Well I've had a cracking day!

[Dodge]

Sorry if you havn't but I have just had a fantastic day.

It started early this morning fitting three oak windows for a lady and gentleman - I made them last week and had arranged to fit them this week starting today.

The first really nice thing - On arrival the customers immediately gave me a building society cheque for the balance outstanding without me even lifting a window frame let alone presenting an invoice.

The Second thing was that I had expected to get two of the windows fitted today and the other one fitted tomorrow - But everything went brilliantly and I got all three installed and glazed with ease finishing about 3pm. I don't often make windows and loath fitting them but these were a breeze.

The Third thing was the beautiful bacon butties and eleven O'clock and Homemade soup brought out to me with a crusty roll and mug of coffee at Lunchtime, not to mention the slice of cake and coffee about 2.30pm.

The fourth thing was that as I was about to leave the gentleman I had been working for presented me with a Record 10 plane which is in lovely condition asking me if I would like it as he has never used it since he acquired it many years ago. I offered to pay him for it but he wasn't having any of it and let me have it as a tip!

The fifth thing was the smiles on my kids faces when I collected them from school as a surprise - Where I was working was only a couple of minutes from the school.

We then came home and I cooked our tea - fresh sea fish which my 9 year old son caught when we were out on Sunday - Yes he caught the fish! Beginners luck!

And finally the customers I was working for have just phoned and asked me to go back to discuss the making of a long case clock.

Sorry to have had a bit of a gloat but I just wanted to share this!

Rog

 

[Woodchips2]

Good to hear some good news Rog, well done!

Regards Keith

 

[Jamesc]

Fantastic,

It's great to hear good news, it sounds like you have some excellent customers there.

Well done.

 

[CHJ]

Great to hear of someone having things go right for a change, more stamina than me fitting windows this time of the year.

I was thankful that the long awaited plumbing reconfigure and change over of Oil Tank supplies went as planned on Sat, the warmest day we've had for some weeks, even then an hour was more than enough outside the comfort of the central heating for me.

 

[Dodge]

more stamina than me fitting windows this time of the year.

Back to the warmth and comfort of my workshop and woodburner tomorrow. :lol:

 

[Chris By The River]

Sounds like a Red Letter Day that you won't forget in a hurry.

Next time you have a bad day just remind yourself of today !!!

 

[lanemaux]

Good to hear about your day Roger, cheering in view of the fact that I now have no view. The snow has just come to the top of our window you see. A drift , admittedly , but am borrowing some of your happy to live through vicariously. Nice bit about the 10 amigo, pics forthcoming on Hand Tools perhaps. If not an outright gloat , may raise the spirits of our neanderlot (neanderbunch , neanderflock).

 

[The_Stig]

So all in all not a bad Tuesday then Rog?

 

[jimi43]

Reading through that wonderful story Rog....I note that most of your initial mood brightening was because of what appears to be really nice customers.

As a manager of a hotel, I see many people...some are super nice and make your day but very occasionally you get the pineapplehole that thinks that they can vent all their woes and pressures on the first person that they see...everything is your fault and nothing is right.

To have nice customers is a pleasure that lasts....and those little things they did for you might have been tiny but collectively they made YOUR day and those sort of people are the salt of the earth....

To top that with your son's fish...wonderful. My daughter caught a huge fish when she was only four...quite by accident...nearly took her waterskiing....and I know exactly how that feels...

Finally...your sharing those beautiful moments has made MY day! Well done my friend!

Smile and the World smiles with you! :ho2

Jim

 

[Lons]

What a fantastic story Rog.
Customers like that are the reason we produce quality work / service and guard or reputation so carefully.

All my work is very local as I refuse to travel any more. I'm also VERY choosy and people laugh when I say I won't work for anyone I don't like but it' true!

I had an example last week with a regular long standing customer. Her conservatory roof caved with the weight of 3 feet of snow, I went out on a Sunday night to prop it up and minimise the leakage but it needs a new roof. Next day she contacted the insurance company gave my quote the following day and insisted they let me do the work. No other quotes and job was over £3k - roof now on order.

Had another example a few years ago with 3 of us working on a Sunday trying to get a small extension finished. Customer came out with 3 huge full sunday dinners. Through my sarnies in the skip but didn't have the heart to tell the wife who had cooked a big meal - stuffed for days #-o

Lovely people to have as customers and I had one old guy a few years back who gave me a mint Cowells modelmakers lathe with all the attatchments - worth about £2k :shock: - wouldn't take a penny

I guess we've probably all got stories like that which makes the job worthwhile.

cheers

Bob

 

[devonwoody]

I had a customer that paid me the same day once, it went like this.

The lady was 99 years of age and her housekeeper companion was much younger in age but she was completely stressed out by the older lady.

Anyway I did my thing and then presented invoice for payment and the old lady said she could not pay me. Unbeknown to her I new that her son lived next door in the luxury apartments so I went next door and knocked on his door and explained to him that his mother would not pay me. He said "don't talk to me about mother and money" and slammed the door.

I went back to the lady and said "your son says you have got to pay me", and she wrote out a cheque immediately, IT MADE MY DAY, to get that one over her.

 

[Dodge]

All my work is very local as I refuse to travel any more. I'm also VERY choosy and people laugh when I say I won't work for anyone I don't like but it' true!

Bob

Exactly my attitude now - I used to do alot of work for London customers but their attitude always got me - I no longer advertise, all my work is by recommendation or word of mouth. I did away with my website because all I ever got was marketting spam!

Anyway I wonder what today will bring??? :?: :?:

Rog

 

[maltrout512]

Thats a good day. Having customers like that makes you feel good and that is what life should be about.

All the best in the new year

 

[tomatwark]

I love it when a day goes like that.

A few years ago a friend and I were doing a kitchen together, we gave the customer the bill, he paid it and the gave us each an enverlope with a bit of cash to buy ourselves a Christmas drink, it was only when we got into the van and opened them we found we had £100 each.

Needless to say if he needed help in the future we always tried to be flexible.

I have to say though my customers this year have been absolute stars after I had an accident in June and had to work at a slower pace while waiting for a knee op which finally happened 3 weeks ago.

Not one has cancelled and they are happy to wait till I get to them.

Tom

 

[Setch]

They sound like keepers!

I'm always amazed by customers who don't offer a cup of tea or coffee, or even some water to somebody working in their home, even if they're on an all day job in the heat of summer or depths winter.

The offer of a cup of tea will always be appreciated, and home made cake or the offer of toast will do amazing things to the friendlyness and flexibility of tradesmen.

If I see guys working on the road within a few doors of the house I pop out now and then and offer a cuppa, it's just a nice thing to do and costs near-as- nothing.

 

[Jamesc]

The offer of a cup of tea will always be appreciated, and home made cake or the offer of toast will do amazing things to the friendlyness and flexibility of tradesmen.

I'm with you on that one, having been both sides of the fence.

My Mother In-law always refuses to give any worker a drink "I'm paying them to work, not drink tea" surprise surprise she always seems to fiind tradesmen who do the barest minimum and offer no after sales service.

James

 

[tomatwark]

A friend of mine did a job for his parents next door neighbours and was offered a cuppa.

At the the end of the job the customer took £1 off for the cuppa.

Tom

 

[Jamesc]

At the the end of the job the customer took £1 off for the cuppa.

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[Lons]

All my work is very local as I refuse to travel any more. I'm also VERY choosy and people laugh when I say I won't work for anyone I don't like but it' true!

Bob

Exactly my attitude now - I used to do alot of work for London customers but their attitude always got me - I no longer advertise, all my work is by recommendation or word of mouth. I did away with my website because all I ever got was marketting spam!

Anyway I wonder what today will bring??? :?: :?:

Rog

Much easier to do when the mortgage is paid, kids have flown and................... the wife still works full time

I'm always amazed by customers who don't offer a cup of tea or coffee, or even some water to somebody working in their home, even if they're on an all day job in the heat of summer or depths winter.

The offer of a cup of tea will always be appreciated, and home made cake or the offer of toast will do amazing things to the friendlyness and flexibility of tradesmen.
If I see guys working on the road within a few doors of the house I pop out now and then and offer a cuppa, it's just a nice thing to do and costs near-as- nothing.

Definately my sort of person - bet you get first class service.

I made the mistake though many years ago of telling a customer that we drank loads of tea (don't stop work for it however) and she duly provided for 4 of us for 3 weeks while we built her extension ---EVERY 30 MINUTES :shock: :shock:

Bob

 

[jimi43]

I bet that was the only extension on the street where the loo went in before the roof...eh Bob?

:ho2

Jimi