Re: Advice Needed: Issue with Mechanic

Posted by ncwAYNE on July 06, 2011 at 22:38:21 from (98.21.228.208):

In Reply to: Advice Needed: Issue with Mechanic posted by LJS30 on July 06, 2011 at 15:33:52:

As a full time, self employeed mechanic who also takes on projects like your describing, I'll throw my .02 in on this.

If someone askes me to do something and I agree to do it 'off the books', on the weekends, in my free time, etc, etc then that's exactly what I do, especially if I'm giving them the 'deal of a lifetime' on the labor. Like a sign I've seen through the years, I do three types of work, GOOD, FAST, and CHEAP, you can pick any two. In other words, GOOD+FAST doesn't equal CHEAP, GOOD+CHEAP doesn't equal FAST, and CHEAP+FAST probably isn't gonna equal GOOD. In your case it sounds like you chose GOOD AND CHEAP, so don't expect FAST........

In a case like this, I typically won't call the customer until I'm done unless I run into some major problem, need funds for parts, etc. Heck the customer is already getting my actual shop time cheap, so unless he wants to pay for me to take the time and energy to 'remember' to call him on top of that, after I come in for the night, just to give him an update, then it ain't gonna happen unless he's paying for that time too. I know that may sound bad but when you've got several "paying' jobs going on already and then a few backburner jobs at the same time, and you are self employeed, there is already enough 'free time' spent in the evenings on the 'payin' jobs to even think about the 'sweet deal' projects. It may sound crazy to say this after what I just said, but for me if the customer wants to call me 'on occasion' to check on it I don't mind mind that. After all it is his machine, and I also know that for me, oftentimes, without a reminder once in a while, back burner stuff often tends to get pushed further back as more gets piled on top of it.

Now, depending on the situation I have no problem saying "I'll try to get to it this weekend, etc" if asked, and at the time it's said I do mean it. Thing is come the weekend and my truck has problems, my tractor has problems, it rains, I have a full price job come up that is actually pushing me, etc, etc then your machine is going to go right back on the back burner where WE AGREED it was going to be in the first place. Remember, you chose the terms of the deal, not me..

Now if your situation changes and you call and change your mind and say "I need it ASAP" then the job is going to be taken off the back burner and put in line with the rest of the full price jobs. At that time any back burner work I've done will be charged at that price but any work from that point on will be to the full, going rate.

With all that said it sounds like what you said you wanted and what you actually expected subconsiously were two actually different things wether you realize it or not. It might not seem like that's what happened to you, but you'd be suprised what happens when a man's machine sets for awhile waiting to be worked on and he starts 'missing' it and wants it back. For me if the calls get excessive and I start getting pressured to do the job, and the guy is still expecting the 'deal' then I'll admit I often tend to push the project further back on the burner. Basically my 'desire' to do it 'cheap' fades with the increased pressure to 'get it done now'.

Too when the customer gets to the point they really want the machine back I've found that what they are told and what they actually hear are often two different things. "I'll TRY to do it this weekend" is heard as "I'll DEFINATELY do it this weekend".....etc, etc, etc........

Everyone has their own limits in a situation like this. In this case you might have reached the guys limit awhile ago with your calls and he may have also reached yours where you lost the patience you had in the beginning when the time frame 'didn't matter'.

Beyond that if he in fact gave you a definate, iron clad promise to have the repairs complete by a certain time then he should have had them done on time unless there were valid reasons for it not happening. As far as the delievery the same holds true there as well.

In this case it sounds like all the guy is really guilty of is being a bit on the lacking side when it comes to his communication skills. Personally, if I was in his shoes and you 'got mean' with me, you'd be coming to get your own damm tractor and paying in cash for everything before the machine left my yard because I'd be dammed if I was going to deliever a 'back burner' job on a regular work day, and then get 'told off' to top off the deal.

In your case, IF the guy has actually been good to his word and fixed the machine for you I'd suck it up, thank him for his work, and not burn any bridges. The next time you ask him to do something, if there is a next time, you need to insure that his intentions and your expectations are perfectly in sync and if not make sure they are before anything is done.

Again as a self employeed mechanic who also does back burner projects on top of my full rate work, that's just my .02 from the opposing view point.

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