Had a customer in Detroit tell me I was scamming them over a $15 igniter

I was replacing a dryer igniter in a house off Gratiot last Tuesday and the lady started yelling that I was overcharging her because she saw the part online for $7. I had to explain markup and labor costs while she stood there with her arms crossed. Have you guys ever had a customer accuse you of price gouging on a basic repair?

3 comments

3 Comments

uma_taylor4711d ago

Honestly, I heard someone say customers in Detroit are extra suspicious because they've been burned by shady contractors before. That $8 difference is just not worth the headache.

the_joseph10d ago

That bit about customers getting burned by shady contractors rings true. I had a buddy in Dearborn who tried to save $50 on a plumbing job and ended up with a pipe burst in his basement, cost him $1,200 to fix. He told me he'd rather pay $8 more for someone with a good rep than gamble again. @uma_taylor47 you're right, that peace of mind is worth skipping the headache. Once trust gets broken, it's hard to get back.

murphy.abby10d agoMost Upvoted

Man, your buddy's story is exactly what I'm talking about. I've seen it happen so many times people trying to cut corners and then it blows up way worse. That $50 saved turns into a thousand bucks lost plus all the stress and mess. It's just not worth rolling the dice like that when your home is on the line. I really feel for him having to deal with that whole situation, it sounds like a nightmare.