# Mr Patel



## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Its weird

Just when I make a thread about training long term customers.... I have to train another one.

One of the Hotels that we do the mechanical work for has just got a new owner and of coarse it would have to be Mr Patel.

Well the last owner leaves and doesn't show the new Mr Patel how anything works and not only that has turned all the equipment off before he leaves.

The New Mr Patel calls saying I heard you do all the work here before..so I go over and start up all the boilers and heating equipment throught the building.

This of coarse takes some time... at the same time he wants an estimate for some 1" copper water line replaced. I look at what he wants done then continue to go about starting up equipment throught the building.

So I go back today to give him the invoice of starting equipment and with the estimate.

Now these guys must be trained for being cheap.... first I give him the invoice for 180 bucks and he is like what that is really high you were here about 1 hour... so I go about explaining that I may have been here for about an hour but it took me time to get here and you are the one that has to pay for that.

Then I give him the estimate... which I thought was cheap... $ 2,500.00 for 70 ft of 1" pex with about 20 take offs.

Then he tells me that in Toronto he could get it a lot cheaper.. so I tell him I dont care get some body from Toronto to do it then.

Man now my blood is boiling..... he then ask me so I have 30 days to pay the invoice... I snap back no your invoice has to be paid by the 15th of the month.

This guy .. Mr Patel that is has had a few hotels in Toronto so I may have a very hard time training this DOG... If he doesn't respond fast enough I may have to shoot him like any DOG that has gone bad.


----------



## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Untrainable dogs...

You know what to do with them....:whistling2:

If you do business with them add extra for the "Getting your chain pulled fee" 30-50% is customary. 

And why did you leave without getting paid for your work...
I thought you were smarter than that...

You have given him an inch and now he will take miles...
Good luck at seeing it even in 30 days...


----------



## Miguel (Aug 10, 2009)

*groan* training new customers...
Reminds me of the Best Western that I became the chief problem eradicator at some years ago. Did some small jobs for them when I first started out on my own and found that 90 days was the minimum wait time for any invoice. I didn't like that and told them as much _"Oh that's our policy"... bla bla bla_. They always had work to do but it seemed that no matter how much I did there I was always losing simply because it took forever to get payment.
Then God smote them and just before a big, annual hockey tournament (which means they are booked solid and all rooms and restaurants are filled to capacity) their watermain breaks between the street and them. There was no potable water and no fire supression water, which means that the fire department alone was threatening to shut them down!
Mine was the sole bid to do the repair since their reputation was widespread (I think it was $12 G or something) and I promised to have them up and running in one day. My only catch was that I would hand them an invoice that same day and in the other hand be receiving their check for payment in full. Otherwise go soak your head. It took about 45 minutes to get the authorization and I geared up and had water on by 2 pm the next day.
Got my cheque at 2:10 pm. 
It worked out good and despite holding them "for ransom" they remained a good customer and apparently I was the only vendor that got a cheque cut the same day the invoice was presented (personally, by me).


----------



## SlickRick (Sep 3, 2009)

Do like I do, go jihad on their ars. It works for me. After the first time they just say " Ok Rickey".


----------



## 1703 (Jul 21, 2009)

Ah yes, the Hotel/ Motel Patel Cartel.

Don't bother leaving the light on for me.


----------



## smellslike$tome (Jun 16, 2008)

Had a piddly little 3/4" water service repair last night. I quoted $600 FOR THE REPAIR. He starts looking this way and that way, kinda mumbling to himself. Then all the discussion, in a language I have no knowledge of, starts. First with his wife and then with his neighbor. I let this go on for about 60 seconds before I politely but firmly interject that "I'm happy to do whatever you wish but if you want me to do this I need to start immediately, ordinarily I would be sitting down to supper with my family right about now and as it is it will most certainly be long past dark before I finish. If you would like me to do this you need to let me know now." So then his neighbor chirps in (who is also from the Patel line) "how about $500?" to which I could hardly respond fast enough with, "this is not a negotiation, $600 is the repair price and it's the right price. I can have the water back on tonight but I will not change the price." Finally he consents and I do the work, in the dark, hand digging mostly rock with a little bit of dirt mixed in. I hand him the invoice which his wife had signed the authorization for both the $59 service fee as well as the $600 REPAIR COST, the total being $659, and he starts up with the "the service call is supposed to be included in the repair price" business. I shut him down real quick on that, got my check for $659 and went home.

I may be wrong because I normally don't even like to answer this type of call but I think I am discovering that the best way to handle them is with strength. Strength even running right up to the edge of rudeness. This is difficult for me to do, not that I am by any means incapable of rudeness but that it's just not my usual way of doing business. When they start up you have to shut them down immediately so that they understand that you will walk away before you will negotiate.


----------



## SlickRick (Sep 3, 2009)

It is in their nature to haggle. I was wheeling and dealing on some gold jewelry in Kuwait, I told the shop owner he was killing me, and he said "Yes Sir, but I am killing you softly".


----------



## smudge (Jan 19, 2010)

For some cultures this is how they do it always haggle. Some people want you to take off your shoes in the house. When your in the service business you have to deal with all types. Just add on a fee for your stress relief.


----------



## grandpa (Jul 13, 2008)

Colgar said:


> Ah yes, the Hotel/ Motel Patel Cartel.
> 
> Don't bother leaving the light on for me.


 WELCOME TO AAHOA : http://www.aahoa.com/AM/Template.cfm


----------



## breid1903 (Feb 8, 2009)

spot on redwood. i get misery money. your numbers are about right. if they screw with me at all or act weird it's cod. as in cash. use your atm cards boys and girls. i'll work for just about anyone, if there is enough money in it for me. breid..................:rockon:


----------



## stillaround (Mar 11, 2009)

My son gets along with them..he's got his mothers nose...He'll take a check to to the Patel gas station , get it cashed, they'll hold it for a few days if he asks, and call him for the plumbing service ( I dont seem to exist), He gives a deal once and a while, starts higher in price and haggles for a bag of chips in the convenient store....he didnt get it from me.
In some places its insulting to pay them full price.
He also knows some of the "bad" words in Indian ..or whatever you call the language.


----------



## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Well I finally got my new Mr Patel trained.....

The other day he hired some other plumber because he was cheaper.... well he got what he paid for...

All of a sudden there was no cold water in the building and everything had hot water running to it..... even the toilets..

I asked on the phone ...has there been other plumbing done since I have been there a few months ago.... he kind of doesn't want to answer that and finally says yes...

So I go over to the hotel and some other plumber runs a hot and cold line to the kitchen spray at the dishwasher and they teed together with a valve on the hot and cold... 

Yup he has hot every were.... even in the rooms...

I shut both valves and show him that there your problem is solved.... now there is cold on cold and hot on hot..

So I sell him a mixing valve and installed it today...

the second problem was there was no heat in the top floor of the building..... some guy tried forever to get heat up there but couldn't do it.... So down to the boiler room we go and increase the boiler pressure... problem solved...

This guy always though my invoices were to high.... but he finally realized to it is now cheaper to hire me first and save the headache...

I am sure he will try to cheap out again.... but I warned him that I will nail him hard if I have to go behind someone else.

The guy is still in training but I will have him trained shortly.


----------



## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

OldSchool said:


> The guy is still in training but I will have him trained shortly.


You are still dreaming.... :laughing:


----------



## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Redwood said:


> You are still dreaming.... :laughing:


Call me the Mr Patel whisper :laughing:

I have been traing them since they have arrived in this country :laughing:


----------



## DIZ (Nov 17, 2010)

A Patel walks into a bank in New York City and asks for the loan officer. He says he is going to Europe on business for two weeks andneeds to borrow $5, 000. 
The bank officer says the bank will need some kind of security for such a loan, so the man hands over the keys to a new Rolls Royce parked on the street in front of the bank. Everything checks out, and the bank agrees to accept the car as collateral for the loan. An employee drives the Rolls into the bank's underground garage and parks it there. 
Two weeks later, the man returns, repays the $5, 000 and the interest, which comes to $15. 41. The loan officer says, "We are very happy to have had your business, and this transaction has worked ut very nicely, but we are a little puzzled. While you were away, we checked you out and found that you are a multimillionaire. What puzzles us is why would you bother to borrow $5, 000?" 
The Patel replied, "Where else in New York can I park my car for two weeks for 15 bucks?


----------



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

like training a dog to be vegetarian.......................



Redwood said:


> You are still dreaming.... :laughing:


----------



## ESPinc (Jul 18, 2009)

Hope you have him on the right path, but more than likely he has already veered of that as soon as you left..
I started to tack on an extra 30% for people like that, then when I agree to give them 15% to 20% off they feel they got the deal they were looking for and everybody is happy..



OldSchool said:


> Well I finally got my new Mr Patel trained.....
> 
> The other day he hired some other plumber because he was cheaper.... well he got what he paid for...
> 
> ...


----------



## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

I never discount any of my prices..... They know this the first time they try.... I tell them straight out....If they dont like it dont call me... Now pay up.

The second time I go out they dont even ask for discount.... If they do again I tell never call me again... 

I dont even discount prices for seniors .... so why would I do it for Mr Patel....


----------



## RW Plumbing (Aug 16, 2010)

I agree with Oldschool on this one. If you discount your price, it basically devalues your service. I'm an honest businessman, and as such my labor rate reflects my costs and a small profit. After all, we are doing this to make money. I just came back to the office from quoting a job. I told him my labor rate and he kinda bawked at the price asking for a discount.

I told him my rate is my rate. I don't offer any discounts, or coupons. I also am honest about my hours and don't try and overcharge. I charge for the time I'm there and thats it. He was impressed with my honesty and I'm doing the job friday.


----------



## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

RW Plumbing said:


> I agree with Oldschool on this one. If you discount your price, it basically devalues your service.


Discount for Mr. Patel...

Who is kidding who?

I add on a special pain in the keister fee just to cover the time wasted on his antics.

30 - 50% tends to be about right.


----------



## markb (Jun 11, 2009)

We have a new guy working with our company. Before plumbing he used to work in corporate sales business with an Iranian company and learned how to negotiate quite well. 

I love it when people ask him for a discount! His eyes light up and he GOES OFF! 

It has happened that the customer ends up PAYING 10 - 30% more at the end of the conversation!:thumbup:


----------



## Proud Plumber (Sep 15, 2008)

What an amazing coincidence I work for a hotel owner Named Mr Patel also. What a small world we live in.


----------



## SlickRick (Sep 3, 2009)

Proud Plumber said:


> What an amazing coincidence I work for a hotel owner Named Mr Patel also. What a small world we live in.


Patel = head honcho


----------



## Proud Plumber (Sep 15, 2008)

slickrick said:


> Patel = Inn Keeper


Patel- n (Pah-tell) -Inn Keeper who can squeeze nickel so hard the buffalo farts.


----------



## SlickRick (Sep 3, 2009)

I think the Inn Keeper is something we stuck on them. I read that it means "Village Leader" or "Head Bean Counter"


----------



## plumberinlaw (Jan 13, 2010)

Patel= Smith


----------



## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Slick Rick is right... :laughing:

http://tinyurl.com/2c9dvl3


----------



## oaklandplumber (May 10, 2009)

Redwood said:


> Slick Rick is right... :laughing:
> 
> http://tinyurl.com/2c9dvl3


there was 11 doctors that came up on the first page around here. What part of the game is that:blink:


----------



## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

oaklandplumber said:


> there was 11 doctors that came up on the first page around here. What part of the game is that:blink:


Motels...

Medicine...

It all begins with "M" :laughing:

I wonder if they will cut you a good deal on your doctor bill... :laughing:


----------



## DIZ (Nov 17, 2010)

I have 3 Mr. Patels that ALWAYS complain about the bill, or arbitrarily round down to the nearest hundred. I have gotten in to the habit of pre-inflating the bill a bit in anticipation of there bargaining tactics. Does this make me a bad person? 

In addition to this, the constant lure of "more work" down the road when they build a new, big, fancy house, which of course has yet to come to fruition.

F*CKING PATEL!

FOr the record, I dated Mr. Patels daughter for 4 years and embraced their culture. I also eat my share of masala, pakoras and chutney.


----------



## sheeptown44 (Oct 31, 2010)

Proud Plumber said:


> Patel- n (Pah-tell) -Inn Keeper who can squeeze nickel so hard the buffalo farts.


 Now that is funny, I dont care who you are.


----------



## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

Actually worked for Mr. Patel the other day. Electronic technician, nice fellow.

His brother in law showed up and I expected all sorts of grief. Turns out he worked for George Brazil back in the day before going out on his own HVAC license. He mentioned some big commercial accounts he had and I asked if his still did any residential. He told me he stayed away from that because the customers were never satisfied! :laughing: OOoh sweet irony!


----------



## sandboxdoc1 (Jan 20, 2011)

hotel motel patel...

stay away from them!!! :thumbup:


----------



## smoldrn (Oct 4, 2010)

Hadji's can be hard to work for, just like Israelis. You sort of have to start your price 15-20% higher than you need, then let them talk you down 10%. They feel like they got the deal & you picked up a little lunch money for your aggravation.


----------



## easttexasplumb (Oct 13, 2010)

sandboxdoc1 said:


> hotel motel patel...
> 
> stay away from them!!! :thumbup:


 
You ever gonna post post an intro.

I bet Mr. Parr ( thats his name) could probably whip your  anyday.


----------



## incarnatopnh (Feb 1, 2011)

Here I thought they were playing games with me... in central NY here I have 3 motels as clients. All three are owned by Patels, none of them related! Very cheap all of them but never have a problem getting paid


----------

