Customers & Timing!

[RiR]

Has anyone here an explanation as to why customers, especially boat owners,always turn up at the last minute! On Monday, 4 of them were waiting for me when i came to my shop, (At 7 am) . These were jobs I'd given quotes on, 6 months ago, when they hauled the boats on land. Now they want to get afloat, but with the jobs done yesterday!
Large companies with too much "management" are just as bad. If they have 6 months to get the job done, then the "executive" in question is going to sit on it, and be unable to make a decision for 5 1/2 months!
The fact that things have just been too quiet, for a couple of months,
doesn't "improve my frame of mind" at all!
Thanks for letting me blow off some steam, but some of you may have some interesting theories as to why this happens, and if I'm very lucky, then some advice on how to avoid these situations

[res057]

Don't worry about cu$tomers in a hurry. If they want it yesterday, don't be shy about charging them for the "time machine" expense.:D

[Clato]

That is a standard problem everywhere, its called procrastination. You pay extra for the rush job IF and only IF there is time to work it in. I tell them it wouldn't be fair to the customers that have been waiting a month already to wait some more because you're in a hurry. They planned ahead and got on the schedule... they come first. I also mention about what if its on the other foot? Would they want me to put them back because someone else didn't plan ahead? They usually get it at that point and either they wait or go somewhere else. I treat all customers fairly regardless of the size of the project $$ (sometimes its hard with bigger $$ staring at you but you never know whats behind the smaller jobs).

Clato

[VASandy]

It's the quality triangle. Fast, good, cheap. If you want it fast, it won't be as good and it WON'T be cheap. Fast job done good is going to be WAY more. A good job isn't going to be fast, nor cheap. You get the picture!! When they're there wanting everything done right now, just draw up the triangle and show them where their requests land on the scale. If they want it cheap, it can't be fast, and it won't be good. It puts everything into perspective for the customer, from my experience.

Good luck!! I miss my days on the waterfront in Solomon's MD. I worked in a boatyard there. My lasting lesson from that job was DO NOT SAND FIBERGLASS BOATS IN THE SUMMER. ;)

[Velosapien]

My lasting lesson from that job was DO NOT SAND FIBERGLASS BOATS IN THE SUMMER. ;)

I'll be doing just that this weekend. And no I'm not looking forward to it.