I've Heard It All

People tell me way too much information when booking their appointments.
Yesterday was a killer for a few reasons.

One, this woman was nuts on the phone when she booked the estimate. I wrote that on the work order that she appeared a bit overwhelmed with VOC's and was telling me she would go to the bathroom at the gas station on the corner. WHAT?
I said that wasn't necessary and explained why. But she went off on a tangent about all kinds of things and I just wanted off the phone to tell you the truth.

Fast forward to the day of her estimate Rick goes to her home. He comes back to the office later in the day and puts the paperwork on my desk and say, "Boy that first appointment today was a nut job."  I looked down at the paperwork to remind myself who he saw and saw her name. I laughed and said, "Oh yeah"

She called me yesterday to book the appointment to have all this work done.
She had to tell me how her cat goes to pee in the toilet and he poops in the tub. She explained further without me asking for more information that the cat has a plastic clothes storage box that he poops in and not a litter box.  Eeww.
Tell me, why did I need to know this?
I bring us back to the booking by asking for her email address and daytime phone number. She continues on cat stories. Her cat is her best friend. Oh, now that is sad and I'm feeling a bit sorry for her. Damn her.
I love my dog to pieces but a best friend?
I would go with a human who can talk to me. But hey, I'm weird.

Then out of nowhere she begins to cry, "Peggy where will my cat go to the bathroom if we can't use the tub in 24 hrs. And the fumes from all the tiles and such will hurt him."
OMG. People with babies don't get this batshit crazy. I explain there is no reason the cat can't go in the toilet. But not the tub for 24 hrs. She wails.

After listening to her ramble nonstop I jumped in and said what I had to say. I repeated the booking date and time. I sent a confirmation email. Then the phone calls kept coming in. All day, every 20 minutes or so she would call with more questions and stories of too much information. Bottom line this woman is having her friend keep her cat and she is moving out. My God this is so not necessary but I am not going to debate this with her. Whatever she wants to do. I just kept saying, Okay, okay.

Then I had a call from a man who's bride would not put her hiney in the bathtub could we help him? I stifled not to laugh. He went on to tell me, "he ain't gettin' any until this tub is pristine and she can take a bubble bath in it."
Oh my goodness.  Would you say these things to a contractor you are hiring?
I booked it and I hope he gets laid. (I did not say that!)

We see and hear it all and frankly I am so weary of it all.
Just the facts please, let's stick to the facts.

Today I had a man tell me yet again to shut up and listen to him.
I always am shocked when being spoken to like this. Rick was here, I handed him the phone and said nothing. Rick could hear him yelling. Rick took the phone and said, "I will not allow you to speak to anyone in this company with such disrespect do you understand? If you can't please call someone else"
The guy backed right down as always after a man stands up to him.
Rick gave the phone back to me. This man wanted work done either tomorrow, Saturday or Sunday. I told him we don't work on Sundays. He said, why not?
I said even God rested on Sunday and we do as well. But I was sorry I could not get him in until the 29th of June. He raised his voice again and said, "You are bullshitting me aren't you?" I said, "no sir. I'm sorry we couldn't help you." And I hung up. Now normally I would work something out to help the guy and after I heard his need for resale but he wasn't nice and I knew Rick would be okay to walk away from this. How would he treat Gary or William? Rick would never ever take his shit in person. But Gary and William probably would because they would feel like they couldn't do anything because they are not the owner.
And side note, I wait 3 weeks before I can get into my hairdresser and they bitch about a 2-week wait. And this wasn't quite 2 weeks.

Never in 10 years have I not gone the extra mile. But I am so weary of men treating me like shit, telling me to shut up, telling me I'm stupid they want to talk to a man. Of course, I vent this to Rick so I was glad he was here to hear him and put him in his place.  That was a first. So why do I feel bad that I didn't get the job? I need to get over it.

Both Rick and I find it so interesting that when we had high power executive titles and jobs we automatically got respect. But now that we are blue collar we are treated like shit. Rick tells me how people turn their noses up at him. But when he was a V.P. oh they were so impressed. Why? He is the same guy, he just doesn't wear a suit and tie to work anymore.

I find it sad that our society puts so much importance on your title or their perception of your title. We were at a party once when I was asked what I did.
I told them and this woman fawned all over me. She had a ton of questions, so interested. I see this woman after starting our company and it was completely a different experience. She asked if I was still working in Manhattan and I said, No we had started our own business. When I told her what it was she looked at me and pulled back and said, "oh" She has never spoken to me again. I don't give a shit that she doesn't. She wasn't a friend. More of an acquaintance. But it is done all the time.

I live in an area of high paying jobs, highly educated people with large self-entitlement issues. I guess it goes with the territory.
I used to tell my stepdaughter that if her date was mean to the wait staff he is not a nice person. Run. Same for his plumber, his contractor, his tile setter etc. No one is better than another. And if you think you are better than your contractor because you are a white collar employee - you're just wrong. so there. :-)