Are you a 'squeaky wheel'?

[dingbat]

Re: Are you a 'squeaky wheel'?

Actually, the good ones will ignore your demands and uphold their commitments to everyone equally. If you can be accomadated without inconvieniencing someone else, fine. If it'll affect someone else's prior commitment, you just have to wait in line like everyone else. The rest will laugh at you behind your back as they verbally commit to meeting your demands to get rid of you, then continue ignoring your work until it suits them to do it.

Funny, that?s not been my experience. I typically get moved ahead, if not to the front of the line most of the time.

Need a table in a busy restaurant without a reservation, no problem. Getting my boat worked on like now!!!! No problem.

It?s called mastering the art of listening, persuasion, and assertiveness. Most don?t even know what happened.

 

[chomamma]

Re: Are you a 'squeaky wheel'?

Maybe it's fixed...... Just cuz its in the same place, doesnt mean it isn't. Give em a call... (Sorry for the half full attitude)

 

[korygrandy]

Re: Are you a 'squeaky wheel'?

Funny, that?s not been my experience. I typically get moved ahead, if not to the front of the line most of the time.

Need a table in a busy restaurant without a reservation, no problem. Getting my boat worked on like now!!!! No problem.

It?s called mastering the art of listening, persuasion, and assertiveness. Most don?t even know what happened.

Teach me your ways wise master

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Are you a 'squeaky wheel'?

yep fine line between a squeaking wheel getting greased OR replaced.
I have replaced 2 this year alone.
banned them from the shop never to work on that boat again.
first one accused me of blowing up his 5.7 merc when all I did was a leakdown test and informed him of exhaust valve failure. never started the motor.
second was I was accused by a man of bending his steering cable. they left the boat tied at the floating dock, next day I walked down to check the engine and noted the engine was turned full stbd and the jackplate raised causing the cable end to hang under the transom lip.
I lowered the jack,trimmed it down and the steering would almost center before jamming.
we replaced the cable for no charge and banned them from the shop.
so while I will tolerate a certain amount to much will get ya banned.
kinda like last summer when I was repowering a carolina classic, guy cam by daily to disscuss it, so everytime they called me to the office or phone for this guy I punched the time clock and chatted as long as he wished.
we had just over 4 hours of chat time that still got billed at 85/hr.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Are you a 'squeaky wheel'?

yep fine line between a squeaking wheel getting greased OR replaced.
I have replaced 2 this year alone.
banned them from the shop never to work on that boat again.....

LOL - fire the customer! It's good to get some perspective from the other side.

As for the poster who suggested weighing the issue against having to consider future dealings - I totally agree.

A marina I've done business with over the last number of years is showing a consistent trend toward incompetence when working on my boat. The first time it nearly stranded me after the fact - but I managed to limp home, the last two times it cost me a bit of money for unnecessary work and then a damaged part I replaced on my own dime.

However we still need them for fuel and groceries in a relatively remote area and who knows what else down the line. I've just quiety stopped using their mechanical service without making a big fuss and will continue to deal with them for the other stuff.

He may notice - he may not - but I don't want the ongoing stress of dealing face-to-face on my holiday time after a big showdown.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Are you a 'squeaky wheel'?

some folks ya simply cannot make happy, even if you hung them with a new dockline and their choice of knot.
others have legitamate concerns that I try to address.
some years back I had a lady call me swearing and cussing about I fixed the bilge pump and her boat was sinking.
I tried to explain t her for 10 minutes that I had never seen her wooden chris craft,then I said look, its still sinking whats the address so maybe I could,and later did, keep it from sinking.
while I was repairing the previous techs shoddy work she shows up on the boat and asked"who are you".

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: Are you a 'squeaky wheel'?

Having run a used car dealership for 15 years I've been on both sides of the desk. I charged a few people the 'stupid tax' back then and I'd still do it if it was necessary.

We had a sign in our shop...

"Our repairs are good, cheap, and quick."

Good and Quick, won't be Cheap
Good and Cheap, won't be Quick
Cheap and Quick, won't be Good

Hoping to hear more from him today.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Are you a 'squeaky wheel'?

LOL - I saw a similar sign in a shop once:

Shop Rate: $50/hr
Shop Rate if you want to watch: $70/hr
Shop Rate if you want to help: $100/hr

And another:

"Quality work, like quality oats, costs a fair price. If, however, you are satisfied with oats that have already passed through the horse...well, that comes a little cheaper."

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: Are you a 'squeaky wheel'?

Yes....good stuff. My mechanic's place actually adds to the hourly rate for something like "Working on stuff you've already worked on".

 

[dingbat]

Re: Are you a 'squeaky wheel'?

Teach me your ways wise master

There are lots of tools in the bag. The most effective is to address someone by name at all times. If someone doesn't introduce themselves right off, I always ask. A waitress, a mechanic, the ball boy. It doesn?t matter. My first question is always, what is your name. It personalizes the interaction you have with that person.

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: Are you a 'squeaky wheel'?

Cautiously optomistic. They found an intermittent short under the dash that shut the entire engine down. Got that cleaned up and a couple of other electrical connections that were looking suspect. Charging system is working correctly. He's finishing it up now. No idea what the bill will be but I'll bet it would have been more had I been a PITA about it. We'll see.

 

[25thmustang]

Re: Are you a 'squeaky wheel'?

I?m Project / Sales Manager so I'm a squeaky wheel by profession. I can be your worst nightmare or your best friend. Depends on whether or not you met my expectations.

The problem is that you didn?t set any expectations when you dropped off the boat. You should have given him a date in which you expect to hear from him. If he doesn?t call on time, you call him again and continue calling until you get an answer. Show at his door if need be.

You would be surprised how seemly ?inattentive? people can be if you stay on top of them. The good ones will meet your demands out of respect. The rest, will met your demands to get rid of you.

This depends. I deal with PMs day in and out at work. If it's an agreed upon date, then absolutely. If it's an arbitrary date chosen by the PM, then I have had my days ignoring them.

I have had squeaky wheels who get no attention due to their actions and attitudes. I have others who I bend over backwards for, due to their actions and attitudes. Simply being squicky does not always work, in my opinion. Then again I'm on both sides of the fence in my profession.

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: Are you a 'squeaky wheel'?

I?m Project / Sales Manager so I'm a squeaky wheel by profession. I can be your worst nightmare or your best friend. Depends on whether or not you met my expectations.

I'm willing to bet you're more of a project manager than a sales manager. If I'm the customer how is it that you can be my worst nightmare?

 

[45Auto]

Re: Are you a 'squeaky wheel'?

If I'm the customer how is it that you can be my worst nightmare?

LMAO!! Good question!

It?s called mastering the art of listening, persuasion, and assertiveness. Most don?t even know what happened.

He's a legend in his own mind. He'll just use that Ninja sales technique stuff on you and you won't even know he's your enemy! You'll just want to pay him MORE than he's asking!

 

[dingbat]

Re: Are you a 'squeaky wheel'?

I'm willing to bet you're more of a project manager than a sales manager.

I do as much project support for my customers as my time allows. However, I have customers in ten States and two different countries at attend to so the time I can spend in support of my sales is limited. Don?t get me wrong, I enjoy project work and with a 6-9 hour time difference between the customer and the factory, I often have to get involved. Its just not where my priorities lay.

On top of it, my boss wants me to get back involved on the International Sales scene again, He has already booked meeting for me in Brazil and Japan in the upcoming weeks so I?ll have even less time for the foreseeable future.

If I'm the customer how is it that you can be my worst nightmare?

How about getting the customer?s PM let go from the project. Does that count?

 

[dingbat]

Re: Are you a 'squeaky wheel'?

LMAO!! Good question!



He's a legend in his own mind. He'll just use that Ninja sales technique stuff on you and you won't even know he's your enemy! You'll just want to pay him MORE than he's asking!

Let me give you a bit of advice.

It is better to remain silent and be thought of as a fool, that to open one?s mouth and remove all doubt

 

[asm_]

Re: Are you a 'squeaky wheel'?

This may not help you, but the last time I hired someone that was dragging their feet on finishing the job, I track his wife and and mother-in-law down and casually mention about the unfinished job and ask if their husband/son-in-law was having personally issue that is preventing him from full filling his obligation.

The job was done in a week after that.