No job too small!

DanHolohan

I had an interesting experience with a concrete guy recently. He advertises every week in our local Penny Saver. His lead is NO JOB TOO SMALL! One section of our sidewalk is busted so I called the guy and left a message as to what I needed. He never called back. I guess my job was too small.

Have you ever put those words in an ad for your business? And if so, did you really mean it?

ChrisJ

DanHolohan said:

I had an interesting experience with a concrete guy recently. He advertises every week in our local Penny Saver. His lead is NO JOB TOO SMALL! One section of our sidewalk is busted so I called the guy and left a message as to what I needed. He never called back. I guess my job was too small.

Have you ever put those words in an ad for your business? And if so, did you really mean it?

He could just be swamped right now, or maybe heard the message and forgot to call back.
Or, maybe he really is full of beans.

I had setup an appointment with a chimney company back in 2011 and they said over and over in their hold music "Unlike our competitors we show up!" The Irony was, I was calling because I took time off and they kept delaying the appointment over and over and making different excuses until I gave up around 6 PM. The original time was something like 8AM. I called another small local place who actually showed up last minute at like 7PM.

DanHolohan

They probably don’t listen to their on-hold message. The concrete guy’s message instructed me to say my phone number three times and very slowly. I did as told. No message too small!

STEVEusaPA

'No Job Too Small' is right up there with 'Large enough to serve you, small enough to care.'

Besides the standard free yellow pages blurb, I've never advertised, nor ever had to advertise.

I think in general, contractors like that seem to be all the same. When it's slow, they'll take anything, when they're busy, they take what's most profitable.
A local realtor may have a good reference for you. Repairing a few blocks is a pretty standard request for property that pops up right before settlement and requires quick action. There are companies who do this all day-set up a dozen repairs in a small geographic area, and bang them all out at once.

OTOH, it has been brutally hot and most outdoor workers come home pretty wiped out and cranky...lol
Still, it takes a minute to return a call.

DanHolohan

Good advice, Steve. Thanks. 

mattmia2

As a side note, Quckcrete Crack Resistant Concrete uses an air entraining cement if you want to mix something out of a bag that is suitable for outdoor use in a climate that freezes.

DanHolohan

Thanks. Good to know, but at this age, I prefer not to get on my knees. 

EBEBRATT-Ed

It's tough to get anyone to do anything

retiredguy

The company I worked for in Pittsburgh, Pa always told those customers that just had to have service that we would get to them in less than 24 hours "GUARANTEED". Hospitals were one of those customers. As far as "no job is too small", many of those jobs became new customers or in many cases a new boiler or whole system. As far as advertising, they did not need to advertise, even though they charged the highest per hour that included travel both ways, the job was done right the first time or subsequent visits for the same problem was FREE. I got in my truck before 6:00AM and got home whenever. My wife never prepared dinner at a set time since there was never a set quit time. One last thing, our service area was almost anywhere that the customer would agree to the charge rate which may include overnight stays. Even Philadelphia was not too far to travel.

SlamDunk

When I retire, if I retire, I plan on joining the gig community and take on jobs too small for companies.
I think Task Rabbit is the new penny saver.

JakeCK

I've been dealing with this all summer. I was trying to get a perc test done on some acreage I was interested in. Out of the half dozen people I called the only response I ever got was a text message saying "no". I had left a voicemail asking if they do perc tests. I ended up walking away from the property. Same deal with getting estimates for work around the house. Maybe we need a new book titled "The lost art of Professionalism".

unclejohn

I always liked ..."open 23.5hrs." We doze but never close.

jumper

Some jobs are too small. Even if customer willingly pays he can reset his own breaker.

STEVEusaPA

Old joke...
Sign on dry cleaners "24 Hour Service".
Man walks in Monday morning when the dry cleaner first opens, wants to get his suit dry cleaned.
Owner: "Thanks for your business, it will be ready Wednesday at closing.
Customer: "But your sign says "24 Hour Service".
Owner: "Yes, but we're only open 8 hours a day".

I didn't say it was a good joke...

ChrisJ

STEVEusaPA said:

Old joke...
Sign on dry cleaners "24 Hour Service".
Man walks in Monday morning when the dry cleaner first opens, wants to get his suit dry cleaned.
Owner: "Thanks for your business, it will be ready Wednesday at closing.
Customer: "But your sign says "24 Hour Service".
Owner: "Yes, but we're only open 8 hours a day".

I didn't say it was a good joke...

DanHolohan

Perfect 

Robert_25

DanHolohan said:

Thanks. Good to know, but at this age, I prefer not to get on my knees. 

If you change your mind, read the bag close so you don't get sand by mistake. Yes...I read that article.

DanHolohan

No worries about that! LOL!