What's your Pet Hate?

[Dr. Shoe]

You're evidently a tradesman then. I hate this too especially when you have agreed the price before you start and then after you finish they want to pay you less than the price you shook hands on. In my mind this is fraud and should be illegal, even if it isn't. Another thing I hate is where the tradesman increases the price half way through a job without any special reason...

[Puffer]

Another pet hate of mine is customers of mine who "know the cost of everything but the value of nothing" also who after asking you for a price proceed to haggle. Don't they understand that the price is as I have told them....I am not running an auction....you don't do your weekly shop in store and get to the checkout and start bartering so don't try it with me!!

Surely the other way round? Your customers think they know the value of what they wish to buy but don't like the price you quote. (But I do sympathise with you, although it depends somewhat on what business you are in - there is always room for some negotiation before making a commitment if you are providing a service rather than selling consumer goods such as groceries.)

You're evidently a tradesman then. I hate this too especially when you have agreed the price before you start and then after you finish they want to pay you less than the price you shook hands on. In my mind this is fraud and should be illegal, even if it isn't.

Another thing I hate is where the tradesman increases the price half way through a job without any special reason...

Yes, Dr Shoe, this age-old problem pervades any situation where something is supplied on credit. It is not illegal to attempt to pay less or demand more than the agreed price, nor is it a fraud unless the whole arrangement was entered into with an intention to deceive. But a failure by either party to carry out all the agreed obligations is, quite simply, a breach of contract giving rise to a right of civil enforcement action - but then you knew that! The problem, of course, is that the trouble and cost of enforcement is often greater than the remedy obtained, especially if one is the unpaid creditor. I'm an old-fashioned bloke: I do my best to carry out all my obligations and I certainly expect the other party to fulfill his, in full and on time.

[Tech]

No, actually it is the value thats hard to demonstrate, he had it right the first time. But I fail to see why it annoys him, thats just business and how things work. Everything has room for manuouver no matter if its a service or a product. Every product you ever buy has a minimum of 30% markup, some items 60% markup, so if you dont push, you WONT get. I've asked for discounts EVERYWHERE and I get them 80% of the time on almost everything, even the little bones from the petshop for my dog's to chew on, 2 bones cost £2.75, and if I ask for a £2 price, I get it... In the industry I work in (Laptop/PC repairs in-home I.T support and website development/web hosting), its quite often that the price can change during a job as its only half way through a job you find out how bad the problem really is and how much the customer under-estimated what the problem was, but I always make it crystal clear that any initial estimates are based on what the customer has told me and is subject to change based upon complete diagnosis or repairs being started.

[at9]

My pet hate is people going on about their pet hates. (see definition of Recursive)

[Puffer]

No, actually it is the value thats hard to demonstrate, he had it right the first time. But I fail to see why it annoys him, thats just business and how things work. ...

If someone says: 'This costs x at shop A, but I can get something similar for y at B and only z at C, so I won't pay more than z', then he demonstrates that he knows the price of everything but has not necessarily considered the variations in value because the items are not precisely the same. But that is the opposite of having a preconceived idea of the value (to him) of an item or service but no real knowledge of the market price, often leading to a haggle with the supplier. The latter is really what Bad_Robot was describing when his customer thought the price too high when he was told it.

... its quite often that the price can change during a job as its only half way through a job you find out how bad the problem really is and how much the customer under-estimated what the problem was, but I always make it crystal clear that any initial estimates are based on what the customer has told me and is subject to change based upon complete diagnosis or repairs being started.

Yes, indeed, Tech - and this demonstrates the important difference between an estimate (nothing more than an indication of likely cost on current info) and a quotation (a firm price which will be the essence of the contract and cannot be varied). My car is about to have a new clutch fitted and I have a firm quotation for the work as the car now stands - but if the flywheel proves to be knackered on dismantling, the ballgame will change and I shall have to pay rather more . [Fingers crossed for me, please! ]

[Bad_Robot]

ok..another pet hate of mine is anyone whose opening statement is "it will only take you five minutes" or "its just a little job". These are both precursors to the client not want to pay very much for my time indeed if anything at all!! Now I am not a mean spirited person and I have run my own business for over 27 years now so I must be doing something right...but these people need to learn that time is money...its a harsh fact of life but there it is, so I don't deem it unreasonable to expect payment for any job not matter how small to be paid for. Now before you all decide lynch me for been money grabbing, I do do some jobs for free and always give fair and honest advice.

At this point I will state that I operate within the motor trade towards the fast-fit sector, so we rely on a very high turnover whilst our margins are fairly low. Customer recommendation is one of our strongest assets

[Fog]

Hey this thread is really bringing out my grumpy old man. What about people citing quotations without knowing where the quotation came from. I'm sure that's not the case here, but I must admit I've been guilty of it in the past myself, unwittingly.

[Bad_Robot]

Hey this thread is really bringing out my grumpy old man.

What about people citing quotations without knowing where the quotation came from. I'm sure that's not the case here, but I must admit I've been guilty of it in the past myself, unwittingly.

Funny that you should say that Fog as I was only thinking that myself as I don't want to sound totally grumpy, as I should point out the vast majority of my customers are lovely its just the few rotten ones that spoil the barrel.

But to get back on the message its hard to be positive about something that you dislike so inevitability you are going to end up moaning or complaining about it.

Regards

Billy

[Puffer]

... What about people citing quotations without knowing where the quotation came from. I'm sure that's not the case here, but I must admit I've been guilty of it in the past myself, unwittingly.

I don't think that it is particularly important to know the origin of a quotation before using it. Quite a lot of well-known quotations have a doubtful or disputed origin anyway. Moreover, it would be rather pretentious to name the source as a matter of course. And, if not stated, how would the reader/listener know whether or not the user did know the origin?

The worse sin, in my view, is to misquote or to use a quotation in a totally wrong context - unless of course (in either case) for humorous or ironic effect.

As you might have said, Fog, (and Churchill allegedly did): 'This is something up with which I will not put.'

[Bad_Robot]

I rather hate the fact that the United States now wants to take my ten fingerprints just to enter their country for a holiday, I have been going to the States for years but I am having serious second thoughts about going there this year. To quote No. 6 from the prisoner "I am a free man my life is my own"

Billy

[Guy N. Heels]

Rude people would one of my pet hates. I have worked in the public service industry for over twenty seven years and people have become more difficult to please and far more demanding and not forgetting rude in recent times, I only ask to be treated with the same level of respect and courtesy that I extend to them

Thanx, Bad Robot. Just when I was beginning to think I was the only one the world hated, you come along and confirm - 'tain't me, 'tain't you, it's THEM! Well I can't be sure if its something going into the drinking water or the air we breathe, but something sure is making this latest generation mighty cantankerous. Try to put on a happy face; laugh whenever possible, and if the other guy needs a smile - give him one of yours.

[Guy N. Heels]

I rather hate the fact that the United States now wants to take my ten fingerprints just to enter their country for a holiday, I have been going to the States for years but I am having serious second thoughts about going there this year. To quote No. 6 from the prisoner "I am a free man my life is my own"

Billy

Give it a rest. Homeland Security doesn't take a coffee break without fingerprints - especially around Washington. That's the wonderful new world in which we now live.

[Tech]

Thanx, Bad Robot. Just when I was beginning to think I was the only one the world hated, you come along and confirm - 'tain't me, 'tain't you, it's THEM! Well I can't be sure if its something going into the drinking water or the air we breathe, but something sure is making this latest generation mighty cantankerous. Try to put on a happy face; laugh whenever possible, and if the other guy needs a smile - give him one of yours.

Actually, its not the customers, its the companies. Sadly, the Majority of companies these days treat their customers like 2nd rate citizens and think that totally unacceptable service is acceptable, thus by the time customers get to you and I, their already totally pissed off because every company they deal with are freaking idiots and dont want any customers at all.

I've lost track of the number of our customers who tell us we are a complete breath of fresh air and are nothing like the dire excuse's for companies that they have come from..

Many of my customers are actually amazed that when they call, a real human answers the phone straight away, and, not only that, but can actually totally help them instead of passing them all round the house's, and that we actually speak English as our first language if you know what I mean...

So, by the time customers get to us, they are just about ready to explode, but also, this is when the "Value for money" is easily demonstrated when phone calls are resolved immediately and emails are answered in minutes rather than weeks.

I swear I am going grey prematurely with the total lack of any business sense we have to put up with from all of our suppliers, If I had £1 for every single time I could honestly say "I cant believe these morons are still in business" I'd be 100% fully retired by now, and I can count on 1 hand the number of companies I deal with that actually provide us 1st class service at a reasonable cost, all within the UK, 24hours a day. (And I would still have 3 digits spare lol)

[Bad_Robot]

Actually, its not the customers, its the companies. Sadly, the Majority of companies these days treat their customers like 2nd rate citizens and think that totally unacceptable service is acceptable, thus by the time customers get to you and I, their already totally pissed off because every company they deal with are freaking idiots and dont want any customers at all.

I've lost track of the number of our customers who tell us we are a complete breath of fresh air and are nothing like the dire excuse's for companies that they have come from..

Many of my customers are actually amazed that when they call, a real human answers the phone straight away, and, not only that, but can actually totally help them instead of passing them all round the house's, and that we actually speak English as our first language if you know what I mean...

So, by the time customers get to us, they are just about ready to explode, but also, this is when the "Value for money" is easily demonstrated when phone calls are resolved immediately and emails are answered in minutes rather than weeks.

I swear I am going grey prematurely with the total lack of any business sense we have to put up with from all of our suppliers, If I had £1 for every single time I could honestly say "I cant believe these morons are still in business" I'd be 100% fully retired by now, and I can count on 1 hand the number of companies I deal with that actually provide us 1st class service at a reasonable cost, all within the UK, 24hours a day. (And I would still have 3 digits spare lol)

TECH...You are right on the money as I am constantly frustrated by the low level of intelligence that I encounter when calling my suppliers, infact I have now more or less abandoned calling ordering online is now my preferred method of ordering, althought that is not always reliable and we as customers who spend tens of thousands of pounds per month are not allowed to contact IT support with our problems or grievances with the system...they appear to think they are above speaking to mere customers and can only be contacted via e-mail.

[Bad_Robot]

Give it a rest. Homeland Security doesn't take a coffee break without fingerprints - especially around Washington. That's the wonderful new world in which we now live.

Thanx, Bad Robot. Just when I was beginning to think I was the only one the world hated, you come along and confirm - 'tain't me, 'tain't you, it's THEM! Well I can't be sure if its something going into the drinking water or the air we breathe, but something sure is making this latest generation mighty cantankerous. Try to put on a happy face; laugh whenever possible, and if the other guy needs a smile - give him one of yours.

Hi Guy N. Heels,

I know you might not think it from reading some of my posts here but by and large I am a happy and convivial sort of chap which is not easy to demostrate in a "What's your Pet Hate?" thread, maybe we should start a "What's your Pet Love?" apart from High Heels, although I would not want to encourage drifting too far away from the mission of the High Heel Place but I would like the chance to demonstrate that I do have a happy positive side and believe it or not I do smile.

With regard to Home Land Security I have to question is the loss of individual freedom and the invasion of our privacy a price worth paying...in my view...and it is only my view I think that the price is far too high and means that the terrorist have already won by not letting us carry out our lives in the way we would be doing if it were not for all the problems....in short I just want to be left alone and not have a incompetent government poking around in my life....have you seen all the scandal here in the Uk at the moment...you really can't trust a politician...they seldom make things better...but sure make things worse

Regards

Billy

Give it a rest. Homeland Security doesn't take a coffee break without fingerprints - especially around Washington. That's the wonderful new world in which we now live.

<br /> <br />

Thanx, Bad Robot. Just when I was beginning to think I was the only one the world hated, you come along and confirm - 'tain't me, 'tain't you, it's THEM! Well I can't be sure if its something going into the drinking water or the air we breathe, but something sure is making this latest generation mighty cantankerous. Try to put on a happy face; laugh whenever possible, and if the other guy needs a smile - give him one of yours.

<br /> <br />

[Fog]

Hi Guy N. Heels,

I know you might not think it from reading some of my posts here but by and large I am a happy and convivial sort of chap which is not easy to demostrate in a "What's your Pet Hate?" thread, maybe we should start a "What's your Pet Love?"

Well Said!

[Fog]

People who use the lift to travel one or two floors - especially if they're green warriors.

[Dr. Shoe]

What I dislike is tree hugging cyclists who tell me that cars are a curse of the world and yet they like to ride along nice smooth straight tarmacked roads... Also I was reading Tech's post about service and customer care with interest. I was working temporarily for a firm that supplies hardwood and on 3 separate ocassions I had to bring stiff back because it was the wrong size, wrong length or substandard. On guy had ordered some wood that was supposed to have been machined to 47mm X 152mm so they had sent him 50mm X 160mm because that was a stock item but they had still invoiced him for the machining!

[yozz]

With regard to Home Land Security I have to question is the loss of individual freedom and the invasion of our privacy a price worth paying...in my view...and it is only my view I think that the price is far too high and means that the terrorist have already won by not letting us carry out our lives in the way we would be doing if it were not for all the problems....in short I just want to be left alone and not have a incompetent government poking around in my life....have you seen all the scandal here in the Uk at the moment...you really can't trust a politician...they seldom make things better...but sure make things worse

<br /> <br /> <br /> <br />

This so-called security at the airports really ticks me off.

Whenever a journalist wants to investigate this (s)he finds ways to circumvent it.

One can think of various ways oneself.

Like the guy with the bomb in his shoe. Only afterwards they started checking

for it.

I think that it was on 9/11 itself already that I had figured out that Al Qaida

hardly had to do anything more than hinting at a new attack and we would

do all the damage ourselves. They have us terrorized. (the attacks in Madrid and

London were not Al Qaida itself).

It is just the politicians who want to make a show of what they are doing for us

(more to us).

The way the Bush administration had everybody worried till even in the smallest

towns looked rather disgusting to me. And then they could use it as an excuse

to make 1984 reality.

Each time I come at an airport I get annoyed at it all. Empty your pockets. Take off

your belt. Leave behind those nail scissors you forgot about. As if someone who

knows karate cannot do far worse damage...

OK, I can go on for much longer. It is really a pet peeve.

Y.

[Bad_Robot]

Now if you really want me to start spitting venom the H.M.R.C (Her Majestys Revenue & Customs) for they are the worst nightmare that anybody could wish to encounter I have had two indepth enquires in my business life and in neither case did they find anything of any note but that did not stop them costing me thousands of pounds in accountancy fees for the pleasure of wasting my time.

Unlike natural law where you are innocent until proven guilty, in the twisted world of H.M.R.C you are guilty until you can prove yourself to be innocent, which I succeeded in doing twice

Not to mention the fact that they can probe into every aspect of your personal life asking in great detail how you spend your money which I believe to be a enormous invasion of my privacy.

Billy

[crotchboots-m]

censorship,particulary the sort practiced in this forum.

[Hiline]

People who leave a trail of mess every where there go. Like the inner tube from toilet rolls or spill coffe all over the place and just leave it to weld its self to the table. AHHHHH i'd hate to see what these peoples houses are like. And why do they always start good films on TV at 22:00 hours but show crap before

[Tech]

censorship,particulary the sort practiced in this forum.

If you have a problem with the team, tell us about it via PM. Dont use this thread to start ranting about us.

[Tallinheels]

Watching a TV program then all of a sudden it gets switched over by a 'Flicker' as i call them. Someone in the room who constantly turns the tv over with the remote from one program to another Arggggggggg!!

[Dr. Shoe]

The guy at the market on the record stall who just plays songs in short bursts...

[Bad_Robot]

Anybody who asks to borrow any of my tools, they are my livelihood and I have bought and paid for them with my hard earned money besides why would I want to lend someone the tools to do a job themselves which they could be paying to do with my tools...Duh

[Bad_Robot]

People who should clearly not be driving cars on the highway.

I had a customer in today who asked a staff member to check her tyre pressures as she could not "see" the gauge....she then stated that she was driving herself to hospital for an eye operation....Keep death off the roads!!

To say her driving skills were frightening would be putting it mildly.

[Bubba136]

I had a customer in today who asked a staff member to check her tyre pressures as she could not "see" the gauge....she then stated that she was driving herself to hospital for an eye operation...

Surely, this is some kind of joke? Isn't it?

[Bad_Robot]

Surely, this is some kind of joak? Isn't it?

Hi Bubba136

No I promise you this is not a joke, I would not make something like this up, the lady in question was very elderly and did not appear to be in full control of her motor vehicle some of this could be deduced by the fact that she parked in the middle of the yard causing an obstruction when she could, if well sighted parked outside of my workshop....it really makes me worry that she could be coming the other way when I am out and about driving...Scary!!!

[roniheels]

Whether it be in their cars or their homes, people who play their radios, stereos, or televisions so loud that it makes their home or car vibrate.