An Ethical question

Paul Fredricks_3

We are a large oil service company. If we go to someone's house to fix the unit, then have to go back and fix it right, we sure don't charge for the first call. And if we do, by accident, bill the customer for the first call, we sure don't expect to get paid.

If I took my car to a mechanic and they couldn't figure out how to fix it, and then tried to cover it up by telling me I need a new car, I'd be looking for blood!

Who's ethics are we talking about.

Pamilyn

An Ethical Question

So this heating guy comes to my house. We have an oil burning furnace and it was smelling and belching some smoke. He does I don't know what and tells me he can't clean it because there is no way to get into it to clean. Tells me I need a new afterburner but that is no gaurantee it won't happen again. Tells me I need a new furnace. Soooo, I call for a second opinion. This guy does this and that, opens up the back, cleans out the soot. Told me the other guy had too rich mix of oxygen and the wrong nozzel. Works on it. It runs wonderful, thankyou, no I do not need a new furnace. Now the Ethical question. Do I pay the first guy for the service call? He almost cost me 2500K and didn't even clean it out like the second guy. Plus he installed the wrong nozzel!! HELP, Pamilyn

MIke_Jonas

Life lesson

I'd pay him (you mean he didn't ask for payment when he was there?). Next time, you'll know to call the good guy. Tell your friends about both service guys.
If it was me. I'd pay him and write it off as another one of life's lessons. Not worth arguing over to me, and I'm a contractor!!

Andy_14

I've been ripped off by contractors a few times. I just pay them and move on. Lesson learned.

Al Letellier_9

ethical

I'm a heating contractor, so here is my slant on the subject. I suggest you call him and discuss the situation with him. Tell him what the other guy did and why. Explain to him that you feel he was in over his head and give him the opportunity to settle with you. If he's any kind of human being, he will listen and either reduce the bill or make it go away. If he acts like a jerk and refuses to listen, pay him...but let him know you will file a complaint with the local Better Business Bureau and if you have licensing in your state, send a written complaint to the licensing authority.
Doing nothing doesn't help the cause for education in our trade. People like this need to know that the consumer is aware of shoddy work and tradesman who are either inexperience and too proud to admit it, or are simply trying to rip off their customers. It is difficult for us and what licensing there is to patrol all the "misfits" in our trade. Only positive action from the public can help in making sure these guys either wise up or get put out of business. For those of us who care enough, guys like this make it tough to be proud of what we do, on occasion.


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Al Letellier_9

ethical

I'm a heating contractor, so here is my slant on the subject. I suggest you call him and discuss the situation with him. Tell him what the other guy did and why. Explain to him that you feel he was in over his head and give him the opportunity to settle with you. If he's any kind of human being, he will listen and either reduce the bill or make it go away. If he acts like a jerk and refuses to listen, pay him...but let him know you will file a complaint with the local Better Business Bureau and if you have licensing in your state, send a written complaint to the licensing authority.
Doing nothing doesn't help the cause for education in our trade. People like this need to know that the consumer is aware of shoddy work and tradesman who are either inexperience and too proud to admit it, or are simply trying to rip off their customers. It is difficult for us and what licensing there is to patrol all the "misfits" in our trade. Only positive action from the public can help in making sure these guys either wise up or get put out of business. For those of us who care enough, guys like this make it tough to be proud of what we do, on occasion.


To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Howard Emerson

An Ethical question

Pamilyn,
It sounds like the first guy has not been paid yet, so I would do this: Tell him to come by.

When he gets there show him the bill of service from the guy who did it correctly and explain the details to him.

Then when he hands you his written bill of services, and you hand him a copy of the letter you're sending to the Consumer bureau and licensing authority in your town.

While he's reading it, you get out your checkbook and ask him how much you owe him.

He can't be that stupid, but there's been a lot of money made underestimating those sorts of things.

Best of luck!

Regards,
Howard Emerson

RoosterBoy.

i would not pay him. and encourage this type of business practice.

boy that would be nice if i could go and tell people ill fix your boiler and then not fix it. and i still get payed.

the guy could have cracked your firewall putting in a bigger nozzle sounds like he is a "gold digger". show him how it was done right and tell him to go and find someone else to screw.

don't be soft and give into people that try to screw you.

you work hard for your money and so should he

i good transaction is when both parties are happy with the outcome.

lessons learned.

thanks
Jason

Stan W_3

Ethical

You may still need a new furnace. How old is your furnace?
Why couldn't the first guy clean the soot? Did the second guy tell you that you do not need a new furnace.
If the work from the second guy holds up, and you do not have to replace the furnace. Only time will tell if you need to replace your furnace. It may take a couple of years. Explain this to the first guy, and pay him in time with in reason.Put the ball in his court, and see what he has to say. He may be a vindictive, and vandilize your properity. Negotiation is best. You may not have to pay anything, or everything, or something in between.

KAG

Payment?????

The short answer NO! Then write a complaint to the state lic. board and bbb send cc to company. You called for service not incompentance. In the letter to the company add if they try to pursue for payment you will hire an attorney and sue for wasting your time. This may incorage the company you called first to spend some money on training and not on wasted gasoline.

ttekushan_3

ethical

When I was in another business, I had a nominal fee to provide a meaningful estimate for service. If I spent the time on a service item that turned out to be a "dog" I just ate the cost of trying. There will always be those jobs that we as service people lose on. These are the reality checks. The successes make up for it. If there aren't enough successes to get by, we really have to stand back and reassess our abilities, or the business, or both.

So what is the first guy's minimum fee just to walk in the door? Is that stated? If so, thats all I would pay him. If a service fee for walking through the door is stated I think its unethical not to pay this. If not stated, well...negotiation time. But by no means are you obligated to pay for work that does not achieve the desired result.

Pamilyn

ethical

thanks guys for the input. I guess I will call him and tell him what happened. Hopefully he will just charge me the trip charge.The furnace was installed in 94. The second guy said I still might need a new furnace down the road. Keep an eye on it, but it is running fine right now. Thanks for your input. Pamilyn

amhplumb_2

Ethics or opinions?

A lot of good suggestions here. I would call the first guy back and explain what the second guy did and press the first guy as to why he thinks your furnace needs to be replaced. In your last posting, you mentioned that the second guy said that you might need a new furnace down the road and to "keep an eye on it." In the "first guy's defense" he may have been "looking down the road," and thought that any repairs were not worth it. The second guy may have only put a "patch" on a "blow-out" waiting to happen. "Down the road" you may find yourself needing the furnace replaced on a below zero Sunday night! In my area everything is natural gas and I have no experience with oil to comment on this specific issue, however, this may just be differences of opinion between tradespeople. Neither may be "up to anything wrong!" I AM BY NO MEANS SAYING THAT THIS IS THE CASE, BUT After customers get news that is drastic and costly from one tradesperson, part of the second opinion tradesperson's way to satisfy the customer is to come up with something less drastic and costly "This is all you need type of attitude!" You feel good about "getting off easy" and you were warned by him that the worst may still happen! If it does, you are going to call him back because he took care of you better than the first guy! So, talk to the first guy, if he gives you some rational reasons, go back to the second guy with them! If the first guy does not have valid reasons, then I would get into fighting mode! As a consumer you always have to keep your guard up, and at the same time remain reasonable, a hard balancing act! and $$$$$ always tipping the scale! Good luck!

Paul Fredricks_3

Good points!

Leo

!2 Yrs a RED FLAG

Unless the heatexchanger is cracked which means an IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT due to SAFETY there is no reason a 12 year old furnace should need replacing even if it is a low grade unit. What brand is it? Some are easier to clean than others but all of them can be serviced unless some yo yo installed it against a wall or something.

Leo