Plumbing Connection 1-2015

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3 0 PLUMBING CONNECTION AUTUMN 2015
one day they may be a building owner,
or an apartment owner, or the head of
the Building Management Committee
which is responsible for telling the
Strata Manager what plumber they
would prefer to use. I just tend to suck
up the attitude and point out that if
they want after-hours service, they will
have to pay for the after-hours rate.
This usually fixes the ‘I’m not available
to let you in during regular hours’
statement.
The other type of customer that
often has an ‘Entitled’ attitude is the
customer who may have a bathroom,
toilet or wet area that is causing
problems in an apartment that is not
their own —for example, an apartment
beside or below them. They generally
resent needing to be at home to let
you in because they don’t have any
issues in their home, so therefore, in
their opinion, their home mustn’t be
the cause of the problem. I usually shut
this type of customer complaint down
by asking that customer to imagine
how they would feel if water was
dripping through their ceiling and their
neighbour above was refusing access
to inspect the problem. Once you
give them an example of a plumbing
situation where they are the central
one suffering, they will generally
become more helpful.
THE PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE
This type of customer usually
catches you by surprise, but once
bitten, twice shy. They are generally
really friendly while you are working,
thank you for your job and smile
happily as you leave. Then, bang, the
next thing you know you get a nasty
email from that same customer,
accusing you of all sorts of injustices,
or even worse, you get a call from the
building Strata Manager, asking you
what went wrong. You up end feeling
really angry and annoyed because
they have been so ‘two-faced’. Once I
know a customer is like this, I try and
get them off my client list as quickly
as possible because they will usually
continue to be a nightmare – often
the motivation behind this behaviour
is to avoid payment or to try and get
a discount. They will have all the time
in the world to wear you down and
try and get out of paying. They are
best avoided at all costs but if you
can’t avoid them, remain polite and
professional, especially when dealing
with your Strata Manager or Managing
Agent because you can pretty
much guarantee that the ‘Passive
Aggressive’ customer is going to treat
them in exactly the same way at some
point. It’s their personality, and not you
personally, so don’t allow them to let
you lose it. They are not worth it.
THE HOARDER
Ah, the most unusual and the
filthiest to deal with – the hoarder. I
have had to walk out of apartments
because I couldn’t even get to the
problem due to the piles upon piles
of rubbish all through the house. This
type of customer is at the extreme
end of a disorder but it doesn’t mean
you have to risk your health (mental or
physical) to get the job done. So, here’s
what I do – if it’s disgusting but I can
get to the actual problem – I will wear
a facemask, gloves and spare overalls.
Then I just act as normal as possible –
but at least I can’t smell anything and
my health is being protected. I get in
and out as quick as possible.
At other times, if I have to inspect
the job first and then come back, I
will politely explain that I will need
them to clear a pathway for me when I
come back and that all garbage within
the immediate area of the problem
will need to be removed in order for
me to fix the problem. If I return and
this hasn’t happened, I explain that
I am unable to undertake the job. If
they aren’t the homeowner, then I will
contact the owner, rental agent or
strata manager to alert them to the
problem. This is a problem that often
doesn’t come to light until a plumber
is called.
Luckily though, this is a rare
customer so thank goodness, and in
general, most customers are great to
work with. There are many other types
of high-maintenance customers out
there and also customers who are
usually great and happen to have an
off-day. I just try and remember that
if I remain professional, even if the
customer is definitely not right, then
it’s going to make me feel better about
an unfortunate situation. If I lose my
temper too, it just gives that annoying
customer more ammunition and won’t
really leave me feeling any better.
Staying cool under pressure is the
best way to shut the situation down
and avoid finding yourself at the end of
an unfair, poor write-up that may end
up damaging your reputation.
BUSINESS AS USUAL
BRAD FALLON
Contact:
Brad Fallon is the Director of Ivy
St Plumbing – specialists in the
strata management trade: www.
SINCE IT IS HARD TO BE EXACT WITH TIMING AND PLUMBING WORK, I ALWAYS
DOUBLE THE TIMEFRAME OF HOW LONG I ANTICIPATE IT WILL TAKE SO THAT WHEN I
FINISH EARLY THEY ARE LEFT HAPPY.