View Full Version : How can I be diplomatic?
Got a bit of a problem, Tomorrow I have to ring one of my customers and tell them that my kitchen fitter is refusing to install their kitchen because the house is in a disgusting state, I can sympathise with my fitter as I have been to the house to design the kitchen and it is without doubt the worst I have ever come across in the 15 years I've been designing. Now its not a mess because of on going decorating or home improvement work, it is just filthy and piles of rubbish and god knows what everywhere.
My problem is how can I explain without sounding insulting to these people that unless they clean their house to an acceptable level we wont fit their kitchen. Any ideas guys?
EDIT forgot to say the smell is awful too
Duff Man
22-05-2003, 17:16
Something along the lines of 'For health and Safety reasons' we are unable to fit X,Y,Z until the work area is clear of 'insert offending problem here'.
:confused:
yeah, been thinking along the lines of health and safety precautions, but still think i'm going to come across as insulting
Papa Lazarou
22-05-2003, 17:22
I don't know... there comes a point when you can't beat about the bush and you have to be honest. Try to avoid using insulting words like disgusting, health hazard, sess pit, shite hole, etc.
Say its going to get in the way of your work and your service doesn't include clearing the rubbish.
Or something like that anyway.
Think your right Papa, just have to be as kind as I can with the wording but make sure I get the message across.
crackdownuk
22-05-2003, 20:09
[. Try to avoid using insulting words like disgusting, health hazard, sess pit, shite hole, etc.
PMSL
so, does this mean your installers refuse to go into Sheffield?
hows about something along the lines of "Our fitter will require the kitchen to be cleared of any removable items, for instance plates out of the cupboards, cutlery out of the drawers and any furnature such as tables and chairs or stools to be removed for the duration if the work."
try and say stools without giggling tho ;)
Originally posted by MrMidgers
hows about something along the lines of "Our fitter will require the kitchen to be cleared of any removable items, for instance plates out of the cupboards, cutlery out of the drawers and any furnature such as tables and chairs or stools to be removed for the duration if the work."
try and say stools without giggling tho ;)
LOL:D you cant say stools without:D , it not so much the stuff in the kitchen, its the thick grease, mould and filth on the walls, the floors, the whole place is disgusting, the whole house is the same, you just can't imagine how bad it is without seeing it. What amazes me though is they live like that but coughed up 5K for a new kitchen
Ahh.
Well I suppose you'll just have to decide weather you fancy doing the clean up job as well then. Afterall they've probably just thought "If we get new stuff we won't have to clean this shit"
and tell them that whilst your fitter will leave no mess when the job is finished, a cleaning charge can be added for anything he has to do before he begins.
Or just pay a contract cleaner to go in and it'll look like a new kitchen:thumbs:
jsut tell them that the fitter refuses to work in those conditions, and that he is within his rights to do so. It's quite a fair thing to insist that premises are of a required standard before entry I would have thought...
I've sent out 3 different teams of fitters so far and all of them have refused to work there, we wont get involved in the cleaning of this place, it would take a good couple of weeks at least, seriousley thinking about just giving them a refund or the other option is being really blunt with the customer about the condition of their house and give them a set time to get the place to a resonable state for my guys to work in.
looks like diplomacy will have to go out the window
Blunt is good - let them make the choice to ask for the refund.
tim rome
22-05-2003, 21:04
sack the fitters,,,:D :D :D and get some that dont mind working in DIFFICULT environments. pah, fitters of today, theyve never had it so good.:D :D
Originally posted by tim rome
sack the fitters,,,:D :D :D and get some that dont mind working in DIFFICULT environments. pah, fitters of today, theyve never had it so good.:D :D
You're not wrong there Tim, ours are on very good money. Trouble is there are so few fitters out there with the right qualifications we require ( corgi, nie and £2m public liability to name a few ) dont seem to be many people learning the trades thes edays
You'd be surprised how many people live like that. My mate's an electrician and does contracts installing central heating in council houses. He has to be careful he doesn't put his toolbox down on a dogturd some days.
have you done it yet?
what did they say?
why do some people live like scum?
Beats me. I am the reverse I get annoyed if their is just the slightest bit of clutter/dirt anywhere!
Originally posted by Starionman
have you done it yet?
what did they say?
Spoke to the customer this morning, basically told them that if they didn't have the property up to acceptable levels of cleanliness within 14 days, we would have no choice other than to refund their monies and cancel the order. I am just waiting for them to come back to me with an answer.
Originally posted by Wak
You'd be surprised how many people live like that. My mate's an electrician and does contracts installing central heating in council houses. He has to be careful he doesn't put his toolbox down on a dogturd some days.
I know what you mean, I've been in places where your shoes stick to the carpet.
Originally posted by Ken
Spoke to the customer this morning, basically told them that if they didn't have the property up to acceptable levels of cleanliness within 14 days, we would have no choice other than to refund their monies and cancel the order. I am just waiting for them to come back to me with an answer.
The problem is, that is obviously their idea of an acceptable level of cleanliness. It might go one of two ways, either they will be shocked into cleaning up or they will think "how dare he!" and cancel the order
TopSquads
23-05-2003, 15:39
Just be upfront............
Should go something like this........
"Hi, it's the kitchen fitters here"
"Oh, hello there.........when are you coming to f..."
"Hang on a minute.......We've had complaints from the fitters about the condition of the place they have to work in"
"I don't understand what do you mean, complaints?"
"Listen, you kitchens a Sh*t hole! Sort it out and you can have your kitchen fitted. Now do you understand?"
Calmly hang up and laugh really loud as you mutter the word 'stools' to yuorself.
I think that would work a treat...........
No mess no fuss.
Matty.:thumbs:
Originally posted by Wak
The problem is, that is obviously their idea of an acceptable level of cleanliness. It might go one of two ways, either they will be shocked into cleaning up or they will think "how dare he!" and cancel the order
To be honest I'd rather they did cancel, it would be the easiest solution, just thinking about how they live makes me feel ill.
Originally posted by TopSquads
Just be upfront............
Should go something like this........
"Hi, it's the kitchen fitters here"
"Oh, hello there.........when are you coming to f..."
"Hang on a minute.......We've had complaints from the fitters about the condition of the place they have to work in"
"I don't understand what do you mean, complaints?"
"Listen, you kitchens a Sh*t hole! Sort it out and you can have your kitchen fitted. Now do you understand?"
Calmly hang up and laugh really loud as you mutter the word 'stools' to yuorself.
I think that would work a treat...........
No mess no fuss.
Matty.:thumbs:
LOL:D We could do with you in customer services:)
voodoo_melon
23-05-2003, 16:12
Get docwra to phone up for you, he's the master of subtlety ;) :)
amcluesent
24-05-2003, 17:19
Have you tried going to their house wearing one of those full nuclear/chemical/biological contamination suits? They might get the hint when you are speaking through the respirator..."And will if be a teak or"[Darth Vader style inhaling noises]"limed ash effect doors, madam?"
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