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DarnYankeeUSMC

DarnYankeeUSMC

McCarthy Was Right
Full Member
Minuteman
    • Mar 18, 2012
    12,832
    40,302
    In your head
    A few weeks ago I received a service call for an A/C unit that was not cooling. I usually try to locate where the equipment is as I arrive. That way I don't have to ask the home owners. On this house I could only see the front and driveway side of the house as I arrived so I assumed it was either in the back or the side that I couldn't see when I got there.
    I made contact with the owners and asked about the problem. They stated that when they turn the thermostat to cooling and lower the temperature that the fan comes on but cold air doesn't come out of the vents. They then showed me the thermostat and I had them set it as they normally do. This is something that I do because it's not rare to find out that some people actually don't know how to operate a thermostat. The owner set up the thermostat correctly so I told them that I was going to get my tools from the truck and check the outside unit. I went to the truck and grabbed my tools and proceeded to the back of the house. Hmmm, no condensing unit. Must be on the side I couldn't see as I arrived. So I walk around to that side and nothing. Maybe it's behind the bushes in the front. Nope. Did I miss it on the driveway side? Nope. Hmmm? Maybe it's a water source and located inside? So I go and ask the owner if I can see the equipment in the basement. They showed me the door to the basement and I went to find just a gas furnace with no evaporator coil. So I asked the owner who had installed the thermostat. They responded that they had. I asked them why and they stated because there was no way to turn the air conditioning on with the old thermostat. Ummm, you don't have air conditioning equipment to turn on.

    So, what stories do you have?
     
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    Had a bud working at Lowes back in the 80s. Said a lady asked about doorbells. he took her to the appropriate aisle and she picked out a button. he asked what she wanted for a chime and it was a deer in the headlights moment. She thought she could mount the button and it would ring.

    We did breakdown calls for Penske. One morning one of my guys comes in and says, "Hey, Penske is on the line and he sounds pissed." Road tech was called out to change a headlamp. He couldn't believe the bill was $125. I explained that a tech earning $30 per hour drove a 200K truck 20 minutes each way to replace the headlamp. Additionally, we had to fuel, maintain and insure the truck AND pay workers comp, 401K etc for the employee. He wasn't satisfied and said it was still ridiculous. I asked him what he thought was fair. $50-$60 bucks. I told him I would be money ahead to have him call someone. I got the usual, "I'll never use you again."

    Fast forward a week or so and a friend across town calls and asked, "What's the deal with Penske?" He had called and ( after berating me) asked his prices. He hung up when he got the same estimate. About a month later I see a couple of roadcall invoices for Penske.
     
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    I have people call and ask if I give free estimates. I will go and look at what they have and measure the house and give them an estimate on replacing the system.
    ...But aren't you going to find out what is wrong with ours?
    That's when I tell them that I thought you just wanted a new system. If you want me to diagnose your system then you'll have to pay for a service call.
    I've had people actually say... Well you are already here. I shouldn't have to pay for that.
     
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    I ran a landscape crew for awhile. They gave me a liberal, bimbo twat as one of the helpers. I tried to explain with actual demonstrations, but she just couldnt learn that when you finish with a rake, you leave it in a position that you wont step on it and smack yourself in the face. Bloodied her nose a couple times so I finally let her go before something really stupid happened.

    Had a guy on my stone crew that wore high top boots but refused to lace them up so he was always tripping over them and drooping or spilling stuff. Same guy would stay up all night smoking weed and eating then spend a half an hour in the porta john before work. Had to let him go.

    Had a black guy named Alfonzo but everybody called him 'Pig'. Get downwind and you'd know why. Pig was a good worker but a confirmed alcoholic. I tried to work with him and get him to learn the trade. One day he looks at me and says..."I be's what I iz, a drunk nigga, now let me be." Had to let him go.

    Had a young kid who apparently had been picked on a lot stand around the job flicking his butterfly knife. Made the homeowners really uncomfortable. I asked him why and he tells me "Anybody fucks with me I'm gonna cut'em up." Had to let him go..

    :rolleyes:
     
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    DarnYankeeUSMC said:
    I have people call and ask if I give free estimates. I will go and look at what they have and measure the house and give them an estimate on replacing the system.
    ...But aren't you going to find out what is wrong with ours?
    That's when I tell them that I thought you just wanted a new system. If you want me to diagnose your system then you'll have to pay for a service call.
    I've had people actually say... Well you are already here. I shouldn't have to pay for that.
    Click to expand...
    So, you don't communicate with the customer enough to know what exactly you are going to do before arrival? Or you go knowing you are playing a game with them and wasting both your time and theirs?
     
    I asked a couple five year olds one day if they had any siblings. One little girl, says. "I have a sister." "My mom squatted down and pooped her right out her butt."

    I am not sure if its lowest common denominator though. At least she is thinking about stuff and making connections.

    Probably funnier being there and seeing her beam as she told me the story with such pride and zeal.
     
    Gingerman said:
    So, you don't communicate with the customer enough to know what exactly you are going to do before arrival? Or you go knowing you are playing a game with them and wasting both your time and theirs?
    Click to expand...
    Sounds more like customers getting him there under false pretenses to try to avoid paying for a service call.

    Its kind of like being a shop, everyone wants you to look at their car for free.
     
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    DarnYankeeUSMC said:
    I have people call and ask if I give free estimates. I will go and look at what they have and measure the house and give them an estimate on replacing the system.
    ...But aren't you going to find out what is wrong with ours?
    That's when I tell them that I thought you just wanted a new system. If you want me to diagnose your system then you'll have to pay for a service call.
    I've had people actually say... Well you are already here. I shouldn't have to pay for that.
    Click to expand...
    We get that same crap all the time
     
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    Gingerman said:
    So, you don't communicate with the customer enough to know what exactly you are going to do before arrival? Or you go knowing you are playing a game with them and wasting both your time and theirs?
    Click to expand...
    Do you even run a business? Do you play twenty questions with everyone who calls you or do you expect that they tell you everything up front. Stupid questions like this just prove the premise of the thread title?

    Lawyer much?
     
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    vinniedelpino said:
    We have all the knowledge in the world at our fingertips and somehow people find a way let their inner retard shine brighter than ever....
    Click to expand...
    And we’re going to shine like a fucking diamond

    1684072601256.gif
     
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    lash said:
    Do you even run a business? Do you play twenty questions with everyone who calls you or do you expect that they tell you everything up front. Stupid questions like this just prove the premise of the thread title?

    Lawyer much?
    Click to expand...
    Pretty easy to ask, "Do you need a full system replacement, or a repair?" I mean, they are asking for an estimate so something must be changing, eh? Or you can STFU and let the man I posed the question to answer.
     
    frankxtc said:
    this is where I thought the next thing would be "found a concrete pad, nothing on it, cut lineset hanging there...
    Click to expand...

    I think I'm gonna add 4x4 decals to my truck. That'll make it 4wd, right?

    Some people are really stupid.





    And yeah, I was also waiting for the missing outside unit thing too. Gave the homeowner too much (way too much) credit.
     
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    lash said:
    Do you even run a business? Do you play twenty questions with everyone who calls you or do you expect that they tell you everything up front. Stupid questions like this just prove the premise of the thread title?

    Lawyer much?
    Click to expand...
    He sounds like the guy who sues McDonalds cause the hot apple pie burnt his little pecker while fucking it
     
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    DarnYankeeUSMC said:
    I have people call and ask if I give free estimates. I will go and look at what they have and measure the house and give them an estimate on replacing the system.
    ...But aren't you going to find out what is wrong with ours?
    That's when I tell them that I thought you just wanted a new system. If you want me to diagnose your system then you'll have to pay for a service call.
    I've had people actually say... Well you are already here. I shouldn't have to pay for that.
    Click to expand...
    Typical HVAC slime. Starts a thread titled as such. IRONY! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA Then admits to being the lowest denominator. WHOOOO, buddy!
     
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    Last HVAC dude tried telling me the hidden fee in the bill was for hazmat pay. Said, You know the same chemicals in this coolant is what the Nazis used to gas the jews. I am risking my life handling this stuff...

    I had another project lined up for him to try to fuck me on, but canceled that one. He quoted 3K. I did it for $1300 myself.

    It's worse than getting a decent cop. Maybe 1 in 15 or might not be the "bad apple". Fuck me to tears!
     
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    Gingerman said:
    Last HVAC dude tried telling me the hidden fee in the bill was for hazmat pay. Said, You know the same chemicals in this coolant is what the Nazis used to gas the jews. I am risking my life handling this stuff...

    I had another project lined up for him to try to fuck me on, but canceled that one.

    It's worse than getting a decent cop. Maybe 1 in 15 or might not be the "bad apple". Fuck me to tears!
    Click to expand...
    Yeah, them HVAC types are no good. Most of them act like a bunch of Jarheads.:whistle:
     
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    Maggot said:
    Yeah, them HVAC types are no good. Most of them act like a bunch of Jarheads.:whistle:
    Click to expand...
    I had a jarhead HVAC guy not accept payment. Did the work for free! That dirty motherfucker was just trying to hang that shit over my head! :LOL:
     
    Gingerman said:
    Last HVAC dude tried telling me the hidden fee in the bill was for hazmat pay. Said, You know the same chemicals in this coolant is what the Nazis used to gas the jews. I am risking my life handling this stuff...

    I had another project lined up for him to try to fuck me on, but canceled that one. He quoted 3K. I did it for $1300 myself.

    It's worse than getting a decent cop. Maybe 1 in 15 or might not be the "bad apple". Fuck me to tears!
    Click to expand...
    So what do you think something that you did yourself that cost 1300 without any labor, insurance, work comp, ect.... should cost then?
     
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    Back in the day I worked for a vending company. We had 24 hour call service and it was my turn in the barrel. The pager went off around 2:00 am for a malfunctioning coffee machine at a mill about 45 minutes away. I get to the break room and open the machine up. Night watchman says it ate his dollar bill and didn’t give him his coffee or change. Shoved into the coin slot (it being 1982, 25 cents per cup, no bill acceptor) was a very tightly folder dollar bill.
    I gave him four quarters for his dollar bill and a free cup of coffee.





    P
     
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    BuildingConceptsllc said:
    So what do you think something that you did yourself that cost 1300 without any labor, insurance, work comp, ect.... should cost then?
    Click to expand...
    He was worried about his wallet and I was worried about mine. The cost of the unit was $1200. He already charged me $500 for coolant. HVAC co price is $380 per bottle of that coolant. My unit used $45 typical price. When I told him I knew the price of coolant, he filled his bib with blabber. Fuck that guy.
     
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    BuildingConceptsllc said:
    So you aren't going to answer then? We all know why you aren't going to answer
    Click to expand...
    $3000. I was gonna pay him $3000, but he fucked me on the coolant and LIED to me. Sent me a long ass text convincing me not to leave bad reviews on him. I didn't. Told him to use it as a learning lesson to not fuck over customers.

    The cost of doing business isn't a secret. If you have to screw the customer to cover the cost of doing business, you're a slimeball.
     
    Gingerman said:
    Last HVAC dude tried telling me the hidden fee in the bill was for hazmat pay. Said, You know the same chemicals in this coolant is what the Nazis used to gas the jews. I am risking my life handling this stuff...

    I had another project lined up for him to try to fuck me on, but canceled that one. He quoted 3K. I did it for $1300 myself.

    It's worse than getting a decent cop. Maybe 1 in 15 or might not be the "bad apple". Fuck me to tears!
    Click to expand...
    I will give u this much…. HVAC industry is full of turds. It’s the one industry where most folks aren’t educated enough to understand what’s going on and get taken advantage of. I own a hvac company and have 30 employees…. We do not put up with that kind of nonsense at all with our technicians.

    I’ve had some conversations with the OP and I can assure you he is not the type of guy to take advantage of a customer.

    Your guy must be an idiot….#1 We don’t use “coolant”

    #2 I’ve been covered head to toe in refrigerant and oil and I didn’t die… yes there is chlorine in the older refrigerants but you will be just fine… only hurts when it’s burned…. Then you get phosgene gas.

    Stop being butt hurt and use a reputable company instead of the guy who advertises the “$65 tune up”
     
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    Gingerman said:
    $3000. I was gonna pay him $3000, but he fucked me on the coolant and LIED to me. Sent me a long ass text convincing me not to leave bad reviews on him. I didn't. Told him to use it as a learning lesson to not fuck over customers.

    The cost of doing business isn't a secret. If you have to screw the customer to cover the cost of doing business, you're a slimeball.
    Click to expand...
    Why didn't you answer with that to begin with then?
     
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    Stevo86 said:
    I will give u this much…. HVAC industry is full of turds. It’s the one industry where most folks aren’t educated enough to understand what’s going on and get taken advantage of. I own a hvac company and have 30 employees…. We do not put up with that kind of nonsense at all with our technicians.

    I’ve had some conversations with the OP and I can assure you he is not the type of guy to take advantage of a customer.

    Your guy must be an idiot….#1 We don’t use “coolant”

    #2 I’ve been covered head to toe in refrigerant and oil and I didn’t die… yes there is chlorine in the older refrigerants but you will be just fine… only hurts when it’s burned…. Then you get phosgene gas.

    Stop being butt hurt and use a reputable company instead of the guy who advertises the “$65 tune up”
    Click to expand...
    Nope nope nope....one bad HVAC represents all HVAC. :LOL:
     
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    BuildingConceptsllc said:
    That's fair enough. I will admit there's as many shady hvac outfits as shady roofers out there. Of course, there's twice as many shady home owners...
    Click to expand...
    Mabey.

    But roofers are like 'rockmans'. Any guy with a p/u truck and a trowel can lay rock.

    any clown iwth a p/u truck can fuck up a roof.

    At least the HVAC guys need a few specialized tools to fuck things up.

    I had a new system put in and it just wouldnt cool and heat was really high. Hd a different company come out and check it. 35% leakage. He came back a few times, got it up to about 85% efficient then went out of business.
     
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