Start A Painting Bussiness? Please Help

Originally Posted by Brian

Mike,

Saying "let me check my schedule" isn't dishonest. Saying "I'm booked 6 weeks out" is (if you aren't).

Certainly a contractor who has no work is tainted. But that's another issue.

We don't need to tell the customer everything, but we should never lie to him. I have holes in my schedule at times, and am happy when something comes along to fill it. But I don't lie to the customer-- I tell them I have a hole.

Even if that hole was 2 weeks or 4 weeks or forever, I would do the same. (My holes are usually a day or 2 because someone isn't ready for us.) The customer doesn't need to know how big the hole is, and I haven't lied.

This may seem like splitting hairs, but it isn't. A hole is a hole. But if we say we are booked for 6 weeks we imply that there is no hole. I have a problem with that.

I've been doing this 20+ years, and I've been in some tough situations. But one thing I have never done, and will never do, is lie to a customer (or anyone for that matter). That would only make matters worse.

I can deal with the truth, no matter how bad it may be. If my customer can't do the same, I don't want him for a customer.

Brian Phillips