must be a rare as rocking horse sh*t! So far, out of 6 appointments
using different plumbers, only two have managed to turn up at the
appointed time. The other four simply didn't show, not even a courtesy
phone call, one of these was even British Gas! It's not as if it's a
small job; I want my boiler/cylinder/pumps and valves replacing, so a
fair sized chunk of work. What is it with the service industry, how do
they get away with it? If our company followed the same working
practice we would be out of business before we know it.

Any views?

"Gavin" wrote in message
...
must be a rare as rocking horse sh*t! So far, out of 6 appointments
using different plumbers, only two have managed to turn up at the
appointed time. The other four simply didn't show, not even a courtesy
phone call, one of these was even British Gas! It's not as if it's a
small job; I want my boiler/cylinder/pumps and valves replacing, so a
fair sized chunk of work. What is it with the service industry, how do
they get away with it? If our company followed the same working
practice we would be out of business before we know it.

Any views?

Supply and demand is the primary driver. If a consumer has plenty of choice,
the worst practitioners will struggle to find clients, if there aren't
enough plumbers to satisy the clients, they have no need to improve their
act.

Of course, good plumbers will always be good plumbers and cowboys will still
be cowboys and there's plenty of grey in-between.

Paul

Paul Andrews wrote:

snipped

Supply and demand is the primary driver. If a consumer has plenty of choice,
the worst practitioners will struggle to find clients, if there aren't
enough plumbers to satisy the clients, they have no need to improve their
act.

Of course, good plumbers will always be good plumbers and cowboys will still
be cowboys and there's plenty of grey in-between.

Paul


True, but as these people were recommended by friends etc you would have
hoped they would feel some "guilt"/"need"/"whatever" to try to at least
contact me to let me know they can't make it. I think it's called "good
manners" ;-) All they have achieved now is a) not being used by me b)
not being used by any friends etc due to negative feedback, in the long
run this must affect their business.

I agree though, all the time they are busy I can't see this changing. It
is just so annoying!!

Gavin

Gavin wrote:
must be a rare as rocking horse sh*t! So far, out of 6 appointments
using different plumbers, only two have managed to turn up at the
appointed time. The other four simply didn't show, not even a
courtesy phone call, one of these was even British Gas! It's not as
if it's a small job; I want my boiler/cylinder/pumps and valves
replacing, so a fair sized chunk of work. What is it with the
service industry, how do they get away with it? If our company
followed the same working practice we would be out of business before
we know it.

Any views?

Yup, never rely on a plumber, learn the trade saves you broosters


--

Sir Benjamin Midllethwaite

The message
from Gavin contains these words:

Any views?

I've never called a plumber!

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

On Wed, 1 Mar 2006 20:24:50 UTC, Guy King wrote:

The message
from Gavin contains these words:

Any views?

I've never called a plumber!

I've called a plumber lots of things!

--
The information contained in this post is copyright the
poster, and specifically may not be published in, or used by
Avenue Supplies, http://avenuesupplies.co.uk

if you give us a location, someone may be able to recommend someone?

M.

In message , Gavin
writes
Paul Andrews wrote:

snipped
Supply and demand is the primary driver. If a consumer has plenty of
choice,
the worst practitioners will struggle to find clients, if there aren't
enough plumbers to satisy the clients, they have no need to improve their
act.
Of course, good plumbers will always be good plumbers and cowboys
will still
be cowboys and there's plenty of grey in-between.
Paul


True, but as these people were recommended by friends etc you would
have hoped they would feel some "guilt"/"need"/"whatever" to try to at
least contact me to let me know they can't make it. I think it's called
"good manners" ;-) All they have achieved now is a) not being used by
me b) not being used by any friends etc due to negative feedback, in
the long run this must affect their business.

I agree though, all the time they are busy I can't see this changing.
It is just so annoying!!

Almost as annoying as people who whinge on about tradesmen in a DIY
group


--
geoff

"raden" wrote in message
...
In message , Gavin
writes
Paul Andrews wrote:

snipped
Supply and demand is the primary driver. If a consumer has plenty of
choice,
the worst practitioners will struggle to find clients, if there aren't
enough plumbers to satisy the clients, they have no need to improve
their
act.
Of course, good plumbers will always be good plumbers and cowboys
will still
be cowboys and there's plenty of grey in-between.
Paul


True, but as these people were recommended by friends etc you would
have hoped they would feel some "guilt"/"need"/"whatever" to try to at
least contact me to let me know they can't make it. I think it's called
"good manners" ;-) All they have achieved now is a) not being used by
me b) not being used by any friends etc due to negative feedback, in
the long run this must affect their business.

I agree though, all the time they are busy I can't see this changing.
It is just so annoying!!

Almost as annoying as people who whinge on about tradesmen in a DIY
group

Almost as annoying as people who whinge about people's posts... ;-)

Good tradesmen are just that - good at their craft and good at handling
their customers. I think that the OP, just like the rest of us, should be
able to expect that people do as they say they will, or let people know what
the problem is or alternative arrangement. I think that the trades is one of
the few sectors remaining where customers can be treated badly and the
tradesmen can still remain in business - simply because demand exceeds
supply.

Anyway, us DIYers will try and minimise the use of tradesmen, but we'll
always need them and I certainly appreciate people who do a good job for me.

Paul

--
geoff

wrote:

if you give us a location, someone may be able to recommend someone?

M.


Thanks for the offer, I'm in Maidstone, Kent. I have now managed to get
hold of 3 plumbers to provide quotes. Two companies and a sole trader.
Hopefully that will be enough to gauge accurate costings.

cheers

Gavin

In message , Gavin
writes
must be a rare as rocking horse sh*t! So far, out of 6 appointments
using different plumbers, only two have managed to turn up at the
appointed time. The other four simply didn't show, not even a courtesy
phone call, one of these was even British Gas! It's not as if it's a
small job; I want my boiler/cylinder/pumps and valves replacing, so a
fair sized chunk of work. What is it with the service industry, how do
they get away with it? If our company followed the same working
practice we would be out of business before we know it.

Any views?

If you can get a tradesman to turn up within a week of an appointment,
you are doing well!


--
Richard Faulkner