Under-promise, over-deliver.

I should have noted that "under-promise, over-deliver" was an ideology that my mentor taught me. I always tried to add some extra value that the client never expected. I've just never had the good luck to run across anyone else who kept that rule close to heart.

(Thanks Big Dog H....)

Seriously -- no body here has ever had better service than they expected?

Mr. B and I went to a moderately reviewed restaurant in New Orleans for one anniversay and the service was SO good that it has lasted in our memory as one of our very best anniversaries. I hardly remember the food but I certainly remember the service.

Nothing service-wise stands out to me.....but I do have a thought on your 'Under-promise, over-deliver' saying. I don't like it, never have. I get what the purpose is, but I think in business it simply helps slow things down. Often when there are people waiting on the information you're providing or your piece of a project to be finished, accurate time projections matter.

As a manager I've counseled employees on providing accurate timelines for their projects (going both ways). I explain my reasoning to them of course so they don't think I'm just being a dick.

Just my thought on that business saying based on my experience. YMMV of course.

We leased a Ford Taurus X.

It's my retired husband's "Golf Mobile.'

We have NEVER seen an ad for it, nor have we ever seen any on the road in the year we've had it. We are in Michigan

It's really a good car and have been pleased with it.

But "over promise, under deliver" is a much, much worse sin.

Well good thing it doens't have to be one way or the other. Plenty of varying degrees in the middle.

Hmmmm.....

So your client would be angry if you promised a job to be finished on Friday but you got the finished product on Thursday, maporche?

To me it means never promise anything you can't deliver and if for some bizarre reason you can't deliver you'd better add some value elsewhere. Plus, it never hurts to add value even when you do deliver before promised.

It means just going a bit beyond what is expected, timewise or otherwise.

I've had a lot of people working on my house over the last year and these are the first ones that have just gone above and beyond what I expected. And they did it at a price that seriously undercut anyone else.

Advertising is very expensive. By doing the job he does he doesn't have to advertise -- he stays booked up months in advance just by referral.

I think he's going to finish up early too. They scheduled to be here for 9 days to do 14 windows. They've finished 7 in 3 days.

So you're always precisely accurate? You never have any wiggle room for uncertainty? No padding for the possibility of your suppliers being late or out of stock?

Shucks. You're perfect!

I haven't really answered in that my role in life for a while was to see if contractors fulfilled the plans , including bid review and their keeping to the bid materials or at least asking about them, and using appropriate craftsmanship. Well, not my entire role, but sometimes role. I am not saying contractors can't have better ideas on what to do - we'd listen when approached, and often learn, a back and forth, had many good relationships with able contractors - and we generally gave able contractors leeway on how to fulfill the plans. At the same time, there are a lot of failures abroad on the land, and I've seen many more of those than people who surprised me with more than the expected competence level; usually those were working for clients who weren't paying us for oversight. That can be a teethgrinder. One of those guys was bragging about the job on HGTV. Criminy. He didn't even prime for painting.

Some did show up as strikingly competent, but I don't suppose this is about someone who can pour concrete very well, though that was always a good thing.

I guess a really good surprise was a terrific mason in northern california. .. beyond superior competence into art. Slam dunk of ability.

My restoration project ended today with a tutorial on"

How to paint the windows.
How to PROPERLY install locks (way more complicated than you would imagine)
The non-toxic way to strip paint from historic hardware.
How to prevent drafts without frikken up your window.
What to do if your window becomes too slippery.

And other stuff..... like...

How to talk to your kids about bio parents.
What it's like to deal with the fact that your mother died in childbirth.
When to sell your drum kit and when to hang on to it.
Why Yuban coffee is as good as anything.
Ghostbuster memorabiliea.
G.I. Joe -- how cool is that?
Ladies watches.

And some other stuff.

College philosophy course: $900.00
Window restoration: $3,000.00
Hanging out drinking coffee and saying "**** yeah": priceless.

**** yeah man.

I would love to hear how to stop the drafts man.

right on dude.

You talking about the door thing?

I bought some cheapo foam tape that was useless, useless I tell you, and now I have to return 2 of the 3 tapes and get the more expensive one that tucks into a groove at the door jamb.

But tonight there is a nastybody wind, and I tucked foil into the space at the back door... has worked so far. Of course I can't open the door, or I'll have to do that over again, probably with more foil.

Yup.
That is what I did. I bought some super thick sticky foam that is ... 'helping' but not the solution to the issue.

I figured adding a '**** yeah' would get me some information for free.

eh

**** yeah. I don't even think the groove tape will be tip top, as my door is fractionally not plumb, what a surprise with this house, but I think the groove tape will be better than the lamest stuff. Back when I did this once before in my old bungalow, where it really helped, I remember tape being heftier. I may need to look at other than the cheapo shelf in Home Depot.

What I want is a serious gasket, like with freezers.

One thing with the old bungalows I had, the windows were of rather precious old glass, one layer. Historically, people have solved this problem with shutters that really shut and layers of curtains and drapes.

I have two giant rolls of expensive though-on-sale thick taupe brocade for drapes, if I'd ever get myself going on sewing those. I even like drapes. I like serious roman shutters better (beefy wood) and drapes.

Contradicting myself, I also like japanese minimalist style. Eh.

Seriously, if I had not felt it for myself I would have never believed that a properly installed window lock could make SO much difference in the drafts in a house.

It is major.

It doesn't have a thing to do with weather stripping.

I think both things are true, that windows and locks are important and that if you have a big gap in your cheap house door entry that weatherstripping can help a bit.


I've built doors and windows, though not often, and it's a fine art, or can be.

Your house was built in an era with not so much fast production at low cost design. Adjustments were made back then too, the nature of the beast. But there's a lot of crap building around now.