[SeniorSitizen]

E-mail 2 pictures of work I needed done, to a plumbing business I've used on several previous occasions.

The reason for the suggestion by me was the round trip to my house is 70 miles so I would rather not pay for 2 trip charges or another 1-1/2 hours @ $75.00 / hour if all the correct parts weren't on the truck.

 

[oh'mike]

Great idea----I really appreciate it when a regular customer sends pictures of a problem that they need to get fixed---

Lets me know what parts are needed---saves a trip to look at the job--saves me a trip to the store for parts---

Just be sure to call and speak to the plumber in person---

 

[SeniorSitizen]

Great idea----I really appreciate it when a regular customer sends pictures of a problem that they need to get fixed---

Lets me know what parts are needed---saves a trip to look at the job--saves me a trip to the store for parts---

Just be sure to call and speak to the plumber in person---

A very different experience for me. The short very quick answer to me about providing pictures was NO !!! as in nearly sounding like HELL NO.

Receptionist or whatever her title is answering the phone -
" What kind of work do you need done "?

Me - I need 2 under lavatory metal drain pipe changed to PVC.


Receptionist - " I'll make a work order and put you on the list ".

Business owner calls two days later and says: " I hear you have under lavatory drains leaking ".

Me - " no sir, I'd like 2 metal drains changed to PVC ".

Business owner: " We'll be right out ".

Employee plumber shows, changes first without any problems. Gets to second lavatory.

Plumber - " sure wish I'd known this one had an S trap ". " we don't stock those and I'll need to go to Lowe's to get one ".

I'm sure you can calculate how much extra it cost me for the driving time for another 70 mile round trip paying the plumber and his helper.

 

[dd57chevy]

The "employee" plumber obviously was not at fault . It doesn't sound like a tremendously efficient or well managed outfit .

Communication is key ! (I just made that up !)

Your call whether to look for a different plumber ......

 

[oh'mike]

Your call whether to look for a different plumber ......

That plumber needs a new receptionist.

 

[Bud9051]

Did you actually email the pictures or just suggest it? If they were never emailed I would ask the owner if the suggested pictures would have eliminated the need for the extra trip and express your concerns if the resulting billing includes the added time. The owner needs to make the corrections to his business and if you like him he can't do that unless he is aware of the problem. Whether he bends a bit on the bill or not will be your measure of how he accepts his employee mistakes. In 99% of the cases, when an employee makes a mistake, the customer pays, one way or another.

Bud

 

[de-nagorg]

That plumber needs a new receptionist.

While I agree in theory. In actuality the receptionist is the owners "SIGNIFICANT OTHER", or child, and they would rather keep the Family Peace, than make any suggestions to better serve the customer.

I have seen this in many businesses, from Attorneys, to Roto-Rooter guys.


ED

 

[oh'mike]

While I agree in theory. In actuality the receptionist is the owners "SIGNIFICANT OTHER", or child, and they would rather keep the Family Peace, than make any suggestions to better serve the customer.

I have seen this in many businesses, from Attorneys, to Roto-Rooter guys.


ED

I usually take a dispute right to the top man--with the attitude that he would genuinely want to know that he has a problem in his staff.


----I would ,very likely, talk to the owner and let him know that I had offered to send pictures --that ,if they had been seen ahead of time, the call would have been done without a wasted trip to fetch parts.

And also ask if he was aware that the receptionist told me NOT to send them and was that his policy?

Unfortunately, the problem might be with him and his management style.

 

[de-nagorg]

I usually take a dispute right to the top man--with the attitude that he would genuinely want to know that he has a problem in his staff.


----I would ,very likely, talk to the owner and let him know that I had offered to send pictures --that ,if they had been seen ahead of time, the call would have been done without a wasted trip to fetch parts.

And also ask if he was aware that the receptionist told me NOT to send them and was that his policy?

Unfortunately, the problem might be with him and his management style.

All quite true, but if the owner is still unwilling to but his pants on and run his business, the customer has only one recourse.

Seek a better ran place to deal with.

We do agree that the owner needs to have the opportunity to make amends.


ED

 

[Ghostmaker]

So this supposedly professional plumber decided to reinstall an illegal S trap instead of bringing it up to code with an AAV and a P trap? Amazing!

 

[ben's plumbing]

In the plumbers defense..we don't carry s traps on our trucks either...because not legal.....but to hook it back up without changing to code....:vs_no_no_no::vs_no_no_no: