Keeping Appointments..

[Stewart]

Not that I'm complaining, but why.. when asked to quote for a job.. do companies not turn up, or run so late that the customer has to leave the premises. They don't even bother to call the customer to apologise and say they're running late.

I've priced four jobs in the last five days against my main competitors and got every one of them. Now I'd like to believe I got the job because they liked me, my sales pitch and my price, but I've been told that on three of them, I was the only one turn up, or turn up on time.

It beggars belief in these times of so called recession they don't make the effort. I know for a fact some of these guys are struggling for work, so why make such a poor show of trying to get it......??

 

[Deleted member 9966]

nothing narks me more than people being late for appointments/meetings etc. But what irritates me more is me turning up on time for things and not being seen at the allocated time. I walked out of a job interview for a managerial role with Jiffy Bags UK once because they were running 45 minutes late by the time anybody bothered to come and tell me they were running late. I told them to shove the job and went to my next appointment early, which was the interview for a job in Chester and promptly got that job instead! :lol:

I used to car share with our finance manager for a few months, but she was always late picking me up so I found excuses not to go with her. And then a few weeks back when her car was off the road for a couple of weeks, she asked if she could share a lift in with me, so on the first day I made sure I was 15 minutes late like she always used to be when picking me up. She was on time every day from then on, never once complaining that I was late.

:incazzato: I hate tardiness, can you tell...

 

[Del W]

I hate being late & dont like people who are late.Its a brain wash thing from when I was in the army,bit OCD really. :dizzy2: Goes with ironing my own shirts,trousers and shining my shoes. :dizzy2::dizzy2::dizzy2:

 

[Ajax123]

Unfortunately sometimes being late for appointments goes with the territory. It is not always possible to be on time.

I often make appointments for long distance visits e.g. say 10:30 a.m. in Sunderland couple of weeks ago. I did not get to the appointment till just after mid day. Why was that - because I cannot legislate for traffic problems and there as an accident on the A1. I also try to make 2 or 3 appointments in the same day. If one runs late it knocks on the whole day.

These days I think being late for appointments is ok in my book provided you keep the client informed and give them the opportunity to reschedule. What I don't like is when people are late and don't let me know. I also don't like judgemental clients who cannot understand and are not sympathetic to the fact that I am late for a reason. I don't make appointments with the intention of being late it just happens sometimes.

 

[user123]

I hate being late & dont like people who are late.Its a brain wash thing from when I was in the army,bit OCD really. :dizzy2: Goes with ironing my own shirts,trousers and shining my shoes. :dizzy2::dizzy2::dizzy2:

oh, hubby has those left over side effects from the army, too... very handy... never expects me to do his ironing... brilliant

 

[nybor62]

i am never late , and really bugs me if others are late, bus as ajax states some times it may be unavoidable
my best pal is all ways late and not just 10 mins can be half hour late , he will blame is wife and she will blame him

 

[Dan]

I'm not the best time keeper to be fair, and it isn't my fault per se (though I guess I'd be the only one that could correct the issue?), it's usually down to unexpected events like with Alan's case with the traffic, except mine's normally related to some legal issue that needs dealing with there and then before it escalates (that's happened quite a bit to be honest but I've always been able to schedule an hour or so later so far) or something to do with one or all of the forums having issues. That HAS to take priority over everything (even sleep and eating!) and I think pretty much 99.9% of people I make appointments with heavily respect the fact that if the website is down (usually one they're involved with too) then I have to drop everything and get onto it. I don't think they'd deal with me/us if I didn't.

That said I've double-booked like a plonker a few times due to using several diaries (one on the phone, one on the computer, one in an actual diary) and them not syncing correctly for some reason. The few times that's happened I've still been able to reschedule at a time that suits the person / people I'm meeting.

One time I had a meeting with Tile Giant and on the morning of the meeting my uncle was seriously ill, ended up he had a brain hemorrhage and sadly passed away a couple of days later. Tile Giant re-arranged and Mo was fine with that. Though the next meeting a year later, Mo's old man had a funny turn (heart I think if I remember rightly) and he didn't re-schedule and simply caught a flight right after the meeting. Felt like a bit of a plonker for cancelling my meeting the year before to be honest.

Perhaps that's why he runs Tile Giant and is bank-rolled by Travis Perkins and I'm a one-man-band working my way through the internet very very slowly. lol

 

[Ian]

Ooh good thread! I've got a time keeping OCD, drives me mad when people are late. As stated by Alan, sometimes it's unavoidable, but the key thing here is keep your clients informed, people are much more understanding if you communicate with them.

 

[widler]

i have a mate who i dive with,if we are going down wales or up scotland i have to tell him we are setting off at 4oclock,if we are setting off at 5,just so he gets to mine at 5.

i also have a bit of a ocd thing with picking lads up who do work for me,if they are not stood waiting for me when i get there,boots on,buttys made ,brew in hand,i will go within 30seconds.if im getting up earlier,going out of my way to pick them up at home,they better be readyrrr:

i remeber one young lad,a school leaver,who when i picked him up on the 1st day,came to the window,said he would be 5,and i saw him sit down and pick up his brew,i gave him that 1 time,when him came out,i told him what was what,he did it the next day,i dident wait,he rang asked why i had gone:mad2:,i dident go back

 

[DHTiling]

Me too i'm afraid, i am always on time to the minute for estimates etc... I think it is polite to turn up when you say you will.. simple as that really..

 

[Andy Allen]

i some times park round the corner of a clients house if i get there 10 mins to early, count the clock down and pull up outside dead on time, first impressions go a long way.

always do the same when starting work, i always tell the client i will be there at 8 oclock, i leave the house nice and early to miss the traffic get somewhere near, read the paper for 10 mins and pull up outside dead on 8am. i hate being late for anything drives me mad when people are late without imforming you, its very disrespectful.

 

[Aston]

it goes without saying the importance of time keeping but what does get me is when people dont have the courtesy to call you and let you know they are running late?

theres times when we all just get caught up and things cant be helped. jobs running behind, traffic etc but a simple call is all thats needed to keep most people happy and more importantly informed.

 

[SandyFloor]

Most of my work is domestic and I try to arrange estimates for the weekend. No traffic, everyone is fresh and time to spend with the customer. It works for me. Re what Stewart says about contractors not turning up, I just landed a large job (140 sq mtrs) and I was the only one turned up to price and was able to spend a good hour and a half with the client.

On the other hand I think it's important to get in early too. If you plan to see a customer four days away they might get nervous and get a couple of other prices in between. Get in early as may want to get an order placed and it's something less for them to worry about. Just always phone ahead even if there's only a chance you might be late as they appreciate the consideration.

 

[Colour Republic]

I hate being late & dont like people who are late.Its a brain wash thing from when I was in the army,bit OCD really. :dizzy2: Goes with ironing my own shirts,trousers and shining my shoes. :dizzy2::dizzy2::dizzy2:

What is it with the army?? When my brother first left he was obsessed with creases in trousers, he's ironed the crease so sharp before he's spilt the trousers right down the front!

 

[Deleted member 9966]

What is it with the army?? When my brother first left he was obsessed with creases in trousers, he's ironed the crease so sharp before he's spilt the trousers right down the front!

there's a lot to be said about people who are ex-military. they have impeccable manners and take absolute pride in their appearance.

I worked with a guy who served as a military policeman for many years before joining JCB. He always, always, always addressed me as Maam, even though he knew my name. Now you don't get that any more. The country's moral standards are slipping, very sad