New research has found that 47% of tradespeople say they have walked away from a job due a customer’s behaviour or an argument.
The study from Direct Line business insurance revealed the average value of each job walked away from was £1,062. It was also revealed that tradespeople are owed an average £6,984 in outstanding payments.
A total of 41% of tradespeople report they have had arguments with customers because of their behaviour. The most common issue is late payment, according to 62% of respondents.
Other reasons for arguments include customers trying to tell tradespeople how to do the job and customers adding additional jobs on top of what had already been agreed.
With 42% of Brits struggling to find a tradesperson to do work in their home, the survey also revealed the ‘red flags’ that cause professionals to decline some jobs altogether. On average tradespeople turn down five jobs a year due to the ‘red flags’ they have identified.
The most common ‘red flag’ according 49% of tradespeople was a customer telling them that they can get someone else to do the job for less. This was followed closely by dictating how much a job should cost or how long it should take, wanting to cut corners to reduce cost such as using cheap materials and asking for a discount with a sob story.
Alison Traboulsi, product manager at Direct Line business insurance, said: “We’ve all had to manage challenging situations and people that have tested our patience. While tradespeople understand that often customers questions are about trying to understand a task that sits outside of their general knowledge, frequent questions and demands can make for a difficult working environment for tradespeople.
“It bodes well for customers to remember that the person they’ve hired, or are looking to hire, is an expert in their field. A tradesperson relies on word of mouth and a good reputation, so ultimately, they want to make sure that they do a good job, on time and at a fair price for the work they’re doing.”