Re: A "HUH" phone call

["Doug" <not@xxxxxxxx>]

"Robert L Bass" <Sales@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:h8KdnW-yH8oXXwLXnZ2dnUVZ_hidnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> Heh.  We had a client (briefly) in CT who was just about as nasty.  This
> was a couple -- he a doctor and she just a bi....  I got a call from them
> about a month after the installation.  She said the system is broken and I
> need to come right away to fix it.  I ask what's wrong.  She can't arm
> it -- "come over right now!!!"  The system was a Moose Z1100e.  I told her
> to press "2" and tell me what light came on.  She told me and I looked at
> the zone list --  living room front windows.  I said please check the
> windows.  One must be open.  She insisted they're all closed and refused
> to even check -- "You have to come RIGHT NOW!!!"
>
> OK, ma'am.  I'll come over and if there's a problem with the system the
> visit is free.  If the window is open there will be a charge for the call.
> "Just get over here now and I don't want to hear about your stupid
> charges!!!"
>
> Parked in her driveway I can see the middle, front window is open about 2
> inches.  Ring the bell.  Angry customer lets me in.  I walk to the window,
> part the curtain and point to the open window.  She looks at it but says
> nothing.  I close the window, walk to the keypad, ask for her code and arm
> it with no problem.  After showing her the system is OK I ask to sit at
> the kitchen table.  "What for?"  I need to write out the bill for the
> service call.
>
> "I'm not paying for a service call.  The system is supposed to be under
> warranty!!!  And besides, your installer didn't even finish the job.
> There are wires in the basement by that box thing on the wall that he
> didn't connect."
>
> We made it a practice in those days to pull a couple of extra 12-pair
> cables from the control panel whenever we wired a new job.  If you're
> pulling one cable it's just as easy to pull a couple of extras in case you
> need to add something on later.  The cables above the panel were clearly
> labeled "Spare A: Main Attic" and "Spare B: Garage Attic."  I explained
> why they were put there for future use.
>
> She insisted that was a lie -- "No one ever does extra work for free!"
> Arguing with her was about the same as talking to Doug.  No matter what
> you say she's not going to believe you because she does believe (without
> benefit of any supporting evidence) that she's an intelligent human being.
>
> At any rate, the conversation went nowhere.  She refused to even accept
> the invoice so I left.  I explained that we would not provide further
> support or service until that invoice was paid, secretly hoping that this
> imbecile would never pay so we could drop her.  The following month we did
> just that, issuing a refund of the balance on her prepaid monitoring
> contract less the charge for the visit.
>
> Like newsgroup jerks, there are some customers you're better off without.
>
> --
>
> Regards,
> Robert L Bass
>
> ==============================>
> Bass Home Electronics
> DIY Alarm and Home Automation Store
> http://www.bassburgIaraIarms.com
>  ==============================>

If you just did the job properly in the first place then you wouldn't have
these call backs to correct your shoddy work.

Doug