How do you handle the "help"?

[hbiss]

Probably a question for Dale Carnegie or Dear Abby but maybe some of you have run into similar problems.

We mainly do commercial work, office and the like, but occasionally do residential. Sometimes the home owner will employ a nanny, housekeeper, butler or whatever and we often have to deal with them for the actual work since the owner is usually at work themselves during the day and unavailable. The work has always been gone over with the HO so we both know what is going to be done.

On one occasion we got off on the wrong foot when we arrived and the butler demanded that we remove our shoes before we entered the house. When I went around with the HO there wasn't any problem. I explained that we can't take our shoes off because we make numerous trips to the truck and we need the protection of our shoes in the performance of our job. Things went down hill from there.

Actually this "remove your shoes" thing crops up every once and a while. We are adamant about not doing it. I know there are shoe covers but they are almost as much of a problem because it doesn't make much sense to walk out to the truck without taking them off. Besides, shoe covers are just a "feel good" thing. We have shoes without cleats and they are clean to begin with unless it's raining or snowing then we are careful to clean them off well.

Just recently we had another problem. We had gone over the job with the HO as usual. A few details remained that he was deciding on and I asked him to leave a note for me when we arrived. When we got there the "nanny" politely showed me the note and proceeded to go over it point by point as if I had no idea. During the course of our work she constantly interrupted us by wanting to know what we had done and even demanding that some things be changed (that I already had discussed with the HO) because "Mr. So and So wouldn't want it that way". I tried to explain that this was time and material and that she was costing her boss money. If there are any problems he can tell us about them when we are done. Then when we were leaving and bringing everything out to the truck she made us feel like thieves by wanting to know if everything was ours.

How do you deal with people like this and still look professional? This one, in addition to the problems we ran into on that job, really got me in a bad mood and it showed- not good for business. I wanted to tell her that we can't work like this but I held my tongue because I really think she thought that she was doing her job. I don't think I should say anything to the HO either because that is going to make us look worse than we already do after she told him what a bunch of arrogent people we were. Besides, we are not done.

-Hal

[ September 29, 2004, 11:19 PM: Message edited by: hbiss ]

 

[luke warmwater]

Re: How do you handle the "help"?

Hal,
the 'shoes/boots' thing is a big issue with us.

We are working. Not lounging around the house.
Work shoes/boots are Required. Period. If a G.C., homeowner. etc., demands that shoes be removed, we explain to them that they must be worn, or we can't work.
We carry a back-up pair of clean shoes just in case.
And I agree with you about the boot covers. On hardwood floors, you might as well be wearing ice skates.

I've never dealt with the nosy nanny. The nannys I've ever dealt with opened the door upon our arrival and went on with their day, doing laundry, chasing toddlers, etc.

But, if you spent time going over a job with the homeowner, then that's the work that gets done, regardless of the nanny's opinion.
Afterall, who is paying the bill??

 

[charlie b]

Re: How do you handle the "help"?

As an engineer, I don?t do ?house calls,? so take this with a grain of salt. But can you keep a roll of plastic or paper in the truck? If someone gives you the ?take off your shoes? routine, offer to install a protective barrier, but make it clear that the cost of the material and the delay time to install it are going to cost more money.

 

[hbiss]

Re: How do you handle the "help"?

That's a thought, and they actually do make a product for that sticks to the floor. I think though that most times we are all over the house so I don't know how practical that would be. Could be done though at extra cost as you say. Maybe when they hear the extra cost they will reconsider...


-Hal

 

[charlie b]

Re: How do you handle the "help"?

Originally posted by hbiss: Maybe when they hear the extra cost they will reconsider...

Actually, that is exactly what I had in mind, when I made the suggestion.

 

[dereckbc]

Re: How do you handle the "help"?

Hal, we use a plastic mat that is the size a "Welcome Mat" at the entrance of equipment rooms. The mat has a tacky glue on it so as you step on it, it pulls the debris off the bottom of your shoes. It is laminated with many sheets. As one layer becomes dirty, you peel it off to expose a clean sheet.

 

[hbiss]

Re: How do you handle the "help"?

Yes, I've seen them a few times. Probably cheap enough to give a try as a "gesture of cooperation" rather than flat out saying we don't take our shoes off. If that won't work there is always the roll of floor protector and it's extra cost.

-Hal

 

[bill addiss]

Re: How do you handle the "help"?

I always carried carpet squares to put near entrances and exits to wipe feet. This could really be a good idea before walking on tile floors with wet feet too (slippery). The carpet squares are also good for kneeling on and laying out tools.

Bill

 

[gndrod]

Re: How do you handle the "help"?

hbiss, There are times where the client would really be impressed when I would take out two Safeway poly grocery bags. They are easy to step into with enough handle loop to tie around the ankles. Usually a couple of sets last long enough to get through the day unless its raining.
In either case, if the client has a butler, I think a rolled out visqueen path would not be a cost issue with the HO. Good luck.

 

[aecjohn]

Re: How do you handle the "help"?

I carry lots of drop clothes on my truck. I set them up near the entrance and in the work areas. I carry 'clean shoes' as well. I do a lot of high end residential and it is time consuming to move drop clothes, change from clean shoes to work boots to go to the truck etc....but you can charge more and the referrals keep flowing.

 

[dave55]

Re: How do you handle the "help"?

A lot of my work is residential, so I also carry drop cloths on the truck and set them for 10-20' in the entryway. If I'm going in the attic I drape sheets over the clothes, shelves and floor. I also put them under my work area. The worst is in the winter when snow packs in my shoes and doesn't melt until I'm about 50' into the house.

Dave

 

[jimwalker]

Re: How do you handle the "help"?

When it snows here i just stay home

 

[luke warmwater]

Re: How do you handle the "help"?

Originally posted by jimwalker:
When it snows here i just stay home

Me too.

 

[612278]

Re: How do you handle the "help"?

HI

SNOW? Is snow that white stuff?

 

[ryan_618]

Re: How do you handle the "help"?

It snowed here in Salt Lake yesterday

Mike Holt accepted my offer of helping him with his Understanding the NEC video series, so I am looking very much forward to spending a few January days in Florida, away from this white stuff!

 

[jimwalker]

Re: How do you handle the "help"?

Think it comes in white,yellow,and turns black

 

[charlie b]

Re: How do you handle the "help"?

Originally posted by 612278: SNOW? Is snow that white stuff?

I need to undeceive you Californians. For as a native Texan, I grew up with that same misconception. When I moved to Chicago 20 years ago, I learned that snow was mostly brown!

When we decided to move to the Seattle area, you would not believe how many people wanted to be the first to advise us that it rained a lot here. Our response was that rain is not brown, and it need not be shoveled off your driveway.

 

[brian john]

Re: How do you handle the "help"?

We work in hospital surgerical rooms and they require us to wear gowns and hair nets and shoe covers, they supply them and we put them on and off as we enter and exit the rooms, just the cost of doing business.