Referral program gone wrong: customer 'refers' me to her ex for a roof tear-off

RoachRanger

·8mo·49 replies·47 participants

RoachRanger⚒️ JourneymanOP8mo

So I set up this referral thing where if a customer sends me a lead that books, they get a $100 Home Depot gift card. Last week this lady refers her ex-husband for a full asphalt shingle replacement on his ranch-style, says he's good for it. Turns out the guy's a total deadbeat, shows up to the estimate in a wife-beater arguing over every line item like the underlayment specs. Now he's ghosting me and she's pissed because her card's on hold til the job pays out. Saw a similar story in the Roofing Pros Facebook group, some roofer got stuck with fake leads. Anyone got tips on vetting referrals before they turn into a circus? I'm using Jobber for tracking this crap, but it doesn't screen for drama.

LevelLou🔧 Apprentice8mo

man that sounds like every family referral I've ever gotten, always some hidden beef.

ThermostatTitan⚒️ Journeyman8mo

screw these entitled homeowners thinking referrals are freebies without consequences

LockPickLarry⚒️ Journeyman8mo

exactly, they act like we're their personal charity

PackRatMover⚒️ Journeyman7mo

yep, had one try to refer her whole block and half bailed, what a joke

KeyMasterKate⚒️ Journeyman7mo

it's the gift card bait that attracts the cheapos

DrainDiver3⚒️ Journeyman7mo

nah, blame the exes, they're the real problem

SawdustSavant16⭐ Expert7mo

watched Tommy Mello talk about this on his Insta, says verify upfront or eat the loss

SweepSquad⚒️ Journeyman7mo

good call, he knows his stuff on roofing leads

DeadboltDave⭐ Expert7mo

ugh, same here with a neighbor referral that turned into a lien nightmare

FixItFelix6⚒️ Journeyman7mo

frustrated as hell, spent two hours on that estimate for nothing

WireWizardWalt⭐ Expert7mo

i feel you, lost a whole afternoon chasing a bad lead last month

RefrigerantRanger2⚒️ Journeyman6mo

been there, referrals from divorcees are a red flag every time

WattTheHeck20⚒️ Journeyman6mo

customer calls me yelling about her referral, turns out it was her side piece, hilarious but damn

TenYearVet6⭐ Expert6mo

ask for the referral's contact info upfront and run a quick google on them

BrushStrokeBoss2⚒️ Journeyman6mo

yeah, that's what worked for me on a shingle job gone south

NotAnElectrician⭐ Expert6mo

total commiseration, my last one was a fake number

RollerRanger7⚒️ Journeyman6mo

these people ruin it for everyone

RodentRider⚒️ Journeyman6mo

i hear ya, lost trust in referrals after one too many flakes

WeedWhackerPro3⚒️ Journeyman5mo

damn right, google business reviews help weed out the bad eggs before they refer

CircuitSmasher2⚒️ Journeyman5mo

PSA: never trust a referral without a deposit on the estimate

NotAnElectrician29⚒️ Journeyman5mo

sick of these clowns wasting our time on roofs

RollerRandy⭐ Expert5mo

had a laugh when my referral showed up drunk to the site

PaintSplatterPro⭐ Expert5mo

yep, same vibe here

ShingleShuffler⭐ Expert5mo

ugh, dealing with this now on a tear-off

PipeLord4207⚒️ Journeyman5mo

set up a simple form in google business for referrals, cuts the BS

PestPatrolPaul⭐ Expert5mo

i get it, happened to me twice this year

PrimerPal3⚒️ Journeyman4mo

frustrated beyond words, these exes are the worst

NailGunNinja10⚒️ Journeyman4mo

don't skip the background check, saved me from a total scam job

FloorFanatic⭐ Expert4mo

big corps are buying up all the good leads anyway

StudStubborn⚒️ Journeyman4mo

how do you even enforce the gift card without payment?

CanvasKing5⚒️ Journeyman4mo

angry mob needed against these deadbeat referrers

TenYearVet17⚒️ Journeyman4mo

sucks man, been burned too

DuctTapeDave3⚒️ Journeyman4mo

frustrated, just fired a client over referral drama

GarageGuru9⚒️ Journeyman3mo

funny how they think we're desperate for their crappy leads

ZapMaster3000⚒️ Journeyman3mo

i feel your pain on this one

JackOfAllTrades4⚒️ Journeyman3mo

these homeowners screwing over roofers gotta stop

LockPickLarry6⚒️ Journeyman3mo

use Jobber's lead scoring if you can, filters the trash

FrostBiteFred⚒️ Journeyman3mo

yep, same old story

BoxHauler3⭐ Expert3mo

sick of the entitlement

AntAnnihilator6⚒️ Journeyman2mo

lost a whole week to bad referrals last summer

PaintSplatter2⚒️ Journeyman2mo

ha, my referral wanted free labor for the intro

WireWizard4⭐ Expert2mo

i hear ya brother

SprayTanSteve⚒️ Journeyman2mo

big money in roofing but these leads kill the vibe

DrainDragon8⚒️ Journeyman2mo

finally got a system with google forms for referrals, no more drama

DirtBagLandscaper6⭐ Expert2mo

proud of ditching gift cards, switched to discounts only

SweepKing⚒️ Journeyman2mo

hit 50 referrals this year all vetted, best move ever

BrushStrokeBoss2⚒️ Journeyman2mo

sharbites for plumbing? nah, stick to soldered for roofs too, fight me on it

TenYearVet17⚒️ Journeyman1mo

damn these stories make me wanna quit referrals altogether

RollerRanger7⚒️ Journeyman1mo

insurance companies in on it too, hiking rates over bad claims from flakes