Discussions

I am wondering if anyone else has issues trying to get local businesses to return calls.  
I want to hire someone to do a specific job, went through here and phone book. There was an email address in phone book for one business so I emailed for a quote with NO response after a couple of days. I went to another business that does the same service and was greeted by the employee sleeping on the couch in the waiting room. Well, I won't be using them.  
I ordered a particular product from a local business (I try to do this as much as possible) and called to see if my product had arrived. I will need to take a day off for installation. I called, no one answered, left a message stating that I needed to know arrival date for work reasons, no response or returned call. I called and they said yes we got your message. They had the information I was asking for about the arrival date but didn't return the call that day. What the heck? I was told by the person on the other end that it has been a very busy week for their business. I get it. I appreciate that. I am happy for you but would have disrupted your day that much to return my call. Yes I know you probably had many others to return that day. I am frustrated that I had to call back after 2 days because you didn't call back. My product is already paid for, so yes, I am frustrated and yes I want to know when it is coming. I want to be available at the business's convenience to install but that will require me to take time off...and I would like to give my employer a little notice as well. I guess I will just pay the minimum down payment next time and I might get better service.  
Does everyone doing smaller jobs get the brush off or the run around? I understand that bigger jobs are probably the priority but when the big jobs run out (and I think they will eventually) these businesses are going to rely on the smaller jobs to keep them going. I will continue to use local business when I get the service. I have had this problem for a while now and just want to know if I am the only one. Thanks for letting me vent.

You aren't the only one. It is hard to get any small job completed.

I'm frustrated with some businesses. I run a small repair shop and fix our own equipment. It seems to me there are a lot of guys work in supply businesses, that get paid 40 hours if they do anything or not. I don't know how many times I've asked for something a company should be able to supply easily and been told no. They won't even bother trying to get it, so The next place I tried had it or got it for me.  
 
The other day I'm working on a machine that needs 6 parts the same , they got 4. Then it's going to be a week and get 4 in stock again that they will have sold 2 off right away, and no fast freight to speed it up. Ok order me 10 as i'll need them pretty soon. I'll buy and stock them here.  
 
Nope can't do that and a whole load of BS why not! Do you think if Big time machine dealer or Construction company went there and wanted 10 they'd mess them round and leave a guys machine sit a week when it's urgent NO probably not!  
 
I'm with these guys need to remember they might need us smaller guys for customers, when the big guy vanishes in a recession. As companys get the plug pulled because of huge loans and no work. It happened with some machine shops when the oil tanked. yeah it's the farmers they shunned when the patch was busy, that are keeping the bills paid more now.without smaller guys they'd be done now to!.  
 
Edited by Farmboy74, 2017-05-31 23:57:09

We have been renovating all spring - finally done! We called several local businesses for quotes on work to be done, without going into details about the size of the job (some small, some large). We received replies about 25% - 50% of the time. Sometimes even after leaving 3 messages with a service provider we still received no return call. It was really surprising to me how hard it is to get work done and have someone take my money!

a small business in Brandon. It is employed by Me, myself and I! I try and return calls within 48 hours. Sometimes people are satisfied with that and sometimes they aren't. I do get comments however that people are happy I at least return the call. Many cannot get people to return a voicemail. It is the nature of business. Many pick and choose the clients and jobs they want and the rest get scratched off the page. Yes, once there is not enough business to go around then all will clammer for what they can get and calls will then be returned in minutes!  
 
Edited by Dan Forsythe, 2017-06-01 11:09:35