Can't be bothered

[hopey]

What is it with some people? Two weeks ago I arranged for a plasterer to come and give me a quote. He never showed. Tonight a decorator was supposed to be coming round to do the same, and so far not a dicky bird from him. They are obviously not that desperate for work, but its no excuse to arrange dates and times and leave me sitting here waiting. Its as if they think I've nothing better to do.
That's got that off my chest. Thanks.

hopey, it's so infuriating and yet so typical!! we had a plumbing emergency last year and the plumber said he'd be with us within half an hour. He arrived 6 hours later!!!!! We had been phoning to check on his progress and kept being told that he was stuck in a traffic jam......hmmmmmm

I know what you mean. A few years ago me and Dh tried to sell our car through the ads in our local paper. Three people made appointments to come and see the car. One we even arranged to meet 20 odd miles away nearer their house. None showed up - in the space of a day they had changed their mind???

Drives me mad things like that.

we discussed this once here and I imparted my "promise them doughnuts" tip. It makes them laugh and also makes them come around!

Hopey we've been trying to get someone to pave our driveway for ages now - it's the same old routine every time dh calls someone to come over and give us a quote. They either a) don't turn up at all, or b) turn up and give a quote, then we never hear from them again, or c) turn up and give an outrageously expensive quote, probably to discourage us from offering them the job.

Tradesmen are utterly amazing. I can't stand them (most of them anyway) as we've renovated two houses now and both dh and I are constantly amazed at how unreliable they are.

Don't get me started on this one. We had a builder round, looked at what we wanted doing, and we never heard from him again. 2 others were supposed to come round - no show, no call, nothing. Dh refused to call them, as he rightly said "if they can't even be bothered to come round to quote, I don't want them doing the work". I've now found someone through www.improveline.co.uk - you put in a description of your job, and they send the details to a number of local firms - if they're interested, they put you in touch with each other. They do a bit of screening (when was the business registered (if it was) and other vague things), and also customers can put comments on there. The work is starting next week, so I have nothing to base an opinion on, but I've been impressed with the man's professional attitude so far. I really believe that if someone ran a business like that with a bit of organisation and customer service, they would be onto a winner. Would be tempted myself if I knew a builder / plumber - he/she could do the work, and I'd run the "customer interface".

We had a similar thing when our house was on the market with 'viewings', I have lost count of the times I rushed around cleaning and tidying things up in anticipation of someone coming and they never showed. They haven't got the common decency to ring and say they have changed their mind!!!!!

I was having a similar conversation with DS' swimming teacher the other day. We turned up for his lesson and she was really happy to see us as she had been hanging around for an hour as no one had turned up to her first two lessons. She gets paid for them as the lessons are paid for in advance but I think it is so rude of people not to ring to say they can't make it for whatever reason ... apparently it happens quite a lot.
How much effort does it take to pick up the phone and say 'Sorry, can't make it as DS is sick' or whatever????

We've had exactly the same problem with tradesmen - often the very ones who advertise their services in the local paper. I can't understand that presumebly they advertise for more business yet can't be bothered to turn up, or give a written quote, or return calls. Makes my blood boil. Although I am starting to get paranoid that our house or we ourselves are too frightening for them - or maybe they are frightened of hard work . The only tradesmen that I've found are reliable are those that come recommended from people you know - but often they have long waiting lists.

It's not just tradesmen. We had a quote for a shower from British Gas. Rang them back & said yes we'd like to go ahead- they said someone would come out. Did they? No. We rang about 4 times then got fed up. They never rang back. Stuff em, if they don't want our business.

I shouldn't get started but this thread is a bit of dejavu for me, the last one was a buikder who is a close friend of my best friend's DH, we'd met him before several times at their house, working or as a guest, and guess what, came round, said he'd call back with a quote, and ....never heard from him again. But I know my friends are also livid with him....