If I asked you this question what would your answer be please?

[plentyofsunshine]

If I asked you

"Do you have any personal recommendations for an electrician please"

What would your response be?

I wouldn’t answer as I can’t recommend but I always HATE that Facebook questions like this are always comment after comment of names of people’s sons and boyfriends with zero actual recommendation attached. I always want to add ‘someone you’ve actually paid and been happy with, not your nephew!’ 😅

'I do have one I've used. But only for a minor job. They seemed fine though. I'll give you their number?'

Or 'No, sorry' if I didn't.

Seems like it should be a fairly straightforward interaction?

Yes heres xxxx number, recommended by my husband

Are you annoyed someone just googled it?

I could ask my son if any of his friends are electricians

Yes, this chap and I would describe the work he has done for us, how many times we have had him back and his willingness to crawl through a narrow loft space to take wiring from one side of the house to the other.

I would also tell them to say I recommended them.

I live with one so I’m sorted but he doesn’t do domestic work so can’t help. Never recommend any of the many electricians he knows through work either as it tends to always end with one party whining about the other!

Yes, I do and would give you his number.

Thanks for the response all

A "personal" recommendation is recommending someone who has actually, personally, carried out the work for you and who you vouch for. Not your brother-in-law/uncle/partner who just happens to be an electrician. I thought this was common knowledge.

I was looking for a personal recommendation on facebook for an electrician and all i got was people who knew someone who was an electrian. I don't want a list of local electricians I can get that off google.

I'm just surprised people didn't know this.

Yes. X who owns x company. He and all his guys have worked at my house and all are excellent.

Christ, you sound like hard work

Yes, I use this electrician who live locally...

I'd say...
"I don't know because the estate agents does it all on behalf on the landlord. I can ask around though"
🤷

A "personal" recommendation is recommending someone who has actually, personally, carried out the work for you and who you vouch for. Not your brother-in-law/uncle/partner who just happens to be an electrician. I thought this was common knowledge

I disagree. I think a “personal” recommendation can encompass anyone you know ‘personally’.

I think what you’re after is a “professional” recommendation or “direct experience”.

I didn't know it was that precise a definition!

Maybe they have done work for a family member or maybe because they are family they know business is going well so feel confident in recommending them

Are you always this sure of your own rigid interpretation of phrases, OP?

To be fair OP I would think of a personal recommendation to be more about personal connections. Ask for professional recommendations next time and see if that helps?

Ah thank you. yes next time i'll ask for someone who has "direct experience" of said electrician. They can't be a misunderstanding that way.

I get what you mean, but if it’s someone in their family, they presumably think they’re great and likely they’ve done some work for them too, so they would recommend them. It’s not as helpful as a recommendation for someone you’ve just employed, but if my husband or wife or sister or brother was an electrician, and I knew they’d done good work (or thought they had) I’m sure I’d recommend them too. At least I’d mention the relationship though so you could judge.

A lot of people didn’t know this because your definition is not someone else’s definition by the sounds of it op. I would take the view a personal recommendation could indeed include people I know personally rather than just those whose work I have used.

It does frustrate me a bit when it's someone's mum recommending them, or another bug bear is being signposted to the local trades Facebook group, I do want a recommendation from someone who has personal experience. Luckily we have a board at work for recommending local handy persons and that is really helpful.

But if they were your brother in law, uncle or partner (especially the latter) you'd probably know if they were any good or not and chances are they'd have done work for you.

Yes. He's really excellent and reliable.
Here's his number.

Not the blokes who did our rewire! Took longer that anticipated, they left a right mess, & took me months to get my keys back!