The customer is always right. Oh....

[timhoward]

I wonder if anyone has some good stories of really easy call-outs made a lot more difficult by the customer's rather fixed views. Here is my starter for ten:

A call out for a MCB for ring final circuit tripping. Customer had serious attitude, absolutely convinced it was the kettle causing it. They start off by telling me I won't find the fault, and they don't really need me at all because it's the kettle.
"Ok that should be easy to prove".
So I unplug the kettle, and it still trips.
"Well it probably damaged the socket"
That's really unlikely, but I can check it.
So I take the chance to check end-to-end continuity and L+N to E IR, all ok.
So I attempt to get more clues "Nothing wrong there, and the wiring is testing ok at first glance. Has anything changed recently, any DIY, drilling, anything electrical moved?"
"No nothing like that at all".
Ok, please can you think back, what were you doing before it tripped.
"I went shopping. It's the kettle."
and then after you went shopping and came back what happened next.
"Well, I washed my hair"
Did you dry it with a hair dryer?
"Yes"
Is hair dryer still plugged in?
"No. It's the kettle, it must be."
OK. And then?
"I cleaned behind the washing machine"
And then it tripped?
"I pushed it back in and then the kettle didn't work. I keep telling you it's the kettle."
(Gently) I'm actually sure it isn't the kettle because it still trips. Let's have a look at the washing machine.
"It can't be that!"
At the moment I can only see the washing machine, the dishwasher and the fridge freezer still connected. Oh and the tumble-drier. The most efficient way to find the fault is to start by checking the equipment still connected, starting with the last thing that moved.
If it isn't any of those things I'll then need to start taking sockets apart which is very time consuming. This is honestly the quickest way. There isn't an isolator so I'll need to pull the washing machine out again.
"It isn't that, really."
This was the last appliance you touched before you lost power. We need to check it. Are you happy for me to pull it out?
"OK, if you like (rolling eyes)"
Carefully pull it out, noting very short flex, I can just about reach behind and unplug it.
The breaker stays on. Do loop test, all good.
Pull washing machine out for a proper look:

"Will you be charging me, you haven't done much?"
Yes, I will, and I think it's fair. We're well within the first hour. I've found the exact cause of the fault. I've confirmed your sockets are safe to use. You can now make a cup of tea, your heating will work, you will have hot water again, your freezer is back on.
"But all you did was unplug the washing machine. I could have done that. I'll pay but won't be using you again".
Deep breath, gracious retreat, mental note of address for the black list.

 

[loz2754]

Who needs customers like that!
Definitely one for the unapproved customer list.

 

[Lister1987]

It's the old tale of paying someone to know exactly where to hit a nail, how hard and for how long, not just paying the guy with the biggest and shinest hammer.

 

[timhoward]

It's the old tale of paying someone to know exactly where to hit a nail, how hard and for how long, not just paying the guy with the biggest and shinest hammer.

Spot on. If this person hadn't used up all of the reserve grace and patience and hadn't had the charisma of Mrs Richards from Fawlty Towers I'd have probably stuck a new flex on the washing machine for them too as a freebie. In the event I told them they needed to find a Beko repair specialist. Bit naughty but I'd more than had enough.

 

[stevethesparks]

I always want to say to those type of people, what do you do for a living? Followed, would you come to my address to spend an hour using your expertise for no money? - or similar

 

[littlespark]

Can we have a resource on the forum for rogue customers? Like check-a-trade but the other way round?


Didn’t think so

 

[i=p/u]

Mr Ritz is the culprit

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

I told a customer to jog on and find somebody else. Ordered an ev charger 4 weeks ago expecting it to arrive by now. It is notbhere due to delays in production and one of several om waiting to arrive.
Explained to customer that i will need to reschedule. Got really arsey about it told me im unprofessional and this is not acceptable etc etc. I told him its outside my control
He got really irate so in end i said find somebody else to fit the charger
He called back all apologetic and asked if i would still install it.
My response no!!
Told him if you talk to me like that and despite going out of my way to get him booked in the diary despite being busy then i have no time for him.
Best thing was i saw his wife this morning when getting diesel and she was very apologetic and said its his own fault as he flies of the handle for no reason and not to worry about it. Will teach him a lesson!

 

[LewisM]

An old boy once told me you're not paying for 30 minutes of time but 30 years of experience.

 

[SparkyChick]

Can we have a resource on the forum for rogue customers? Like check-a-trade but the other way round?


Didn’t think so

I've contemplated setting something like this up, but it presents all sorts of issues around data protection unfortunately. Not insurmountable issues, but it would require us to be registered as data processors I believe, for most of us we simply keep details for doing business which means we are mostly exempt from the more onerous parts of the data protection legislation. As soon as you start sharing information it adds a whole world of pain.

But, I do think there is a need for something like this.

 

[Soi disant]

I always want to say to those type of people, what do you do for a living? Followed, would you come to my address to spend an hour using your expertise for no money? - or similar

And then, given what they do, your wife gets the house, the car, the van.....

 

[UNG]

I've contemplated setting something like this up, but it presents all sorts of issues around data protection unfortunately. Not insurmountable issues, but it would require us to be registered as data processors I believe, for most of us we simply keep details for doing business which means we are mostly exempt from the more onerous parts of the data protection legislation. As soon as you start sharing information it adds a whole world of pain.

But, I do think there is a need for something like this.

The black list presents a minefield of issues to resolve to make it work more so now with GDPR

With customers like this I just add their number to the contact list in my phone with a surname of "Rogue Customer" and pass it round to other electricians I know

 

[radiohead]

I've had the 'But all you did was.........I could have done that' comment on a number of fault finds before. Stock answer is always......'But you didn't did you?'

 

[Intoelectrics]

I had a couple of similar incidents quite a few years ago:

I did a CU swap on a bungalow. An old re-wireable for a split RCD. All the circuits tested out fine, the electrical installation was in good nick. A few days later the customer phones me ranting on the phone that his Sunday dinner had been spoilt cause the RCD kept tripping out. So I nipped over to take a look, was greeted with "It was fine until you messed with it" I politely ignored him. Anyhow after some investigation turned out to be the oven faulty. I advised he needed an appliance engineer to take a look. To be honest it was one of the elements causing the problem but I didn't want to get involved, since he just kept stating "The oven has been fine for years until you swapped the fuse board". - Straight on my black list!

Another I did that sticks out was, a lady contacted me about installing a new circuit for her new double oven. She was happy with my quote and I did the job, happy days. 3 weeks later she phoned me ranting that since I'd "messed with her electrics" her fridge freezer stopped working. I asked if it was working ok when I'd left, she said yes fine up until yesterday - 3 weeks after I'd been to her house. Another added to my black list!

You have to have a lot of patience in this job!

 

[radiohead]

I had a couple of similar incidents quite a few years ago:

I did a CU swap on a bungalow. An old re-wireable for a split RCD. All the circuits tested out fine, the electrical installation was in good nick. A few days later the customer phones me ranting on the phone that his Sunday dinner had been spoilt cause the RCD kept tripping out. So I nipped over to take a look, was greeted with "It was fine until you messed with it" I politely ignored him. Anyhow after some investigation turned out to be the oven faulty. I advised he needed an appliance engineer to take a look. To be honest it was one of the elements causing the problem but I didn't want to get involved, since he just kept stating "The oven has been fine for years until you swapped the fuse board". - Straight on my black list!

Another I did that sticks out was, a lady contacted me about installing a new circuit for her new double oven. She was happy with my quote and I did the job, happy days. 3 weeks later she phoned me ranting that since I'd "messed with her electrics" her fridge freezer stopped working. I asked if it was working ok when I'd left, she said yes fine up until yesterday - 3 weeks after I'd been to her house. Another added to my black list!

You have to have a lot of patience in this job!

In all honesty I think it is perfectly reasonable for a client to state 'it was fine until you messed with it' when the oven keeps tripping the new RCD where it worked perfectly well before. Presumably you did not explain to your client exactly what you were installing and how RCD's are much more sensitive to faults than SE fuses.
It is always good practice to explain to the client that modern circuit protection provides a much higher degree of shock and fire protection but at the same time can react to minor faults that the previous arrangement didn't.
Sometimes you need to put yourself in your clients position, Black list indeed. Pretty poor customer service IMO.

 

[James]

I have had this on a few occasions.

phone call from customer

C can you come and look at this machine? It won’t work.
me, I can do but before I come al the way over there what’s the problem?
C there is no life n the machine, everything is dead nothing working
me, have you checked the basics? Plugged in, switched on, all emergency stop buttons out?
C yes yes, Bob has looked at it and has worked on that machine for years. It’s definitely faulty.

so after an hour drive to site, get shown machine.
bob shows machine, presses some start buttons and declares it to be broken, p.s. the control panel is round the back there.

me, quick walk round machine looking for obvious, find pallet or other thing leaning up against difficult to access part of machine.
move pallet, pull out hidden E stop button.

get Bob to confirm everything is working correctly and clear off to next job.

depending on time and travel costs involve it can be expensive for them to get me to operate buttons for them!
would you believe that the same companies can fall for it time after time?!

 

[radiohead]

The call out to push a button scenario is pretty common, and I've had plenty for ovens which just require switching back to manual from auto despite asking the customer to check this before I come out. I confess to a ruse which may not be entirely ethical under these circumstances but which avoids resentment for a callout charge just to press a button.
Once it has been visually established that an offending button just needs pushing remove a connection panel or the back of the appliance and be seen to engage a screwdriver within for a minute or so. Replace panel, discreetly push button and hey presto! It works.
You leave as a genius and saviour with a gratefully paid callout charge and probably a tip as well as recommendations to all their friends and family

 

[westward10]

Probably 20 odd years ago working in a factory which made plastic bags, was actually a fascinating process anyway one of their engineering managers who was being very difficult referred to me with the "c" word. I gave it a few minutes before I said, I may act the "c" sometimes but you will always be a "c". I was much younger and wouldn't dream of doing it now but it made me feel good.

 

[richy3333]

The black list presents a minefield of issues to resolve to make it work more so now with GDPR

With customers like this I just add their number to the contact list in my phone with a surname of "Rogue Customer" and pass it round to other electricians I know

Bad customers and advertising get a duck call from me, so I know not to answer it

 

[James]

Probably 20 odd years ago working in a factory which made plastic bags, was actually a fascinating process anyway one of their engineering managers who was being very difficult referred to me with the "c" word. I gave it a few minutes before I said, I may act the "c" sometimes but you will always be a "c". I was much younger and wouldn't dream of doing it now but it made me feel good.

In my post, the ”C” word was Customer!
???
but I understand your need to respond at the time.