Customers

[madhatter1]

My business is building controls installation subcontractor. We work for the same clients on multiple sites. But it doesn't really matter what the trade is. There are good customers and bad customers. Difficult customers are not necessarily bad and easy going customers definitely not guaranteed to be good. In fact "difficult" customers usually are not. They tell you exactly what they expect and all we have to do is meet the expectation. Easy!

In any case most posts are about marine trades and customers. In this case I am the customer. I request work, wait my turn, make the boat available when it's my turn, and pay the bill promptly. Ongoing relationship with DD mechanic and detailer. They do great work and leave the boat clean. No reason to nitpick the bill. I hope I am a good customer. I would hate to get fired!

[Captain Ralph]

My business is building controls installation subcontractor. We work for the same clients on multiple sites. But it doesn't really matter what the trade is. There are good customers and bad customers. Difficult customers are not necessarily bad and easy going customers definitely not guaranteed to be good. In fact "difficult" customers usually are not. They tell you exactly what they expect and all we have to do is meet the expectation. Easy!

In any case most posts are about marine trades and customers. In this case I am the customer. I request work, wait my turn, make the boat available when it's my turn, and pay the bill promptly. Ongoing relationship with DD mechanic and detailer. They do great work and leave the boat clean. No reason to nitpick the bill. I hope I am a good customer. I would hate to get fired!

Sounds like you could of been (of many) a great customer of ours.
Sorry we missed you in Jax.

[JuiceClark]

I'm sure it's much the same in most professional industries right now. So many Boomers have retired, and there's so many of them, plus COVID crap has support staff extremely strained.

I've turned away, or at least dissuaded, at least half the new client interviews I've had in the last 6 months. If they're not just the type who do best with my style, I won't stretch at all to get the business. I'm short of help and will do fine without any new clients. Besides, I don't get on the boat enough as it is!

It's a strange new world. My best mechanic switched to outboards only - because that's where he makes the most $$. Two other mechanics who did work for me previously said they'd do some work on the boat in June. Neither called back to schedule a time. So, I have to ask again or find someone else. I will probably call again...something I'd never have done before.

When the economy flops again, everyone's tune will change.

[Retired1]

Time and reality is an ever changing perception totally unique to one's interpretation of the moment.

[rsmith]

Time and reality is an ever changing perception totally unique to one's interpretation of the moment.

Good one. Most people believe the reality that presented to them and never question its authenticity.

[Captain Ralph]

We closed our shop before the pandemonium. My comments below were from this time frame.
I can understand that more people used the waters to get out of the house to be active, I really do not see how it has affect on service work, such as ours.
My associates that are still working (never stopped), Still pick who hey work with.
The lead tech is still 4 weeks out if he is needed.

Unlike a retail store, all that walks in that door has to be dealt with,
in our lil niche, we can pick our customers.

I understand the comment about the tech who went to outboard service only.
We went to diesel service only many years ago.

Oh, that word-of-mouth thing, our main advertisement;
Works very well for us.