Swimming pool clients are interesting folks. Having worked in the industry I can attest to the fact that they are definitely a breed all their own. There is just something about owning a pool that make people's brain cells die - it's as if for every gallon of chlorinated water they have in their backyard their IQ drops a point. The bigger the pool the more clueless some of them can be.
For example:
Pooldad and I were emailing back and forth while he was at work yesterday when he sent me this:
"Gotta scoot for a bit. Some chunkhead in Falls Run can't get his autocover open. I guess I'm the only person in this part of the free world that can help out. Toodles for now.xoxo"
I started laughing because I knew this was going to be a good story come Happy Hour. And it was.
When Mr. Chunkhead called and said that his autocover wouldn't open Pooldad told him to press the GFI switch [raise your hand if you know what this is - if you have a blowdryer you know what this is, trust me] Anyway - the client said that he had pressed the GFI switch but, no, the cover still wouldn't open.
Oh woe is he! What ever was he going to do?
So off went Pooldad to see what was what. [Cue the super hero music.]
When Pooldad arrived the very first thing he did was check the GFI switch. One button tadpoles, just one. And wouldn't you know? It had been tripped and it hadn't been pushed by the pool owner as he claimed. Pooldad pushed it and viola! A working auto cover. Who knew?
For his oopsie doodle Mr. Chunkhead will now be billed $99.00 so my husband could drive out and push a button he had already told the client to push. Over the phone. Which was free advice. But no - he is being charged $35 for the trip charge and the company standard $64 for a half hour of labor [it is a minimum charge - he was told this before Pooldad left the office.]
The guy was really good natured about it and even tipped Pooldad $5 for his trouble. Honestly? I think he was a bit embarrassed. Wouldn't you be? Because when you talking to a pool man that has been in this business for over 30 years and he tells you what to do, for free, over the phone just admit you don't know what a GFI switch is so my husband can explain it to you and save you $99 - mmmkay?
Disclaimer: Not all pool customers are clueless - I was just in the mood for a sweeping generalization this morning. Hee
12 comments:
It must be a trait typical of most people that need service. I always check everything I can before I can any place for service..and by that if there is a book, I mean I read it and follow all of the troubleshooting tips and do them...and they always act like I am an idiot and try to make me do all that stuff again. Also, my husband stalls alarm systems in homes (sometimes having smoke detectors tied into the alarm)...but some of these homes also have smoke detectors that have been installed by electricians during the construction process and those detectors are not linked to the alarm system. I constantly hear my husband on the phone with clients who think they have a problem with their alarm ...when really they have something wrong with their electrician installed smoke detectors...he is always saying, "that is not my smoke detector or alarm...I can hear it and that is not what mine sound like..." and he is always so nice about it.
Golly Gosh, how silly are these folks? I gotta mention, I have saved us oodles of cash by learning skills off youtube...knitting, gyprocking (drywall, you call it), vetrinary diagnosis, linoleum installation. My 11 y.o. son even learned origami off youtube and then made a profit seeling his origami creations to other kids at school! Not that Im suggesting ANYONE could replace the wonderful Pooldad - just that if you use your noodle, great things can happen. xxooo
My hubs is an electrician. I get to hear stories like this from time to time. Makes me shake my head. I guess just because you can afford a pool doesn't mean you're smart enough to operate one.
Would it be a sexist to say it's a man thing, right up there with the proverbial asking of directions? Hee.
word vert: frations. While I'm not great at algebra, I'm pretty good with frations.
These same people make for interesting patients. I am ever thankful for the optimistic employment outlooks in my industry because of them.
Chunkheads....hmmmmm some of them were here yesterday at my yard sale making their mother's embarrassed at their lack of social interaction skills. I really wanted to say....does your Momma cry all the time because of you Chunkhead?
I agree with Linda, shame on my biased self, it's a guy thing, generalizing is the key here.
vert word is clars. Some clars are very good especially the e clars. Bad Linda the other, bad.
Everybody everywhere is clueless - just about different stuff.
I'm not good with initially stuff so I didn't "get" GFI at first. Had you said ground fault, I'd have known immediately. But if I'd been making the call, I'd have asked Pooldad "WTF is a GFI?"
:) Funny stuff.
I may be clueless about somethings, but I would ask before dishing out any money! (Maybe that has nothing to do with being smart, maybe I'm just a SUPER CHEAPSKATE chunkhead hahaha)
i know! i know! (ain't married to an electrician for nuthin')
lol - that is terribly funny. poor guy.
i'm not very mechanically-minded, but i do know what the gfi is.
I love that he tipped him, making himself a lovable chunkhead! Campers are forever tripping the breakers inside their rigs and then calling the office to tell me they have no power (actually I have all the power.....). Like you say, one would think they would check all the possibilities before calling the office, but we don't even get to charge a service fee....
I love that he tipped him, making himself a lovable chunkhead! Campers are forever tripping the breakers inside their rigs and then calling the office to tell me they have no power (actually I have all the power.....). Like you say, one would think they would check all the possibilities before calling the office, but we don't even get to charge a service fee....
We have a pool... and are not chunkheads like this guy... ;) Anybody gives me free advice to try and save $ I try it.. case in point- my car died and I commented on facebook about it and someone suggested I tap the starter under the car to see if it would start (thereby saving the towing fee) well long story short- I tapped everything I could reach- the car started- I saved $$$ =]
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