Gotta vent--dumb ass customers

[turbosam6]

Ok so I own a heating and a/c company, and today was basically the first "hot" day, when most people will start using their A/C. Of course, everyone waits until today to even turn on their a/c to see if it works. Then they call. Its stupid, but most of them know it and they wait until I can get to it because every one and their idiot brother waited until today to turn it on. I have this one lady, who's voice makes my nuts shrivel, she has got to be the whiniest hag ever, and guess what? Its about 90 degrees and she turned the a/c on today and it broke. She calls and not only is she pissed she has to wait, but she's pissed because I'm not fixing it today. Its about to thunderstorm like mad any second, and she's a good 30 minute drive away. Not to mention the smarter customers who called me first and got put on the schedule BEFORE it got hot are getting my service first. I just wanna smack her in the head. I am making her wait until next week in hopes of her calling someone else because she drives me nuts. I mean seriously, if you were going to drive your car on a 300 mile trip, and it hadn't been started in 6 months, wouldn't you at least check it out a few days before you had to leave???

A funny side story: One time I was doing some work for her and my employee and I are standing in her hallway working on some thermostat wiring. She is right up my ass of course, as if she has a clue what I'm doing. "Someone" rips a nasty fart, its bad, were talking eye watering. I assume its my buddy/ employee. I try not to laugh, because she has to smell it. Finally she walks away, and before I can even speak my guy says "You nasty bastard!" I was like "What?" He thought I ripped it. I said "I thought you did it!" This damn woman left a stink bomb and walked away!

 

[F8L WS6]

LOL old ladies are LETHAL. My chiro said that everytime he works on the old people and he bends them around they always rip right in his face haha.

And I feel your pain on the other half of that story. We do appliances sales/service. So we sell A/C's and we also service them. And of course the same exact problems. As soon as it gets hot out the phones go off the hook. And then when we can't get there right away because we have other appointments they get furious. Then they start telling me how I should run my business so that retards like them can get instant service no matter what. And my schedule is beyond full, with people that had a brain on them and checked out their A/C before the weather hit. It's not my fault the schedule is booked solid because of the smarter people! I can only do so much and i'm overworking myself to satisfy as many people as I can. If they can't wait then tough!

My buddies also in the Heating/Cooling have the same issues. When will people learn.

 

[TR Custom Parts]

Turbosam6! You guys do work on hot water heaters?? Or is that more of a plumber deal? Want to convert from an electric hot water heater to an oil fired unit to get my electric bill down. Got a question on venting, can I just run the vent into the chimney above my exisiting vent for the oil fired furnace??

Talk about little old ladies letting loose, try working in a nursing home. Have heard some "classics".

 

[GNRick]

My dog sitter said the a/c worked at my house last month when she turned it on. I've successfully avoided using it so far, but I think the day is fast approaching when I'll flip that switch and......nothing will happen. Then Sam will get an urgent call at 2:00 AM when I wake up swetting.

 

[DKREDT]

Do you have any kind of previous customer database that you can use for a seasonal mailer etc to help customers be proactive with pre-season ac and furnace check ups? If not, might not be a bad idea.

The co we use locally is pretty good about scheduling check ups well in advance of the time of need.....

Could be helpful to your customers and your sanity!

 

[turbosam6]

We do offer the maintenance agreements now, but didn't previously. These people have always had theirs checked every year but didn't this year. That'll show'em.

Mark, its going to depend on the capacity of the chimney (dimensions) and whether or not it has a liner, or if it needs one. I personally have never messed with oil fired water heaters. We don't do plumbing, and oils on its way out (here anyway).

Rick, I'm getting a group of friends and family together and getting them all new A/C units, before the new seer rating goes into effect. If you want I can add you to the list, I should get a decent discount since I am going to buy them all at once.

 

[GNRick]

Originally posted by turbosam6


Rick, I'm getting a group of friends and family together and getting them all new A/C units, before the new seer rating goes into effect. If you want I can add you to the list, I should get a decent discount since I am going to buy them all at once.

I always like discounts. Call me or email me with your price for parts and labor. I plan to stay in my house for a long time until I move to Fla. (in 10 years). I'll be in BG next week, though.

 

[RobsIron]

Alarm System breaks on Monday.

Call comes in at 3 pm Friday.

Has to be fixed by Sat. morn.

Going on Vacation.

Doesn't want to pay after hours rate.



Bet the Cable Guy doesn't have this problem.

 

[VADER]

whats the new seer rating? Is it worse or something?

 

[turbosam6]

Originally posted by VADER
whats the new seer rating? Is it worse or something?

Its going from 10 to 13 minimum. What that means is, take GNRicks house for example, I'd normally be able to just replace the outside unit for about $1200 (thats not the discounted price Rick), and do it in maybe 2 hours. Next year, instead of just the outside unit, I'll have to change the indoor coil and refrigerant lines, not to mention that 13 seer unit costs me about $800 more depending on size. Also doing all that work is obviously going to take longer so I have to schedule it in for a longer time and charge more labor. I will ultimately make more money, but its going to change things alot and piss off alot of customers.

Rick, call me up and I can give you the price, still trying to get all my relatives on board so I can buy all this stuff at once and get a better deal.

 

[Turbo Indian]

I'm not no heating contractor, but we built our home about 5 years ago we opted for 13 seer over the ten. we are heating 3200 sq', welder running all the time, air comp running all the time, 50 gal elec water heater with out side faucet (so we can was cars out side with HOT water). & our power bill is only $160.oo. 13 seer is much more eficiant over the ten is it not?

 

[turbosam6]

Originally posted by TurboIndian
I'm not no heating contractor, but we built our home about 5 years ago we opted for 13 seer over the ten. we are heating 3200 sq', welder running all the time, air comp running all the time, 50 gal elec water heater with out side faucet (so we can was cars out side with HOT water). & our power bill is only $160.oo. 13 seer is much more eficiant over the ten is it not?

Oh yes, but often cost is a concern.