Seat belt use = safe work habits?

[begleytree]

Had a potiential client call the other day. Long story short she has had the runaround from the local pickup companies with no insurance. After showing her all our insurance and city permits, W/C ect she says she will think about it. Calls the office about 5 minutes after I leave her house to give us the job.
She says that she waited to see if I wore my seatbelt in the pickup leaving the estimte. She feels that if someone talks safety, then neglects to wear the belt, that they don't practice what they preach. I wear mine about half the time, I was actually stalling, she kept looking at the proposal and at me and back again, I figured I'd take a few seconds more to let her make up her mind and put it on, then left.
Anyone else hear of this? I got to thinking about it and its one way to look at it I guess.
I can only assume that the no insurance outfits really talked up safety to make her believe they could do the work without needing the insurance.
I don't think you can base your entire opinion about someone on just one factor, but then I don't hire tree trimmers on my personal property either.
Whatchathink?
-Ralph

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

I actually mentioned this very thing in a thread about safety not long ago. There's a definate correlation.

 

[Guy Meilleur]

Sales are all about Trust. :angel:

 

[Stumper]

I recently had a customer comment (after the job was complete-but I've worked for her a few times previously) that she figures that when someone takes the trouble to take care of personal safety they probably will take proper care of her trees as well. -I was wearing chaps and a Peltor Helmet system for grinding out a couple of stumps-she mentioned the fact that my helper earlier in the day was wearing a dust mask while chipping dead juniper.

 

[begleytree]

Mike, sorry to repeat, I musta missed your post.
I never really connected the two. I do what some think are dumb tactics off the job, but never on the job. I save playtime till later.
A few weeks ago I put an 18 horse outboard on an eight foot johnboat at father-in-law's pond. no worries until I was turning and the motor sputtered, I cranked it (what turned out to be wide open) up a little.
Never saw a boat stand up like that before! guy in front went flying and I just kinda sat back into the water! Talk about cold, did I mention it was dark out? no, alcohol was not involved!
Ralph

 

[The Best GM]

Do some of you guys think that people are as un coplicated as you think? People can't be read that easily! God, some people are recless as hell in there personal life but in now way reflects or predicts there performance on a job. Some people go home and leave work at work. ???? I'm sick of the sterio types, awfully judgemental don't you think. I now ???? loads of excellent carpenters whos house look like crap due to lack of work, yet they are top notch at work, same goes with mechanics, I personally know some mechanics and there cars are ???? boxes but they are great and safe at what they do. Don't think that i can't see that yes there is a posibility of unsafe personal lives relating to work. Thats what references are for.

 

[Stumper]

Er... GM, You are correct that there is no direct correlation between care in one area and sloppiness in another. We are talking about customer perceptions here. Many people watch everything we do and draw conclusions based upon what they see. Their conclusions may be wrong but it doesn't change the effect on sales. The bottom line is....Very few people say "this guy wears safety gear and uses his seatbelt , he must be an incompetent ****" but many look at stuff like that and think"he acts very professional."

 

[The Best GM]

absoloutly,

 

[Dadatwins]

Without even meeting that client I would walk away from that job. Yes I believe safety first and always but if a client is that nit picky I do not want to be around. Did the client ask if you washed hands before meeting? Any other personel hygiene questions? Sorry, if someone is hiring me to a job focus should be on quality of work, completed in a timely manner, not seatbelt use.

 

[Guy Meilleur]

Originally posted by Dadatwins
if someone is hiring me to a job focus should be on quality of work, completed in a timely manner, not seatbelt use.

Daddyo, you're talking about the ideal, but people's focus is never that focused.:Eye:
Our appearance and our manner and our habits make an impression, so why not have it be a good one?

O and Stumper, I was the first GM here so if the canuck wants to change his moniker maybe he can choose other initials? nothin personal but I'm enough already.

 

[Dadatwins]

Originally posted by Guy Meilleur
Daddyo, you're talking about the ideal, but people's focus is never that focused.:Eye:
Our appearance and our manner and our habits make an impression, so why not have it be a good one?

I agree good first impression is very important. But when clients start basing my being hired to do a job on my personel habits like seat belt use I think its time to draw a line and walk away. Never one to walk away from any job that equals $$ but if client is that nit picky a red flag would go up about other parts of job.

 

[Guy Meilleur]

You may have a point but Iwould draw the line elsewhere.

Nitpickiness about dress would be a quick turnaround; all my workshirts have holes and I if I ever got a comment I'd say 'Experience is priceless"

 

[MasterBlaster]

Drive AWAY! QUICKLY!

 

[Dadatwins]

Heh MB got any speeding away trucks in your collection of smilies?

 

[MasterBlaster]

 

[Dadatwins]

Nice!!!

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

Should a doctor have a dirty neck?

What about safety as a state of mind, and seatbelt use an outward sign of that state of mind? Rule following, etc. type of person as cues to trustworthiness; as a lawyer or banker might dress meticulously to give impressions of strengths in areas that would give you more confidence in them handling affairs meticulously.

Should a sloppy cop half in uniform give a ticket for a few miles over the limit?

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I might not have gotten that job myself, since I am somewhat sporadic in seatbelt usage.

I don't care if the client is nitpicky, I can be too in some situations. If they start trying to pick out more work then contracted, I just stop and say "lets see how much more that will cost!" It either stops them or gets me an upsell.