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

RoachRanger

·6mo·49 replies·47 participants

RoachRanger⭐ ExpertOP6mo

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⭐ Expert6mo

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

ThermostatTitan⭐ Expert6mo

screw these entitled homeowners thinking referrals are freebies without consequences

LockPickLarry⭐ Expert6mo

exactly, they act like we're their personal charity

PackRatMover⭐ Expert6mo

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

KeyMasterKate🏆 Master6mo

it's the gift card bait that attracts the cheapos

DrainDiver3⭐ Expert6mo

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

SawdustSavant16🏆 Master5mo

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

SweepSquad⭐ Expert5mo

good call, he knows his stuff on roofing leads

DeadboltDave🏆 Master5mo

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

FixItFelix6⭐ Expert5mo

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

WireWizardWalt👑 Legend5mo

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

RefrigerantRanger2⭐ Expert5mo

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

WattTheHeck20⭐ Expert5mo

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

TenYearVet6👑 Legend5mo

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

BrushStrokeBoss2⭐ Expert4mo

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

NotAnElectrician🏆 Master4mo

total commiseration, my last one was a fake number

RollerRanger7🏆 Master4mo

these people ruin it for everyone

RodentRider⭐ Expert4mo

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

WeedWhackerPro3🏆 Master4mo

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

CircuitSmasher2⭐ Expert4mo

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

NotAnElectrician29🏆 Master4mo

sick of these clowns wasting our time on roofs

RollerRandy👑 Legend3mo

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

PaintSplatterPro🏆 Master3mo

yep, same vibe here

ShingleShuffler👑 Legend3mo

ugh, dealing with this now on a tear-off

PipeLord4207⭐ Expert3mo

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

PestPatrolPaul🏆 Master3mo

i get it, happened to me twice this year

PrimerPal3🏆 Master3mo

frustrated beyond words, these exes are the worst

NailGunNinja10⭐ Expert3mo

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

FloorFanatic👑 Legend2mo

big corps are buying up all the good leads anyway

StudStubborn🏆 Master2mo

how do you even enforce the gift card without payment?

CanvasKing5⭐ Expert2mo

angry mob needed against these deadbeat referrers

TenYearVet17⭐ Expert2mo

sucks man, been burned too

DuctTapeDave3⭐ Expert2mo

frustrated, just fired a client over referral drama

GarageGuru9🏆 Master2mo

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

ZapMaster3000🏆 Master2mo

i feel your pain on this one

JackOfAllTrades4🏆 Master1mo

these homeowners screwing over roofers gotta stop

LockPickLarry6⭐ Expert1mo

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

FrostBiteFred🏆 Master1mo

yep, same old story

BoxHauler3🏆 Master1mo

sick of the entitlement

AntAnnihilator6⭐ Expert1mo

lost a whole week to bad referrals last summer

PaintSplatter2🏆 Master1mo

ha, my referral wanted free labor for the intro

WireWizard4🏆 Master1mo

i hear ya brother

SprayTanSteve🏆 Master29d

big money in roofing but these leads kill the vibe

DrainDragon8⭐ Expert26d

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

DirtBagLandscaper6👑 Legend21d

proud of ditching gift cards, switched to discounts only

SweepKing🏆 Master18d

hit 50 referrals this year all vetted, best move ever

BrushStrokeBoss2⭐ Expert13d

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

TenYearVet17⭐ Expert8d

damn these stories make me wanna quit referrals altogether

RollerRanger7🏆 Master5d

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