Ok, do you always , schedule an appointment right when someone calls, I had a call and told the lady I would come this afternoon and would call her before headed that way. She calls me back an hour later and says don't come she already hired someone over the phone.

My wife always says women and old people don't want to wait.

What say you guys. I know in the past with construction these people were always the biggest pain.

I have lost jobs where I will tell people "I can get to them today but not sure on the time and will call when I get an idea. I guess I was saying one thing but communicating I was really busy and probably instilled doubt that I would call back. I dont do that anymore.

People will also schedule but if you are a day out or more they will keep looking and keep you as a backup plan.

Going to the FTA this weekend so no more trap setting for me next two days. Got 5 calls this morning. 3 said they will wait till Monday. 2 wouldn't so I referred them to a friend. In all liklihood one or more of the Monday stops will cancel because they found someone sooner.

Well based off your post with no information on what kind of problem their having, I would assume it was an issue that needed to be addressed sooner rather than later. Can't fault the homeowner for trying to address the issue immediately.

As an old person who has a hard time waiting, I feel I am as much an authority on this subject as anyone. When a call comes in we

will schedule it immediately and ask the customer when would be the most convenient time for them. Some want it two hours ago and

others want it next week. When I was the Lone (ADC) Ranger, we would try to figure out which people sounded the most desperate. It

usually boiled down to bats in a house first, anything else in a house second, snake jobs third, and the rest was a toss-up. We would

rarely have cancellations but I was younger, more ambitious, and could drive a lot faster back then.

Always answer the phone and always set an appointment. People dont want uncertainty. Everything to them is an emergency, even that possum that has been there two weeks, because well, hes been there two weeks already and we should have done something on day one. If need I will ask "does tomorrow work, or would you like to schedule today?"

Yea. I blew it, it was a woodchuck under the garage. I should of heard her urgency when she said it was waaaayyyy up under the garage. I'm going to FTA tomorrow too. And did t want to set trap today

Don't sweat it. I know every caller has an emergency but in the end I determine if it really is. To every caller I am always so busy that I have to schedule them in. For the real emergencies I can always rearrange something and put someone on hold to get to them right away. For those that can't understand that I don't want as a client.

ad this the other week. I'd been doing a guys garden for a few years. Her rings me up and I say I will be there within 48 hours. So i turns up and he says he's already had it done. I was very very (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman)ed off as I do him the job cheap as he's an old person. A few weeks later and he rings me to come ad get his moles as the other guy hadn't caught them....I should have charged him full rate due to his lack of loyalty, but i just charged normal.
people don't like waiting, every job is urgent, it matters not to them if they've had a mole in their garden or a squirrel in their roof for 2 month, suddenly when they decide to do something about it, it's very urgent!

............and they don't always call right away; some wait until it's an emergency to them.

Cancellations are very common... When they call, and want next day service..... Yeah we're booked out for 2 months... Wanna get on the list?

If you're booked out for two days, you need to hire some help. If you're booked out for two months you're way past needing help.

Cancellations are not the norm in our company. Same day service is.

I agree with Paul, in this industry, everything is an emergency. Doesn't matter if the possum just walked by the porch once three days ago, once they call they want service. Hiring a part time might cut your ccash in the short term, but it will pick up later

Good points by all. I'd say having a truly full schedule two months out does mean you need to hire. I'd also say that getting good employees is much, much easier said than done.

Indeed...

Ok yesterday I had the opposite kinda, told the guy I could be there in an hour, he said 7pm was better, showed up looked at project, gave him price, he didn't bat an eye. Set up , and while doing so heard the neighbors out on deck next door (thick break of trees between houses ) talking about the woodchuck under their deck, drove over and introduced my self, told them I heard them talking.... Signed a contract with them too. Now that's how I want it to go!

Sounds like a good deal there. Stacking jobs tight is a good way to improve profit margins

I just came back from a job that was a perfect example of what I'm talking about. A customer called about having a dead fawn removed

from her front lawn. My wife called me with the information and I headed right over. There was a turkey vulture that was kind enough

to show me the precise spot. Probably no more than forty minutes passed from the time that she called until I was driving out of her

driveway with the deer. She thanked me profusely! Now with all the TV programs I watch that have a medical examiner and a forensics

team, you would think that I should be able to give you the exact cause of death, but alas, I have no idea.