Okay! So I blended two old adages. Today, we have blended families, blended drinks, so why not blend adages? Sometimes when you can't find what you need, one needs to be creative and think out-of-the-box. Who knows, I just might start a new fad or a new quote. Blended adages!! I can see it posted on the next Motivational Monday "A job in the hand is worth more than he who hesitates." ~ Michael Thornton. Think it will catch on? Only time will tell my friends. Okay, lest I digress and get to wandering behind the mushrooms...
I don't think that I have to remind anyone that we are in the throws of a full blown recession and there are certainly deals to be had out there. And, folks are looking for bargains in today's market. Not only is the public looking for rock bottom prices in real estate, but in commissions and ancillary services as well. Earlier in the week, I was called by one of these bargain hunters wanting a home inspection.
The call went as usual, what do you charge? What do I get? Can you do the inspection on Friday afternoon? I did not have anything set for that time slot so I told them that my other inspector or I were available at that time to take care of their needs. I was floored when the caller had the audacity to tell me to hold Friday afternoon open for them while they checked with other companies to see if they could get a better deal. HUH? Talk about KaHoonAz! And, here I thought that the clanking I heard might have been a loose partial!!! A better deal? I don't know about you, but this picture got real fuzzy and over exposed quickly.
I don't care what you are doing in the real estate business, your time slots are your income and you cannot afford to waste them on empty promises. I politely told the customer that I could not put a "firm" hold this time slot unless they wanted to place a confirmed order for our services. I went on to say that we give all our customers top notch service but we do operate on a first come, first serve basis. So, if he wanted Complete Home Inspections, Inc. to do the property evaluation, they needed to make their decision quickly as Friday afternoon may not be open if they called back. But I told him that I would "
pencil" him in.
As we all know, pencils have erasers. Later that day I got two confirmed orders for the Friday afternoon time slot. Well, as life would have it, The Bargain Hunter called two days later wanting to claim their spot for Friday PM. When I told them that it was no longer available, they went off like a Saturn IVb. Needless to say, the conversation went down hill quickly. To make a short story long, I told them, it may be in their best interest to have another company provide their needs. Yes! I fired them! Life is way too short, and yes, "A job in the hand is worth more than he who hesitates."
Wishing all my fellow drips and tweeps a G-r-r-r-reat day... 8-)
If you or someone you know is purchasing a home in Brentwood, Franklin, Nashville, Spring Hill or Thompson's Station in the Davidson or Williamson county area of Middle Tennessee and would like more information about getting a home inspection, give us a call at 615.661.0297. You can visit us online at www.completehomeinspectionsonline.com - Check out our monthly newletter
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Hi Michael:
;)
;)
Michael, good for you! Consumers who think we are hard up and will take their nonsense have another thing coming, don't they?