- Location
- Western Montana, USA
Time for a rant! I will edit as much as possible so read on only if you please.
Received a phone call from a guy who says he is "Lieutenant -----, and I am calling on behalf of ------, and she says that you have not finished your job for her". I asked if this was the police, and he butts in saying "are you going to finish the job or not"! I tried to explain myself, and he butts in again and says "just tell me that you are going to finish the job", to which I reply "I will be right over".
I Have been in business since 07, and this is the first time I have had a complaint, especially one like this.
For some background on the job in question: I took down a dead cottonwood tree on 8/30, for a sweet old lady???? who was elderly enough that she could not come out of the house when I bid on the job, but the job was straight forward enough that I felt comfortable to bid and perform without much explanation. I gave her a cheap bid ($225) because I am a sucker for feeling sorry for people. The tree was 30" dbh, had to be climbed topped and chunked, also mess cleaned up. As I was finishing up the job (had the tree on the ground, most of the wood and brush cleaned up and was doing some raking) She informed me that she had to leave for lunch (driven and assisted by someone else). Anyhow, she gives me a check and leaves and seemed happy with the job. We finished cleaning up, which consisted of raking all small stuff, however some pencil diameter sized twigs (no longer than 2", or anything that a rake would not get, are mixed with gravel in driveway, and mixed with 3 inch thick mat of pine needles on side of driveway that I could not sift out(think rural country setting). Also, I left two small 5 foot tall sucker trees that were branching off the lower root of the dead tree, as I thought she might want them for replacements, which is what most of my clients in the past have wanted.
I received a call from her the afternoon of 9/1 stating that she was sorry she had to leave and was not there when we finished the job, but she did not want the sucker trees left, and maybe we could rake a little better (keep in mind that approximately 50% of my jobs are in settings like this, and I have never had a complaint). I told her the sucker trees would be nothing to clean up, but the twigs? I would see what I could do? Told her that the guy that i sub all my cleanup to was out of town til after labor day, and would that be too long, and if so I would come do it right now (I am 45 miles away) She says that is fine, "no hurry" just as long as it gets done soon.
This morning, not five minutes after I got off the phone with my cleanup guy, talking about this job, and saying it needed to get done today or tomorrow, is when I receive the threatening phone call. I was a little frazzled, but after thinking about it for a few minutes I decide to call the number back that was saved on my phone. It belonged to the local council on aging. I could not believe that someone would call me and threaten me like that! I made sure that the job was cleaned up (took about ten minutes) Called the Client and asked if she was happy with it, of course she says she is, but she is looking out of her window 80 feet away. I again explained to her about the debris mixed with gravel and pine needles to which she replies in a sweet, little old lady, english accent, "that's fine the weather will deal with that, just mainly wanted the little trees taken out, and maybe a little more raking" She also informed me that she was getting her hair done this morning and explained to her friend (I am guessing Lieutenant) that she was a little worried that I would not finish the job. He told her he would take care of it....She said she was sorry, but hoped I understood, and she wished to use me in the future...that is how I felt...USED! This client is fired! I am such a sap for these elderly people that live in way nicer conditions than my family and I do, but I feel sorry for them and give them cheap bids, trying to be a good guy.
Called the place again and asked for the director and explained to him about the phone call, and that I just wanted to talk to the guy who made it, and would take it no further, if he could make this happen. He was very courteous and professional and said he would get to the bottom of it. 10 minutes later the "Lieutenant" calls and is much nicer this time and very apologetic. He tells me this has nothing to do with the council, and that he was "very sorry sir". I explained to him that for future reference not to be making threatening phone calls. He told me he was not threatening and when I asked him if he was a Lieutenant, he says he was in the army. I told him that I knew what his intentions were and was done with the situation, that I just wanted to speak my mind on the matter. Hopefully he does not lose his job.
I may be a little high strung, or proud, but there are certain things that stick in my craw, so I will NOT be bullied by anybody. How many of you feel this way?
Received a phone call from a guy who says he is "Lieutenant -----, and I am calling on behalf of ------, and she says that you have not finished your job for her". I asked if this was the police, and he butts in saying "are you going to finish the job or not"! I tried to explain myself, and he butts in again and says "just tell me that you are going to finish the job", to which I reply "I will be right over".
I Have been in business since 07, and this is the first time I have had a complaint, especially one like this.
For some background on the job in question: I took down a dead cottonwood tree on 8/30, for a sweet old lady???? who was elderly enough that she could not come out of the house when I bid on the job, but the job was straight forward enough that I felt comfortable to bid and perform without much explanation. I gave her a cheap bid ($225) because I am a sucker for feeling sorry for people. The tree was 30" dbh, had to be climbed topped and chunked, also mess cleaned up. As I was finishing up the job (had the tree on the ground, most of the wood and brush cleaned up and was doing some raking) She informed me that she had to leave for lunch (driven and assisted by someone else). Anyhow, she gives me a check and leaves and seemed happy with the job. We finished cleaning up, which consisted of raking all small stuff, however some pencil diameter sized twigs (no longer than 2", or anything that a rake would not get, are mixed with gravel in driveway, and mixed with 3 inch thick mat of pine needles on side of driveway that I could not sift out(think rural country setting). Also, I left two small 5 foot tall sucker trees that were branching off the lower root of the dead tree, as I thought she might want them for replacements, which is what most of my clients in the past have wanted.
I received a call from her the afternoon of 9/1 stating that she was sorry she had to leave and was not there when we finished the job, but she did not want the sucker trees left, and maybe we could rake a little better (keep in mind that approximately 50% of my jobs are in settings like this, and I have never had a complaint). I told her the sucker trees would be nothing to clean up, but the twigs? I would see what I could do? Told her that the guy that i sub all my cleanup to was out of town til after labor day, and would that be too long, and if so I would come do it right now (I am 45 miles away) She says that is fine, "no hurry" just as long as it gets done soon.
This morning, not five minutes after I got off the phone with my cleanup guy, talking about this job, and saying it needed to get done today or tomorrow, is when I receive the threatening phone call. I was a little frazzled, but after thinking about it for a few minutes I decide to call the number back that was saved on my phone. It belonged to the local council on aging. I could not believe that someone would call me and threaten me like that! I made sure that the job was cleaned up (took about ten minutes) Called the Client and asked if she was happy with it, of course she says she is, but she is looking out of her window 80 feet away. I again explained to her about the debris mixed with gravel and pine needles to which she replies in a sweet, little old lady, english accent, "that's fine the weather will deal with that, just mainly wanted the little trees taken out, and maybe a little more raking" She also informed me that she was getting her hair done this morning and explained to her friend (I am guessing Lieutenant) that she was a little worried that I would not finish the job. He told her he would take care of it....She said she was sorry, but hoped I understood, and she wished to use me in the future...that is how I felt...USED! This client is fired! I am such a sap for these elderly people that live in way nicer conditions than my family and I do, but I feel sorry for them and give them cheap bids, trying to be a good guy.
Called the place again and asked for the director and explained to him about the phone call, and that I just wanted to talk to the guy who made it, and would take it no further, if he could make this happen. He was very courteous and professional and said he would get to the bottom of it. 10 minutes later the "Lieutenant" calls and is much nicer this time and very apologetic. He tells me this has nothing to do with the council, and that he was "very sorry sir". I explained to him that for future reference not to be making threatening phone calls. He told me he was not threatening and when I asked him if he was a Lieutenant, he says he was in the army. I told him that I knew what his intentions were and was done with the situation, that I just wanted to speak my mind on the matter. Hopefully he does not lose his job.
I may be a little high strung, or proud, but there are certain things that stick in my craw, so I will NOT be bullied by anybody. How many of you feel this way?
