" price. You can't let your customers tell you what you charge. I may have left a nice clean small but very noticeable area before I left. So his boss and customers could see the difference.

I had a big fleet manager try to beat me up on pricing. I didn't budge and didn't get it. A couple of months later they had a bankruptcy notice on their gate. If I had taken it I know I'd have gotten stiffed. That's another good reason to stay on top of your receivables.

I always listen to my gut feelings. A guy like that will just jerk you around.
 
Before you drop him Larry, I would try to talk to him and hand him a proposal that states something like to keep the services, they need to be on a set schedule because of all the schedule changes, cancelled cleanings, times driven out there to do the job and told to come back later, etc... and let them know that each of those times is a wasted hour that you cannot get back and comes out of your pocket.

I would try to say something like I will come either week of the month on a day of my choice (you decide which day of that week) and will come out after 6pm when it slows down and do the cleaning because you can't afford to keep doing business like that.

I would also tell them that what if their employee kept calling in sick or just leaving after showing up for work so someone had to come back out or cover for them, they would get tired of that too. Maybe they would see your point but probably not.

If they ok to this, have it printed out so they sign it and put in there a cancellation fee of $65.00 if not cancelled a week before the cleaning week so if they cancel on you, send them an invoice for the $65.00 with a copy of the signed contract to remind them.

It is up to you but when you look at it, you are using an hour to get there and return, 40 minutes to clean but rolling out/ rolling up hoses and setup/teardown you are looking at an hour min for the job so you are running a business for $50.00 or less per hour on that account then take out your expenses and you are probably closer to $30.00 per hour roughly.

Maybe it is just me but maybe explaining this to them might make a differance but if not then maybe you dropping them might make you feel better and maybe a better account will replace them.

I dropped a few accounts last year (good paying accounts) because of similar things like calling ahead and waiting for them to call me back and doing the job on their schedule and other b.s. when it is all nite work. I finally told them that I need to just be able to do the job without all this calling and waiting or I will not be able to keep working with them.

They told me that I could take it or leave it and I told them that I really appreciated their business and if they ever change how they do things to give me a call. That place has been cleaned a couple times in the last year and each time it has looked bad. O Well, less B.S. and less stress for me.






_______________
Superior Power Washing<O:p</O:p
Chris Chappell<O:p</O:p
361-853-2513
Low Pressure Roof Cleaning in Corpus Christi Texas <O:p</O:p
Cleaning Shingle and Tile Roofs in Corpus Christi Texas<O:p</O:p
 
I actually called and spoke with him a few hrs ago. I reminded him that the last time I cleaned it was back in October. He said he was just over there yesterday and it looked fine. I've decided not to drop him. (my decision) however I am no longer classifying this as any type of commercial monthly account anymore whatsoever. I told him to call me when HE wants it cleaned next. He said that was fine. This guy has owned an AC company for over 30yrs and understands the value of my time but is still a very tough person to deal with. That's why I figured I would just make it simple. Call Me and I'll do it as soon as I can get to it. If that's not good enough for him then he can drop me....Sorry, I feel like I'm hijacking this thread. My Bad!
 
I have a few key words that I look for when I am selling. The biggest PIA indicator for me, is when they tell me that they are not demanding, and that they don't expect perfection. Every time I have heard that, it has been problems.
Another one, I have 8 other stores, if you do a really good job on this one time clean up, I will give you the rest.
 
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