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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Is this cheeky?

25 replies

Snugglepiggy · 22/03/2013 18:26

Think I am going through a grumpy phase with my business.Posted previously about keeping to our opening hours and not being always available just because we work from home.
Now just had a call from a customer.Repeat customer not a good friend to say she isn't far from home but road a bit iffy.If she was to park up would my DH take her home in our 4x4 .We don't have one but do have vans.But the point is it is still light and I'm pretty certain she's the organised type to have boots and all the gear in her car.And walking from where she was to home would take 30 max - and tbh that's what I would do in her shoes / boots rather than ring someone at the end of the working day when she knows the very job we do (dog boarding/ walking) necessitates a lot of to-ing and fro-ing and when the weathers bad that makes the working day much tougher .
We would never see anyone really stuck or in danger but honestly it's not that bad here.
Is it me or is it cheeky?

OP posts:

Tortington · 22/03/2013 18:32

tell her she can pay petrol or you're busy. I guess dog owners see other dog lovers as their friends - as you look after their babies.

i think this type of person are fucking nutters

Pancakeflipper · 22/03/2013 18:32

Sorry, if I have the wrong end of the stick. Might have misunderstood your post. She's coming to yours and wants your DH to take her home? Was she just phoning to say if she gets stuck could your DH give her a lift ? If so perhaps she just wants like reassurance that she'll be ok if the worst comes to the worst.

Or is it a he takes her home. End of. ? Cos that's a little rude.

quesadilla · 22/03/2013 18:33

It is cheeky, yes. I wouldn't ask someone to do that, paying customer or otherwise. If you or your DH had previously volunteered to do this is would be one thing but still taking the piss a bit but if not its downright rude. I think some people take the concept of the customer always being right to absurd lengths.
I think you could quite reasonably tell her you really value her business etc but its difficult for you to leave at that point. Most people other than the ridiculously entitled would understand that and if she takes umbrage at that then maybe she's a customer you're better off without.

lottiegarbanzo · 22/03/2013 18:39

I don't understand how this relates to her being your customer. Was she on her way home from yours? Do you ever give lifts home to customers? I don't understand why she'd think it was reasonable to ask you at all.

ENormaSnob · 22/03/2013 18:42

Yes it is very cheeky.

Unless your dh runs a taxi.

SnotMeReally · 22/03/2013 18:43

I have a freind who is a childminder and has this sort of trouble from some (a few) parents - the ones who will start to drop off 10 minutes earlier than their time and think its ok as she has already started minding another DC, or pick up 10 minutes late but be sitting in their car doing phone calls or texting for that 10mins, or not bother ringing when been delayed, or not apologise when they have been delayed, or insist on bringing their DC when they are ill and it's not fair on others - she has to be really firm about her illness policy and her times - anything over 15mins she bills for - they soon get the message. Once she had to take a mindee to the vets with her as her cat had an appointment- then the mother rang demanding to know where they were - but the mother was late for picking up and had not rung to explain, friend did not want to be late for vets

Some people take the mick, feel entitled and genuinely don't see where they are going wrong but I think they are just cheeky beggars!

SnotMeReally · 22/03/2013 18:44

Oh and YANBU

Original poster

Snugglepiggy · 22/03/2013 19:19

No she was not coming to ours to collect her dogs.Her dogs are at her home.We walked them earlier today and she was driving to her house which means going through our village en route.The same village she could safely park up in a great big lay by and walk on home from.
Don't know why I am surprised tbh because in the past we have been asked for example to hang around for workmen ( she did offer to pay for that), 'pop' into her vets to collect non urgent stuff and once even collect some wallpaper so her decorator didn't have to break off working to go and get it.We get a lot of custom from her re dogs but needed to rant tonight as she rang as we were starting to get ready for a night out and it just got me going!
Custardo you are right.Of course we like dogs immensely otherwise we wouldn't work with them ,but her dogs are most definitely her babies and I think because we look after them it also makes her feel we are on call as PAs at times.
Thanks for letting me vent before I go out!

OP posts:

INeedThatForkOff · 22/03/2013 19:23

Why would she consider it safe for your DH to drive if not for her? Ok, she seems to think he has a 4WD, but she's wrong. There's your get out if you want to refuse without offending. I'd just say no straight out though, tbh.

cozietoesie · 22/03/2013 19:35

Blimey. I'd be charging her for any extra services - she's not a friend after all.

SugariceisaGoodEgg · 22/03/2013 19:45

Yes she's taking a massive piss out of you.

Is her contribution to your business worth her apparent arrogance thinking you're her unpaid pa?

SnotMeReally · 22/03/2013 19:52

How about "sorry but as you would be paying us for our time and petrol to do this, and we are not insured to use our car for reward, we cant help you"

or just say DH has had a skinful!

EggyFucker · 22/03/2013 19:55

You would have been crazy to agree to that

What are you? Her personal servants?

YouTheCat · 22/03/2013 19:56

What a cheeky cow! I'd just say 'no we have finished work for the day and are going out'.

Does she get arsey with you if you say no?

fuzzysnout · 22/03/2013 19:56

She is taking the pee. You sound like a lovely dog business & you should not be afraid to say no to her unreasonable requests. Might be something else to subtly add to your newsletter. You are entitled to a home life too, unfortunately some customers need very firm boundaries.

glenthebattleostrich · 22/03/2013 20:08

It's one of the joys of working from home. One of my neighbours popped a note and key through the door for me to feed her cat and do her curtains. She was sure I wouldn't mind as I'm around all day. She hasn't asked again after I took 3 toddlers with me to do this [evil grin].

Also had one client leave a note on their door telling a delivery driver to drop a parcel off at my house then complained I was out when it arrived - yeah I was taking your child to a toddler group.

I wouldn't mind if people asked, it's just the presumtion that I have nothing better to do with my day other than being their PA.

Sorry, kind of took over there and had a rant of my own.

Your client is being cheeky OP, tell her to bloody walk!

Icelollycraving · 22/03/2013 20:19

Hi,it was me on your other thread that suggested the newsletter. Your clients really need to understand the concept of you being a dog sitter & not a friend or servant.
Tell her unfortunately you don't have a 4wd. Problem solved.

Original poster

Snugglepiggy · 23/03/2013 09:01

Thanks all for your replies.I did tell her no we don't have a 4x4 and DH was in the bath warming up after a day trudging in and out of the snow.She said fair enough but thought it was worth asking.But after a few glasses of wine and a good sleep I'm pleased to see you think she's a cheeky cow because I do even more so this morning because this is yet another in a list of 'little favours' asked for.
And Sugarrice you are right I'm coming to the point where no amount of business from her is worth it.She once even phoned on DHs number (not the works one)with some trivial query about her dog when we were away for a weekend with friends to celebrate a big birthday.She knew full well we had gone away because she'd asked us to do something just before and I'd reminded her, and it was on our holiday notice.She had his no., and has managed to get his new one actually a) because in the past he was daft enough to phone customers from his own phone when rushing in and out rather than using works ones and b) he's very popular and known locally and helps anyone so that been part of the problem I guess.I'm just going to blank any extra requests - or tell her where to go if the mood takes me!Even DH is supporting me with that one now.

OP posts:

Bossybritches22 · 23/03/2013 09:08

Ok I think you need to get seperate works phones ( do you have an old handset you could use?)

Get a basic contract or PAYG for that number, put it through the books & only give out that number to clients. Switch off when out of hours.

She is taking the piss & you need to stop being so helpful!! (lovely though it is!)

SugariceisaGoodEgg · 23/03/2013 09:09

Just say no to future requests from her with 'no, that's not my job is it and 'please don't contact us out of office hours on non business related issues'.

She sounds like she has the brassiest of necks! and needs to be told in no uncertain terms.

newbiefrugalgal · 23/03/2013 09:17

Polite no's and she will soon get the message.

Original poster

Snugglepiggy · 23/03/2013 09:37

Ps.GLEN don't worry about the rant.Nice to know I'm not the only one!Of course working from home has lots of plus points .The most rewarding of which being known locally regarding animals we do get knocks on the door when locals find random stray dogs and cats -again often at daft times of the day-and we can often re-connect them with worried owners via a quick trip to our nearby vets or a few phone calls.Or get them to a place of safety.
And I carry old towels in my van that have been used many times wrap up some poor dead moggy off the roadside and take it to be scanned so the owners at least have some idea what happened rather than weeks of fruitless searching and posters.Because thats's what I would want for my pets.
Really they say never work with children and animals but I have a LOT more patience with the pets than the people I've concluded.And I daresay many a childminder feels the same.!

OP posts:

Original poster

Snugglepiggy · 23/03/2013 09:52

Yes Bossy we do have seperate work phones and a landline for the business and that's what we adhere to using now.I always have ,but DH was a noodle and used his other phone before and has stopped that now.Mind you she got hold of his new number in a round about way.Knows he is / was a softer touch.! Zero Tolerance Policy with this one from now on.Don't get me wrong -we have some fantastic customers who have been a pleasure to deal with for years and tbh I would put myself out for them anyday because they don't abuse it.

OP posts:

DeepRedBetty · 23/03/2013 10:01

Just to say we're in your line of business too and would be feeling much the same if one of ours started taking the piss this way.

A couple of times I've had to say 'sorry, we can't, everyone's already busy with bookings'. Even when that's not actually true... there's a few who honestly seem to think we spend all day sitting on our bums waiting for them to call us!

I found putting a cancellation clause into the contract has helped immensely, and also increasing rates for work carried out at weekends, evenings and public holidays.

Original poster

Snugglepiggy · 23/03/2013 18:23

Thanks for that Betty,and Hello.Going to focus on the many lovely customers we deal with and try not to let this one rile me.And if requests like this continue too often will withdraw.Thing is even when she offers to pay for extra stuff it's hard to price and quantify and would take us away from our real business - so not going down that route.
Yes early on we identified we needed to charge extra for w/ ends and BH service.When you have keys it was too tempting for some to go out and the decide to do other stuff and then ring us to ask if we would just ' pop up' and let the dogs out / do walk.Now ,unless it' s a real emergency ,out of hours is by prior arrangement only so,we know we can have some time off and relax.

OP posts:

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