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Are you ONE of THOSE People????

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Boise Idaho SP20114

I was talking to my sister in law yesterday, about carpet cleaning!    She was talking about getting her carpets cleaned and I was recommending the gentleman who cleaned my carpet recently!  

I explained what an excellent job he did at cleaning my carpets, however he was very late....by almost an hour!    I explained to her how upset I was at him although he cleaned the carpet very well... he wasted my time.  I was on a tight schedule ....that didn't allow for any real wiggle room that week....

....on top of the fact that my hairdresser was an hour and a half behind schedule the day before...

I was extremely frustrated, as was my sister in law....she is a stay at home Mom...who is never home due to running her kids to many activities as well as to school every day (they go to a private school that doesn't offer a bus service).  

Over and over she has made appointments with service providers who are consistently late....

We are all busy with our work and jobs and every day life....but simple respect for other people's time is really of utmost importance.  

Both my hair dresser and the carpet cleaner were very shocked that I was upset at their tardiness....One even had the gall to tell me that he had said "ish" after the time...meaning he didn't know what time he would get there.    I was so surprised at their reactions.

In order to take care of a personal appointment I need to clear my schedule...that is often times difficult.   And it isn't just clearing for the appointment but clearing the schedule for time to get there...and setting up things I can work on while i am waiting for my carpets to be cleaned...or planning what time I will be back to the office to finish up projects there. 

I am not saying I am always prompt to the point of being 5 min early to appointments.. but I am not usually running even 30 minutes late or even 10 minutes late...if that should happen I will call my clients to ask first if they need to re-schedule or not.   I realize stuff happens beyond our control.    But when I make an appointment I make it for that client...and I respect their time during that appointment.

I know I sure don't want to be one of THOSE People....service providers who have no respect for other peoples time and schedules!!! 

 

Posted by

Bzybee Logo

Deborah Byron Leffler   SFR, PMN "The BZYBEE REALTOR"

Keller Williams Realty Boise

Serving All of Boise, Nampa, Meridian, Eagle, Caldwell, Marsing, Wilder, Homedale and Middleton

Comments (18)

Darren Revell
Keller Williams Realty Temecula Valley - Temecula, CA

We need to be as punctual as possible as we are also in the sevice industry.  Yes, times come up when we can't be.. I do hope that we all understand the right thing to do is to call... 

Thanks for the post...

Aug 30, 2010 08:19 AM
Scott Hayes
(512) 786-8300 - Austin, TX
Realty Austin, Broker Associate

Deborah- Being late is a bad habit to get in to, but deadly for someone in the service industry. Not calling is a total disregard for someones time.

If you told them you would deduct ten percent for every minute they were late, I bet they would be on time. Works for daycares, that is for sure.

Aug 30, 2010 08:19 AM
Doug Rogers
RE/MAX Coastal Properties - Destin, FL
Your Real Estate Resource!

My investors once waited three hours for a drywall guy. Yes, he was on drugs...

Aug 30, 2010 08:21 AM
Paul Lesieur
203kloanmn - North Oaks, MN

I am punctual by nature and people have reemarked on this in a positive way. I call if I'm running late which is seldom. Tardy people just don't get it, never will and that's why some people do better than others in aa service business.

Aug 30, 2010 08:23 AM
Mark Hitz
Keller Williams - The Colony, TX

Hello Deborah ~ Good story to share. 

"What's a good number to reach you at in case something unforseen occurs and I am running late?" 

I understand being on time is important but things happen - like witnessing an accident last week on the way to an appointment.  Plus this question is a great way to verify the best contact number instead of them giving you a "general work number". 

Gotta go - don't want to be late...

Aug 30, 2010 08:32 AM
Cynthia Larsen
Cotati, CA
Independent Broker In Sonoma County, CA

We had to wait for a pest inspector for 45 minutes the other day. I insisted that he give my client a discount and he did. This made my client a little happier, but not me.

Aug 30, 2010 08:46 AM
Deborah Byron Leffler BzyBee Real Estate Lady!
Keller Williams Realty Boise - Nampa, ID

Darren....yes the right thing to do is to call....so very important....

Scott...i think you said it right there...a bad habit to get into!!!  And we know how hard it is for bad habits to be broken!  Uuggghh

Doug..wow...and they still let him do the job???

Paul....being punctual is a good thing!!!

Mark...great advice!!! 

Cynthia...Maybe it is time for us to raise the bar and hold late people accountable!!

Aug 30, 2010 09:00 AM
Phil Cogan
Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate - Coral Springs, FL

Being late is usually unacceptable, but things happen. A phone call is an appropriate courtesy. My father was a CPA. He was kept waiting for over 2 hours by his dentist. The dentists excuse...lunch took too long. My father billed the guy for two hours of his time, of course to make a point, not expecting to get paid.

Aug 30, 2010 09:39 AM
Deborah Byron Leffler BzyBee Real Estate Lady!
Keller Williams Realty Boise - Nampa, ID

Phil...that so makes sense to me...holding people accountable is important!!!

Aug 30, 2010 09:48 AM
Lindsey Hasford
Edina Realty - Elk River, MN
Bringing you home...

I can't imagine. There are so many people that run that way, but I try hard not to. A phone call is always warranted. Sometimes life happens, but really? When I was pregnant a doctor asked if she could hold me up for 5 minutes because she hadn't eaten lunch and it was 3pm.... they had had a tough morning and she wondered if I minded her taking care of her growling tummy. I was more than happy to oblige and she seriously took less than five minutes.

Aug 30, 2010 09:53 AM
Deborah Byron Leffler BzyBee Real Estate Lady!
Keller Williams Realty Boise - Nampa, ID

Lindsey...of courese we are all understanding when some one explains and we can help them....and 5 min is one thing...1 hour + is another!!! 

Aug 30, 2010 10:00 AM
J. Philip Faranda
Howard Hanna Rand Realty - Yorktown Heights, NY
Associate Broker / Office Manager

We're scheduled out...when someone delays me, it means that I then delay the people I have to see afterward in many cases. Then I look like the jerk!

Aug 31, 2010 01:06 AM
Janna Scharf
Keller Williams Realty Coeur d'Alene - Coeur d'Alene, ID
Coeur d'Alene Idaho Real Estate Expert

I'm not one of those people, although from time to time there are unpredictable things that happen that throw off my schedule.  But to be late as a matter of routine is pretty rude.  It's all about SERVICE! 

Aug 31, 2010 05:31 AM
Deborah Byron Leffler BzyBee Real Estate Lady!
Keller Williams Realty Boise - Nampa, ID
Philip....I agree....don't mess my whole day up! I had a doctor who cured people of being late right off the bat...if you were late you had to wait...adn if he could fit you in he would..other wise he wasn't messing up his schedule for you! Janna....It is all about service!!!
Aug 31, 2010 06:22 AM
Barb Szabo, CRS
RE/MAX Above & Beyond - Cleveland, OH
E-pro Realtor, Cleveland Ohio Homes

Being late has become a national epidemic. Since we know what is going on, I think our efforts to be punctual will be and often are rewarded.

Aug 31, 2010 09:27 AM
Deborah Byron Leffler BzyBee Real Estate Lady!
Keller Williams Realty Boise - Nampa, ID

Barb...they sure are!!!

Aug 31, 2010 09:44 AM
Marcie Sandalow
Marcie Sandalow, Compass 301.758.4894 - Bethesda, MD
Bethesda Chevy Chase DC real estate

I feel your pain.  I'm generally an "on-time" person, so delays (including my own, but mostly others) tend to get me rattled. A phone call certainly takes the sting out...just wish everyone would make them.  

Aug 31, 2010 11:37 AM
Deborah Byron Leffler BzyBee Real Estate Lady!
Keller Williams Realty Boise - Nampa, ID

Marcie...I think I am the most rattled when I know i am cutting it close!  I hate to be late!!!  It really stresses me out!!!

Aug 31, 2010 12:11 PM