Owners Gripes about service

[Dances with Hooves]

Was perusing a thread re: poor service on another board. Amongst the typical complaints about not showing up, hitting horses, poor quality of work was one that suprized me.

There seemed to be quite a few owners who's hot button was that the farrier did not sweep the aisle upon completion of the work. I do run a magnet around to get all the wrung off nail tips out of the aisle so that the owner can just sweep the hoof trimmings and dirt that was picked out of the hoof out the barn door but I have never made it a business practice to take the time to clean the aisle. Usually the owner will do a quick sweep whilst I write up the invoice.

Just curious as to if I am missing the boat here.

[Gary_Miller]

George, if a carpenter of plumber came to your house and did some work you would expect them to clean up after themselves.

Why is this job any diffrent?

I think it shows true prefessionalizm when you cleanup after yourself. Even if the barn owner say it ok you should still sweep up and put the trash in the trash can not out the barn door.

Gary

[Dave Purves]

I always try to leave the barn cleaner than it was when I got there. If I can't sweep up and throw out the trimmings then at least I sweep it all into a pile. This is a service and I'm not in the business of creating messes for other people to clean up. not to mention that I sweep quite often anyway while I'm working, I hate it when my box won't roll over the trimmings or you pick up a freshly trimmed foot to check shoe fit or something and it's covered in dirt and trimmings. Normally I carry a broom in my truck just in case I can't find one in the barn. But that's just what I do, if you don't feel like you need to sweep, and your clients don't seem to mind, then don't sweep. That's the way I see it.
Dave

[Dances with Hooves]

I feel its a service business, It just never occured to me to sweep. I suppose because the guys I apprenticed with didn't do it. Theres lots of things I do that my mentors did not do and I will toss a broom on the truck before I head out tomorrow.

[Peggy Dolan]

I sweep and run my magnet. I try to leave it cleaner than when I got there. I shoe at a couple of public stables, and if I'm the last shoer in the shoeing shed for the day, I'll hose it down too. It's not for any other reason then my compulsive, obsessive disorder. Sometimes I sweep while I'm working on a horse to give my back a break, but I tell the owner it's because I like a clean work environment and it keeps the flies down :rolleyes:
I'm not the world's greatest shoer, but I can clean with the best of them :D

[Double C Forge]

I agree w/ Peggy on that one. Keep the work enviroment clean, give the back a rest and chug down some much needed water. Very professional IMO.

[Julie Plaster]

Cleaning up reasoning:

I carry a magnet, broom and a small stall fork the the truck. I run a magnet and sweep up.

1. Gives my back a break.
2. Keeps the flys down.
3. Box won't roll over the trimmings very easy.
4. Keeps freshly trimmed foot free of dirt and trimmings, and fresh manure. Less time cleaning the foot off. Better for your tools.
6. Dogs go to the trim pile and not under the horse while I'm working
(If I must put up with a surprise guest.)
(Tell the owners not to let the dog in the house later because it could probably give it back to them. That seems to be a good motivator to confine the dogs.)
5. Leave the barn cleaner than it was when I got there.

Mom always said, "If you make a mess, clean it up; even when I'm not looking."

Sometimes I get help while writing a invoice, etc. too; but I make sure the task is done or getting done when I get paid and leave.

Anybody add more reasons/tips as to why it would be good to clean up as you go/before you leave?

Julie :-)

[Red Amor]

cleaning up goes without saying
on the other side

I once had an owner fetch horse for me out of a nice clean paddock but the gate way they were going to bring horse was a bog , the horses were fed there the drinking trough was there constantly over flowing
there was another gate about twenty yards away that was cleaner
I asked it they wouldnt mind useing that one , and was told bugger that Im not walking all that way

SO.K no worries ;)
when owner was handed a rag to clean up ankle high mud from horse I was told in no uncertain terms that it wasnt their job

SO;K no worries ;)

I cleaned up the horse and then started work ,a shoeing all around

I handed the owner the bill and they began to vomit experlatives everywhere

the was a $25.oo exess on the bill for grooming fees SO'K NO WORRIES ;)

so how do you blokes treat this type of situation

[Phil Armitage]

I always clean up and I have a magnet. One barn told me that I was the only one who cleaned up after I am done. I think it is the right thing to do. I put hoof clippings with nails in the trash and I put the manure in the pile. Those little nail tips can cause problems. As Red says, mind as you go now.

Red, I don't charge for grooming the horse, but I should. I do not like getting under a wet muddy horse, so I will spend the time cleaning them off and I am a pretty good groom!!!! Horses like it to, builds a bond with them, so that is also a trade off. It does take time and can fall under the catagory of training on some horses.

Hey Red, what does the qoute "Mind as you go" mean? Does it mean to behave yourself as you go through life?

[Donnie Walker]

I have a services to be rendered brochure that I give each new client. It states that if the work area is clean upon arrival it will be clean when I leave and that a $5.00 per foot fee will be charged on each foot that has to have mud removed. I never have had to charge this fee because they have all been made aware of the possibility. The work area is always clean when I arrive.

[Red Amor]

Gday Phil
Mind how you go = be carefull , polite respectfull helpfull safe trip my friend while on your way
so yeah yourve pritty well got it right Phil mate

at least thats how I read it when nice folk say it to me and others

[frustrated]

I'm a owner, but I just couldn't resist this one. I try to clean up the shoeing area before the shoer comes, but I really don't care if they clean up. Mainly because I am just glad that they came to my place instead of me hauling half way around the state to get them done. I would rather them listen to my concerns about the horse than worring about how they left the work area. I don't have that great of a barn though, I'm sure if I had some really fancy barn I might think different.

[Derin Foor]

This is my thinking:

If it's clean when I get there, it'll be clean when I leave......the LEAST they can do is provide a broom...otherwise I figure it never gets swept anyway

I like to sweep up as I go for all of the reasons mentioned earlier.....also I think that if I get it into a pile, someone else can decide what to do with it from there (I'm not the garbage man too)

as far as muddy feet go, when I start to think I am shoeing hogs instead of horses, I refer them to someone else.....mud happens but it can be prevented to a certain extent if the owner cares about the job

Derin

[Red Amor]

It might be that your shoein for hogs , with horses , he he just kiddin

all comes down to respect , if your getting it , give it back
If your not try to create some by giveing it and showing it
If it doesent eventually come back and dosent look like it ever will walk away
But it your not happy about something you , i, we should just politely bring it up with the client and they should be able to do the same with you , with out haveing their head bitten off

If you cant, either of you do this
what are you doing there , I supose is the next question

[Ben-Sturman]

I think there should have been a fourth choice, sometimes, because it depends on the customer. I have some that I sweep or rake up everything and others that insist I leave it alone and they will do it because they don't feel it's my job. I just do things the way the individual customer wants them done. I do have a magnet to run over the ground but don't have to very often because I wring off the nail tips, catch them and throw them in the tray of my tool box. Usually I use it to clean up after another farrier who just dropped them for years before. The other way is to just let the dogs clean it all up. I have place where the dogs clean it up almost faster than I can cut it, but they all stay back until I move to the anvil, or they get nothing. I'm very careful having them around and make sure they stay away, but they clean better than a shop vac.

Ben

[calshoer]

If I am on concrete or rubber mats I sweep. I carry a little bitty broom in case the barn hasn't supplied one
(barn ownere take note..if the tools are right there the farriers will probaly use them)
If I am on dirt I usethe magnet and then rake, but only IF the barn has a rake in the aisle somewhere. If no rake, I at least pick up the nails with the magnet. I don't have room in the truck to carry a rake.
Patty

[Phil Armitage]

I'm a owner, but I just couldn't resist this one. I try to clean up the shoeing area before the shoer comes, but I really don't care if they clean up. Mainly because I am just glad that they came to my place instead of me hauling half way around the state to get them done. I would rather them listen to my concerns about the horse than worring about how they left the work area. I don't have that great of a barn though, I'm sure if I had some really fancy barn I might think different.

I wish more horse owners had your attitude. I don't know how many times I have tried to get the owner to be part of figureing things out and part of the solution, most of the time it is like pulling teeth. The most important part of the job is figureing things out and it helps a lot when the rider, trainer and owner can tell you what they see and feel.

[balazsborbely]

cleaning up goes without saying
on the other side

I once had an owner fetch horse for me out of a nice clean paddock but the gate way they were going to bring horse was a bog , the horses were fed there the drinking trough was there constantly over flowing
there was another gate about twenty yards away that was cleaner
I asked it they wouldnt mind useing that one , and was told bugger that Im not walking all that way

SO.K no worries ;)
when owner was handed a rag to clean up ankle high mud from horse I was told in no uncertain terms that it wasnt their job

SO;K no worries ;)

I cleaned up the horse and then started work ,a shoeing all around

I handed the owner the bill and they began to vomit experlatives everywhere

the was a $25.oo exess on the bill for grooming fees SO'K NO WORRIES ;)

so how do you blokes treat this type of situation
Hi,
I admire you for having the guts to do it, I would like to know the next chapter of the story though, if you have kept the account or not.
IMHO on the other hand, we are providing farriery services to customers, which does not include spending time on cleaning up. I do get rid of the clippings underneath my feet and of course if there is a wheelbarrow standing there just beside I dont mind shoving it in, but my best clients- who understand that to deliver the best service regarding their horses feet I need good footing underneath- are standing there with a broom in hand and immediately pull away the clippings after every single hoof trimmed. I do not wring the nails, i just turn the tips of nails and when I cut them off finishing I catch the tips in my hand and drop them into the bottom of my box. No flat tires, no nails in the frogs, everybody happy.
I think presenting a horse with muddy feet to the farrier is like going to see your dentist with the rests of your last meal in the mouth.
:D
B.

[Red Amor]

I have a magnet I use to pick up nails and ring offs with and Ill sweep up during and after

I lost the account I was too expencive without the rude charge added anyway
SO'K
Some people appreaciate the efort you'll put in to your job and its presentation ,and how you leave the work area
some never will , but you have a choise as to wheather you stay with them or walk
someone on these boards had a great saying , if you dont like a situation charge them untill you feel good about it , :) bloody bewdy I thought he he he

[Derin Foor]

someone on these boards had a great saying , if you dont like a situation charge them untill you feel good about it , :) bloody bewdy I thought he he he

C.E.T.Y.L.T (charge them til you like them)....Scott Chaney's advice...and damn good advice I must say

Scott, where ya been?!?!?

has worked for me lately :)

Derin

[balazsborbely]

I wonder how nicely I should treat my solicitor, that would stop him chargeng ME a fortune... :D I can only hope his daughter will want a horse one day ;)
B.B.