The Good Old National

[EvoRed]

Nothing really saucy but thought it was just worth a mention if you're bored.

Went to a lockout today around lunchtime, two Yales, one on an inner door and one on an outer door. Personally, I don't even ask over the phone any more what's on the property on lockouts but do tell them the guarantee of a free lock if I have to damage theirs to get in.

Got in and the lady said she had called someone else before me who had quoted her over £100 to get in. I asked her who so she got the Thomson book and showed me the big full page ad of a national. £55 call out she said, plus £25 for each of the two locks to replace, so £105+VAT the lot. Bargain.

So, how does a call operator know what locks need replacing from a hundred or so miles away with no experience whatsoever? How does a call operator know there isn't a 2 lever Union on the back door with no internal bolts on anyway from a hundred or so miles away? And even if they both did need drilling, £25 a piece for a rim cylinder?

Fortunately, this lady thought this was over the top and called someone else but, sadly, a lot don't bother. Just another great advert for the good old national, I'd say. Can't beat 'em can you...

[horsefeathers]

I think it is partly to do with the 0800 freephone numbers offered, plus a direct number seemingly offered for their town (which all go to one call centre of course). Plus all the usual blurb about 1hr call-out etc.

People sometimes seem reluctant to phone the smaller ad, the lone self-employed locky. Maybe they think they are better protected from cowboys by going to a National, with their supposedly fixed prices over the phone, and think that it is the lone trader who might be a bit of a 'Rowdy Yates' and so best avoided!!!

regards

[pinky]

its the £3 million pound advertising budget and monopolising the 118 and YP advertising, your £1k has no clout against them.

[acl]

All people need to do to find out if the company are national or a local is to look hard at the ad and somewhere they will find an address,with the rf cowboys youll find a few variations of an adress in Digberth Birmingham for the other noddys ae its an address in Poole in Dorset,Able just make a few up i think!
This was true untill our old friends at yellow pages decided it was no longer nessercary to put an address in! Just too make things a little easier for these shoddy companies. Only way to get rid of them guys is not to work for them.

[nicholls]

er? Just under £125 for opening the two (damage inclusive)?

Something tells me i'm charging too little???

[EvoRed]

Andy,

This was a full page ad and, when I went to point out the head office address in small print during my spiel, there was none mate so Thomson must be allowing them not to too. And this is a Thomson book from nearly a year ago.

Nicholls,

A gain access is surely a gain access, regardless of whether they have a porch that requires opening too?

[toomush2drink]

Thompsons dont require your address in the advert but yp do.

[acl]

Not anymore they dont im afraid