What do you do?
Last week we had a customer call two days after we delivered the structural framing for a house (our company engineers and supplies structural components only) and stated he had no experience in framing. Now he calls just about every hour to get advice and I am tired of handing out advice for free. When should a supply company’s responsibility end?
Replies
technical advise should always be given, however in your case the advise is well beyond the scope of your business.
So to answer your question, your responsibility ends when the work falls outside your normal course of business. The chump isnt asking for technical data. Be polite and offer him the names of some of your contractors(clients) he can hire to complete his job.
Try deleting this post and putting it in the Business folder or general discussion folder. I think I would try to tactfully explain to him that you normally provide your product to qualified professionals and that you would suggest that he hire one to complete the task that appears to be over his head. Then offer a short list of contractors that you feel would be compatible. Good luck, Bob
If you want to be real nice, tell him to have lunch ready at the site one day (maybe just pizza or Sonic burgers or whatever) and then spend an hour walking him through his purchase, explain your normal responsibilities, and how all the parts and players fit into his project, and maybe give him business cards of two or three contractors you know who could put all the pieces together. Maybe he didn't understand your role when he placed the order. You (and your company) can come out of this with a black eye or a blue ribbon, depending on how you treat him.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
The craftsman formerly known as elCid
Welcome to the club. I don't think there are many pros here who haven't been in the same boat many time.
For starters - What exactly are you providing? Trusses, panels, SIPs, or what? (Just curious)
I've tried everything in these situations - delaying returning calls, avoiding taking the calls altogether, telling them it's not our responsibility, telling them I had another call on hold, being increasingly curt to them, etc. Sometimes nothing seems to work.
Sometimes they'll back off it you make it harder to get an answer from you than to find an answer elsewhere.
Honestly, this is one reason I don't like dealing with homeowners directly. And whether or not they realize it, that's the reason they pay more for stuff than contractors.
Is this a homeowner you're dealing with, or a "friend" of a homeowner, or what?
A bird does not sing because it has an answer. A bird sings because it has a song.
I've tried everything in these situations - delaying returning calls, avoiding taking the calls altogether, telling them it's not our responsibility, telling them I had another call on hold, being increasingly curt to them, etc. Sometimes nothing seems to work.
Uh ...
ever try honesty?
JeffBuck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Artistry in Carpentry
"ever try honesty?"
Nope. I'm a supplier - We only lie to people. (-:
A lot of the questions I get are kind of in a "grey" area. Like I sell a customer wall panels. The HO calls and asks "How do I fasten the walls down". I tell 'em "just like you would a stick framed wall". But he's never stick framed walls before.
He thinks it's our responsibility to tell him anything that has to be done with regards to the walls. You could spend more time explaining why that's not true than just giving them an answer.
Keep in mind that sometimes they don't BELIEVE you when you tell 'em it's not the truss supplier's place to specify what kind of plywood to put on the roof.
So avoiding their phone calls might sound kinda harsh. But sometimes it's the only way to get 'em off your back, if only for a while.There are two rules for ultimate success in life: (1) Never tell everything you know.
A couple of years ago we were gc-ing a timber frame house with stress skins that was separately contracted from the timber framer. We were responsible for finishing the panelled frame and for providing a foundation and first floor platform. As a courtesy to us the timber framer provided us with a book which provided us with complete instructions for working with sips, including assembly, structural point loads, wiring, sealing penetrations, etc. Even though we didn't actually need any of this since a separate crew installed the panels, it was quite helpful throughout the whole process. You might provide, at cost, similar books or literature for your own products for customers such as this. It would require a little advance work but would also provide another delaying excuse.
Boss,
Truss manufacturer and supplier of everything else engineered. We don't do wall panels yet and from what I hear "Thank God".
I personally have been doing this for 17 years and it keeps getting more demanding on us the manufacturer even though we are not the building designer.
Thanks for the input,
Montie
Been doing it for 17 years, huh ???
I started about 1984 or 1985 - Can't remember fer sure.
Curently I work for Rehkemper in central Illinois. Before that I worked at Best Homes near Chicago, and Shelter Systems before that.
Who do you work for, and where are they?I hate sex in the movies. Tried it once, the seat folded up, the drink spilled and that ice, well, it really chilled the mood.
suggest he calls a "real" builder to do the work and then he can work for him.
I'm not kidding!
Be well
andy
Montie,
I figure it is my job to keep the client well informed. I hope that it helps me that he is more knowlegable about his own project for decision making purposes. It also helps me if he is informed while making a recommendation for me.
But my time is not free. I charge extra and schedule the time into either the beginning or end of my day. I usually figure a day as 8hrs work, 1hr talk. When his hour is over I tell him that I have to go. That simple (not always)
Once I had a job where the client took off work 2hrs early just to talk to me. I told him that I should be working for that time and if he wanted to continue it, then I'd be happy to teach him every thing he wanted but it would cost him. He happily obliged.
My best advice though is DON'T LIE! A lot of carps I know lie about those little things and get caught. Be honest. "It has been good talking to you but I need to get to work." or "It has been good talking to you but I need to get home." Again...be honest, sometimes it is all you have in your favor.
gk
You could draw a comparison to a supermarket. I think very few of us would go to the supermarket and expect to get cooking advice. A few pointers or a recipe on the side of the box at the most, but you certainly would not expect them to tech you to cook.
That may give them a better picture of the services you provide.
I think Ed gave the best advice here, and would just add that in giving advice outside of what your company usually does you could be incurring some potential legal liability.
"Gee, I'd like to help you out some more, but that jerk lawyer of ours says I can't give you any more advice (And that's nothing compared to what the accountant is bitching about!) Here are some sources you might consider using ...."
Tool Donations Sought
I'm matching tool donors to a church mission to Haiti - we're shipping a bus converted to a medical facility in (now it looks like) April and can fill it with clothes, tools and all sorts of stuff needed in that poorest of all countries. A few hand tools or power tools can provide a livelihood for an otherwise destitute family. Please email me if you have tools to donate.
Thanks to Jeff and David and Jim and Rich and Steven and Mark and Jason and Shep and Jen and Mike and Joe and Bill and Ken for their offers!
Several donations have arrived! Thanks and God bless!
Hey Bob - Just curious.
Is the situation in Haiti going to affect your mision/tool thingy?AOL? Isn't that "Association of Online Losers"? [Robert Harley]
The news we're getting from the missions is sporadic, but the conditions there are terrible.
"Our" missions are on the southern peninsula, most of the turmoil has been on the north-south axis so far, but the whole country is affected, of course.
There was a reported 3-4 day food supply when the fighting broke out, Lord only knows what people are eating - many Haitians (especially infants and children) were already on the edge of starvation and we know that there have been starvation deaths at the hospital we've been trying to help.
We had been looking at shipping the bus and tools and stuff in April, but that is on hold of course.
Right now we're pretty much limited to prayer for any direct action.
The actual bus conversion project is slated to start next weekend.
_______________________
Tool Donations Sought
I'm matching tool donors to a church mission to Haiti - we're shipping a bus converted to a medical facility in (now it looks like) April and can fill it with clothes, tools and all sorts of stuff needed in that poorest of all countries. A few hand tools or power tools can provide a livelihood for an otherwise destitute family. Please email me if you have tools to donate.
Thanks to Jeff and David and Jim and Rich and Steven and Mark and Jason and Shep and Jen and Mike and Joe and Bill and Ken for their offers!
Several donations have arrived! Thanks and God bless!
Thanks for the update.
Hopefully they'll get things under control over there.Don't take advice from fortune cookies.