Why can't customers tell you the truth?

[ProDave]

Just done a CU change, actually a CU move, so the room where the CU used to be can be turned into a bathroom

All went well. Job done in 2 halves as I was also moving a separate heating CU for the Big electric boiler.

So customers says "there's a problem with the landing light it sometimes trips the rcd"

So I take a look.  First observation it turns on in one switch combination, but in the other combination it won't turn on at all.  How odd.  Undo the switch plate, which is the only new looking metal switch plate in sight, and there are only 2 wires connected to the landing light switch.  But there are 3 wires connected to the hall light switch which is only switched from that one switch.  Yes someone has swapped the switch and made a right mess and got it all jumbled up.

But it never did trip anything, it just did not work properly.  Why did he not just say "can you have a look at the landing light it isn't switching properly"?

 

[Murdoch]

did you charge them?

 

[Tony S]

It happens in all lines of our work.

“I never touched it, it did it on its own.”

“It was working OK and then stopped.”

“It was in auto so nearly killing that guy wasn’t my fault.”

 

[Evans Electric]

That sounds like the old story  ...." It was OK until you came Mate " 

We call it ..."The Pound of Flesh syndrome "        Bloke writes a cheque for what you've done then goes ..." OO I am silly ,  we meant to ask you to put this light fitting up ...but I ve written the cheque now "  

Usual answer is  .." No problem just write another for £ 40 quid while we get the steps in there. " 

Turned up at one job for one of the builders who whispered  " Watch out for the ball on the top newel post , its loose and he'll blame you for it "  

Sure enough we go upstairs , natural to grab the ball on the top post as you reach the landing ,  and it comes off in your hand .  

Bloke was up in 2 minutes to accuse us of breaking it off  & we must get it re- fixed. 

 

[Murdoch]

I've used this phrase in the past

"that didn't happen without human intervention"

 

[ProDave]

Yes he is paying, he told me at the start of the day so it's included in my hourly rate until I finished.