A piece of...

...my mind.

That's what i gave one of the contractors who was supposed to come take a look at my leaking roof but in the end 'tua' me 3 times, without so much as a call to let me know that he couldn't make it. I was already quite 'buay song' with the guy but decided to let it be and called another contractor when he did not show up.

The crunch came when he had the audacity to call me SEVEN hours after the time he said he would be here, to ask me if i was the one who had called him and wanted to know what's the problem.

Man. I really let him have it over the phone.

---- Phone Conversation ----
Excuse me, Ms Lee ah, you called me yesterday right? What's the problem ah?

What's the problem? Didn't i already speak to you on the phone yesterday? My roof is leaking and where have you been? You said you were coming at 1pm and now its already 8pm.

*Nonchalantly* Ya la ya la. I have alot of projects and forgot. So i come later can or not?

Sorry. I already found someone else.

*A little worried* Ah. You fix the roof already?

No. I just needed someone to assess the problem and give me a quote. Anyway, i don't require your service anymore.

*Half-smug tone* OHhhhh.. quotation huh. So the other guy never fix the roof yet la. So i can still come down later take a look la. Give you quotation.

I already said. NO NEED. I found other contractors to give me the quotes. (Up till this point, i am still fairly polite but the stupid guy just got even more audacious once he realized he had a chance to get my business.)

Ms Lee, better get more quotations than can compare mah. (Perhaps noting that I might be abit pissed...) Ah Sorry la. Today i had a lot of things to do so i forgot to come in the afternoon la. I come later?

(I mean, he was seriously asking for it lor...) Excuse me! It is already 8 something already. What you want to see now? I called you yesterday morning and first you told me will be here in half an hour (as ADVERTISED on the papers) but you did not show up after 2 hours. So i called again, and that time you promised me that will make it by 5pm and would call if you cannot make it. Which you didn't. When i called at 5, you again said you are busy and told me you will come today at 1pm, again promising to call if you couldn't...

*Interrupting me* Ah sorry sorry. Busy la. Slipped my mind so didn't call.

SLIPPED YOUR MIND? (Took a deep breathe to calm down) Look. I am not unreasonable. I know contractors can be busy, especially now with raining season. I was prepared to wait for you, as long as you give me the time and would at least call to tell me if you are going to be late or cannot make it. Because of you, i am delayed and had to cancel my appointments to wait for you. Is that how you run a business?

So, nevermind la. I say i will come down and take a look now to give you quotation and see the problem. Good to have more quotations ma.

Isn't that abit late? When i called the other contractors, they will frankly tell me if they are busy and say come before 4pm or 5pm and they do!

*Sounding irritated* But i already say i coming down now what.

(Taking another deep breath) Basically what i want very simple and i dont think i am unreasonable. You run a business. I expect you to have at least a sense of responsibility and commitment if you want the job. Not very much to ask is it, to call if you are NOT coming. Where got people run business like you? Got people call you 2-3 times and wait for you for a few hours and you still don't remember what i call you about and tell me it "SLIPPED" your mind? One time maybe, two times Ok... THREE TIMES leh! And everytime i have to call YOU to find out if you are coming. DO you think i have all the time to sit at home and wait until my roof collapse just so you can earn my business? If you don't want the job, i can always take my business else where!

*In a huff and rudely* So what you want to do now?

*Incredulous* What i want to do?! What do you think? I told you when you didn't come the 3rd time, I called someone else and he came in 1 hour time just as he said. That's how people do business. If this basic trust and commitment you also cannot deliver, you think i will still pay you to fix my roof or not?

*Lost for words for a minute* Hmm.. okie lor...

-----------------------

That's when i put the phone down, being totally pissed off by his whole "I am doing you a favour" attitude. No apologies were given UNTIL he sensed that i was upset. Certainly he got a bit anxious when he realized i have started looking for someone else for the job and was actually concerned someone else has already fixed my roof. I guess that's when he realized he might lose out on a pretty lucrutive business since it's a landed property and the work involved is pretty major.

I mean... who does he think he is? People will just fall over themselves to let him do the job... like he is some Contractor IDOL? And that whole smug tone when he found out that he still had a chance at the job when i am only solicitating quotes at this point? I felt like throwing something at him! I honestly believe he thought i could be easily placated and let him waltz right in here saying and doing what he want!

Frankly, i dont want to make life difficult for anyone else and believed i am generally quite accomodating. But this guy was the PITS. I wonder does he think he could seriously 'bully' people like that. Perhaps i sounded like a nice, easy going female on the phone, who doesn't seem like the kind to stand up for myself. In fact, people want to do my business have it quite easy because i hardly negotiate and my demands are simple. Do the job well and responsibily and anything else is easy to talk about. It was so presumptious of him to think that i would be held 'hostage' and would not look for another contractor.

Do people often get push over like this? I wonder if he would have treated someone like my dad the same way, like some pushover. I think not... since my dad sound like some big boss and would be viewed as a 'rich' towkay. I bet that guy would have shown more respect and eagerness to do my dad's business then, as compared to a youngish polite-sounding female on the phone.

Sheesh!

Next time i call up contractors to do a job, i am just going to channel my mom and dad, and use their usual firm tone whenever they negotiate a business deal. Got to sound more authoritative and tone down the 'politeness' which some easily mistaken as 'helpless' and 'guillable'.

真的敬酒不喝，喝罚酒。
不要以为脾气好，就容易被欺负。
我会先礼后兵。。。 不要老虎不发威，就当我是病猫。。。

Hruumph!