[QualityContract]

Back in 2005, I landed my biggest commercial job yet. During a 3 month period every year, this company has enough work that I don’t have to work for the rest of the year, although I still choose to work the rest of the year.

In 2006, I did even more work at this same commercial job. I ended up grossing half of my year’s earnings in a 2 month period. But, I made the mistake of not hiring a foreman. Consequently, I had a guy on the job throwing beer bottles behind one of the job sites. On another job site, I had a guy who left his heroin pack in the bathroom. On another job site, the guy who was throwing beer bottles behind one of the site was staring at one of the owner’s 17-year-old daughters. There were mistakes left and right. It was like a circus. And consequently, I was not able to get any work for 2008.

Last year, the commercial company’s liaison left the company and a new and very nice woman took her place. I visited her to obtain more work from the company. She told me that I would have to talk with a couple of supervisors. I recognized the names of these supervisors and I’m hoping that they do not remember me, although the only problem that they know of is a mistake that one of my guys made. I changed the name of the company back in 2009, so I am operating under a different name (I was an hour away from moving 700 miles, but that is a-whole-nother story).

I know that I am going to give a very generous volume discount. But, I wanted to know how others would approach this potentially rewarding situation. How would you get this client back?

 

[griz]

Back in 2005, I landed my biggest commercial job yet. During a 3 month period every year, this company has enough work that I don’t have to work for the rest of the year, although I still choose to work the rest of the year.

In 2006, I did even more work at this same commercial job. I ended up grossing half of my year’s earnings in a 2 month period. But, I made the mistake of not hiring a foreman. Consequently, I had a guy on the job throwing beer bottles behind one of the job sites. On another job site, I had a guy who left his heroin pack in the bathroom. On another job site, the guy who was throwing beer bottles behind one of the site was staring at one of the owner’s 17-year-old daughters. There were mistakes left and right. It was like a circus. And consequently, I was not able to get any work for 2008.

Last year, the commercial company’s liaison left the company and a new and very nice woman took her place. I visited her to obtain more work from the company. She told me that I would have to talk with a couple of supervisors. I recognized the names of these supervisors and I’m hoping that they do not remember me, although the only problem that they know of is a mistake that one of my guys made. I changed the name of the company back in 2009, so I am operating under a different name (I was an hour away from moving 700 miles, but that is a-whole-nother story).

I know that I am going to give a very generous volume discount. But, I wanted to know how others would approach this potentially rewarding situation. How would you get this client back?

Really???? You're wondering why you get no more work from these guys...

Don't worry they remember who you are.

Greed, lack of supervision & hiring morons led to your demise.

Change of name...:laughing::laughing:

Maybe time to consider moving the 700 miles and trying again...

 

[Jaws]

That sucks, hoss. But you brought it on yourself.

I have reffered out work and turned it away to avoid the same problem. If I cant be on site AT LEAST 3 hours a day, or my brother cant, I turn it away if they can't wait. That is with competent leads that would kick the ever living chit out of someone drinking or dosing on the job. Or at least fire their ass.

 

[rselectric1]

But, I made the mistake of not hiring a foreman.

Strike 1-3...you are out!

Who did you suspect would be in charge? Why weren't YOU there the entire time?

 

[Metro M & L]

Go back with your hat in one hand and donuts in the other. Check in every 90 days and see if there are any problems you can solve. Sooner or later they will give you a shot or tell you to never call them again. Either way, nothing to lose and everything to gain.

 

[Rio]

I would add that when you go with hat in one hand and donuts in the other that you take full responsibility, apologize profusely, promise that if given another chance you'll be there daily, etc, etc.

 

[Resta]

And I would add that when you go with hat in one hand and donuts in the other and apologize profusely you need to kneel down and kiss his hand.... Or a55..

 

[QualityContract]

And I would add that when you go with hat in one hand and donuts in the other and apologize profusely you need to kneel down and kiss his hand.... Or a55..

:laughing:

 

[jaydee]

did you pay your help with Beer & heroin ?

You fired them right ?

You get what you pay for.

 

[QualityContract]

did you pay your help with Beer & heroin ?

No. It's in my company policy that they get before they work for me that those substances are prohibited on jobsite.

You fired them right ?

Yes.

You get what you pay for.

Yeah, I paid them $15-$20 per hour depending upon experience.

 

[jaydee]

Go meet the company representative and throw the cards on the table.

Tell them the issues they already know.
Tell them how you resolved those issues.

Ask for another shot. All they can say is "no"

 

[JBM]

I was just having a conversation with a super. He was bitching about his tin knocker and I asked if the owner does the installs/...

of coarse not.

 

[gastek]

No. It's in my company policy that they get before they work for me that those substances are prohibited on jobsite.

You should be drug testing before you hire. Then you should be doing spot checks of the job site unannounced to see how your guys are doing.

Don't be surprised if you don't get any work from this place again. Even though someone left the company doesn't mean they left a file full of notes on you.

 

[QualityContract]

You should be drug testing before you hire.

:laughing: If I did, no one would be working for me. I have a hard enough time advertising that I do a 7 year criminal background check. That alone cuts the response rate by 9/10ths.

 

[gastek]

Drug users are also criminals. You just keep looking until you find the clean and the sober. They are out there.

How are you going to feel when one of these drug users hurts someone on the site? You'll be done for sure then if that happens.

 

[QualityContract]

You just keep looking until you find the clean and the sober.

I post the same Help Wanted Ad once a week, whether I'm actually looking for help or not.

How are you going to feel when one of these drug users hurts someone on the site? You'll be done for sure then if that happens.

That is what contract clauses are for. Are you new to contracting?

 

[gastek]

I post the same Help Wanted Ad once a week, whether I'm actually looking for help or not.


That is what contract clauses are for. Are you new to contracting?

Not sure what you mean by the contract clauses. I don't hire. I work by myself so as to keep it simple. My business is a bit different than a builder.

 

[jaydee]

So, you keep an ad posted every week and the best you can find
is a boozer and a crack head and a pervert ?
Those type of employees will get you sued,

You can have anything you want in a contract, BUT, a drunk or high employee
is destined to hurt themselves, you, a customer or a customers child.
ANY OF THE ABOVE AND YOUR ON THE HOOK FOR IT............
They also could cause damage to property, tools, materials , ETC ETC.

Interview, drug test and back ground checks should be mandatory .......

 

[CarpenterSFO]

Go meet the company representative and throw the cards on the table.

Tell them the issues they already know.
Tell them how you resolved those issues.

Ask for another shot. All they can say is "no"

Good advice. Tell them you want to start out small, so that you can rebuild their trust in you.

All this presumes that you're prepared to do it right this time. If you see the company as the goose that laid the golden egg, you are likely to kill it again.

And that's how your original post strikes me - under-hiring, under-training, and under-supervising, maybe knowingly, to get a year's earnings out of a few months' work. If they give you another chance, you should plan to earn your money.

What trade are you in?

 

[CarpenterSFO]

Be prepared, if you go to see those supervisors, to get handed a plate of **** and a fork. Eat it without complaint. They may have been waiting for 6 years to tell you what they think.

Or maybe it was just 2008 and the end of the run, and none of the issues that figure so clearly in your memory were that important to them.