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

[SignosaurusRex]

 

[Gino]

Many of the suggestions are good and Robert's are helpful. Thing is, I already have that stick. It's called a Louisville 38" Slugger. I've always nicknamed it my 'Bill Collector'. Worked like a charm in that department. More recent years, I've traded it in for a S&W 38.

I've decided when he comes in the next time, I will talk to him and explain how, when I reserve a time for him, it's really reserved for his type of job, which I cannot substitute if he's very late, a no show or anything else but on time. I'll also let him know, I've been waiving our stadard 'no show' charge, but I can no longer do that. If he doesn't give me a call giving me an new estimated timeframe or that he cannot make the appointment at all, I will be sending him an invoice for his tardiness. Standard charge will be $75 his credit card is on file, so I'll just run it when this happens. His not being responsible will no longer be my problem, but his own. Kinda throwing the ball into his court. If he leaves, I'll be sorry, but it'll be one less headache.

Perhaps, this will get his attention so he'll straighten up and fly right.

 

[Robert Armerding]

Many of the suggestions are good and Robert's are helpful. Thing is, I already have that stick. It's called a Louisville 38" Slugger. I've always nicknamed it my 'Bill Collector'. Worked like a charm in that department. More recent years, I've traded it in for a S&W 38.

I've decided when he comes in the next time, I will talk to him and explain how, when I reserve a time for him, it's really reserved for his type of job, which I cannot substitute if he's very late, a no show or anything else but on time. I'll also let him know, I've been waiving our stadard 'no show' charge, but I can no longer do that. If he doesn't give me a call giving me an new estimated timeframe or that he cannot make the appointment at all, I will be sending him an invoice for his tardiness. Standard charge will be $75 his credit card is on file, so I'll just run it when this happens. His not being responsible will no longer be my problem, but his own. Kinda throwing the ball into his court. If he leaves, I'll be sorry, but it'll be one less headache.

Perhaps, this will get his attention so he'll straighten up and fly right.

Gino, there is something I want to ask you to think about before you "explain..." After the usual small talk, tell him the simple facts, spell out the different exact events as if you were a newspaper reporter. For example, "We agreed on a specific time for the work to arrive here, it did not arrive at that time." Very simple, no opinion, just facts.
Then look to see how he takes it. Watch to see if he gets defensive, either in his actions or voice.
If he does, then your next move is to make it safe for the conversation to continue.
Then, once you sense that he feels safe, before you give your side, ask for his side of the story. Use your excellent listening skills to hear him out. Double check to make sure he feels that you do indeed understand his side.
Now, again, before you "explain..." ask him to imagine how you might see all of it. Ask him to pretend like he is you. Have him tell you what he would do if he were you.
During all of this, closely watch for the "feel safe" factor.
Do you get my drift? Does this make sense?
Here is the desired outcome. He will come up with a better solution than you ever dreamed of. He will feel that for the first time in a long time, someone really understands him. You will have built a stronger, more productive relationship. He will eagerly tell the business people in his inner circle to do business with you.
As I like to ask, does this make sense to you?
Robert

 

[Lotta]

ask him to imagine how you might see all of it. Ask him to pretend like he is you. Have him tell you what he would do if he were you.

I Can't believe it I am partially agreeing on something Robert is writing. Only he does to much running around the cake in my opinion.

Just get to the case: call him explain your situation and the problems he made not showing up and ask him right out what he would do if he would be you. Just neutral not accusing. Just from men to men.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Robert does have good advise, but the amount of work he's suggesting should be for serious problems, like an ongoing argument with you wife... not for a customer that is late.

 

[jfiscus]

Dumb question, can you not letter them at his location?
For all of our roll-off dumpster customers we always letter them on-site at their location.
But, usually we are lettering like 5+ at a time and they'd have to make so many trips that it is easier for our guys to drive there and knock them out in 1 trip.

It sounds like this guy is having growing pains in his business and trouble sorting them out. Just tell him when he misses the appt and calls to reschedule that you're currently booked 2-3 weeks out so he cant get back in for that mount of time. That should light a fire under him to show up on time. We struggled for a long time with no-shows and truck coming days late for years, but after we really did get booked out for a few weeks (which EVERY customer hates to hear) it seems almost everything shows up on time now.

 

[Stacey K]

I would just talk to him about it. In my experience, people don't understand we keep a schedule. I've had a few people say, "Monday should work". Once I explain to them that I need an answer one way or another by Friday because I have several other jobs I can letter Monday if you can't make it. They seem to understand.

 

[CJ-NYC]

If you already understand what's happening (he's just too busy and doesn't really value your own time at all) then maybe institute a new policy: $X to schedule space for installation at your facility, which is completely refundable AFTER the work is done. So you charge him for the space and then deduct it from the invoice after the work is done. And pay up front. So now its on him to get his dumpster there on time. If he doesn't -- be nice, keep it on his account. If he keeps doing it, start keeping the fee. And make the fee offset the 'coulda, coulda, coulda' lost opportunity cost to you. Now his complete lack of respect for your time and shop space has become profitable (edit: or less of a drain).

But be nice at first: when he inevitably fails to show up, refund him. But he's on notice now that your time and space aren't his to dump on.

 

[John Miller]

Not sure how far away his site is but, what if you called him and said " you've got to be going crazy with all your work, I can help you by lettering your dumpsters at your site" Charge him extra for travel and off-site lettering and possibly turn it into a winner.

 

[eahicks]

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.

This is kind of what we do. But it bites us in the butt sometimes. If we have someone scheduled for say 2:00, well they decide to come at 1:00. And then they expect us to drop everything and tend to their job. And they wanna wait. Which 99% of the time, they are asked to LEAVE the vehicle because things come up and we may have to reprint/recut or get interrupted by another job. There's no winning really, expect when they show up on time and the installation goes as planned.

 

[Gino]

Robert, there's no need for me to play head games with this guy. I already know what most of his answers are gonna be, and quite frankly, that's why I'm gonna have this pow-wow with him. Actually, I'll do the talking. He is a very know-it-all trash man. He got lucky and in the last 2 years has expanded and he doesn't know how to grow his business without hurting others.in the process.

Usually his people drop the cans off, not him, but lately he's been doing it, since he lost his best driver and the other guy I told him I don't ever want to see him near my shop again. The dumb f*ck dropped a big can and cracked my cement floor about 10' long. He also scraped and put deep gouges in other areas of my floor. So, John has been coming out. All I hear his his b!tching & griping about how busy he is, how he needs good help and how poor he is after buying all these cans. Nope, no small talk will be needed. I got his number in that department. I've just been trying to be nice and accommodating and now it's backfired and he's taking advantage, so I'll put my foot down and either lose him or get a better customer out of it.

As for doing the cans at his place. Not a chance. We're not gonna do these things outside in the wind, cold, rain or whatever else is going out. I had indoor garages and bays for the last almost 40 years and I didn't do that to go letter a trash can on some smelly lot. Did ya ever smell the perfume or whatever it is they spray around those yards ?? It's frickin' sickening. It's a mask to cover up the ugly smells. Besides that, you go to any dumpster lot and you'll see rats galore in the morning and evening. Especially after dumping them, washing them out and parking them for the evening.. No thanks on that one.

 

[neutrinocv]

It's a 5 minutes coversation where either he,s going to decide on a fair penalty or you will just "dump" him because he just doesn't get it...

He's missing on the apointments because it's more lucrative for him to have his crates elsewhere than your shop at that time; just tell him you can certainly understand that and that making money is the whole concept of being in business.

That being said, just tell him that it would be more lucrative for you, as well, to have somebody else's job in your shop instead of his no-shows... Ask him if he understands that.

If he does understand that, then, ask him what he would do if he was in your situation whit his "no-shows"... Ask him what he does when a customer orders a crate then cancels on the day of the delivery or cancels when the driver gets on-site with the crate ? At this point, bells should be ringing in his head and a fair penalty on such events can be agreed on.

But if he don't understand sh!t, then just politely invite him to try to find another shop who will deal with that kind of customership and that your door will always be open for him on YOUR TERMS.

It's going to be a 5 minutes well invested. IMO

On a side note; I used to work in a shop where trucks, cars, containers, whatever... done in shop had an apointment pre-payment of 250$ (CAD) that was credited on the invoice. It was the customer's LOSS if a no-show or cancellation not in due time happened. I think this is a fair policy that keeps everybody in line !!!

 

[Johnny Best]

Robert does have good advise, but the amount of work he's suggesting should be for serious problems, like an ongoing argument with you wife... not for a customer that is late.

Haha, if I gave my wife a stick to hold while I rambled on about something and my time being precious and complaining about how it disrupts my day. There would be defensive bruises all over my arms from that stick being bought down on me.

I have an idea Gino. Start reading all the advice Ri sent you to your customer. He would make sure he kept his appointment next time so you don't bore him to death.

 

[GAC05]

As for doing the cans at his place. Not a chance. We're not gonna do these things outside in the wind, cold, rain or whatever else is going out. I had indoor garages and bays for the last almost 40 years and I didn't do that to go letter a trash can on some smelly lot. Did ya ever smell the perfume or whatever it is they spray around those yards ?? It's frickin' sickening. It's a mask to cover up the ugly smells. Besides that, you go to any dumpster lot and you'll see rats galore in the morning and evening. Especially after dumping them, washing them out and parking them for the evening.. No thanks on that one.

Come on Gino you gotta man up.
I once pinstriped and partially wrapped the lid and inside the lid of a coffin at a mortuary. It was already set up for viewing. Meaning it was occupied. Was the mom of one of my dear long-time customers so I didn't mind (much), funny part was I took a helper and it was his first day on the job. He didn't quit right away but didn't last too long either.
True story.

 

[ikarasu]

Another "Maybe" option is after hours / weekend work... and upcharge quite a bit for it.

We do a lot of work for the hospital, they re-wrap their shuttle bus every 3-6 months depending on what campaign theyre running. They can't do it during regular hours because it's in use picking people up... So they drop it off Friday night, and we either work through the night wrapping it, or do it on saturday and they pick it up sunday to get it back in service on Monday.

I imagine garbage bins aren't running 24/7.... Give him the option of twice the price for after hours work. It may be worth it to him... but if he's constantly complaining about being broke, maybe not!

 

[neutrinocv]

Haha, if I gave my wife a stick to hold while I rambled on about something and my time being precious and complaining about how it disrupts my day. There would be defensive bruises all over my arms from that stick being bought down on me.

I wouldn't even dare giving my wife a toothpick on such an occasion...!!!

 

[Robert Armerding]

Robert, there's no need for me to play head games with this guy. I already know what most of his answers are gonna be, and quite frankly, that's why I'm gonna have this pow-wow with him. Actually, I'll do the talking. He is a very know-it-all trash man. He got lucky and in the last 2 years has expanded and he doesn't know how to grow his business without hurting others.in the process.

Usually his people drop the cans off, not him, but lately he's been doing it, since he lost his best driver and the other guy I told him I don't ever want to see him near my shop again. The dumb f*ck dropped a big can and cracked my cement floor about 10' long. He also scraped and put deep gouges in other areas of my floor. So, John has been coming out. All I hear his his b!tching & griping about how busy he is, how he needs good help and how poor he is after buying all these cans. Nope, no small talk will be needed. I got his number in that department. I've just been trying to be nice and accommodating and now it's backfired and he's taking advantage, so I'll put my foot down and either lose him or get a better customer out of it.

As for doing the cans at his place. Not a chance. We're not gonna do these things outside in the wind, cold, rain or whatever else is going out. I had indoor garages and bays for the last almost 40 years and I didn't do that to go letter a trash can on some smelly lot. Did ya ever smell the perfume or whatever it is they spray around those yards ?? It's frickin' sickening. It's a mask to cover up the ugly smells. Besides that, you go to any dumpster lot and you'll see rats galore in the morning and evening. Especially after dumping them, washing them out and parking them for the evening.. No thanks on that one.

Gino, "I've just been trying to be nice and accommodating..." sounds like the Gino I am enjoying getting to know.
With this added information, "No thanks..." sounds much more appropriate response to the whole business relationship. No other explanation needed. "What part of no do you not understand?"
Other option: Do you think there might be any hope of you helping him do better? If no, then stick with "No thanks..." If yes, then only pursue that approach if you can see a long-term benefit to your company.

 

[Boudica]

Haha, if I gave my wife a stick to hold while I rambled on about something and my time being precious and complaining about how it disrupts my day. There would be defensive bruises all over my arms from that stick being bought down on me.

I have an idea Gino. Start reading all the advice Ri sent you to your customer. He would make sure he kept his appointment next time so you don't bore him to death.

Well, if she has the stick - it's her turn to talk. If your going to ramble on while she's holding the stick of course you will get hit. No rambling allowed unless you hold the stick. Talking stick rules 101

 

[Johnny Best]

Rules, always rules! No rambling, got it.

 

[BobM]

I have several of these type customers. I simply schedule as much work as I can at their location, subject to weather, and charge them accordingly.