Hiring the Experts can hurt too
Koontz - I enjoy Jodi's horror stories, in that sick, "told you so way". Too often, way too often, I've seen them in action. Sadly, I've also seen the same scenario played out when client's hire "the experts".
Case in point-my current client wanted to replace windows in the kitchen that my company was coming in to remodel. First, she picked a well known brand of window-a company that has a great reputation and has been around for quite some time. Then, rather than have her husband and friends install the windows, or wait for her contractor to start her kitchen remodel, she went with this reputable company and let them set up the install of their product. They ought to be the best at it right? Plus, they claim to have a specific installation technique, or guidelines, so it all made sense. Thirdly, since no exterior walls were changing in the forth coming remodel, she chose to have the windows put in before I came on the job-figuring that would be one less thing for my company to have to deal with. One small caveat to the job was that the installers use a standard interior trim that was not compatible with the rest of her house trim, so she asked them to leave the inside trim off and her contractor would do that end of the job.
It all seemed straight forward. Until my partner and I show up on the job. For days I looked at the installation of these windows, wondering who the hell had been the butcher on this job. The more I looked, the more upset I became; first because these were MY clients, and someone had burned them-though they didn't know it. And secondly, because of the butchering, my job on the inside just went from a day job to a week of straightening out someone else's mess before I could even try to trim these windows out.
Eventually, the client remarked that the windows weren't operating correctly. When I suggested that she call the company, she hesitated-the general contractor on the install was a brusque kind of guy, and she didn't really want to deal with him again. So my partner suggested that she let me call the company-his implication to her was that I was use to dealing with those kind of guys. That idea appealed to her, and it gave us the in to try to correct some of the problems that were going to cause us a nightmare.
I bypassed the general on the job and went straight to the manufacturer, believing they would have more incentive to not have their reputation sullied. We don't have a resolution yet-but the company representative did travel three hours to walk through the job with my partner and me, and hear our list of concerns. The installer was on a lengthy holiday over this month, so we're waiting for action still-but I am hopeful that at least some of our problems will be addressed.
It maddens me that my client did all the right things-and still, her job went to hell. The window company is good, but they have no oversight of their installers, and client's don't know enough to look at a completed job and know if it's right or not. By the time I walked my clients through this job and pointed out what I wanted to talk to the window rep about, they were astounded at what they hadn't noticed.
So I just have to wonder, how many jobs has that installer done this year?
Case in point-my current client wanted to replace windows in the kitchen that my company was coming in to remodel. First, she picked a well known brand of window-a company that has a great reputation and has been around for quite some time. Then, rather than have her husband and friends install the windows, or wait for her contractor to start her kitchen remodel, she went with this reputable company and let them set up the install of their product. They ought to be the best at it right? Plus, they claim to have a specific installation technique, or guidelines, so it all made sense. Thirdly, since no exterior walls were changing in the forth coming remodel, she chose to have the windows put in before I came on the job-figuring that would be one less thing for my company to have to deal with. One small caveat to the job was that the installers use a standard interior trim that was not compatible with the rest of her house trim, so she asked them to leave the inside trim off and her contractor would do that end of the job.
It all seemed straight forward. Until my partner and I show up on the job. For days I looked at the installation of these windows, wondering who the hell had been the butcher on this job. The more I looked, the more upset I became; first because these were MY clients, and someone had burned them-though they didn't know it. And secondly, because of the butchering, my job on the inside just went from a day job to a week of straightening out someone else's mess before I could even try to trim these windows out.
Eventually, the client remarked that the windows weren't operating correctly. When I suggested that she call the company, she hesitated-the general contractor on the install was a brusque kind of guy, and she didn't really want to deal with him again. So my partner suggested that she let me call the company-his implication to her was that I was use to dealing with those kind of guys. That idea appealed to her, and it gave us the in to try to correct some of the problems that were going to cause us a nightmare.
I bypassed the general on the job and went straight to the manufacturer, believing they would have more incentive to not have their reputation sullied. We don't have a resolution yet-but the company representative did travel three hours to walk through the job with my partner and me, and hear our list of concerns. The installer was on a lengthy holiday over this month, so we're waiting for action still-but I am hopeful that at least some of our problems will be addressed.
It maddens me that my client did all the right things-and still, her job went to hell. The window company is good, but they have no oversight of their installers, and client's don't know enough to look at a completed job and know if it's right or not. By the time I walked my clients through this job and pointed out what I wanted to talk to the window rep about, they were astounded at what they hadn't noticed.
So I just have to wonder, how many jobs has that installer done this year?
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