Custards, etc....

[misterdubya]

After a discussion with a custard on the dog, I posed a question.

RGI: I quoted a price for a boiler and fire service didnt I?
Custard: Yes you did, but it seems expensive.
RGI: Compared to what?
Custard: What?
RGI: What are you comparing my price to?
Custard: Nothing, just seems expensive.
RGI: Why? Have you been quoted cheaper, and if so maybe you should use another RGI?
Custard: No, I just cant see it costing that much.
RGI: Why?
Custard: Just seems a lot.
RGI: Compared to who?
Custard: Oh, just you do it next week please.
RGI: Of course, as I have done for the last 3 years. Why are you questining my pricing?
Custard: Too many money grabbers out there, and your a plumber.

Charming, thanks Matt Albright.

Mr. W.

 

[Boilerman2]

Good post Sir
The same custard happily pays £700 to have the Mercedes Serviced though

 

[jackpike]

up north in the real world, you don't get a discussion. if you price too high, you don't get the work, if you price too low, you will get the work and regret it,
you have to be 'bang on the money' too many plumbers chasing too little jobs, even long standing 'better the devil you know' custerds shop round now its a 'meercat market' .com

 

[PEDANTICVINDICTIVEMAN]

Yea, assholes buy a brand new car which they could have saved £££££££ by buying say a 12 month old car with say 12000 miles on it, but no, "has" to have new reg plate, then lose £4000.00 immediately they drive it off the forecourt, but hey £85.00 for a boiler and fire service is too much.

Nation of Arseholes.

 

[bengasman]

What is the problem with people shopping around? We are in a bad-ass recession, and the supply/demand situation has dramatically changed. 4 years ago there was much more demand for RGI's and fewer around, and the healthy open market made the prices unrealistically high.
That same open market has lowered the prices now the demand is significantly lower, and more "plumbers" available, and thank god for that. If that had not happened, it means we would be living under communist rule.

 

[misterdubya]

What is the problem with people shopping around? We are in a bad-ass recession, and the supply/demand situation has dramatically changed. 4 years ago there was much more demand for RGI's and fewer around, and the healthy open market made the prices unrealistically high.
That same open market has lowered the prices now the demand is significantly lower, and more "plumbers" available, and thank god for that. If that had not happened, it means we would be living under communist rule.

You have completely missed the point.

 

[onlyfitidealboilers]

The point is all the back door merchants that have done a 6 week plumbing/gas course has destroyed this trade nice one kirk!!

by the way as far as i know ph jones have a deal with new deal to take these efforts on once they qualified for a fee of course, thats why the AA are stuffed now ha ha ha

The AA should **** off we have enough with British gas, Eon, Npower

 

[Onetap]

You have completely missed the point.

No, he hasn't. Boom and bust, and you've had the boom. It was ever thus.

 

[bengasman]

You have completely missed the point.

Punter tried to get something off the price in stead of just handing over his dosh; seems like my statement dovetails quite nicely with that.

 

[moggridgeplumbing]

And then when you've done the job, they either disappear down the shops just before you finish or don't have their chequebook to hand.

Two to three weeks later after chasing them you get paid.

You don't go down to Sainsbury's and at the till say "I forgot my debitcard so I'll drop the money in the post later"!!

 

[misterdubya]

Thats the point - the customer hadn't shopped around. The customer just stated that my price "seemed expensive". It was not compared to any other prices. How can something seem expensive with no comparison?

If the customer had retorted with... "well, compared to 2 / 3 other local companies your price does seem expensive" then we could discuss and if I was desperate enough for the work then maybe we could find a mutually acceptible price.

They had not, and simply agreed to my price (or maybe they had done and unbeknown to me, I was the cheapest).

Mr. W.

 

[Whitespirit66]

What is the problem with people shopping around? We are in a bad-ass recession, and the supply/demand situation has dramatically changed. 4 years ago there was much more demand for RGI's and fewer around, and the healthy open market made the prices unrealistically high.
That same open market has lowered the prices now the demand is significantly lower, and more "plumbers" available, and thank god for that. If that had not happened, it means we would be living under communist rule.

But that's just the point. Mr W's customer didn't shop around. He just quessed it was expensive, probably on the basis of media drivel and reasoning that because we are in uncertain times people are looking to make savings.

Know what you mean about unrealistic prices for plumbing/gas. Mate is a self-employed commercial refrigeration engineer. His highest hourly rate is £20. But then again, he doesn't have to have the 'magic ticket'.

 

[Whitespirit66]

Beat me to it Mr W!

 

[PEDANTICVINDICTIVEMAN]

What is the problem with people shopping around? We are in a bad-ass recession, and the supply/demand situation has dramatically changed. 4 years ago there was much more demand for RGI's and fewer around, and the healthy open market made the prices unrealistically high.
That same open market has lowered the prices now the demand is significantly lower, and more "plumbers" available, and thank god for that. If that had not happened, it means we would be living under communist rule.

Think you need to alter the words more "plumbers" to more "arseholes" available.

 

[misterdubya]

Whitespirit66 understood and thats why I tried to tell bengasman had missed the point.
But you will always get narrow minded individuals (moderators).

Mr. W.