No show!

[jonnyc]

I constantly see on here, two sides to how much work people have on. On the one side we have good men, who are really finding it tough out there, and on the other side those who are booked up solid for months. This week, I have seen another side, those amongst us who just cant be bothered to turn up, and not even bother to ring or apologise, just leave you floating around with a client slaughtering you on the other end of the phone. TWICE this week on the same contract I have been let down at the last minute, the first man texted me at 8.30 on Monday morning saying he had broken down on the motorway, and couldnt get to the job, but would be able to start on Tuesday. So I had to apologise to the client, and re-book it for the following day....then I had to rebook it again till Wednesday, when I got another phone call back saying he couldnt do the work at all! So I booked in someone else for Wednesday, he was asked to be there at 8am, at 8.30 I got a text saying 'your man hasn't arrived'. So I rang and surprise surprise the phone went onto answerphone...rang again same thing, rang again same thing. Then at 8.50 I had to ring the client to tell him I couldnt get hold of the lad either.

I got slaughtered by the client, and he had every reason to slaughter me, the bathroom had been out of action for 3 days and we had let him down. To make matters even worse, this was a private job for a director of one of my main contractors. So the knock on effects are so catastrophic, they do not even bear thinking about. I had to pull another lad of another job and get the work started yesterday, and pay him premium rate to get the works completed. I am still reeling from the fall out of this complete shambolic mess up.

What the hell is going on these days? has it got to the point where common decency has gone out the window? I have never ripped anyone off, knocked them, always done the right thing. What is the point, in being 'good and fair?' someone will just take the p and doesn't give it a second thought.

And you know what the sad thing is? both of these men, still haven't called in to apologise or explain. So when they come knocking on the door in a few weeks time...you know what the answer will be.

I really feel like naming and shaming.

Lynn

lynn
you dont deserve this and it is causes huge problems when people let you down as i know myself.
but for my part it is being let down by contractors who leave it too late to tell me they are behind that really hurts me financially.
a few years ago if i had a delay on stone job i could phone stoneage/artisans/martin moore/paris ceramics and many others and i could pick up work immediately because they so busy.
now everyone is fighting to get enough work or have stopped their fixing service.
you obviously know that you can minimise your problem if you employ rather than sub contract.
this is what i have always done but there is an added cost to pay ie. 12.8 % employer tax plus holidays /sickness and the rest .
up till recently i had still managed to make it work but i had 3 months beginning of year where i lost masses of money when i still had wages to pay regardless of any work i had on.
in a way lynn i would rather now be in a position like you where you dont employ your fixers i assume but work toward getting reliable sub contractors and they are hard to find .
but i do get the benefit of my employees being available for any contract i take on, bar being sick.

 

[Bubblecraft]

Wow, I've missed a lot! Sorry to hear that Lynn. There's nothing I hate more than people that are late or worse, don't show up. I'm glad I depend on no one but me.

 

[Gazzer]

He spends enough time reading the " I am looking for a Tiler " forum.

 

[Pebbs]

Cheers lads for the kind words and good advice, its all finished now and the client is very happy, but I am still fuming about these two no shows. What goes around comes around, but it takes time.

Lynn