Millions of customers every day invite tradesmen into their homes to do work.

The places where they live and keep all their belongings.

99.9% of tradesmen respect that.

Take pride in the work they do and be nice and polite to the customer, at the end of the day the customer is the one who will be giving you their hard earned cash.

So what about the 00.1% who just dont give a toss!

From drinking the beer out the fridge, to using the customer's toothbrush.

You couldn't make this up.

Tool Box Talk for electricians helping electricians reduce stress, gain back time and earn more money.

Hello and welcome back, I hope you are part of the 99.9% of tradesmen - because the 00.1% I wouldn't have them working in my house - let alone recommend them to a friend or family.

I'm not going to name the people who did this, they know it was wrong - they still did it and gave me a good story to tell.

Plus if they're listening, sorry guys - but it is really funny.

There was a house a customer bought and there was a lot of work going on, walls moved and all were decorated.

I wasn't involved in the project as I didn't get along with the customer, that's another story.

However, one of my friends worked there. I would see him now and again and he would tell me how the jobs were going - until one day he said I'm not allowed back there.

Turns out my mate was helping himself to the customer's alcoholic drink in the fridge. The customer would stock up and my friend would drink it.

I did hear that my friend was sitting on the sofa with a strong bow when the customer came home - that's when he was asked to leave - I really want to know if he took the can with him.

Completely out of order and any tradesman shouldnt help themselves to anything unless its offered.

I get offered a beer all the time in the day but always say no, I can't drink and work - I'm a lightweight.

On a more serious note there was a job I did on a property.

I recommended the plumber, but the customer had their own plasterers.

I was called up by the customer to pop round. I stood in the kitchen and they asked how well I knew the plumber.

I went to school with him so pretty well.

They were asking because money had gone missing from the house!!!

That boils my blood, people stealing! From customers who are paying too.

I explained I would put my life on the plumber not taking it, he is a good bloke.

So it was narrowed down to the plasters.

I offered to be there when they invited them round to confront them but I never heard anything else.

When you work in customers houses as an electrician you move all sorts, and yes money is always found behind the sofa or draws.

Personally I put it on the side and point out I found some coins for the money box.

It was just the other day a customer told me the code to their key safe and told me to let myself in.

They had forgotten to put the key out to the summer house where I was working.

I hate the idea of looking through someone's draws for a key, make me feel like a burglar.

I was looking round the house because the customer didn't answer the phone and luckey stumbled across them.

That customer must have trusted me to let me into their home. I always think that there may be a camera set up too - which is fair play - it's the sort of thing I would do.

If you ruin that trust by helping yourself to food or drink, or even not wiping your shoes on the mat.

Whatever your work is like, that customer is not going to have you back again if they don't like you.

To be honest this works both ways for the tradesman too, if the customer watches you when you're working and tries to knock you down once the job is complete - You can bet I'm never going back to do any more work.

I think it's hard enough for people to be able to trust tradesmen in their house, especially if they haven't been recommended by a friend, without having to find out they steal from you too.

These tradesmen give the trade a bad name.

The rogue traders and cowboy builders who leave peoples houses worse than when they started - and even take the money and run.

It does boil my blood sometimes when I hear these stories. This is what with most customers I take a deposit, then up to 75% of the job.

NEVER 100% until the customer is 100% happy with the work I have done.

I get offered the whole lot upfront all the time. But I say

I'm gonna be honest - if I only have 1 light to fit and Im not owed any money, your going to get put to the back of the priority list”

It sounds bad - but it's the way it is, if I'm paid upfront there is no incentive to finish the job quickly for the customer.

That's just how I work - Customers seem to appreciate this.

And that's one of our jobs as a tradesperson - Keeping the customers happy.

Even if we don't like them

Even if they stink

Even if they want a shower supply wired into their loft for a light - Someones actually tried to bull shit me on that one - they were growing weed.

As long as they pay, I will do whatever I'm asked to the best of my electrical knowledge.

Then also send them an email newsletter to keep me at the front of their mind when an electrician comes up into conversation.

Check the video out in the show notes.

Until next time