Customer implodes!

[Leo_Gnardo]

If 1 weirdo says you are a jerk and 100 other people thought you were helpful and fair, I bet you will still be in good standing around town.

That was all well and good, until the modern era of digital communications. Having observed lots of reviews on Yelp, Google & other services, it's apparent that those who feel they need to complain, register their comments and low ratings, while many others who have little or nothing to complain about, don't bother to say much at all. Whether it's a restaurant, repair garage, hospital, whatever - you can read up on zillions of hard luck stories from the offended. So I keep bias in mind when checking out reviews.

I try to look at it this way, to me having a normal job is annoying and can be stressful. I started doing repair so I could get money and not be annoyed and stressed. so therefore if you cause me these feelings you must go.

That's one way of dealing with it. AFAIK we're not required by any law to take on whatever bad-attitude customers may come our way, nor the piles of junk they want fixed NOW and CHEAP ! ! ! Where's that sign? "We reserve the right to refuse service" Oh yeh, The Dude's got it up in post #3.

[Justin Thomas]

When I worked at a car dealer they taught us that for every positive review or word of mouth good reference, there will be 10 negative. People who don't have a reason to complain don't say anything. And that was before the internet. Or at least in its very infancy. Now, it's probably 100-to-1 negative to positive...

Justin

[nsubulysses]

I agree the people who like to complain are more likely to speak out.

However, 1 good job and they tell their 10 friends you are awesome so the referral game comes in big too for spreading the word and also building your reputation as a standup service person.

[nevetslab]

Wow........reading thru this thread and what Randall began with, and had to go thru with that knucklehead, I feel VERY grateful not yet having encountered any of those folks. I'm certainly in the town to be full of them, here in Burbank. Maybe because I'm not as visible, and get so many of my independent customers by word of mouth, being at a very well-known rehearsal studio/equipment rental complex.

I did, long ago, swear I wouldn't do consumer gear, definitely NOT televisions. And, like nsubuylsses said, for me to have a normal job is annoying and can be stressful. I too started doing repair work to get money and not be annoyed and stressed. I left the manufacturing/engineering domain, as it was getting too stressful. Finding this niche of keeping classic audio gear/backline gear running and upgraded has been far more enjoyable. I think I've only had one 'normal job' in my life, and left that after a few months. Other than income, it offered nothing I could use in my life. There's enough people out there to fill those positions. Being instead in a position to render service to those who can use your talents, and what I do lets them use that in their creative work just feels so much more beneficial.

[nsubulysses]

Also, I have done same as Randall and people have my personal phone number. I really regret doing that. You get people calling you at 8AM or texting you at 2AM, or any other hour of the day.

a while back I removed my phone number from everywhere and the only way to contact me now is email, so in my experience it has helped to limit the stress and annoyance! If they don't like my inaccessibility, they can go to a normal shop where they have a person they pay to work the phones. Either that or Iwould have to raise my labor rate to account for all the wasted time. I'd rather just be more inaccessible. personally I really dislike talking on the phone

[g1]

Did he know he said that crap out loud? That's a guy with too much time on his hands and trust issues. What a social retard!

Maybe not just socially. This business is not immune to people who are completely nuts or have various mental health issues. The bigger the client base, the more likely you are to come across them.

a very wise, older painting contractor once told me that the success of my business will depend greatly on the jobs I don't take.

I was thinking about this recently as I've had a high proportion of 'dogs' lately, and most were items I had been iffy about accepting in the first place. I think my error is that I've come to think of declining (certain) jobs as a weakness, when I should be thinking of it as a strength. Trust your gut and improve your success ratio.

[drewl]

Yeah, musicians can be some of the strangest people you'll ever encounter.

Back in the days before texting my wife could not believe some of the oddball phone messages I'd get.
Half the people sounded stoned, some would ramble on aimlessly others were unintelligible.

[Randall]

Call blocking and text blocking are a wonderful thing!

Oh, and did I mention during one of his epic texts, he says, "because if either of the Frontmans are going to be more than $20 to fix, I'll just junk them"!

[The Dude]

Also, I have done same as Randall and people have my personal phone number. I really regret doing that. You get people calling you at 8AM or texting you at 2AM, or any other hour of the day.

a while back I removed my phone number from everywhere and the only way to contact me now is email, so in my experience it has helped to limit the stress and annoyance! If they don't like my inaccessibility, they can go to a normal shop where they have a person they pay to work the phones. Either that or Iwould have to raise my labor rate to account for all the wasted time. I'd rather just be more inaccessible. personally I really dislike talking on the phone

I hate talking on phones, too! To the best of my recollection, it started when I had my own business. At one point it got to where I was spending half a day on the phone. You can't get much work done that way. I started charging some customers that had gear in the shop for phone calls- you know, the ones that have to have a progress report every day. That put a halt to most of it.

[drewl]

Amen.
So much easier to text customers than trying to phone, not being able to get in touch.

I send a text with an estimate and usually get prompt responses.

[Enzo]

I had a phone in my shop, and I had a business phone at home. It sat next to my personal phone. If they call at stupid hours at home, I don't need to answer.

I like the phone, if nothing else, I can tuck it on my shoulder and talk while I continue to turn screws or solder. I don't need to stop what I am doing and peck with my thumbs.

Randall, you can't worry about every little word of mouth. If you are doing good work, word gets around. There will ALWAYS be some asshole who is unreasonable. I have a relationship of professional courtesy with my "competitors" around town. DO you? If so, talk to them. Have they seen this same customer?

[Chuck H]

Some people just need to talk, argue, an annoy others. You are not there to support his bad behavior,..

I call that the 'Love me or hate me, but I won't be ignored.' syndrome. And there's a lot of 'em out there. Some open with a big smile and others open with confrontation. Either will flip tactics when the first method isn't working. And you can't satisfy them because attention is their need and they can never get enough of it. Who knows what made them like that.?. Weaned too early? Daddy never played catch with them? But you really need to stay miles away or they'll suck out your soul along with your time. One of my favorite Jim Carrey roles is in The Cable Guy. Not his most popular movie, but I liked it for it's dark side.

[eschertron]

Who knows what made them like that? Weaned too early? Daddy never played catch with them?

[SoulFetish]

Good friend once told me,
“If you’re not loosing customers, you’re not charging enough money”.