Or maybe I was just born in the wrong century or country or something!
I just don't get it.....
I just don't get people.
I have a refrigerator that works sometimes and other times it decides it would rather not work properly.
So, since it's only 5 yrs old and replacing it would be quite expensive AND not as good for the environment as repairing it(which might also be cheaper than replacing), I am trying to find a local appliance repair person to attempt to fix it.
Now you would think....maybe this is where I get into trouble, projecting rational thoughts onto other beings of the human race...lol...that if you are in business for yourself, and you make your living and earn your money by being an appliance repair person, that you would do things to get repair jobs so you can earn that money.
"Doing things" would include like returning telephone calls from potential customers.
People who WANT TO give you money for your skills.
ESPECIALLY in this sluggish economy where most everyone is complaining non-stop that business is so slow and they don't have enough work to make a decent living.
You would think.....huh?
I have had ONE whole repair person return my calls.
And that call went like this.....
Ring ring ring....
Daughter-"Hello?"
THEM-"Yah, you called about your fridge?"
Daughter-"That was my mom, just a minute, I'll put her on the phone."
*Daughter hands me the phone.*
Me-"Hello?"
Silence on the other end.
Me-"Hello?"
More silence on the other end.
Me-"HELLO!?"
More silence on the other end....but I can tell the line is open and 'live' because I hear breathing...
Then 3 seconds later the line goes CLICK and disconnects.
So I hang the phone up and stand and wait for them to call back.....and I wait and wait some more.
And the next day comes & they have yet to call back.
Now you would think....uh oh....there I go again "thinking" lol....that if the connection on their end was bad that they would call back?
You would think....
But no, I end up calling AGAIN and leaving my message again.
I swear, every time I have to find someone in the trade industries(construction or handyman repair, appliance repair, electrician)-the trades were people are self-employed, I run into these kinds of problems.
Problems like not returning calls, not showing up when they say they will, never showing up for appointments at all, and a whole host of little annoyances that you can overlook if they are good at their job and get it done.
I swear, if someone wanted to make a great living in this country and had a skill people would pay them decently for, all they would have to do to make a fortune would be to be halfway polite and actually show up and be ready to work!
Courtesy, integrity & showing up SOBER will make you a rich man!!
I am beginning to think that a lot of people who just don't want to work more than they have to, to support their lifestyles, go and buy a pick-up truck and have a sign put on the door that they are in *fill in the blank* business. It sounds better than calling yourself an unemployed bum who doesn't WANT to work or can't handle working for someone else. (I am NOT talking about unemployed people who get laid off due to the recession or something and who want to work but can't find a job.)
Oh....the one exception I have found in the trades are the plumbers. For some reason the ONLY guys we have ever had work for us that were top notch in skills and in human decency were plumbers.
So I am being forced to buy a new fridge....it's either that or let our food spoil.
Or divorce my Hubs and find a new one that is handy....real quick!lol
All I want to know is this.....
Have you ever had any luck with hiring self-employed folks to work for you?
Or have your interactions been unsatisfactory like mine?
Sluggy
I'm actually not sure if we've ever hired a self-employed individual to do work for us. When we need work done that Shane can't do himself, we usually try to call local family-owned (yet well-established) business. If they can't help us, we'll call bigger companies, and finally, if necessary, we'll call the manufactures to see who in our area they recommend. We have had great service with the small family companies.
ReplyDeleteI don't know that we've ever hired self-employed people either. We usually hire a local company that has been in business for years. We've used companies that our warranties specified and they were a joke--we end up paying out of pocket for a local--our town company vs their recommended--Greensboro--company. I've found that bigger city doesn't mean better service. Good luck to you!!
ReplyDeleteThat sucks, Sluggy. We don't ever call repair people. (The joys of living in an apartment.) But I agree with you...you hear about how people want to work, then you would think they would call you back.
ReplyDeleteI just don't get why no one would want the work today. Unbelievable!
ReplyDeleteI just keep praising Den until he fixes it or breaks beyond recognition. Maybe you could google the problem and see what you come up with. Anna's ex-boyfriend fixed our frig. His dad was having the same problem and knew what to do. Ask around.
ReplyDeleteMy father who was a brick mason/tile expert was so loved by his clients that he never even had to advertised as he recvd all of his work by word of mouth and repeat business. I was raised to take thorough messages and I remember him on the phone everyday returning calls and we were not allowed on the phone in that time period. He prided himself in leaving every job clean every single day.
ReplyDeleteWe've had mixed luck. The one plumber was good. One lawn guy was okay, another was too busy going to court for his DUIs. We're crossing our fingers about a painter who actually showed up on time for the estimate walk-around (now we wait for the estimate). We've had good luck with a tree removal guy until this last time and now he's AWOL (but our tree that he was supposed to take in July is still dead and standing).
ReplyDeleteI agree - there's a lost art to good manners going hand in hand with good business sense. It doesn't SEEM terribly tricky, but I guess it is.
Frances--It's days/times like this that I wish we had landlords....well, make that GOOD landlords!lol
ReplyDeleteCoupon Challenged--It's a shame that tradesmen/women nowadays aren't like your dad was. Hardly anybody seems to take pride in their work anymore. Thanks for coming to see me today!
AnnieJ-I did end up contacting Whirlpool to arrange for a company affiliated repair person but the soonest they would/could schedule someone to come was Sept. 13th! That's too long to wait when you don't have refrigeration plus I have jury duty starting on the 7th so no one will be here for a service call.
I think I'm going to have to go buy a new fridge, put this one in the garage and see about getting it repaired later and using it as a second fridge.
Two words for you, Sluggy.
ReplyDeleteAngies. List.
Check it out, you'll be glad you did.
The best guy in this town is Appliance Guy. Seriously, Hardly anyone knows his name. That is how he answers his phone, "Appliance Guy." He is great. The self-employed electrician is great. Lawn guys--not so great, poor service, not timely, too expensive. But, I live in the best or worst part of town....lol. This is a historic district with large homes and affluent people. Prices go up when lawn guys come here. So, that makes it the worst part of town, if they even show up. No, I am not affluent or even threatening that category with my presence...long way from it.
ReplyDelete