Anyone here transition from utility to residential or other sector? Utility here pays quite well and the benefits are solid but starting to experience mental burnout and the ever changing trimming specs that you can’t help but shake your head at (they’d like to try “enhanced” trimming again this year aka no overhang on softwoods regardless of how high above the wires) which the work is whatever but the needless siding of trees just gets old.
Anyone transition from utility to residential?
- Thread starter pcpTR33
- Start date
Mick Dempsey!
Participating member
If you think utility fries your brain, try dealing with the general public on a daily basis!
Nothing to add really, but good luck with however it goes.
Nothing to add really, but good luck with however it goes.
I once traded a few bad customer stories with a friend and old people unfortunately came to the fore. He explained about a customer re-speccing after completion and not answering the door presumably on purpose at pay time. I pointed out the likelihood of near deafness. I just had a conversation yesterday with a friend/customer 95 yrs old who thought October was 2 weeks ago, the tree that was removed fell miraculously clear of the house and asked for my licence when he meant address. Bless him for his tenacity. Getting facts mixed up goes with older clients. I once told an old lady How did those bundles of trimmed bushes get on your driveway? Hint I did the job and put them there please pay up. "nope" Sad is when you see a transition from normal to dementia and normal customer interaction is gone.
Miserable SOB's is another topic.. Me - big explanation ending with can I access cutting from your roof? blank stare like no Anglaise. I suffer through awkward difficult alternate access, just about done, reaching the furthest bits "stop! that's enough!" Oh you do speak Anglaise. Customer then says yeah I got bad blood with that neighbour. Gee thanks for letting me in on it.
Another customer says you didn't cut the branch it's still up there, pointing at it. I point to the circular collar wound below there and the huge branch laying on the ground. "you didn't cut it I can see it right there" (Charlie Brown style
Aaaaaaargh!
Miserable SOB's is another topic.. Me - big explanation ending with can I access cutting from your roof? blank stare like no Anglaise. I suffer through awkward difficult alternate access, just about done, reaching the furthest bits "stop! that's enough!" Oh you do speak Anglaise. Customer then says yeah I got bad blood with that neighbour. Gee thanks for letting me in on it.
Another customer says you didn't cut the branch it's still up there, pointing at it. I point to the circular collar wound below there and the huge branch laying on the ground. "you didn't cut it I can see it right there" (Charlie Brown style
Aaaaaaargh!
data farm 26
Been here a while
- Location
- Casablanca
Yep, horror stories for days about client interactions. A huge reason I got out of the game. As the years go by the general public seems to be more and more disconnected from reality and just plain old rude! I became too sensitive to deal with it anymore. When I first started I had more patience and just wanted to get the job and get it done. Then I became more jaded and sensitive, walked off on more than a few people near the end.
ghostice
Been here a while
Funny. Some guys (and we all may be there eventually) just don't know when to hang it up. I had a job where the hubby absolutely had to help out rigging stuff down. Then . . . . he came out of the house using a walker and his wife brought him a chair. Not being one to dash enthusiasm completely I rigged up an X ring and a place for him way way over there . . . to hold a line "So the pieces don't swing towards the house". He was happy, I was kinda happy (didn't take much time) and all was good.
. . . As opposed to Air Canada and other airlines these days - how does it go - "We're Not Happy Until You're Not Happy" or something.
. . . As opposed to Air Canada and other airlines these days - how does it go - "We're Not Happy Until You're Not Happy" or something.
southsoundtree
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Olympia, WA
Almost all of my customers are fine to great.
Thorough specs!
Write options down for people who are "less sharp". Pace your speech for mental processing by customers.
They can be overwhelmed by what we think of as trivial.
"I don't know how you're going to get up there".
"The tree is huge. It's taller than my house."
Never done utility. A very different metric of accomplishing goals and who you have to please.
Acknowledge people's concerns, then if you have contradictory info, express it, politely.
Thorough specs!
Write options down for people who are "less sharp". Pace your speech for mental processing by customers.
They can be overwhelmed by what we think of as trivial.
"I don't know how you're going to get up there".
"The tree is huge. It's taller than my house."
Never done utility. A very different metric of accomplishing goals and who you have to please.
Acknowledge people's concerns, then if you have contradictory info, express it, politely.
The speccing error was 1) showing/describing what was wanted from one position on the property and 2) evaluating it done from a different viewing position on the property - without letting him know about the alternate evaluation. Words were "you didn't show me this view from here before I started the work. Is that fair?" and I think agreement was then reached. I'd call that dodging a bullet. IIRC the story.
The confused look with spouses present, who get angry "he just told you the answer to that question" is a sign of them being worn down dealing with the spouse's dementia. awkward.
The confused look with spouses present, who get angry "he just told you the answer to that question" is a sign of them being worn down dealing with the spouse's dementia. awkward.
Started working for the provincial utility mid-2015, quit mid-2019 after milking that soul sucking place for every dollar I could. Some yada, yada, yada stuff over the summer of 2019 and then took a 50% pay cut to move back to residential. People called me crazy for halving my income, but if I had stayed in utility I may have offed myself. It was that bad.
Spent a couple of years with a solid company before starting my own in 2021 and never looked back. Financially comfortable and happy is exponentially better than rich and miserable.
Spent a couple of years with a solid company before starting my own in 2021 and never looked back. Financially comfortable and happy is exponentially better than rich and miserable.
Very similar situation and thought process, much appreciated feedback.
ATH
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Findlay, Ohio
I've never done utility, but know several who have made the switch.
Fewer who switched from success in residential to go work utility...except as some companies grow, they seem to want to tackle that giant. I'm guessing that's often (but obviously, not always) an owner who is not in the field as much as a manager as the company grew and that is the "low hanging fruit" for big money contracts.
Fewer who switched from success in residential to go work utility...except as some companies grow, they seem to want to tackle that giant. I'm guessing that's often (but obviously, not always) an owner who is not in the field as much as a manager as the company grew and that is the "low hanging fruit" for big money contracts.
Brando CalPankian
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- Pine City, MN
I went private to utility back to private.
Utility has its perks. Stable, decent pay, good benefits, generally easy work (no weird specs, clear goals).
The wrong private site companies would be doing worse off than utilities, so you'd want to be cautious in your switch.
Some skills transfer well, some don't. Private side generally requires more rope skills, rigging skills, people skills, and a way different tool bag of pruning skills (objective based).
Utility work can be political and full of red tape. It is gaining more clout these days, and even has its own climbing comps. I was union out of Washington State, and the trimmers from that local were really good dudes. It was a good place to work.
It's not that either one is better or worse. It depends on your situation, risk tolerance life wise, mentality towards work, and local companies that you could jump ship and work for (there's more than just wages from your prospective company). There's less regulation on private side, so more shitty companies.
If you've got more specific questions feel free to give me a shout. Hell we're hiring a journeyman, I'd make it worth your while. Lol.
Utility has its perks. Stable, decent pay, good benefits, generally easy work (no weird specs, clear goals).
The wrong private site companies would be doing worse off than utilities, so you'd want to be cautious in your switch.
Some skills transfer well, some don't. Private side generally requires more rope skills, rigging skills, people skills, and a way different tool bag of pruning skills (objective based).
Utility work can be political and full of red tape. It is gaining more clout these days, and even has its own climbing comps. I was union out of Washington State, and the trimmers from that local were really good dudes. It was a good place to work.
It's not that either one is better or worse. It depends on your situation, risk tolerance life wise, mentality towards work, and local companies that you could jump ship and work for (there's more than just wages from your prospective company). There's less regulation on private side, so more shitty companies.
If you've got more specific questions feel free to give me a shout. Hell we're hiring a journeyman, I'd make it worth your while. Lol.
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