Cuffy/Skill - Stafford customer service thread - Stafford retailers reports.

[Lucy]

JayBees in Cannock are always my go to window company.

 

[tek-monkey]

In this instance they wanted £4k to replace guttering (no soffit and fascia) and with my poker face and utter refusal to agree to anything, give them my target price or discuss my monthly income got them down to £2.9k. I told them at the beginning I'd agree to nothing that day and I wanted three quotes and they were the first, and I was asked half a dozen times what it would take for me to agree today.

I've since had two separate quotes for £1,100.

Anyone who tries to stop you getting more quotes knows they are charging more than the competition. The second someone tells me it's a one off deal if I agree right now I walk away, no matter how good the deal sounds, because alarm bells start to ring.

 

[The Hawk]

The great thing about the internet, is that you can do lots of research in advance. Whenever, I have a large job that I need quotes for, I have researched each company that I invite to quote (right down to looking at their accounts, google street view looking at their premises etc.) and, of course, gone through lots of customer reviews (and personal recommendations).

I also have thoroughly researched what the job should cost. Anyone that messed about with discounts, phoning the boss etc. would be out of the door pretty sharpish (mind you I'd be disappointed with myself if anyone like that got through my vetting process).

As for door to door callers, no thank you and any marketing leaflets I receive go straight into the bin.

 

[staffordjas]

Years ago we once had a double glazing salesman knock at the door, from a supposedly ' local 01785 family firm' who told me I could have a free no obligation quote. "Doesn't matter if you don't actually need the work doing just now , but worth a free quote. Just to show that I'm doing my job "
He'd arrange a phone call to his boss to give the quote..
That night the gaffer rang me , to make arrangements for work to begin.
Told him we weren't actually wanting any work just yet, couldn't afford it but their salesman had insisted we had a quote which was free & no obligation.
He suddenly turned into a right nasty b* stard. I got a right earful down the phone! "You expect me to come out from Crewe , and not actually get the contract in the end??. blah blah blah . "
Never fell for that again!

 

[kyoto49]

Qudos to the assistant in penparc who calmly advised that she couldn't suggest what food a male customer should buy for his newly purchased baby puppy as its very bad for puppies to change their food without gradually introducing the new food over a period of days. Can make them very poorly.

I mean what kind of breeder doesn't give a decent amount of food for the puppy to go to its new home with and what kind of person doesn't ask what food their newly purchased puppy is on. People are idiots

 

[Cue]

As for door to door callers, no thank you and any marketing leaflets I receive go straight into the bin.

I am firmly in the camp of “if you’re going door to door, you can’t be that good” for trades

Pretty much all the trades I work with are constantly up to their necks in work, because they’re good at what they do. As far as I’m concerned the money that is being paid to go door to door could be giving me a cheaper service instead.

 

[EasMid]

I am firmly in the camp of “if you’re going door to door, you can’t be that good” for trades

Pretty much all the trades I work with are constantly up to their necks in work, because they’re good at what they do. As far as I’m concerned the money that is being paid to go door to door could be giving me a cheaper service instead.

The same goes for the salesman’s wages/commission. Most of the window companies I’m familiar with don’t employ sales people, either the owner or the employed installers do the selling/ survey etc. Most companies that use dedicated sales staff don’t even employ fitters, they’re usually subbies (here today, gone tomorrow)
The same applies to the “we can beat any like for like quote” bollox. Give me your best price to start with, if you can then drop that price for s as you reason to get the work then you were trying to rip me off with the first quote so you can FRO.

 

[c0tt0nt0p]

*** Not Stafford specifically but it may impact anyone in the area ***

Cuffy to Severn Trent Water. Given our personal situation the wife was speaking to the Citizens Advice Bureau to see if there were any things our current situation could benefit from. With our permission the CAB woman spoke with Severn Trent to see if there were any schemes. We've been put on the Priority Service register (great) however they were keen to point out that the account was heavily in credit and wanted to know if we wanted it credited back. I had tell them (via the CAB) that the reason for the credit was down to STW only billing us on a 6 monthly basis, the last one being min-Jan, therefore the next one would be due shortly. The amount in credit is roughly what the bill will be fore (there of thereabouts).

If we had have requested a refund, then be billed, they would have almost certainly ramped up the DD even more....I'd hate to think what would happen to people not as "switched on" as it could have made a perfectly fine situation a hell of a lot worse..... #planks

 

[Thehooperman]

Not Stafford but big cuffy for DVLA.

I filled in all of the forms that DVLA sent me to do my diabetic renewal of my driving licence weeks and weeks ago.

It runs out on Tuesday next week and they've just sent a letter dated 14th July to say I didn't send a photo despite the forms they sent saying I didn't need to send one.

Had to rush to Peter Rogers to get a driving license photo and whilst there did a digital passport one as well (Great service and no hassle).

Why can't DVLA state what they need in the first place or why can't I just send them a digital photo?

 

[airbusA346]

Not Stafford but big cuffy for DVLA.

I filled in all of the forms that DVLA sent me to do my diabetic renewal of my driving licence weeks and weeks ago.

It runs out on Tuesday next week and they've just sent a letter dated 14th July to say I didn't send a photo despite the forms they sent saying I didn't need to send one.

Had to rush to Peter Rogers to get a driving license photo and whilst there did a digital passport one as well (Great service and no hassle).

Why can't DVLA state what they need in the first place or why can't I just send them a digital photo?

Could you not do the renewal online?

Also I'm guessing the photo expires when the licence does (even if that's every year).

 

[tek-monkey]

My driving license photo appeared on my last passport, couldn't they do the reverse?

 

[Thehooperman]

Could you not do the renewal online?

Also I'm guessing the photo expires when the licence does (even if that's every year).

No I tried using the links on their letter and it wouldn't let me. I suspect the photo expires after 10 years because I've renewed it twice already.

Shame their letters and forms don't explain this and both I and DVLA have to have snail mail exchanges but I suppose it justifies their humble existence doesn't it?

 

[Thehooperman]

My driving license photo appeared on my last passport, couldn't they do the reverse?

Nah it's Swansea isn't it?

 

[proactive]

The DVLA used to be reasonably efficient.

Now most of them work from home they are totally incompetent and a disgrace. But we have to bare with the because of COVID.

 

[Chillybean]

Had a local company from Greyfriars area install some Click Vinyl floor planking 28m3, ordered the boxes and underlay. They gave me a prices of £672 for installation over a day and half using one of there independent installers who they selected and I was told to pay him directly. Come the installation day he arrived and spent 6.5 hours in the house on the job and completed it. I'm okay with the job and as its same flooring as in the kitchen so can't complain about the job but effectively it cost me £100/hr in labour cost.
I went to the carpet shop to complain and they said the issue was between me and the installer, even though they had selected the installer and quoted me the price and time. They did say the installers tell them the installation cost on area but I'm assuming both the carpet shop and installer know that vinyl click is one of the easiest and quickest plank floors to install.
The installer did call back after the complaint and said £100/hr was reasonable as he had to pay for fuel from Congleton?? to get to Stafford and pay £30 for a metal strip. If your looking at flooring I would avoid Greyfriars Carpets, they will supply the flooring but will provide an unrealistic price for installation. And while they do cost in area most of the rest of get paid per hour and there's not many I suspect get paid £100/hr.

 

[tek-monkey]

Had a local company from Greyfriars area install some Click Vinyl floor planking 28m3, ordered the boxes and underlay. They gave me a prices of £672 for installation over a day and half using one of there independent installers who they selected and I was told to pay him directly. Come the installation day he arrived and spent 6.5 hours in the house on the job and completed it. I'm okay with the job and as its same flooring as in the kitchen so can't complain about the job but effectively it cost me £100/hr in labour cost.
I went to the carpet shop to complain and they said the issue was between me and the installer, even though they had selected the installer and quoted me the price and time. They did say the installers tell them the installation cost on area but I'm assuming both the carpet shop and installer know that vinyl click is one of the easiest and quickest plank floors to install.
The installer did call back after the complaint and said £100/hr was reasonable as he had to pay for fuel from Congleton?? to get to Stafford and pay £30 for a metal strip. If your looking at flooring I would avoid Greyfriars Carpets, they will supply the flooring but will provide an unrealistic price for installation. And while they do cost in area most of the rest of get paid per hour and there's not many I suspect get paid £100/hr.

Whilst I appreciate what you're saying were you happy with the price when you thought it'd take longer? If so are you penalising him for being more efficient?

Took me more than a day to lay about 24m2, in fact took 2 of us 3 days, but we'd never done it before!

 

[Chillybean]

Whilst I appreciate what you're saying were you happy with the price when you thought it'd take longer? If so are you penalising him for being more efficient?

Took me more than a day to lay about 24m2, in fact took 2 of us 3 days, but we'd never done it before!

I expect the carpet layer to be efficient and do a good job it's was he is being paid for. However the time suggested by the Greyfriars was over inflated and unrealistic to the time taken and it was sold to me as time/price and not area that they later claimed. We all have our different ideas of what is fair value but what works out as £100/hr in my book is a little over the top, what do consider as a fair price? As a carpet supplier they should have better idea of how long it takes to install that type which is fairly easy to install and quote a sensible price.

 

[tek-monkey]

I expect the carpet layer to be efficient and do a good job it's was he is being paid for. However the time suggested by the Greyfriars was over inflated and unrealistic to the time taken and it was sold to me as time/price and not area that they later claimed. We all have our different ideas of what is fair value but what works out as £100/hr in my book is a little over the top, what do consider as a fair price? As a carpet supplier they should have better idea of how long it takes to install that type which is fairly easy to install and quote a sensible price.

I approach most jobs by asking what I'd charge if someone wanted me to do it. I can tell you that click stuff just looks easy, slightest misalignment or bit of grit in the groove and the edge cracks making the piece useless.

I dunno, like I said I do understand, but if you were happy with the cost when he was going to take longer and you're happy with the result then really you're penalising him for being very good at his job. Personally I'd not have paid that, but I rebuilt the entire floor from scratch and insulated it then click flooring on top for about a grand because I did it all myself. Accordingbyo Facebook I started a year ago this week and it took nearly 2 months, was a nightmare!

 

[tek-monkey]

In fact here's what I did!

Post in thread 'What I Did This Weekend - In Pictures!' https://www.staffordforum.com/xf/in...id-this-weekend-in-pictures.15307/post-440791

 

[rudie111]

I expect the carpet layer to be efficient and do a good job it's was he is being paid for. However the time suggested by the Greyfriars was over inflated and unrealistic to the time taken and it was sold to me as time/price and not area that they later claimed. We all have our different ideas of what is fair value but what works out as £100/hr in my book is a little over the top, what do consider as a fair price? As a carpet supplier they should have better idea of how long it takes to install that type which is fairly easy to install and quote a sensible price.

Perhaps next time get multiple quotes in and then you can compare.