Is there any work ethic any more?

We have discussed this before, but seriously, I can't get any contractor or service business to do anything these days. It is all just delays, no shows, phone tags, or just plain forgets the job altogether.

The latest one is a guitar instructor. I hired this guy 2 weeks ago to come to my house for an hour instruction each week for the remainder of 2017. We settled on the cost, he set the date for Monday's at 2 pm starting this coming week. We even went ahead and wrote out a contract between the 2 of us so we both knew what was expected.

Today, I get a text (not even a call) saying that he would not be coming on Monday due to the holiday. Then he told me that we would start up the following week, but it would have to be in the evening and at his house (30 minutes away) because he has scheduled a dental cleaning that afternoon.

Seriously, this is how you start out with a new customer? I do believe he just got fired.

Lol.

It isn't just the Millennial generation that sucks. It seems it's everyone. I realize not every business is going to be what they are supposed to be. But geeze, it seems every business sucks today.

It just keeps getting worse. I called another recommended instructor in the area who was excited to take on another student. We agreed to have a meeting to discuss it on Tuesday over lunch. The guy is an amazing guitarist who just won some national competition, but prefers to play metal. He claimed that he also likes blues / rock so I should be ok.

Thirty minutes later, he emails me to cancel and suggests that I meet him at his job midweek. I guess he sells cars and gives lessons in the showman after-hours. Another 35 minute drive at night each way....not interested, especially during the winter when it is single degree temps outside.

Looks like I am going to continue to be self-taught. These guys are just too flaky for adding any structure to the process.

For the cost and trouble you would incur, have you considered alternatives?

Musicians Friend had DVD lessons from beginner up, last time I was looking at stuff.

I already own several dvd courses now, but they show you what to do, but can't tell you what you are doing wrong. I guess I am not good at the "monkey see monkey do" approach.

Just a bad monkey.

Perhaps there are alternatives? Here is a good article I found that you may find interesting:
http://equipboard.com/posts/online-guitar-lessons

I've looked at a few of them, but it still ends up being no different than the dvd courses in that they feel more like a distraction than a lesson.

Imagine trying to learn trigonometry by the video of a teacher writing things on a chalkboard. Some will get it, just like in a classroom, but some will not and get lost needing to ask questions. You don't get that one-on-one explanation through a computer screen. Sure, some have forums where you can ask questions and some even use skype for that, but I don't find that works well for me compared to a live person in the room.

I guess I will probably just continue using the resources that I have until I can find someone closer than a 30-40 mile drive away that gives instructions. About $200 cheaper each month that way at least.

milspec: wrote:Seriously, this is how you start out with a new customer?  I do believe he just got fired.

Yep, that's a " don't bother coming".

Thanks for the confirmation Matt, I let him know that he just lost out on his $200 per month.

I think the inconsistent effort/work ethic is more prevalent with service providers that do the work for supplemental income. If they don't have enough "skin in the game" they aren't hungry enough of disciplined to be reliable.

The gym I go to lost 3 Yoga instructors in less than a year due to their unreliability and needing "to find themselves." The classes were supplemental income for them and they had nothing invested other than their time. I advised the gym manager that the next instructors should be willing to lease space or assist him with some non-billable hour tasks.

That is a very valid observation regarding supplemental workers. If you are not hungry, you are not always motivated.

Yeah, I'd agree with Malcolm. Most people that do a business "on the side" tend not to be too serious about it. Unless thaey have a lease or some other commitment to pay for, it's too easy for them to quit. There is no drive when it's just a little extra money as opposed to needing the income for something more than play money.