Excuses, Excuses, Excuses...
By ronaldinu
@ronaldinu (12422)
Malta
January 15, 2009 10:04am CST
The guy who is doing the wall tiling works in my washroom have just sent me a text message saying that he can no make it this Saturday because his van broke down. He was supposed to do the job last week but told me that he did not finish the other job on time. Well I really trust this guy. He seems to know his job well. So I'd better be patient and wait for him than to hire anybody else. I don't have pergammano's mobile no otherwise I would have phoned her.
Anyway when hiring workers I have heard lots of excuses for not turning up on time such as they have went hunting, car broke down, that they have been struck by all kinds of illnesses etc. etc. What kind of excuses do your workers come up with?
7 people like this
30 responses
@pergammano (7682)
• Canada
15 Jan 09
Sounds like to me, dear friend, that you will have to start getting your "workmen" to sign an "agreement of performance"....with an included completion date! The agreement includes, a deadline, and if job is NOT completed by that date, pay will be discounted on a daily basis. First day late;10% less pay, second date;15% less pay! You'd be surprised how these "workerpeople" don't have many excuses to miss work anymore! And DO NOT pay until work is completed satisfactorily!
Guess I had better get my passport in order......my only luggage will be my tile saw! LOL! And it doesn't fit in any overnite bag! Lay down the law, my friend, and "do not" even let them take a drag on their pay!
1 person likes this
@ronaldinu (12422)
• Malta
15 Jan 09
I have learnt my lesson well not to part with my money until I am satisfied with the job. Since it involves a minor job (the worker said he could finish in a day) I don't think he is giving it a priority. I guess he will come when he finish his current job... or when he fixes his car as he said in the text messages....
WEll the invitation is still open..... passport ready pergammano?
1 person likes this
@pergammano (7682)
• Canada
16 Jan 09
BOYOH BOY....OH BOY! Do I have an excuse for you! When good ole "Uncle Sam" the U.S. of a decided All Canadians were terrorists, and couldn't cross our friendly border without a "passport" (whatever good that will do!).....our extremely "intelligence" blessed bureaucrats...did NOT foresee, that millions & millions of Canucks (Canadians) would be standing in line, hat in hand, waiting for their "validation" of being a Canuck; e.g. a "passport"! People that were needing a passport (as they had already booked vacations/or business) and had to have them, we actually camping for up to 72 hrs. in line! In due process, the Federal employees that we hire move at a snail's pace, and you might get your passport in 3-5 months! And that, my friend....is a real excuse, a lesson in coming up with a really good one! Haha!
Can you actually believe...not only that, in that time, they have stripped you of your birth certificate, your social insurance card, your Driver's Licence..anything that validates you as a member of the human race!
Yes...I will be there, when Canada let's me!
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
15 Jan 09
I an waiting for 'the doctor' to come and fix my other computer. Luckily I have two at home so it's not a huge problem except that this one has less memory and all my more important stuff is on the other one. I contacted him on Monday and he said 'tomorrow'. I was in and not intending going anywhere so it wasn't a problem staying in. Yesterday (Wednesday) I still have not seen or heard from him so I rang him and he said he had been to the dentists (does that take ALL day??) and would ring tomorrow (that's today by now) and let me know whether he will be coming on Friday (tomorrow).
It's evening here now and I have heard nothing. If I wanted to BUY and not repair a computer he would have got here quicker I'm sure. My bet is he'll not be in touch before Monday 
1 person likes this
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
31 Jan 09
That was two weeks ago and..... I'm still waiting! 
Maybe I should tell him I want to buy one just to get him here,
then I change my mind 
Thank you for the BR!
Maybe I should tell him I want to buy one just to get him here,
then I change my mind
Thank you for the BR!
@thinkingoutloud (6127)
• Canada
15 Jan 09
I had a contractor that was renovating my basement. At the start of the job, he was very enthusiastic and showed up every day. As the job went along, he started to get other jobs at the same time. He became very disorganized, leaving early, not showing up at all, etc. He seem to not schedule his time very well and was trying to get all the jobs done at once. He also seemed to lose interest in the old in order to pursue the new. He started to send his own workers to my house to do jobs that he had told me he would do personally. In the end, I was very dissatisfied with the man and I would not recommend him to anyone else if they asked me either.
1 person likes this
@savypat (20216)
• United States
15 Jan 09
Will your puppy wait, it's gooing to be ready for school before you get it home. Contractors around here are chancy, If the fish are running they may be gone a week or more. Right now is a good time because they all need work, the problem is so do we so nothing gets done. That's home on the ranch.
@srijshm (1165)
• India
15 Jan 09
Well! In India, when people do not turn tyrn up for work, they conveniently kill a spouse's relative.
Diaohhera is another common excuse ( due to food poisoning).
Accident( it is always the other drivers fault).
Child is extremly sick.
If have noticed, instead of getting angry, we are expected to sympathise with them on these situations.
@twinklee (894)
• India
15 Jan 09
[b][i]Hi,
yes we really get frustrated when we come across such silly excuses. They have to think about their promises that they are making at the time of interview. They will nod their heads, even if we ask them to move a mountain, but unfortunately when the job is given, they take the matter very easily and they don't mind of job finishing and perfection. They think that it is not their head ache.
There are people who keep up their words, but it is impossible for us to filter the humans. What can be done is we can either deduct their payment for late completion or stop that person and employ another. 
Hope you get the work done soon.. Take care
[/i][/b]
Hope you get the work done soon.. Take care [/i][/b]1 person likes this
@cyberfluf (4996)
• Netherlands
17 Jan 09
I don't have my own place yet, but indeed you hear this a lot. I have heard several stories from friends, co-workers or in general chit-chat with people at the busstop for example. These projects turn into longer term projects 80% of the time (or perhaps even more) because of those excuses. I can't judge whether they are true or not, but if it happens this often you do get suspicious.
@moondancer (7433)
• United States
16 Jan 09
This is what happens when we hire friends or people that know someone that we know or if family is doing the job for you. Many excuses. For a job that sould take a week it takes a month, there are just too many excuses, I have to do this or do that. I had no way over. Many excuses, had to watch the kids while the wife went to the doctor, they could have came here...they are my grnachildren.
The others that's not family, I have to do something else. I just can make it today. Too many excuses.
When you are paying someone to do a job they should make it the top priority of what they are doing!
@derek_a (10874)
•
16 Jan 09
Oh yes, I know what you are talking about. Here in the UK it has become a well-known fact that builders and tradepeople cannot be relied on to turn up when they say they will. It seems many of them take on jobs to make sure they have enough work on regardless of when they are going to fit their new work in. Not all are like that though. I always go on recommendation from family and friends. A very good friend of mine is a builder and he is the first to admit, that he lets customers down, often a the last minute. He says this is because he will never know if he's going to come up again a snag in a job he is on and gets behind in his schedule. He says of himself that he is a good builder, but a terrble organizer! :-) Derek
@positiveminded1977 (7072)
• India
18 Jan 09
The most common excuse is "I am sooooo busy today; I will definitely turn up tomorrow." Sometimes I wonder how these people get by in today's world of deadlines. Or maybe deadlines are only for the highly educated slaving away in the IT industry.
Cheers and happy Mylotting
@littleowl (7157)
•
18 Jan 09
Fortunatley I don't have any workers ronald, but workmen especially when doing a private job as the one doing yours always make excuses..I just hope you are not paying him for the times he does not come and do your tiles....littleowl
@hllywdprncss76 (179)
• United States
16 Jan 09
I would find someone else. Hopefully you havent already paid him because he is giving you the run around in my opinion
@futuremba (97)
• India
16 Jan 09
i think i would be having excuse relating to my health,becouse in this situation nobody can force all offer some sympathy,and thay really say to take rest,and avoiding the workfor the sake of health
@yushulanfang (46)
• China
16 Jan 09
i hate those people who are not on time,i think you can try another person if the person you called is not on time of course you may tell him when you make the first agreement that if he cant come to your house on time he will not come again.and how is the suggestion?
@marymarj2002 (1769)
• Philippines
16 Jan 09
We have a lot of services like that here in our country. They will give a certain date but will not follow it. I think you need to follow up always so they will go back. And if they are still hard headed will I think it's time for you to look a different one.
@kun2349 (23381)
• Singapore
16 Jan 09
I will definitely not allow such things to happen, so most of the time, i prefer to learn and do it on my own.. IN this way, i get to save on time as well as money.. lol =D
Though i have not experienced having such workers, but i know it's very frustrating.. Because of the mess that's being left behind, and yet one cant employ other person to continue as their ideas are different.. Thus, one have to even spend more money.. If i were u, i would have gotten his company's phone number and be calling for explanation.. haha
@comfort55 (1574)
• India
16 Jan 09
Most of the workers come with excuses which one can easily make out that it's not true. Their common excuse is that they were not well, on asking what happened, answer will be they had slight fever. We can't say anyhthing, but inside we know it was a lie. Here in India, every third day there are religious festivals. If it's one day celebration, workers will take 3 days leave, that's also no guarantee whether they'll turn up on fourth day or not.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
16 Jan 09
u name it & they come up w/some doozies, doesn't make me any fonder of them when i think they are telling me a big tale.
@ranviruchauhan (1407)
• India
16 Jan 09
Here in india problem is different worker always try to finish compromising quality.
If your keeping eye on their work,always making excuses , i m coming, i m ill, have to go to marriage etc.
And at that time of delay we dont have ne option to select other one.
