Construction Guys...wtf is wrong with you? (1 Viewer)

[BillyBarooo]

Why don't you return emails or phone calls? When a prospective customer, who already has your estimate, calls/emails and says "lets do this", why do you just ignore that email/voicemail?

This isn't specific to the geographic location or specialty as I've run into this problem in multiple states with varying types and sizes of projects. I fail to comprehend how virtually this entire industry is filled with people who don't give a #### about acquiring new work or taking care of their customers

What am i missing? What is the secret to get you people to actually reply to an email or call us back?

 

[fantasycurse42]

If someone is poor with communication prior to receiving your money, I'd anticipate a very happy and healthy experience once they are paid.

 

[Harry Manback]

Leave a message stating you're using company XYZ instead.

 

[D-Day]

Do you expect them to reply here?

 

[ffldrew]

Why don't you return emails or phone calls? When a prospective customer, who already has your estimate, calls/emails and says "lets do this", why do you just ignore that email/voicemail?

This isn't specific to the geographic location or specialty as I've run into this problem in multiple states with varying types and sizes of projects. I fail to comprehend how virtually this entire industry is filled with people who don't give a #### about acquiring new work or taking care of their customers

What am i missing? What is the secret to get you people to actually reply to an email or call us back?

In the same boat - it is truly amazing. Hell they tell me they are going to call me - and never do.

 

[shady inc]

he was always my least favorite member of the village people

 

[The Big Guy]

I have had guys come to my house and do a walk thru and never send me the estimate at all. Waste of all of our time. And I always describe what I need done before they come so it should be no shock. Entire industry needing office managers is what it is

 

[Ignoratio Elenchi]

What am i missing?

They probably just got another job. It's the nature of the business. Obviously a contractor doesn't just give one estimate to one customer and then sit around waiting to hear if they got the job. Frustrating that they often won't man up and just return your phone call but I guess you don't really go into that line of work because of your customer service skills.

 

[PIK95]

Typically is alcohol. Sometimes it's the drugs. Sorry. Hth.

 

[eoMMan]

They're good in construction, not in business/networking/customer service/communication/etc.

 

[El Floppo]

fwiw, the guys I work with return calls stat. but these are +1mil... so mucho duccats on the line. I do have some consultants that tap out their fee and then *poof*... which means I don't use them again- stupid strategy, really.

 

[msommer]

They're good in construction, not in business/networking/customer service/communication/etc.

And if they were good in business/networking/customer service/communication/etc.they wouldn't be in construction

 

[sublimeone]

Many construction companies aren't in it for the long haul. For a few years a guy is building houses, making good money. He gets laid off so he starts his own business remodeling kitchens and bathrooms. Maybe he gets a job building a house so he sub-contracts out all the stuff he can't do. Market heats up again and he's back on a crew working for a bigger company building houses again. Rinse and repeat. So the reason your customer service experience sucks is because you're dealing with carpenters, not business people.

 

[Ditka Butkus]

Very busy, can't talk now. I'll return your call when I'm damn good and ready...Seriously if the contractor is busy (has a bunch of jobs) and your job isn't going to affect him , he isn't in a hurry to call you back...You'll either wait or you won't either way it doesn't matter.

 

[johnnycakes]

Why don't you return emails or phone calls? When a prospective customer, who already has your estimate, calls/emails and says "lets do this", why do you just ignore that email/voicemail?

This isn't specific to the geographic location or specialty as I've run into this problem in multiple states with varying types and sizes of projects. I fail to comprehend how virtually this entire industry is filled with people who don't give a #### about acquiring new work or taking care of their customers

What am i missing? What is the secret to get you people to actually reply to an email or call us back?

Perhaps they realized they priced the job too cheaply.

 

[Fat Nick]

Had a guy do our guest and master bath who was like this...If they don't call you back BEFORE they have your money, they sure won't call you back once they have your deposit.

 

[DocHolliday]

This is a problem. When my partner and I meet a customer for the first time, you can hear the wariness in their voices because they have been burned by contractors in the past. They assume that we are like other typical contractors that did not call them back or screwed them over by doing crummy work or not finishing work.

After we are on the job a few days and people get to know us, they relay their horror stories from past dealings with contractors. I do not know how some contractors remain in business. Our business is totally word of mouth and we always have work lined up. There is a lot of money to be made in construction if you are honest and willing to work.

 

[bagger]

this industry is ripe for someone like Amazon to take it the #### over. Give me someone i can count on, does good work, and actually returns calls and i'll not only pay a premium, but I'll go back to them constantly with new projects

so true, it is baffling how any one in this industry ever makes money.

 

[El Floppo]

This is a problem. When my partner and I meet a customer for the first time, you can hear the wariness in their voices because they have been burned by contractors in the past. They assume that we are like other typical contractors that did not call them back or screwed them over by doing crummy work or not finishing work.

After we are on the job a few days and people get to know us, they relay their horror stories from past dealings with contractors. I do not know how some contractors remain in business. Our business is totally word of mouth and we always have work lined up. There is a lot of money to be made in construction if you are honest and willing to work.

What's your typical response if you're too busy to handle a potential project now?

 

[Chaos Commish]

This is a problem. When my partner and I meet a customer for the first time, you can hear the wariness in their voices because they have been burned by contractors in the past. They assume that we are like other typical contractors that did not call them back or screwed them over by doing crummy work or not finishing work.

After we are on the job a few days and people get to know us, they relay their horror stories from past dealings with contractors. I do not know how some contractors remain in business. Our business is totally word of mouth and we always have work lined up. There is a lot of money to be made in construction if you are honest and willing to work.

What's your typical response if you're too busy to handle a potential project now?

Bueller?

 

[PIK95]

This is a problem. When my partner and I meet a customer for the first time, you can hear the wariness in their voices because they have been burned by contractors in the past. They assume that we are like other typical contractors that did not call them back or screwed them over by doing crummy work or not finishing work.

After we are on the job a few days and people get to know us, they relay their horror stories from past dealings with contractors. I do not know how some contractors remain in business. Our business is totally word of mouth and we always have work lined up. There is a lot of money to be made in construction if you are honest and willing to work.

What's your typical response if you're too busy to handle a potential project now?

You just overprice it by 100% if you really dont want the job.

 

[Wooderson]

Having this problem right now. Had 2 guys come out to give me a estimate on a fence install. First guy comes 2 days after I call him. Does his thing and says he will be in touch. Other guy reschedules 3 times before he comes out to bid the job. Says he will be in touch.

Well 2 weeks go by I hear nothing. I call them both. 1 guy says i will get right on it drop it off at your door. It's. been 2 months he has not shown.

The other guy finally gets back to after calling him twice.

I just don't feel confident using either guy. Think I will just rebid the fence again.

 

[comfortably numb]

I think for the majority of these people you're dealing with a guy (s) that are good with their hands/minds and lack in the organization and customer service department.

They are the company. So Joe is the CEO, accounts payable, accounts receiveable, sales dep etc. ..

Things get busy and hectic and they may not have a good system to get back to people in a timely manner or ever.

That, and obviously some are just bad.

 

[Otis]

Sorry I was tied up, but I can give you a quote for the job now. It will be $5k.

 

[El Floppo]

This is a problem. When my partner and I meet a customer for the first time, you can hear the wariness in their voices because they have been burned by contractors in the past. They assume that we are like other typical contractors that did not call them back or screwed them over by doing crummy work or not finishing work.

After we are on the job a few days and people get to know us, they relay their horror stories from past dealings with contractors. I do not know how some contractors remain in business. Our business is totally word of mouth and we always have work lined up. There is a lot of money to be made in construction if you are honest and willing to work.

What's your typical response if you're too busy to handle a potential project now?

Bueller?

ironical.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Many construction companies aren't in it for the long haul. For a few years a guy is building houses, making good money. He gets laid off so he starts his own business remodeling kitchens and bathrooms. Maybe he gets a job building a house so he sub-contracts out all the stuff he can't do. Market heats up again and he's back on a crew working for a bigger company building houses again. Rinse and repeat. So the reason your customer service experience sucks is because you're dealing with carpenters, not business people.

This.

Where are you all finding these guys? Are you doing web searches? Angie's List? Word of mouth?

 

[Koya]

Do you mean... Contractors?

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Many construction companies aren't in it for the long haul. For a few years a guy is building houses, making good money. He gets laid off so he starts his own business remodeling kitchens and bathrooms. Maybe he gets a job building a house so he sub-contracts out all the stuff he can't do. Market heats up again and he's back on a crew working for a bigger company building houses again. Rinse and repeat. So the reason your customer service experience sucks is because you're dealing with carpenters, not business people.

This.

Where are you all finding these guys? Are you doing web searches? Angie's List? Word of mouth?

angies list, homeadvisor, bbb listings, organic results on web pages. Hell, 2 of them have even been recommended by an HVAC company that i swear by. This company is an exception to the rule and 100% reliable. So I figure his recommendation was good. Turns out these d-bags also have no problem screwing over their friends and colleagues who refer them out

Asking for their contractor's license and if they can provide a COI? Check your local ABC chapters?

 

[Uruk-Hai]

It sucks, but you have to be your own advocate. YOU have to vet these guys, regardless of what your buddy in the business says.

 

[squidrope]

They don't get back sometimes. because their spidey senses tell them "this customer is going to be a PITA".

 

[General Tso]

This is no exaggeration. In April I called 7 HVAC contractors from the phone book to set up service for my a/c system. I called at 10:00 am on a Wednesday. Not one contractor answered. I left voicemails with each one. After 24 hours nobody had called back.

I just moved into a new house, in a new area, and I've had to use a lot of different contractors the past 6 months. It is unbelievable how difficult it is to give someone business these days. I'd love to know as well what's behind it. It tells me something is seriously ####ed up in this country when you have someone ready, willing and able to give someone money to perform a job and it's like pulling teeth to even get a return phone call.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Ive worked for an insurance restoration company for the past 4&1/2 years. I have learned a lot but nothing more important then these four things....

1) You pick up your phone every time. It's best to deal with any problem, objection, question immediately. Problems don't just go away.

2) Communication is 90% of the job. Call/email your clients a minimum of once a week, even if it's just to say you don't have an answer or update.

3)Supervision of the job. Hold your subs accountable, train them how to work on your job. The job should be cleaned EVERY single day. Require quality work or find another sub.

4) Job protection. Painters plastic and a roll of blue tape costs <$50 and prevents the entire house from being covered with dust and prevents costly repairs.

 

[Jayrod]

I've done a lot of accounting for these type of guys. Most of them have trouble just keeping their receipts to turn in.

You have to understand, the majority of contractors are blue-collar guys who did not do well in school. They are good with her hands but when it comes to communication and office work, they just either don't want to do it or have no aptitude for it.

Also, the reason a lot of them are out on their own is because they cannot work for someone. That in and of itself usually means they have deficiencies that they cannot or will not address.

 

[Chaos Commish]

This is no exaggeration. In April I called 7 HVAC contractors from the phone book to set up service for my a/c system. I called at 10:00 am on a Wednesday. Not one contractor answered. I left voicemails with each one. After 24 hours nobody had called back.

I just moved into a new house, in a new area, and I've had to use a lot of different contractors the past 6 months. It is unbelievable how difficult it is to give someone business these days. I'd love to know as well what's behind it. It tells me something is seriously ####ed up in this country when you have someone ready, willing and able to give someone money to perform a job and it's like pulling teeth to even get a return phone call.

Also no exaggeration. I posted this earlier in the summer. First hot day I turned on the AC and it wasn't blowing cold and was making bad noises. I called one HVAC company and a very professional office person told me a tech would call me asap. 15 minutes and he called. 5 more minutes and he knocked on the door. 45 minutes and $300 later a new fan motor was installed, house was cooling and tech was gone. I'm still blown away by the service that day. 1st hot days out here are traditionally a nightmare for service

 

[leftcoastguy7]

Sorry I was tied up, but I can give you a quote for the job now. It will be $5k.

$5K? Could you break this down in an invoice for me?

Why do you need to include $1200 for incidentals??

 

[Kafka]

FBG's...WTF is wrong with you?...lot of condescending, crass & arrogant generalizations up in here. Us construction guys are just inconsiderate, uneducated simians, deal with it. ME NO LIKE YOU FANCY NANCYS! (Lol at "construction guys")

 

[comfortably numb]

FBG's...WTF is wrong with you?...lot of condescending, crass & arrogant generalizations up in here. Us construction guys are just inconsiderate, uneducated simians, deal with it. ME NO LIKE YOU FANCY NANCYS! (Lol at "construction guys")

This might be true...all the lawyer on this board would probably be just as bad if they didn't have secretaries.

Construction guys...hire a secretary.

Profit!

 

[Chadstroma]

It really is an industry that attracts a lot of people who for whatever reason have never been successful or had a desire to succeed in other industries. There is a lot of substance abuse but then there is also alot of people who are not very good with normal business interactions (thus being fired elsewhere). The biggest challenge for a business owner who IS the guy trying to run a good business is finding the people to work for you that are also good business people and can do the job as well. My BIL was one of the good guys for a long time. He ran his business and never wanted for work even though he would charge above average. He had repeat customer after repeat customer and would turn down business because he had all he could take and never worked too big of a crew because it was so hard to find guys he could count on. He always returned calls, cleaned up daily, was friendly/professional, etc.... until he got into drugs again and the wheels fell off. Now, he not only is out of business but not my BIL anymore. I hear the same challenges from my clients who ARE those good business owners all the time.

 

[boofatty]

The small mom and pops are in a very difficult spot. Everyone wants it done cheap, to be cheap you stay small. Then when the unpredictable market surge happens you're unable to respond because the guy is actually doing the work.

Then you toss in your average homeowner as a client that doesn't have a clue (but thinks they do) and can often times not have the money for what they're asking for. It's a lose lose business unless it can be funded properly.

There's a reason you don't see too many large businesses in the random home repair/improvement business. Very few can be successful.

 

[General Tso]

The small mom and pops are in a very difficult spot. Everyone wants it done cheap, to be cheap you stay small. Then when the unpredictable market surge happens you're unable to respond because the guy is actually doing the work.

Then you toss in your average homeowner as a client that doesn't have a clue (but thinks they do) and can often times not have the money for what they're asking for. It's a lose lose business unless it can be funded properly.

There's a reason you don't see too many large businesses in the random home repair/improvement business. Very few can be successful.

You can always respond. Just return the phone call and say you are booked up. Takes 3 minutes.

 

[DocHolliday]

This is a problem. When my partner and I meet a customer for the first time, you can hear the wariness in their voices because they have been burned by contractors in the past. They assume that we are like other typical contractors that did not call them back or screwed them over by doing crummy work or not finishing work.

After we are on the job a few days and people get to know us, they relay their horror stories from past dealings with contractors. I do not know how some contractors remain in business. Our business is totally word of mouth and we always have work lined up. There is a lot of money to be made in construction if you are honest and willing to work.

What's your typical response if you're too busy to handle a potential project now?

Bueller?

ironical.

That's funny.

I have been busy with my real job and sometimes cannot live on this site.

To answer the question, my partner and I tell the truth. We tell potential customers when we can start and how long it will take. If we cannot start for 3 weeks, then that is what we tell the customer. Our business is different than the HVAC repair business though. If someone does not have AC, they should not have to wait more than a day. Finishing basements or building patios can wait if the customer wants us to do the work.

 

[El Floppo]

This is a problem. When my partner and I meet a customer for the first time, you can hear the wariness in their voices because they have been burned by contractors in the past. They assume that we are like other typical contractors that did not call them back or screwed them over by doing crummy work or not finishing work.

After we are on the job a few days and people get to know us, they relay their horror stories from past dealings with contractors. I do not know how some contractors remain in business. Our business is totally word of mouth and we always have work lined up. There is a lot of money to be made in construction if you are honest and willing to work.

What's your typical response if you're too busy to handle a potential project now?

Bueller?

ironical.

That's funny.

I have been busy with my real job and sometimes cannot live on this site.

To answer the question, my partner and I tell the truth. We tell potential customers when we can start and how long it will take. If we cannot start for 3 weeks, then that is what we tell the customer. Our business is different than the HVAC repair business though. If someone does not have AC, they should not have to wait more than a day. Finishing basements or building patios can wait if the customer wants us to do the work.

I figured you were busy with real work, Doc... should've added a after my previous post.

You are in the minority with telling the truth, sadly. Most guys I work with just want to gobble up everything, regardless of whether they can handle it... and that's if they actually get back to me.

Again, fortunately the projects I'm working on are all decent sized budgets, so I don't typically have a problem with contractors related to my work calling me back (just home stuff). And occasionally they'll also report that they're too busy (even for big $$ jobs)- which I respect the hell out of- makes me want to work them when they're freed up for the next project.

These guys who took three weeks to get back to me to tell me that they'll need another month before they can even look at the minor maintenance job (for a job they did close to $2mil two years ago)... when the building has strict "summer-only" work rules, pisses me off.

 

[Bull Dozier]

FBG's...WTF is wrong with you?...lot of condescending, crass & arrogant generalizations up in here. Us construction guys are just inconsiderate, uneducated simians, deal with it. ME NO LIKE YOU FANCY NANCYS! (Lol at "construction guys")

Don't you have a phone call to return?

 

[Kafka]

FBG's...WTF is wrong with you?...lot of condescending, crass & arrogant generalizations up in here. Us construction guys are just inconsiderate, uneducated simians, deal with it. ME NO LIKE YOU FANCY NANCYS! (Lol at "construction guys")

Don't you have a phone call to return?

lol... it can wait till I'm all done abusing some substances...

 

[Kafka]

Construction workers= "Sans Culottes" in FBG vernacular.

 

[Gianni Verscotchie]

Why don't you return emails or phone calls? When a prospective customer, who already has your estimate, calls/emails and says "lets do this", why do you just ignore that email/voicemail?

This isn't specific to the geographic location or specialty as I've run into this problem in multiple states with varying types and sizes of projects. I fail to comprehend how virtually this entire industry is filled with people who don't give a #### about acquiring new work or taking care of their customers

What am i missing? What is the secret to get you people to actually reply to an email or call us back?

You're probably a pain in the ### or your wife is.

My mother is one of these people. Hovers over the workers. #####es about price. Tells them how to do their job. It got to the point where she would ask me if I could recommend a guy, and I would just tell her no even if I did. I don't want the guy hating me too.

 

[Mr. Yuk]

One of the main issues I've found is lack of skilled labor. Just not many people interested in learning a trade or working with their hands these days. There are guys that are good with their hands, but often they lack in customer service skills as was mentioned, or are unreliable in other ways. To be more than just a day laborer you need these other skills- and if you have them, well you're probably good enough/smart enough to be running your own business already.

If you're a small crew/ mom-and-pop, you are usually busy doing the work and not able to field calls and provide answers all day. It doesn't make sense to pay someone to 'answer the phone' (what is a secretary going to be able to tell the customer that a voicemail can't handle), until you are able to get to the size that they can do more to be worth paying full time, more of an office manager/bookkeeper/customer service type role. And again, that comes back to finding the skilled labor to be able to take on enough work to make it viable.

 

[DocHolliday]

This is a problem. When my partner and I meet a customer for the first time, you can hear the wariness in their voices because they have been burned by contractors in the past. They assume that we are like other typical contractors that did not call them back or screwed them over by doing crummy work or not finishing work.

After we are on the job a few days and people get to know us, they relay their horror stories from past dealings with contractors. I do not know how some contractors remain in business. Our business is totally word of mouth and we always have work lined up. There is a lot of money to be made in construction if you are honest and willing to work.

What's your typical response if you're too busy to handle a potential project now?

Bueller?

ironical.

That's funny.

I have been busy with my real job and sometimes cannot live on this site.

To answer the question, my partner and I tell the truth. We tell potential customers when we can start and how long it will take. If we cannot start for 3 weeks, then that is what we tell the customer. Our business is different than the HVAC repair business though. If someone does not have AC, they should not have to wait more than a day. Finishing basements or building patios can wait if the customer wants us to do the work.

I figured you were busy with real work, Doc... should've added a after my previous post.

You are in the minority with telling the truth, sadly. Most guys I work with just want to gobble up everything, regardless of whether they can handle it... and that's if they actually get back to me.

Again, fortunately the projects I'm working on are all decent sized budgets, so I don't typically have a problem with contractors related to my work calling me back (just home stuff). And occasionally they'll also report that they're too busy (even for big $$ jobs)- which I respect the hell out of- makes me want to work them when they're freed up for the next project.

These guys who took three weeks to get back to me to tell me that they'll need another month before they can even look at the minor maintenance job (for a job they did close to $2mil two years ago)... when the building has strict "summer-only" work rules, pisses me off.

I really thought it was funny and not offended at all. That was irony at its finest.

It is amazing how many people want us to do their work simply because they have heard that we do what we say. It is easy to get work when the competition is generally poor.

I bet you are not going to use that company in the future since they blew you off. Eventually, that company will lose enough business that it folds. Good luck with your maintenance projects and dealing with contractors. I would not want to do that as a full-time job. Contractors are a different breed.

 

[El Floppo]

This is a problem. When my partner and I meet a customer for the first time, you can hear the wariness in their voices because they have been burned by contractors in the past. They assume that we are like other typical contractors that did not call them back or screwed them over by doing crummy work or not finishing work.

After we are on the job a few days and people get to know us, they relay their horror stories from past dealings with contractors. I do not know how some contractors remain in business. Our business is totally word of mouth and we always have work lined up. There is a lot of money to be made in construction if you are honest and willing to work.

What's your typical response if you're too busy to handle a potential project now?

Bueller?

ironical.

That's funny.

I have been busy with my real job and sometimes cannot live on this site.

To answer the question, my partner and I tell the truth. We tell potential customers when we can start and how long it will take. If we cannot start for 3 weeks, then that is what we tell the customer. Our business is different than the HVAC repair business though. If someone does not have AC, they should not have to wait more than a day. Finishing basements or building patios can wait if the customer wants us to do the work.

I figured you were busy with real work, Doc... should've added a after my previous post.

You are in the minority with telling the truth, sadly. Most guys I work with just want to gobble up everything, regardless of whether they can handle it... and that's if they actually get back to me.

Again, fortunately the projects I'm working on are all decent sized budgets, so I don't typically have a problem with contractors related to my work calling me back (just home stuff). And occasionally they'll also report that they're too busy (even for big $$ jobs)- which I respect the hell out of- makes me want to work them when they're freed up for the next project.

These guys who took three weeks to get back to me to tell me that they'll need another month before they can even look at the minor maintenance job (for a job they did close to $2mil two years ago)... when the building has strict "summer-only" work rules, pisses me off.

I really thought it was funny and not offended at all. That was irony at its finest.

It is amazing how many people want us to do their work simply because they have heard that we do what we say. It is easy to get work when the competition is generally poor.

I bet you are not going to use that company in the future since they blew you off. Eventually, that company will lose enough business that it folds. Good luck with your maintenance projects and dealing with contractors. I would not want to do that as a full-time job. Contractors are a different breed.

irony too, we were going to have these guys bid on a new project- also several mil... but now, not so much.

fortunately one of the contractors I'm working with now is taking the time to help out.

sadly, none of these guys are going out of business soon. there's 5-10 high-end residential contractors in NYC that everybody uses. they're one of them. I think they figured that previous job (less than 2mil) wasn't big enough to warrant bending over backwards for us now to do some minor repair work.

 

[Chadstroma]

By far the best response times and professionalism can be found on Angies List. I will only use that now for any kind of work. Night and day difference from other attempts to get work done and since I have used Angies List.