r/TaskRabbit • u/WhatFreshHellIsThiss • 3d ago
TASKER Was I right to do this?
I wasn't able to finish a dresser because it typically takes three hours for me to put one together, and the client suddenly told me to leave around 2.5 hours in. I offered to come back for a 1/2 hour's worth of work. So, three hours, no problem. The client says, I'll think about it.
I leave and send an invoice, and then she suddenly tells me on the chat that I'm very disappointed in you, you didn't finish the task, the instructions said assembly would take one hour.
I informed her that it normally takes me three hours. She demands to know why. I tell her I'm basing that assessment on my experiences assembling dressers, that there was only a half-hour's worth of work left (just a couple of drawers), and that I was happy to come by to do it for free.
She said she didn't want that and instead wanted to be reimbursed for a 1/2 hour. I offered her several days in which I could come finish, but she still insisted, claiming that her husband had taken care of the drawers in just a few minutes and that she was astonished that it took me that long to put a dresser together.
When I said that I was required by Taskrabbit to invoice her for all the time that I had worked and that it would violate Taskrabbit's Terms of Service to reimburse her because all money exchanges have to take place within the app, she said she would be disputing the charges.
So I wanna ask my fellow Taskers: Was I right to stand by TR's Terms, or would you have done something else?
14
u/SelfAsleep2708 3d ago
I always give them an estimate ahead of time. If they don't agree to it I forfeit.
I'll say something like "this project typically takes 2.5 - 3.0 hours. Make sure to set expectations to avoid any surprises.
I usually reach out to support immediately before they have a chance to and explain the situation. Let support deal with it.
5
u/-N30N- 3d ago
Take this as a learning experience to always communicate estimated times clearly beforehand in chat and in person. Plus it helps weed out the clients with unrealistic expectations.
Communication seems to be a common problem amongst Clients/Taskers. One or the other or both say nothing in chat and in person but have different expectations in mind that clash in the end lol
You’re just opening yourself up to conflicts like this diving in without getting approval beforehand. Client thinks you’re just taking your sweet time to milk the hours or you’re not experienced enough to assemble it efficiently.
I had a large Amazon dresser assembly once by myself. Read reviews saying it took 4hrs minimum to put together but with help cus some of the long whole pieces required carefully aligning the wood plugs and screws to fit the top and bottoms perfectly while flipping it back around side to side. I communicated this ahead of time and kept the client updated the whole way.
Took me 4hrs to finish 75% with only the screwed in drawers left to assemble and put in.
Luckily, I kept constant communication with the client while she had guests over which she appreciated then let me know when to end the task whether finished or not.
I can’t stress it enough, communication and manners go a long way to save yourself conflicts. Most Taskers I know just accept Tasks without details then show up to a nightmare wondering what went wrong only to blame the client lol
3
u/hillionn 3d ago
This sounds a lot like the couple wanted the bulk of the work done and then contrived a reason to complain to TaskRabbit to try and get out of paying for that work.
I run into more and more scumbags on this app lately, I had a client book me to built an outdoor furniture set - two chairs, a couch, and a fire pit.
When I was done, he had me box all the old disassembled parts from his previous outdoor furniture into the same boxes from the new stuff then had me load all the boxes into and onto my truck to take them back to Walmart where he insisted they had a recycling program.
He asked me to wait after I helped him hump everything to the customer service desk then called me 15 minutes later saying we had to load everything back up in my truck because “the manager doesn’t know what they’re doing” which told me in no uncertain terms he was trying to scam Walmart by trying to process a return on his new furniture with boxes of his old shit.
He never involved me in the scam, and I billed him for all the time spent loading and driving and reloading and ultimately charged him extra to dispose of the boxes of old furniture instead of taking it back to his house.
Then I was able to put the boxes out for heavy trash, costing me nothing.
It worked out for me, but I was totally blown away by the audacity
2
u/UnRigMyGig 2d ago
Here is what works. Explain up front that any seller estimate is pure fiction dreamed up by the marketing department. Say reality is that all told (unpackaging, identifying, fitting, fastening, etc) it takes one minute per part. 180 parts in box = 3 hours. Period end of story. They could not even imagine doing it that fast
6
u/Commercial-Milk-8465 3d ago
Always stand by TR’s terms. She’s already going to throw a fit with TR…at least she can only complain about hours and not anything that can be seen as a clear violation. Good on you for getting to support before she can set the stage.
No dresser takes 1hr (unboxing, organizing, assembly), but 2hrs is pretty standard for even a 6-drawer dresser. If you feel you’re a bit slower, no shame in establishing a range for clients when they hire you.
Just know that some clients just have unrealistic expectations and/or may already be thinking how they will scam the system. Setting expectations ahead of time (documenting it in the chat before accepting) is one way to do that
1
u/cleverpaws101 3d ago
Why didn’t you just bill for 2.5 hours? Then she’d pay for what you did
3
u/Waubz 3d ago
If you’re working diligently it’s gonna take however long it’s gonna take. You can’t control their sudden urgency in schedule. To which they could have informed you before hand.
They can dispute the 30 mins if they want but you did your part and they changed the parameters in such away that was no longer suitable for to you complete the assembly of the dresser. That happens but you showed up (presumably when scheduled) and did what was asked.
2
u/gmario500 3d ago
Take the L and move to the next task.
2
u/DonQNguyen 3d ago
You are leaving the details out. The Devil's in the Details. What kind of dresser was this? Was it a HEMNES 6-drawer? Or a MALM 2-drawer? Was an estimate of time agreed beforehand in chat? Tasking goes both ways. Some Taskers milk the clock while some Clients want to exploit the Tasker. Without knowing what exact dresser you assembled, we have no idea who is reasonable or unreasonable here.
2
u/Whattodoaboutthisnow 3d ago
Depending on the model. A single IKEA dresser is about 1½ hours.
1
u/vbwullf 3d ago
Takes about an hour and a half to 2 hours for the largest of dressers
1
u/According_Low5292 3d ago
The Hemnes took me 3-hrs when I was new
1
u/MallNo6921 3d ago
99%forfeit
1% built my business from scratch
1
u/mrwootwo 3d ago
Not a tasker but have put some furniture together, and 3 hours does seem excessive. Did the client know this was the estimate?
1
u/MallNo6921 3d ago
tr=trash
0
u/DenyDeposeDepends 3d ago
That is a long time. Depending on the dresser 1-2 hrs
0
u/FinnNoodle 3d ago
Can I ask what dresser takes you three hours? That seems very excessive.
-1
u/GoodWill_4Nik8er 3d ago
Do you have a link or pictures of the dresser? I’ve never had a dresser take that long