PSA: My plumber friend in Boise said 'the worst customers are the ones who watch a single YouTube video and think they know your job better than you do'

Had a guy last week try to tell me how to run his new gas line after he watched a 15-minute tutorial, and it completely changed how I handle consultations now. Anyone else have a phrase that just perfectly sums up a whole type of nightmare customer?

4 comments

4 Comments

kevin_williams2mo agoMost Upvoted

My uncle in Phoenix is an electrician and he says the opposite. He actually likes when homeowners watch a few videos. It means they care enough to try and understand the problem. Last month a guy showed him a diagram he drew from a video, and it helped my uncle explain why his idea wouldn't meet code. Saved twenty minutes of talking at a wall. Sometimes that little bit of knowledge makes the conversation better, not worse.

rivera.alice2mo ago

Oh man, that's the worst. It just wastes everyone's time and makes a simple job stressful. Your plumber friend nailed it.

angelawright2mo ago

My neighbor's dishwasher install took three trips because the first guy didn't bring the right hose. It's that lack of prep that drives up costs for everyone. The company ends up paying for extra truck rolls, and the customer just gets more frustrated waiting. A good pro double checks the job details and their truck stock before they even leave the shop. That little bit of extra effort saves so much hassle down the line. It really separates the okay tradespeople from the great ones.

zara_wilson2mo ago

Totally. And it kills their reputation too. You remember the bad ones way more than the okay ones.