Crazy Customer Story

[mikecross23]

This weekend I cleaned out a beautiful huge live oak. Lots of fun climbing time on the job, however the customer was crazy! She had her head filled w/ all kinds of crazyness from some hack that also gave her an estimate. Askin' me if I will clean my spikes before I climb her tree, do I intend on lion tailing everything b/c that's what the other guy said is best to reduce the weight on each branch, will I seal every exposed cut w/ "green paint". The majority of the tree is directly over the entire house. So I'm about half way done and in the midst of roping down a 8" diameter 20' long dead branch she decides it would be a good time to ask if i'm insured. Does she holler her questions from a safe distance, NO!!!! She pulls out her ladder and climbs on the flat roof and stands directly underneath me to ask. I answered her questions and asked her to please get off the roof. "WHY" She didn't understand why she couldn't be on the roof while I worked. Get a freakin' clue lady! You could be smashed. When I get on the ground she scurries out to ask more questions. "Is this going to kill my tree?" "Those cuts sure are noticeble, are you sure they will heal. I explained the cut to her and how it should heal over, even showed her an old healed over cut as an example. She called me today, while I was on a lunch date for a 15 minute consultation. She was at a nursery and asked someone there the proper way to remove branches and wanted to inform me how to do it right. WE HAD JUST GONE OVER THAT WORD FOR WORD 2 DAYS AGO!!!! Besides IT'S TOO DANG LATE ANYWAY LADY!!!! I would have cut the conversation short, but she has more work for me and has good potential for referals. Never met anyone this spacey.

Lord, please forgive me for bashing on this poor ignorant feather weight craniumed lady.:angel: I know it is partially my duty to educate the client and answer any questions I can w/ in reason. This is not within reason! Hello, McFlie!!!!!!!

I'M OUT!!!!
-Mike-

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

We've talked about the different levels of maintinamce clients need (sounds like you got a client vs. a customer here). Some wont leave you alone, some insist on you leaving them alone. Thank God that most fall in between. ( I like a little feedback)

I usualy used the "hardhat area" schpeal to keep people out of the work zone. One time guy went and got his old IBEE hardhat out of the garage and started to try to "help".

 

[mikecross23]

I get a few helpers. I usually just politely let them know that we don't mind, "I mean you are paying us." That sends the simple message.

 

[NeTree]

Mike, maybe you should charge a "Customer drove me nuts" surcharge? Like maybe... I dunno....25 percent?

I know how you feel.... BELIEVE ME........

 

[treeclimber165]

JPS had a good suggestion. I always used the line about how our insurance would not cover anyone getting hurt who wasn't an employee. If that didn't work, I would firmly and (hopefully) politely tell them that I was not willing to risk having them under me while I was working. That almost always worked.

I remember once when a customer refused to get out of my landing area when I was removing a tall skinny oak between two houses. She kept poking her head out from under the roof overhang. I sent down a flurry of small limbs for about 3 minutes right next to her and she FINALLY got the heck out of the way. Even my groundman kept hiding on the opposite side of the truck to get away from her, she just wouldn't shut up. She called me back a few times after that for more work but I never returned her calls.

 

[Greg]

Instruct the ground guy to fire up the largest/loudest saw that is on the job and have him stand near the drop zone 'waiting for you to drop some wood' --oops can't hear you!!
Greg

 

[TREETX]

I have even had a customer pick up my 044 and try to "help". Luck for him and me he couldn't find the kill switch to hit the "on" position.

Funny though mike. I really try to talk to clients a bit to see how wierd they are first. Here in Austin there are many bumper stickers saying "Keep Austin Wierd". Trust me they are. It helps you sales wise knowing wether to take an amiable or analytical approach.....or run like hell!

Ever have the clients that are like papparazzi? Snaping tons of photos as you move through a tree. They used to mess up my rythem (if I has any). Now they are not really noticed.

I have had clients ask what can I do to help?? And replied, go to the mall and come back in a few hours.

 

[johncinco]

I wondered who was doing that tree work for my Gramma!

 

[TREETX]

Just had a crazy lady call insisting "we" cut her tree yesterday. "We" is just myself and 2 other guys. I have never been to her neighborhood. She insists it was my guys. I'm thinking side job gone wrong. Can't sleep, clowns will eat me...

 

[crosscut tree]

hey tree tx happens all the time here in fl. im not sure if its gypsies using my name or what . but with just one employee i keep to busy to do any side jobs lol. and help from family im usually real sure of what jobs ive done and have to do . strangest customer ive ever had was a woman on a pretty big private job. two days into it she pulls out a big lawn chair and proceeded to get drunker than cooter brown. drunker she got crazier she was. fired her fence crew sent them home took off her top and started asking my draggers if they wanted to wrestle lol.thats when i decided to call it a day thought i was gonna have to tie her up just so we could get away lol. halfway home one of the crew said her bra was hanging on the winch next day i started real early and with my wife to run interferance for me just so i could finish up and get paid .