A what would you do?

Heatermon

Yesterday, my office manager (Vicki) tells me her sister-in law called her about a "wet spot" that had suddenly appeared in her garage floor. Her neighbors (tract homes built in the mid 80's) have had numerous problems with under slab copper water pipes failing and she thought it was "her turn". As I was unavailable (also, I do not regularly do leak locating, repair or re-piping, except for "family") I recommended a fellow collegue. His company recommends me for water heating and backflow services and we recommend them for plumbing and drain cleaning services. I thought nothing more of this thinking it was "in good hands". Today, Vicki asks me if $2,000 isn't a little high to re-route 40 feet of 1 inch copper in the garage. Well, I tell her "I don't know what the job entails, but I'm sure Art (my collegue) wouldn't cheat her". As a favor to Vicki and her sister-in-law, I call Art and ask "what's up?" He responds that he didn't know this person was a referal from me and that his office had sent one of his other techs (Joe) to this site. He said he would check with Joe and call me back. He called me right back and told me that Joe had determined the leak was in the slab, between the front of the garage and the back, where the water heater was. He was going to have to remove the water heater, cut into the wall behind it, eliminate the loop of pipe that was leaking and re-route it through the attic overhead. He estimated it would take a full day to accomplish. He said that the customer balked at the $2,000 price and stated that "They couldn't afford it right now." Joe then charged them $150 for his time and left the home. Art told me they might be able to lower the price if the job went well, but that 2,000 was a fair price for the complexity of the job. I thanked Art and told him I would let him know if I could talk them into the repair. I was able to talk again to Vicki, and she told me her son Jason was going to go over there and see if he could do the repair. Jason, is a CHP officer who was my "gopher" when he was in high school and college leading up to his police academy days. Jason was just coming off a 7 day shift and was being "volunteered" by Vicki to do the re-pipe. I talked to Jason via telephone while he was there and this is what he found: The water meter was spinning when no water was being used inside the premises. He turned off the cold water valve inside the garage and the meter still spun. He then went on the other side of the wall and saw a 1 inch irrigation valve and a bank of irrigation valves adjacent. He turned off the irrigation valve and lo and behold, the water meter stopped spinning. The dirt area there was all wet and even the pipe going into the ground showed signs of standing water. Now, Vicki's sister-in-law is upset that 1. The guy from Art's place mis-diagnosed the location of the leak. 2. This guy was going to charge 2,000 to replace a pipe that wasn't broke. 3. This guy charged her 150 for something it took Jason (with a little help from me) "2 minutes" to find. and 4. We recommended this guy, so now, we look like idiots to her also. I'm a little miffed by this episode also. I am going to talk to Art tomorrow, but what do I say? I'll only send you business if you promise to do it personally? I want a refund for 150 because Jason found this obvious water leak so easily? Don't ever send Joe to one of our recommended jobs again? This isn't the first time I've heard of problems with Joe's work, so I've got to do something. Art was a small shop when I first got to know him, but now he's grown to 6 trucks and has lost that personal touch that I was used to. His work is still "top notch" and we consult each other often, but I am getting leary of recommending his company when I don't know if he'll be the one responding. Well, what do you guys think?

Not looking forward to tomorrow,

Heatermon

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Weezbo

that is not cool.

the buddy, art,probably counts on joe to do his level best every day....that it came to your attention seems to mean to me that the guy ,joe, is taking advantage of your friend and you got to let art know. that is a crummy feeling in and of itself.Art will probably feel Hammered by that experience.Let him deal with it though.he will make it right and it will probably save him even more hassel in the future.

Aidan (UK)

Suggest

I would tell Art what has happened. Art was a good technician, which was why you recommended him. His business has grown because he was a good technician, partly from such recommendations. So Art has now become a reluctant manager, and is perhaps not as good a manager as he was a technician. The piping is mostly done by employees, some of whom who are less experienced and less competent than he once was ( see http://www.heatinghelp.com/newsletter.cfm?Id=108). If they become as competent as Art used to be, then they’ll set up their own businesses.


I would hope that Art would offer an apology and refund the $150. He might also offer a sizable discount on any future work, by way of an apology and to prove that this incident was an unfortunate one-off; the best of us make mistakes. I would hope that Vicki accepts the apology gracefully and gives some of the money to Jason, who has earned it. I would hope that Art sorts it out with Joe, by either monitoring his work or by replacing him. Tell Art that this has embarrassed you. If Art doesn’t convince you that it is never going to happen again, you will be less confident about recommending him in the future. Expect to be disappointed by some, or all, of these people.


It happens all the time.

Wayco Wayne_2

That's tough

Probably an honest mistake. Art should offer a refund and an apology. If not then he isn't worth refering people to and that would be a loss for both of you. Don't expect the worse. Art will probably take care of it. WW

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Mad Dog

Very embarrasing......for Art...and to a lesser degree....

you. Don't get crazy, just talk to him straight and tell him that you have serious reservations about recommending him, now. I've had the same problems with recommending companies, now I'll just say, look, I insist you send so and so. They should definitely give a full refund. It may be an amateur mistake, but "joe" sounds like a mechanic, not a helper, and mechanics should not bemaking such bad calls. No Matter what Art does now, these people will never trust him again. Art needs to sit all his guys down and read 'em the riot act. Loss of quality and control is the main reason I like keeping my company small. Sometimes people are disappointed when I personally don't show up, but they are always happy when because they get the same high-qulity craftsmanship and service. Mad Dog

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Tony_8

I've been there

I was Art a couple times. If he cares about his business and yours he'll do the right thing, if not, move on.

Sounds like Joe saw "a mark" and was going to make a day of it. That can spread fast. But, maybe it was an honest mistake, although seemingly incompetent. Either way Art needsa to know.

steve_38

wow

sounds like joe can't troubleshoot, or just made a $2,000.00
mistake, which should definitley be brought to Art's attention. I would not be a happy camper if i were you.
$2000.00 NOT GOOD... And if Art does pay your friend the 150.00 back, and You still give Art recomendations, I would be cautious every time you recomend someone to him, especaily after something like that!