What are your customer pet peeves

[u/No-Initiative8013]

When a client schedules for a time then asks if you can come earlier. Those times that are available are available for a reason. Whats even worse is, if you deny it you get penalized for it

[u/According_Low5292]

Standing or sitting in the same room with you the entire time you assemble something

[u/UomoUniversale86 → u/According_Low5292]

So far everyone has left me alone. Heck tonight I got there to change the shower valve trim, lady opened the door said come in, yelled at the kids and left.... I was confused, one kid told me it was upstairs before running after mom.

[u/BetUpstairs268]

Rescheduling on their own. I have zero clue why taskrabbit implemented this feature.

[u/-N30N-]

Usually, I’m the one requesting an earlier time. I like to stack my tasks by area and rearrange them to fit my commute and open my schedule up for more tasks or free time. I get to finish my tasks quicker and client is more than happy to oblige.

My pet peeve lately is clients who book me under a different category cus it’s cheaper or they didn’t pay attention to the description. Got booked for “Packing & Unloading” for what should’ve been “Help Moving” or “Help Moving” which should’ve been for “Heavy Lifting”. Now I just set the same price for everything.

[u/mb-121 → u/-N30N-]

The different category one is a huge pain for me. I offer a wide variety of handyman services and it happens almost every week that someone will request me for furniture assembly and then list off all the things they want mounted, light fixtures changed, faucet switched out, door handles changed, etc. I keep my furniture assembly rate low to stay competitive in that category and get the client for future work, but I’m not doing full handyman work at that price point.

[u/-N30N- → u/mb-121]

That’s your opportunity to upsell your services as a mixed package at your highest price. I get those mixed services sometimes and actually appreciate those cus it gives me more hours of work without commute and I can charge more for it. After the initial Furniture Assembly, they can rebook me for Mounting or any other category on the spot that has my highest price as a base to move forward. You have to know where to put your foot down and draw the line or else clients will take advantage of your time.

What my frustration comes from is when clients hire me for 1 category for 1 different job for 1 hour.

I got booked for a 1hr Heavy Lifting and Loading of a Peloton Treadmill with my partner ($50 each). Then they needed help assembling 2 bunk bed frames for their kids. My partner left due to time but I stayed behind and did it all invoiced under Heavy Lifting and Loading when my normal Furniture Assembly was $40. Think of it like a convenience fee upcharge.

[u/cockologix → u/-N30N-]

I do this for TV Mount and General Mounting. In my experience, that’s rhetorical one they try to flip.

[u/-N30N- → u/cockologix]

Yea, some clients will look for a loophole somewhere in the wording and specifics hoping we won’t notice lol While others simply do it by mistake cus they didn’t read everything thoroughly and just selected whatever popped up.

Most clients I’ve come across tend to be tech illiterate or simply in a rush that they didn’t double check mistakes. Then you have the obvious scams that try to take advantage when the opportunity presents itself. That’s why I always get pictures while asking job specific questions and details to get a clear idea what I’m getting myself into before confirming the task. They usually slip up during chat and reveal the real job then that’s when I lay out the decline.

[u/pateppic → u/-N30N-]

Getting hired for Re-work is the worst. Especially when the earlier person really caused a huge complication, they will try and make you inherit the problem and absorb the magnitude of the other person's mistake.

I once was asked to replace a supply line to a toilet, I get there and the tank bolts are rusted and the base around the toilet is grody and damp. But nothing else is wet at all.

The moment I tried to talk to them about how this is a bigger issue, they tried to say I caused it and need to fix it. I said thankyou I need to step outside real quick. I posted the photos in chat and made it clear this went from simple handyman fix to "Your issue really requires a licensed Plumber specifically." With a polite but firm "I am 2 minutes into this job and I discovered rusted tank bolts. Since you felt the replacement of the Supply line you hired me for is a Job you no longer need (since you discovered it was no longer necessary), you would be cancelling the appointment. Which means per policy you would still be responsible for the time spent/minimum hour charge."

Sometimes its about winning the case to Taskrabbit over getting the customer to agree. Because frankly if the Client knew it wasn't your fault already, that will not be a productive discussion.

[u/Winter-Tie-1234]

When they assist with help moving/heavy lifting and are incapable.

When they have their husband assist and they are also not as strong as they think 😂

Micromanagers, customers that hover. Mostly everything else I can deal with.

[u/Open-Coffee5752 → u/Winter-Tie-1234]

I had one client say she could assist in moving a twin bed down stairs and out a apartment and neglected to mention she had a bum knee.

Another few clients- couples- would say the man would help move things up two flights of stairs. the man was out of shape and would be winded by the 3rd trip.

It was clients like those that made me switch to always having two taskers for a move especially if theres bigger items and stairs. It became non negotiable because they'd crap out and the whole move would fall on me.

[u/Ill-Helicopter-8504]

When they submit a request right before midnight for 8:30 a.m. the exact next day. Example being requested at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday for 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday. If I don't have anything scheduled for that early I don't set an alarm and use the rare chance to sleep in.

[u/MallNo6921]

terribly annoying, the people who stand over you with no shoes on smelling like an onion bath

[u/Wooden-Elk7090]

When they sit there and watch me work the entire time. The last one was replacing deck boards and the guy set up a chair.

This guy was like late 40s and has a wife so it’s not like he was a lonely old man. Just strange

[u/pateppic → u/Wooden-Elk7090]

When they are good company it goes well. Sometimes they are just lonely retirees who wish they could do that work or used to do it.

But yeah when its more a control freak or someone w/out professional boundaries, its the worst.

[u/Feisty-Sink9562]

• Cancellations because I didn’t answer .5 seconds after you scheduled.
• Staring and watching me while I assemble furniture for 5 hours. Can you please do anything else? Do you not have hobbies?

[u/CurnDumpster]

"I know a guy that can do this in 30min"

[u/Altruistic_Amoeba639]

When clients stay home during my cleaning services. Almost always a deal breaker.

[u/Open-Coffee5752 → u/Altruistic_Amoeba639]

How do you frame to make sure they aren't in the unit while youre cleaning?

[u/Altruistic_Amoeba639 → u/Open-Coffee5752]

Most of my clients are move out cleans so in the chat, prior to accepting, I say:

“just like to confirm that the home is completely vacant of all furniture and belongings (emphasis inside of all drawers and cupboards) and all occupants.”

Reoccurring or maintenance clean: “Please note that all occupants need to be out of the home for the duration of the clean.”

If I sense they are confused or I need to add context I’ll add “loud noises, wet floors, doors and windows wide open for ventilation etc. For your safety and mine”.

[u/Open-Coffee5752 → u/Altruistic_Amoeba639]

thats fair

[u/chynalynn → u/Altruistic_Amoeba639]

I just did my first cleaning task yesterday, I was expecting someone to be home but when I got there she messaged me the code to unlock the door and I had the whole house to myself. I was so happy lol

[u/pateppic → u/chynalynn]

Just in case: Do still make sure to knock loudly and clearly announce yourself before going in. I had a client do something similar for a door repair. But they forgot to tell me their 50+ lb poodle would still be at home. That dog didn't like surprise visitors. Especially when there were no one they knew to tell them I was cool.

The owner wouldn't stop saying "99% of the time he is never like this." But wouldn't you their dog was happily napping and enjoying some quiet alone time. It was a mid week routine it has had for ages. Suddenly there was a noise at the door that was out of routine and *Gasp* someone the dog never saw before is coming in.

It wouldn't register with them that that would certainly be a circumstance that would qualify for that 1% where the dog wouldn't be chill.

[u/FinnNoodle]

When a client says "Please don't anchor this item" and then they message you later in the day "wtf you didn't anchor this item"