[thanohano44]

I know we all have a lot to complain and be angry about in this business. What are some good things your client has done for you? Pay you on time? Not cut your bid. Lol. I had 5 bros pay call me a few times to tell me my bids were too low. Same with FAS. How about you guys and gals?

 

[JenkinsHB]

I have a national client that pays me within 7 days of invoice.

 

[HollandPPC]

I have a national client that pays me within 7 days of invoice.

Berghorst. Had to say it. Lol.

 

[TheItalian204]

I have a guy right now,a farmer who needs masonry and stucco on his house.

His cheques clear right on time,every day I asked for cheque,I got it no problems.

He asks me if I need anything,leaves his house open and lets us to use his fridge for our food and his washroom(we are not using either one,just nice gesture).

He also always asks if I need something. Guy is a saint.

 

[DavidC]

Years ago I had a repeat client that insisted on paying by the hour, (he explained that he knew I could easily misjudge the time either way and wanted to be fair), paid cash at the end of every day, (claimed he might get hit by a truck any time and didn't want me to fight the estate for my pay), and included a heaping bag of canned and dry goods each day. (He was a hoarder that had enough nonperishable food to feed a small African village for a year)

I was nervous and wary at first, but turned out the guy was totally sincere and I've never had a client like him since.

Good Luck
Dave

 

[woodworkbykirk]

clients that pay on time with no haggling, the ones that pay before the work starts are even better, i wont rip em off if anything ill do a little extra for them.

the ones that are on the ball with having fixtures that we need, ones that have all their items out of a room when we need to go in that room next as opposed to leaving it for us to move.

and of course the extra little things like showing up with coffee every now and then, baked treats. if working on their house during the holidays some will give us give cards to a resteraunt or something.. little things like that go a long way which will create better moral and have a job thats done better and quicker

 

[thomasjmarino]

I'm just happy to be paid on time and at the end of the job. :clap:
The rest can go to hell!! :devil2:

 

[mnjconstruction]

I had a client about 15 years ago That called up and was requesting a bid. Gave him a price and he agreed, signed contract the next day and instead of paying the 20% down he paid the entire amount up front. Then everyday at lunch he would have a huge lunch for me and my crew. bbq, pizza, lasagna, hogies, it was something different everyday. The job took 4 weeks to complete and by the end he was very very pleased. He gave each one of my guys a 100 bill and a 25 dollar gift certificate to a restraurant. He tried giving me one and I refused. A week later I got a letter in the mail insisting that i accept hes gifts or he would be insulted. Inside was a check for 500 dollars and a gas card for 100.

What an amazing man he was. Not rich seemed to be middle class, retired and so very nice. He died a few years later, I attended his funeral. There were hundreds of people there all with there great stories and memories.

To this day every xmas I get a card from his wife and of course she gets one from me.

I have had many many great clients over the years, but this one I will never forget!

 

[EthanB]

Last fall I did a double bathroom remodel for a nice couple and their elderly father. Every Friday they would nag me, starting at noon, to finish early so we could have snacks and margaritas on the deck. Just great people.

PS-I just realized all of my favorite customers fed me...:drink:

 

[Chasing Dreams]

Last week I had a customer try to tip me $300 at the end of a $4800 job. During the job, he was home everyday but stayed out of the project area. He was really easy to get along with, so because of that I threw in some extras. When he went to hand me the cash, I kindly turned it down and said we had an agreed upon rate. He said he was wanting to show his appreciation for the great job and such. So, I told him to tell family and friends about us and our services and send them our way. I said I would appreciate that far more than the cash. I'm looking forward to see if that investment pays off.:biggrin:

I would have to say that one of the things I love about this business is the relationships that I have created with a lot of my customers. Fantastic people that I am truly blessed to have come into my life!:thumbup:

 

[BPWY]

Because some folks are incredibly insulted if you turn down their "gift" of a tip I make sure they understand that it was completely unnecessary but that I humbly thank them for their generosity.
If I can think quick enough I'll usually tell them that I'll use the money to buy some thing for the wife, or similar.
Some folks because of their culture view the tip as a personal gift from them to you and get insulted if some one insists they don't want their gift.

 

[Chasing Dreams]

That is another side of the "tip" coin for sure!

After spending some time with the guy, I think I made the right choice. Time will tell :whistling

 

[blast4cash]

I like the guys that walk into my blast shop and just hand me some parts. When I get them done then they ask how mutch.:clap:

 

[david]

The old saying if you dont have something nice to say ,dont say anything,well im being quiet,i have a job thats about it

 

[Rob PA]

I have had a few over the years. I have one customer that will call every month or so for small jobs, pays right on the spot and never complains. But that is rare, lately its been more bounced checks or the six month pay window.

I have made more money in the last serveral months, by refusing more jobs than in the past serveral years at this time. I rather not deal with the bs. I have had a few that feed me, but I am always kinda hesitant about that. I just wish people would say this needs done, its done, heres the check and bye.

 

[david]

hi

yes tenec it was through vendor management,never know if their telling truth or not or just dont want to pay,and no they dont want me attending conference,they would'nt like what i have to say about how things are ran,i know what you mean they change contacts every 2 months,never figured it out why they do it,no wonderwhy so much confusion all the time

 

[woodworkbykirk]

I had a client about 15 years ago That called up and was requesting a bid. Gave him a price and he agreed, signed contract the next day and instead of paying the 20% down he paid the entire amount up front. Then everyday at lunch he would have a huge lunch for me and my crew. bbq, pizza, lasagna, hogies, it was something different everyday. The job took 4 weeks to complete and by the end he was very very pleased. He gave each one of my guys a 100 bill and a 25 dollar gift certificate to a restraurant. He tried giving me one and I refused. A week later I got a letter in the mail insisting that i accept hes gifts or he would be insulted. Inside was a check for 500 dollars and a gas card for 100.

What an amazing man he was. Not rich seemed to be middle class, retired and so very nice. He died a few years later, I attended his funeral. There were hundreds of people there all with there great stories and memories.

To this day every xmas I get a card from his wife and of course she gets one from me.

I have had many many great clients over the years, but this one I will never forget!

did one similar to this 2 years ago this time of year. it was two additions on the house. all new windows and doors plus a deck. he was super horny to get us to do the work. asking for almost 3 years but we couldnt fit him in. when we did come , every day there were baked goods his wife made at break, every other day once it got cold she made us soups, chili, stew and what not for lunch. on top of that when xmas came when we were finishing up he gave us all $25 gc's to the booze store and a local work clothes shop and had two cases of beer in the garage for us to enjoy at quitting time

 

[72opp]

Never had a good client. I have had clients that were considerate enough to let me remove my outer wear before they rammed me up the @ss.

 

[APlusPPGroup]

Okay, I gotta ask this question of the vendors.

Is everyone so burnt out by being taken by the nationals that they've given up on the good clients?

With very few exceptions, we have been very good to our vendors and we pay as soon as the clients pay us. Like any other company, we have the occasional problem with a missed payment or a lost check but we get it corrected as quick as we can and I don't think I'm unreasonable to work with. So what gives?

Yes, we take a percentage. But everyone gets paperwork up front that tells them what it is. And, if they don't like it, they simply need to let me know they can't do it and I'll move on to the next vendor who can.

My problem, which seems to be becoming the norm anymore is that vendors are accepting work, then don't return calls or emails and most of the ones that do are turning stuff in so late I am getting my ass chewed by my really good paying, long term clients.

How many of you need to get out of this industry altogether? I'm so tired of finding vendors to complete the work that comes in, then having to find replacements for them within 2 weeks because they don't respond.

On the flip side, I have some excellent vendors in my network and am very pleased with the way they perform. But the ones that don't are making my life a living hell. I spend a lot of time online these days looking for vendor replacements for the primadonnas and the non-performers.

One of the things that a few vendors are not understanding is that we don't get work in all of the areas we service all the time and there are some areas we've got vendors in that we've never received work in. But, even in the areas where the load is light, we still have to be on time. If we're consistently late, we stop getting work in those areas altogether.

Okay, end of rant for now. But I really would like to hear what everyone has to say about being burnt out. Are you? And, if you are, why are you accepting work if you don't plan on doing it?

BTW. I'm not talking about accepting work from the nationals, then not doing it. My rant isn't about the nationals, although I can understand how quickly THEY are sucking the life out of people.

Linda

 

[ARpreservation]

Berghorst. Had to say it. Lol.

Who are they? They pay in 7 days....amazing! Are they national?