Where Good Neighbors and Good Servicemen Meet
Paying the Right Price
Chi tutto vuole, tutto perde. old Italian proverb
It means, "He who tries to get everything, loses everything," and that applies to both the buyer and the seller.
So what is the "right" price? It is determined by the market. But the market changes, and that complicates the situation. That's where Word of Mouth Pages comes in. If we can help you locate a contractor you can trust, then you don't really have to know the market. The trustworthy contractor knows the market for you.
Pay Attention
Our daughter recently put it this way: "Find someone you trust; do what he says; and pay what he asks." I agree with her, but with one qualification: If your trust proves to be misplaced, find another service provider.
I recently had an auto mechanic I trusted rebuild my carburetor. Something went wrong that caused me grief for four months. The next mechanic moved heaven and earth to unscramble that egg. We tend to do business with people we like, but that can be a mistake—it was in this case.
Word Of Mouth Pages Kool Konnection will help you. But this requires a kommunity effort. The good contractor is invited to sign up as a Kool Kontractor. And the good customer registers as a Kool Kustomer. The Kustomer verifies the koolness of the Kontractor by reporting on the quality of his work.
The Bidding Tragedy
Bidding is designed to keep the contractor honest, but it can lead to less than optimum work. The lowest bidder gets the job, but when he discovers he has bid too low, he often tries to cut corners to cover his losses. Once he gets started, he may invent reasons to raise the bid price.
I want more than a good job. I want my repairman to work for me again. That means he must be fairly compensated. Here's another way to look at it: If you concentrate on getting the job done right, you won't be distracted by someone who offers you a lower price, but is incompetent.
Bottom Line
We were created for relationship, and that is just as true in the marketplace as in the home. When you hire a repairman, the relationship should be friendly. You should be willing to pay a fair price, and he should do a thorough job without cutting corners.
No matter where you live, you need a good doctor, good auto mechanic, good plumber, etc. But, in Texas you especially need a good AC man. Once you find one, be careful not to get crosswise with him. Loyalty works to the benefit of everyone.
If you are dealing with a stranger, and there's a doubt about his work or his price, hold up the job. No matter how much he persists, you must stop the job.
Now, get something fixed right, and pay a fair price.
Kool Information,
Dr. Kool
p.s. If you register as a Kool Kustomer, you can build your own personal service directory. When you find a good serviceman, you can transfer his listing from the Word of Mouth Pages Directory to your My Directory. If your provider files an update, we will upgrade your My Directory.
