Good customer, but dang...

bluerooster

bluerooster

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shorty
So I'm working on his airplane, he has a few minor corrosion issues.
He comes by with a pint can of some paint that's supposed to match. Great ! Now he's "forgotten" the one containing the color that I don't already have. And hangs around for a few minutes asking about this and that, then leaves. Later he comes back with the other color. And hangs around for about an hour, BSing about this and that. So I stop work, and talk with him for a while. Problem is while I'm BSing with the customer, there's nuttin' getting done. And I needa get him finished up by Tuesday.
He kept askin' how long I'll be, I told him that if the temp get's up enough I should be able to paint on Mon. (what I didn't tell him, is that only goes as long as he quits pestering me). About 4:30 I start packing up, and he says "I'll see you tomorrow, What time will you be here?" :rolleyes:

I work three ways:
Good
Fast
Cheep
You may pick only two.
If you want Good, and Fast, it won't be cheep.
If you want Good and Cheep, it won't be fast.
If you want Fast and Cheep, it won't be good.
But don't pester me or it won't be either of those.
 
You just need one of those signs like:

Labor rate: $80/hr
Owner-assisted labor rate: $90/hr
Owner-is-here-but-not-assisting labor rate: $150/hr
 
bluerooster said:
So I'm working on his airplane, he has a few minor corrosion issues.
He comes by with a pint can of some paint that's supposed to match. Great ! Now he's "forgotten" the one containing the color that I don't already have. And hangs around for a few minutes asking about this and that, then leaves. Later he comes back with the other color. And hangs around for about an hour, BSing about this and that. So I stop work, and talk with him for a while. Problem is while I'm BSing with the customer, there's nuttin' getting done. And I needa get him finished up by Tuesday.
He kept askin' how long I'll be, I told him that if the temp get's up enough I should be able to paint on Mon. (what I didn't tell him, is that only goes as long as he quits pestering me). About 4:30 I start packing up, and he says "I'll see you tomorrow, What time will you be here?" :rolleyes:

I work three ways:
Good
Fast
Cheep
You may pick only two.
If you want Good, and Fast, it won't be cheep.
If you want Good and Cheep, it won't be fast.
If you want Fast and Cheep, take it somewhere else.
But don't pester me or it won't be either of those.
Click to expand...

FTFY.

Seriously though, I had a customer like that. He stopped pestering me after I told him the clock was on his time while he was doing that.
 
There are very few times where it's handy for the customer to pop by while I'm working. One of those is when I find something that needs to be addressed, and I can point it out and let him/her know about it. But other than that, I'd rather they stay away, and let me work.
 
OTOH...I once used a mechanic that was just as bad or worse. If I stopped by or called to check on progress, I could never get him to stop talking.

I only let him work flat rate. I don't know how the man ever gets anything done.
 
timwinters said:
OTOH...I once used a mechanic that was just as bad or worse. If I stopped by or called to check on progress, I could never get him to stop talking.

I only let him work flat rate. I don't know how the man ever gets anything done.
Click to expand...

Henning?
 
I have no problem working and chatting at the same time...:no:
 
When my A&P is working on my plane, I'm smart enough to keep my mouth shut and hand him tools. Too bad your customer hasn't been trained.
 
It really bothers me when I'm working on your aircraft and some body else wants to shoot the sh--
 
Old Geek said:
When my A&P is working on my plane, I'm smart enough to keep my mouth shut and hand him tools. Too bad your customer hasn't been trained.
Click to expand...
When the A&P is working on mine, I stay away or I keep my hands behind my back and try to ask only reasonable questions to learn something, but again, not very often. They know what they're doing, and I don't. On the other hand I do provide some computer help once in a while.

And bring brownies with walnuts and a checkbook.
 
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