Recent happenings have bothered me so much mentally that I had to bring this up,to warn people.I ran my own motorcycle repair&customizing business& you never screwed over a customer
Our motto always was"either do it right or don't do it"Also,all businessmen,that I knew,agreed that one customer that said that
you did bad work,hurt you more than 100 that said that you did
good work!Recently,a large tree,outside,of my house,split in two,
& collapsed.The other1/2 was hanging over my house.If it fell,it
would squash my house.That night,my wife called a tree surguon.
He advertised,in the newspaper,as having a boom truck,chipper,
being fully insured&settled on a price to remove the tree,wood,etc
,no damage.The next week,my wife was on vacation with some of
my grandkids.I went into the back room one night,to lie on the floor&do some exercises,like crunches.I noticed what looked like
water marks on the ceiling!The next day,I called a roofing establishment.A few years ago,I paid them $2.800 to redo my whole roof.I asked them to send someone to inspect it.There was
a hole,from a branch,right through my roof,&shingles missing.The tree person never even mentioned it to me.The roofing person
temporarily patched it&took digital pictures of the damage!If I
hadn't noticed the water marks that night,can you imagine the damage by winter?It just shows that you can't trust anyone anymore.Maybe,I,m niave,but things like this,didn't used to happen.Two-faced people didn't last long! Irish

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Irish---Better to be dead & cool,then alive & uncool!
(Harley Davidson & the Marlboro Man)

I am so sorry Irish! Glad you caught it before winter!

When I need to hire someone I will ask tons of question and get references from them. If I am a little leary, I call the better business bureau to do a check on them for myself!

And always do an inspection before they leave!!!

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*Diva*



"Never shall I forget the time I spent with you. Please
continue to be my friend, as you will always find me yours."
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

Diva---It's probably my own fault.In the close-knit group of people
that,I ran with,it was,almost unthinkable,that you would have to check anyones work.In those days,if your friends,didn't specialise,
in your problem,they knew someone,who did.In the OLD motorcycle lifstyle,there was nothing worse than screwing over
another.I have a friend who just did a 5yr sententence in the Federal penetentary,because he wouldn't rat out his buddies.
Many people say that it's stupid,but that's what loyalty always was! Irish
P.S.That's why this bothers me so much.The Better Business Bureau(sp)will definately get a letter&pictures.

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Irish---Better to be dead & cool,then alive & uncool!
(Harley Davidson & the Marlboro Man)

I totaly agree with you Irish, times have gotten to where you just can't trust anyone to not screw you over, including the government.
As in referance to your problem, I used to have my own construction company, and on larger jobs, I asked for 1/3 down to start, and 1/3 half way through and when I was done I had the customer look over and inspect the work. When they were satisfied, I asked for the rest of what was owed. That way I always knew they were satisfied.
During the process, if I ran across something out of the ordinary, I would stop work contact the customer, give them there choices as to what options the had and explain the differances. THen once they, made the dicision as to what the wanted done, the work then continued.

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"There's nothing inherently dirty about sex, but if you try real hard and use your imagination you can overcome that." (Lewis Grizzard)

To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.
E. E. Cummings

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As Promised

Cobalt---When I ran my motorcycle business,I would have the
customer,fill out a work order saying generally what they wanted done.On the work order,would be their home phone #,etc.That way,if I encountered anything that would be expensive work,They
could OK it&partially prepay itThat way,they weren't suprised by the extra expense,plus all of my money & time wasn't tied up.In that business,you can't keep everything in stock unless you're rich!That's why the "Big"guys make it and the little guys don't!
Honesty has a hard time competing with money! Irish

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Irish---Better to be dead & cool,then alive & uncool!
(Harley Davidson & the Marlboro Man)

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Makes a person wonder if your tree removal guy was the one who made the hole when he removed the tree???? Perhaps that is why it wasn't mentioned.........

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A blessed thing it is for any man or woman to have a friend, one human soul whom we can trust utterly, who knows the best and worst of us, and who loves us in spite of all our faults.

Cheyanne---I'm sorry,I thought I made that clear.The tree removal guy WAS the one that made the hole in the roof & didn't
say anything about it.The roof was redone in1996.I have the contract,right here!I called them to inspect it,to see what needed redoing.Their representative,found the hole& showed me.He temporarilily patched it,but suggested that I go after the tree guy!
Irish
P.S.That's what makes me so mad.If I hadn't called them,it would have gone undetected,until expensive damage!

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Irish---Better to be dead & cool,then alive & uncool!
(Harley Davidson & the Marlboro Man)

I'm probably dating myself but it also shows how times&values
have changed.It used to almost be an INSULT to have someone check your work.Personal pride,just dictated that you did it right.
My real name is Thomas Ahern.My nickname&the name that most people know me by is actually Irish.
Years ago,a customer was paying me for a just finished motorcycle.When filling out the check,he asked"How do you want
this made out?Tom Ahern?"I said "yes"He said,I looked for Irish in
the phone book,but couldn't find him and you're supposed to be the next best!When I told my wife about it that night,there was no suprise.You automatically took pride in being good.The next time,I had business cards printed,I did have them put:
Proprietor:Thomas J(Irish)Ahern Irish

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Irish---Better to be dead & cool,then alive & uncool!
(Harley Davidson & the Marlboro Man)

Well.........My Friend.................I follow your disgust to a Tee. I too have fallen Victim these A**H****s that think just doing business once will make them sucessful. Sorryyyyyyyy .........It don't work like that. REPEAT business is what makes a Business work and stay afloat. First impressions will make you or break you. Nough said.................... Sorry Irish .............. Keep the Faith Bro .....................and don't get discouraged............. there are some businesses out there that still know how to do it Right.

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As sad as it may be, it seems the independent business man is now the ONLY one you even have a partial chance of getting a fair shake from. Today, ALL business, (and the bigger, the more so) is done on quarterly profit & loss basis ONLY. The days of customer retention are gone. From your bank to your phone company, it’s become a “hit em for every quick nickel you can and just keep recruiting more bodies to cycle through”. I’m to the point where I actually believe a new business procedure is being taught in the MBA programs today. Long gone are the days of “keep a customer satisfied and keep a customer”.

Business structure starts in the Legal Department to establish where usury can be legally employed, goes to the Accounting Department who decides what it will cost and how much the margin will be, then goes to Marketing Department(as they have the largest budget) who decides sales commissions and billboard placements. Production Control determines how many square pegs the customer will assemble into round holes so it will fit into a box that UPS can pick up by 14:00. After the poor guy on the shop floor complains there is a problem in the heat treat operation of the heart pumps he made out from Popsicle sticks with a sludge hammer, it goes to Engineering.

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I always compared business to sex.A satisfied customer,is a
repeat customer!Using the new way of looking at business,
Variety,will be the spice of life!There sure won't be any repeat
customers.Just frustrated ones. Irish

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Irish---Better to be dead & cool,then alive & uncool!
(Harley Davidson & the Marlboro Man)