Discussion Not sure I'm thinking correctly.........................

[Gino]

Have a customer for some time, and they are a very good customer. Never really complains, always pays immediately and always coming back.. In the last few months, he's cancelled on me, without any notice. I think it's happened 3 times now in about 4 months. No big deal, except, it's hard to plan around this guy. He has 30 & 40 yard dumpsters. So, when they're scheduled, I need to know when, so I can get it out kinda quickly to free up the space these things take up. So, the first time, he just never showed up and I called him the next day and he gave me some silly excuse. The next time, he didn't show up, I called him and he said he was having difficulty getting a driver to drop it off, cause he was so busy. Next time was about 2 weeks ago. He just never showed up and I didn't bother calling him, so he called me this past Friday and we made arrangements for Monday at noon. Around 4 in the afternoon, I called him and no one answered. I got a call around quarter of five and his girl told me he got so busy over the weekend, he hadda use them right away. First of all, it's illegal for him to have them out unlettered and whatnot, so I don't think that's the problem, but here's my question.........

Would you start charging him for not showing up for a scheduled appointment like they do at the doctors or dentists office ?? If so, how much ?? I'm thinking $100 should get 'em to keep their appointment.

I can always use the work, but I have plenty of other things to be doing, so, not sure if I should let it bother me or not. Like I said, a regular truck or whatever, is fine. Just jockey some things around, but this thing takes up almost 2 bays and cannot be moved whenever ya want to.

Gino​

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I'd make whoever is delivering them wait until a bay opens up.. maybe that's in 1 hour or maybe 6 hours.

 

[ColorCrest]

I can always use the work, but

My phone conversation would be; “It’s important to me that you keep your appointments because of the space these yard dumpsters take up. "What do I need to do so we can keep working together?”

If his answer is something you both can agree upon, great. Otherwise, there are fees for warehousing, on-site, or off.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

I get this ALL of the time because the contractors always get busy and cant keep appointments. I wont put things on the schedule until they are sitting here because of this.

 

[signage]

I would tell him this is now the 3rd or 4th time you didn't show up, since you cannot notify me within 24 hr, from this point on I am going to charge you X amount of dollars for setting an appointment time, because you are causing me to not schedule other work! If he walks so be it!

 

[Billct2]

I like Colorcrests approach. "Here's the problem is there anything I can do to help you." If after that he falls back into his inconsiderate ways you can charge him, which may piss him off and cost you his business.

 

[Johnny Best]

I would just carry on with my regular work, if he shows up then you can start on it when you get the time. He does not worry about your time so you shouldn't worry about his time.
But if you start being a pain and bugging him and charging extra he will be gone to the hack down the street.

 

[ColorCrest]

He does not worry about your time so you shouldn't worry about his time.

I don't suspect Gino is concerned so much about the time, but by the space the yard dumpsters take up.

 

[Gino]

Yeah, it takes a considerable amount of space and I hafta make sure no one needs or uses that space, if he's scheduled. When he just doesn't show up, I keep thinking.... coulda, coulda, coulda. Then, I get pissed off. I've been nice and very considerate up to this point and I'll probably keep on being considerate, but I thought if I show/explain to him, he's inconveniencing our business, he might look at it differently. If it hits him in the wallet, he might understand better.

Granted, I don't wanna lose him, either. I make really good money on these things. The first one or two, I didn't, but I got my prices up, so I'm doing quite well. I just don't need his being shooshlick.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I look at it, if he did it to me x amount of times and I could have made y (on average, only using averages, so it may not have really been as high or it might have been even more of a loss, just depends) have something else planned. If x == y, then at that point, I charge for any further misses. But once it reaches that == point, I let him know that he has missed x amount of times, any more, I'm going to have to charge a min. fee.

He either understands or he doesn't. Relationships change over the years and it's hard to let go and if you were absolutely dead at work and not doing anything, that may give more room for them to scratch and burp, but if that isn't the case and could have had other money coming in, then nay, sorry. But that's just my take on it.

 

[ikarasu]

This is why we tell most of our fleet people they need to leave the vehicle overnight. Then if they dont show... not much of an issue. If they do... we clear a spot for the vehicle and put it in.

We use rain as an excuse... We use we're really busy and can fit them inbetween jobs... Vehicles need cleaning, the vinyl needs to sit overnight so it doesnt blow off on the highway () etc. And then you turn it around on them.

We're over scheduled right now, I can fit you in on thursday and then the next available time is 1 week after on Friday. That way they know if they dont show up, they're waiting for a week to get it done again... which usually makes them more considerate of your time.

 

[GAC05]

Gino he is probably renting them out to the protestors at night and once they push them into the street & light them on fire it must be hard to get them back.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Gino he is probably renting them out to the protestors at night and once they push them into the street & light them on fire it must be hard to get them back.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

That's am invoice that'd hit the round bin here. If you pushed me on it you'd get a paragraph that consisted of nothing but 4 letter words and not a penny.

 

[Robert Armerding]

Gino, I have a book that I refer to quite often in these kinds of situations. It is called, "Crucial Conversations; Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High." by four different authors.
Sounds like you have an opportunity to have a crucial conversation with your client.
The business outcome of such a conversation would be to produce a better future of all parties involved. We want to make a lasting difference.
Let me attempt to summarize some key thoughts.
Here is a question: "Are we playing games or are we in dialogue?" (from page 212)
You see the problem, but it seems that your client is unaware. Something needs to be said.
Think about how you can "Make It Safe." (from page 213) That alone can be a conversation stopper. What is it going to take for both parties to feel safe in the free flow of ideas?

Based on what you have said, I would recommend something from Stephen Covey's "Seven Habits."
Habit 5, "Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood." I have used what Covey describes as a "talking stick."
You hand the stick to the other person and explain that they should hold on to it until they feel that they are fully understood. Then you ask for the stick back and ask them to fully understand you.

Make it safe, fully understand each other, you will be on your way to a better future.

Does any of that make sense to you?
There are so many other details. Let's see where we are at the moment.
Robert

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I like Robert's suggestion, Gino. My way was too passive aggressive. Bring a talking stick with you and create a safe space for your dumpster client to express his inner feelings. Ask him why he is missing his deadlines. Maybe he's too busy and needs to take some "me" time. You could get him talking so much that he might reveal his gender identity card to you if you're nice enough.

Maybe we could apply this to the world today. Police should hand over a talking stick and hear out the protesters.

 

[SignosaurusRex]

I like Robert's suggestion, Gino. My way was too passive aggressive. Bring a talking stick with you and create a safe space for your dumpster client to express his inner feelings. Ask him why he is missing his deadlines. Maybe he's too busy and needs to take some "me" time. You could get him talking so much that he might reveal his gender identity card to you if you're nice enough.

Maybe we could apply this to the world today. Police should hand over a talking stick and hear out the protesters.

Okay Tex, I believe that would be considered "Adding fuel to the fire".

 

[Vinyl slayer]

Gino, I have a book that I refer to quite often in these kinds of situations. It is called, "Crucial Conversations; Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High." by four different authors.
Sounds like you have an opportunity to have a crucial conversation with your client.
The business outcome of such a conversation would be to produce a better future of all parties involved. We want to make a lasting difference.
Let me attempt to summarize some key thoughts.
Here is a question: "Are we playing games or are we in dialogue?" (from page 212)
You see the problem, but it seems that your client is unaware. Something needs to be said.
Think about how you can "Make It Safe." (from page 213) That alone can be a conversation stopper. What is it going to take for both parties to feel safe in the free flow of ideas?

Based on what you have said, I would recommend something from Stephen Covey's "Seven Habits."
Habit 5, "Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood." I have used what Covey describes as a "talking stick."
You hand the stick to the other person and explain that they should hold on to it until they feel that they are fully understood. Then you ask for the stick back and ask them to fully understand you.

Make it safe, fully understand each other, you will be on your way to a better future.

Does any of that make sense to you?
There are so many other details. Let's see where we are at the moment.
Robert

I kn

Gino, I have a book that I refer to quite often in these kinds of situations. It is called, "Crucial Conversations; Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High." by four different authors.
Sounds like you have an opportunity to have a crucial conversation with your client.
The business outcome of such a conversation would be to produce a better future of all parties involved. We want to make a lasting difference.
Let me attempt to summarize some key thoughts.
Here is a question: "Are we playing games or are we in dialogue?" (from page 212)
You see the problem, but it seems that your client is unaware. Something needs to be said.
Think about how you can "Make It Safe." (from page 213) That alone can be a conversation stopper. What is it going to take for both parties to feel safe in the free flow of ideas?

Based on what you have said, I would recommend something from Stephen Covey's "Seven Habits."
Habit 5, "Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood." I have used what Covey describes as a "talking stick."
You hand the stick to the other person and explain that they should hold on to it until they feel that they are fully understood. Then you ask for the stick back and ask them to fully understand you.

Make it safe, fully understand each other, you will be on your way to a better future.

Does any of that make sense to you?
There are so many other details. Let's see where we are at the moment.
Robert

I was waiting for the Think Tank RobertAI to chime in on this!

 

[SignosaurusRex]

Are you implying that Robert is actually Artificial Intelligence ...with your reference "RobrtAI"?

 

[Vinyl slayer]

Are you implying that Robert is actually Artificial Intelligence ...with your reference "RobrtAI"?

Yep. reading his posts... I just hear this robotic voice responding in a very robotic manner. maybe I read to much scifi - but a series I read recently.... I just can't help but think Robert is Arthur (RJ Reynolds is the author of the series - Solar war etc...).
Oh, and in another thread, someone else compared him to an old .ai program... I didn't start it Rex! lol