Would You Complete a Competitors Unfinished Work?

[PDQ]

Having quoted for a large job a while back we were promptly informed that we weren't successful due to being more expensive than the winning quote from one of our competitors. Although this is fair enough and shit happens, we have been aware for some time that the quality of this competitor is somewhat questionable to say the least, and felt a little irked about losing the job to them for that reason.

It now turns out that the would be client isn't a happy bunny with them and turned up at our door expecting us to complete our competitors unfinsihed work, but they were somewhat surprised when we refused to handle the unfinished work. We explained that we don't mind having to make slight alterations that are made by others, but we draw the line when they bring in a number of skins for boat seats that need to be butchered in order to fit, and will at the end of the day look bloody awful, and most importantly have our name associated with them.

They went away, again, not happy bunnies, but we are now feeling bad about it and feel that we've become the bad guys in all this.

So I ask, what would've you done if in our shoes?

[Peppy]

A couple times a year people bring us boat tops they bought at the boat show and have given up on installing them themselves. We explain flat out that it might turn out like crap and that won't be our fault, and they will still have to pay for our time. Sometimes we try to give them a break if we can use what they have to make something new as an incentive to start fresh.

The customer usually appreciates our work and hates their top. Talking us up, and our competitor down (Not always mind you)

I would do the job but sting him hard with a 'stupid tax'. Unless the skins are complete junk....

[Gregg @ Keystone Sewing]

PDQ,

1st off, you sir are my hero.

The only mistake you made about this issue is feeling bad.  Your not obligated to take on any job, just like the customer is not obligated to use your services.  If you ever work at a bar for a period of time, you learn to understand why they have those little signs outside the front door "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason."  

They had a bad experience, and wanted YOU to come in and clean up the mess.

Let me tell you this from my experiences with issues like this; they will NEVER be happy, no matter what you try to do for them.  How can you guarantee your work, and part of their work?  And, maybe it wasn't even the installer, but the customer who was at fault?  Not only that...but it's next to impossible to turn a profit at that point as well.  The amount of make up work, refitting, retooling, fixing all of their problems, it's next to impossible.  They will not be happy at the end of the day, and neither will you.

The last thing you need is a customer to question your judgment against another competitors, and that's exactly what they would be doing, every step of the way.

As you can see, I have pretty strong feelings about this issue!!!   ::)

[Mike8560]

when   i get a request like that I explain to them how it would be more work and time for me to try to do as there asking rathern then for me to just start fresh. and that most of the cost is in the labor anyway so what are they realy saving a few hundred dollars on some butchered vinyl? to try and make it work would be silly in any timly manner.

[byhammerandhand]

My favorite quote in the world, and if I had a walk-in shop would be framed and prominently posted:

"There is hardly anything in this world that some man cannot make a little worse
and sell a little cheaper, and those people who consider price only, are this man's lawful prey. It is unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much you lose a little money - that is all.   When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do.    The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot; it cannot be done.   If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better"

John Ruskin (1819 - 1900)

[R.A.F. CaNvAs]

Oo, You have touched on a touchy subject here PDQ just from the responses already...
Nice quote from Hammerhand there.
It all kinda depends on the job and the situation and above all else the customer, There are some out there you instantly know they will be impossible to please.
It's not nice getting screwed down on price and then the client wants all the whistles and bells on the job.
But in your case PDQ , When the customer walked in the door and started telling you about his problems
and what the other company did or didn't do... First things first ,  Laugh in his face,  repeatedly
Then mention that it's very difficult, nay damned near impossible, to make honey out of dog shite or even polish the turd in question
Then again, if work is a bit slack , You could say you will  re do the whole  job , but now (todays price) is 50% more than your original quote and you will require 60% up front deposit.
Not sure who is worse  The clown who couldn't do the job, (perhaps could but not to the owners expectations after he's changed his mind several times)  Or the customer for having the cheek to refuse your estimate  but get you to repair /finish it.. !
Just book him in and tell him .. " See yoU Next Tuesday  !     :-*

[sofadoc]

Ditto what everyone else said. I refuse to pick up where someone else (good or bad) left off. No two upholsterers do things exactly the same way, and I'm way too busy to figure out somebody else's system.
My favorite was, "The other guy has already stripped it down, and that SEEMED like the hardest part". So now, I am left with the "easy" part.

[seamsperfect]

Having quoted for a large job a while back we were promptly informed that we weren't successful due to being more expensive than the winning quote from one of our competitors. Although this is fair enough and shit happens, we have been aware for some time that the quality of this competitor is somewhat questionable to say the least, and felt a little irked about losing the job to them for that reason.

It now turns out that the would be client isn't a happy bunny with them and turned up at our door expecting us to complete our competitors unfinsihed work, but they were somewhat surprised when we refused to handle the unfinished work. We explained that we don't mind having to make slight alterations that are made by others, but we draw the line when they bring in a number of skins for boat seats that need to be butchered in order to fit, and will at the end of the day look bloody awful, and most importantly have our name associated with them.

They went away, again, not happy bunnies, but we are now feeling bad about it and feel that we've become the bad guys in all this.

So I ask, what would've you done if in our shoes?

Way to take a stand you should not feel bad at all.  They wanted it cheap but I guess they did not want it done right. 
I would have said it is against our company policy to finish others works as we pride ourselves in fit finish and overall product.  Judging from the looks of these skins, we will basically have to remake everything from scratch.  I am more than happy to do the job at the bid we  submitted.
Kevin

[Gregg @ Keystone Sewing]

seamsperfect;

That's about the gist of it, and a proper way to speak to a customer.

I've tried to play hero quite a few times, only to have it blow up in my face.  Not that we don't finish other customers or mechanics work, but we pre qualifiy our customers as to what is going on.  If things seem to be going to wrong direction, I'm not afraid to back away. 

[scarab29]

Back to the old  how do you want it , cheap , fast  , quality ,  pick two

[SHHR]

It's already been said, but this customer won't be happy no matter what. If you try to do them a favor by cleaning up someone elses mess and they aren't satisfied with the quality, you're the one who'll get the bad name for installing someone elses crap.

I like it when people bring me a job that they thought they could do themseves on the wife's home machine from wal-mart only to find out it wouldn't handle it, or they've cut out the material only to forget seam allowances or extra material for pleats. When you call them up to tell them, it's always your fault because his wife made straight A's in home economics and she wouldn't forget a thing like that. Yeah it's a touchy subject.
Kyle

[gene]

I have never, and I can not ever see a situation when I would, use someone's CUT fabric.

I turned a job down a few months ago where the cushion panels for a sofa were all cut out. I said 'No'. I would reupholster the sofa and make new cushion covers but they needed to buy additional fabric for the cushion covers so I could cut them out myself. I even refused, politely, to look at the cut cushion cover panels to see if they were cut out correctly.

In your situation, PDQ, I think I would have offered my original offer to the customer - including all new materials.

I would then start singing:

"Let's start at the very beginning. A very good place to start.
When you read you begin with A - B - C.
When you sing you begin with do - re - me.
Do - re- me.

I find that either singing, or talking to my ceramic otter who is sitting on a pedestal that I build for him, tends to clear out the rift raft and the price shoppers.

Gene

[seamsperfect]

seamsperfect;

That's about the gist of it, and a proper way to speak to a customer.
 

Greg,
That is the proper way of saying it but what it really means is " you really screwed up by not giving me the job,  so now you have to pay" ;D
Kevin

[Gregg @ Keystone Sewing]

seamsperfect;

That's about the gist of it, and a proper way to speak to a customer.
 

Greg,
That is the proper way of saying it but what it really means is " you really screwed up by not giving me the job,  so now you have to pay" ;D
Kevin

And this here is the art of being politically correct!

[fragged8]

hiya

I think i would tell the customer he got exactly what he paid for 'cheap' and just as was said before
offer the original estimate to do the job properly.

Plus maybe a small premium for the added expense for estimating the job twice :-)

there is no way I would re-hash someone elses muck up.

Rich