# Cell phone squabble pits contractors against city



## Bryan Holland (Apr 20, 2011)

Do you feel contractors should be able to contact inspectors directly via cell phone???

http://www.nbc-2.com/story/14476410/2011/04/19/cell-phone-squabble-has-contractors



> Cape Coral contractors say the city's decision to take cell phones away from building inspectors is slowing down key projects and that it's proving to be costly.Monday, we found five pages of complaints written by Cape Coral contractors who are frustrated with the City of Cape Coral.
> 
> "It's nice to have open lines of communication directly with the inspectors," said Jeremy Johnson, President of the Cape Coral Construction Industry Association.
> 
> ...


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## cda (Apr 20, 2011)

If the city wants to totally furnish the phone and pay for it

Sets conditions for contractors calling it

And understand it will slow down the inspector

Sure


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## Kevin Turner (Apr 20, 2011)

I worked for a jurisdiction that the contractors had our cell phone numbers and in my opinion that's just freakin' wrong. If your in the middle of a frame combo on a 6,000 sf house with a packet of engineering an inch thick or on commercial building and somebody calls to ask what the nailing pattern is on drywall or exterior sheathing it kinda throws off your whole train of thought! They should call the office and leave a message and the inspector can return the phone call at his/her earliest convenance. Just my opinion.


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## texasbo (Apr 20, 2011)

I wonder what the inspectors' preference is? I give our staff the option, and they routinely voluntarily give their cell phone numbers to contractors, especially on complex and/or time sensitive projects. The numbers aren't published, so they aren't getting random calls from out of the blue. And if they have 11 inspectors, then they have adequate office staff to answer questions about nailing patterns and similar general inquiries.

If the contractors feel that the direct contact is that vital, why doesn't the city manager charge an additional fee that would cover the cell phone use?

It is excellent customer service and builds great rapport with your clients when you are real-time responsive.

"any ways"?


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## globe trekker (Apr 20, 2011)

Agree with "NOT" allowing the contractors to be able to call the inspectors directly!

It will subvert the inspection process and the inspectors WILL BE overwhelmed

trying to answer every single question that comes up.

IMO, the inspectors ARE NOT on the individual contractors schedule, regardless of

how much they [ the contractors ] want them to be. There should be some

established boundaries set and maintained!

.


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## Kevin Turner (Apr 20, 2011)

texasbo,

I am totally on board with customer service and agree with your statement regarding customer service however IMO if an inspector returns a phone call within 30 minutes I am still providing good customer service. There should be someone in the office that can answer simple code questions without interrupting the inspector during a complex inspection. We have the permit tech call the inspector and ask if he has time to take a call and if we are not in the middle of a complex inspection we say yes transfer them to me. When I was in AZ and the contractors had my cell I was answering 20 to 30 calls a day while trying to perform my inspections.


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## mtlogcabin (Apr 20, 2011)

Contractors do not have the inspectors cell phone # period. We have the officed staffed at all times to answer the contractors questions.


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## fatboy (Apr 20, 2011)

I'm with MT, some of my inspectors choose to give them out, and they pay for it in lost time and interupted customer service with the customer that they have in front of them. Plus then the contractor gives out the number to all his subs, then they pass it along.........bad idea. Call the office, we can get in touch with the inspector if it really is of importance.


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## texasbo (Apr 20, 2011)

I hear you guys, and that's why I leave it up to the inspectors.

One thing I will say, is we never, ever, take a call when we are face to face with a customer, whether it's in the field or at the front counter. There is nothing that p1sses someone off more than to be trying to complete a transaction and have a clerk take a call and start talking. If it's in the office they get put on hold, in the field the call doesn't get answered.


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## jj1289 (Apr 20, 2011)

I had the option of being issued a town cell phone.  I opted not to accept because I do not want to carry 2 phones.  Very few contractors have my cell number.  When a customer asks me to call them before going to their job, I ask them to call the office before I leav the office for inspections and I can give them a time fram of when I should be their.  If not we have a 2-3 hour window for the daily scheduled inspections


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## brudgers (Apr 20, 2011)

texasbo said:
			
		

> I wonder what the inspectors' preference is? I give our staff the option, and they routinely voluntarily give their cell phone numbers to contractors, especially on complex and/or time sensitive projects. The numbers aren't published, so they aren't getting random calls from out of the blue. And if they have 11 inspectors, then they have adequate office staff to answer questions about nailing patterns and similar general inquiries.If the contractors feel that the direct contact is that vital, why doesn't the city manager charge an additional fee that would cover the cell phone use?
> 
> It is excellent customer service and builds great rapport with your clients when you are real-time responsive.
> 
> "any ways"?


Some people get the Inspector's number and some don't?

Gee that sounds democratic.

How thick an envelop does it take to get preferred treatment?


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## texasbo (Apr 20, 2011)

Let's see: do I take brudger's call or not....?

Guess what the answer is?

Thank God for caller ID.

You know how it works, brudgers, just like the worst architects always get their plans scrutinized a little more closely. Sound familiar?


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## pwood (Apr 20, 2011)

just got issued a cell phone and my secretary is the only one that has the number. the number is blocked from others caller id. don't bother me!

     brudgers,

             2" please:mrgreen:


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## Alias (Apr 20, 2011)

I have a city issued cell phone.  As an office of one, with no one to answer my office phone, I have actually found it a valuable tool.  Several of the local contractors have my cell phone number and most don't use it.

If out on an inspection, I can turn it off.   If I am delayed or the contractor/homeowner isn't on site, I can call them and find out where they are.  When it is annoying is if I am in a meeting and it rings, but then, I have it turned off.


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## FredK (Apr 20, 2011)

My calls are rigged to ring into the office phone first and then to my cell phone.  If by chance I forget to turn on the phone the call's routed back to the desk voice mail.  Some how that's the main option when I'm out as I hate the idea of doing some inspection or climbing a ladder when the damn thing goes off, but it has happened.

Incoming calls are easily screened that way since I have to press to accept the call forwarded.  Some contractors have figured out how to get the cell number when I call them so those calls to them are usually made back on the office phone.

All in all it works for me.


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## fatboy (Apr 20, 2011)

*67, blocks your number from showing up on caller ID, we had ours blocked permanently. *82 unblocks it for the next call only.


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## ewenme (Apr 20, 2011)

Brudgers:



> _How thick an envelop does it take to get preferred treatment? _


I think this is a low blow and unwarranted.

Some of our inspectors give out their cell numbers, and some don't. I'd prefer they didn't, so that all inspection requests could be scheduled through the front desk and documented. However, many of the contractors still call the front desk, because they know they'll get fast turn-around on their requests. We are in communication with the inspectors via cell phone; and it's a two-way street. Inspectors call in to report non-permitted work, erosion problems, and to schedule re-inspections. Communication is the key to good customer service. I'm not sure if the savings in cell phone costs is worth the loss of customer service.

Carol in the Wilds of Idaho


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## texasbo (Apr 20, 2011)

ewenme said:
			
		

> Brudgers:I think this is a low blow and unwarranted.


Nah... On the Brudgers Scale, that was one of the classier posts.


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## cda (Apr 20, 2011)

iphone users

big brother is watching:::

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/faster-forward/post/your_iphone_and_ipad_are_tracking_you_researchers_say/2011/04/20/AFhL4BCE_blog.html


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## Yikes (Apr 20, 2011)

Sign on New York subway at 42nd Street.

View attachment 428


View attachment 428


/monthly_2011_04/572953bfcb6f8_celphone2.jpg.953fe4c21534e4710c3eede63c05188b.jpg


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## Yikes (Apr 20, 2011)




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## fatboy (Apr 20, 2011)

Love it...........


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## brudgers (Apr 20, 2011)

ewenme said:
			
		

> Brudgers:I think this is a low blow and unwarranted.
> 
> Some of our inspectors give out their cell numbers, and some don't. I'd prefer they didn't, so that all inspection requests could be scheduled through the front desk and documented. However, many of the contractors still call the front desk, because they know they'll get fast turn-around on their requests. We are in communication with the inspectors via cell phone; and it's a two-way street. Inspectors call in to report non-permitted work, erosion problems, and to schedule re-inspections. Communication is the key to good customer service. I'm not sure if the savings in cell phone costs is worth the loss of customer service.
> 
> Carol in the Wilds of Idaho


The preferential treatment Texbo describes creates both the appearance of a conflict of interest and the incentive for creating one, because there is an expectation of tipping which accompanies concierge service on the one hand and an expectation of _quid pro quo_ which accompanies favors.

Don't get me wrong.

Although I'm hardly surprised that poor public policy runs rampant in Texbo's department - I've read enough of his posts -  I do sincerely hope that it's only due to stupidity.


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## cboboggs (Apr 21, 2011)

We do not have city issued cell phones. We still communicate with the inspectors the old fashioned way (two way radio). The inspectors each have their own personal cell phone and what they do with their number is their business. But even if we were to have a city issued cell phone, the inspectors would be instructed not to give the number out. All our contractors are instructed to call into the main number and request contact that way. We have voice mail and now email (finally). My inspectors don't take inspection requests, we have a voice mail box for that. I have worked in communities where I did have a city issued cell phone and I DID NOT give my number out. I don't care if the contractor thinks that slows down the process. I work for the people of my community and not the contractor.


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## texasbo (Apr 21, 2011)

brudgers said:
			
		

> there is an expectation of tipping which accompanies concierge service on the one hand and an expectation of _quid pro quo_ which accompanies favors.


The fact that brudgers associates good customer service with illicit reward is all the proof we need that he is a Cum Laude graduate of the John Gotti School of Building Inspection.

It is no wonder he didn't last in the public sector, and is there any doubt that his private endeavors are just as tainted? Is there any doubt why his plans get looked at just a little bit more closely by building departments? In his case, legal exposure to the city is most certainly a reason for caution.

And in his case, the reward comes from NOT providing the service...


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## permitguy (Apr 21, 2011)

All inspector's have been issued cell phones here, with numbers placed on business cards (non-optional).  We don't have office extensions at all.  Cell numbers are freely given out by office staff if requested.  If we're busy, we don't answer and simply return the call when we get a chance.  It han't been so bad.  I, for one, don't like making it all the way back to the office and finding I've missed an opportunity to spend 10 minutes resolving an issue I could have taken care of while I was still out.

If they don't know what types of issues are inappropriate to call us for, they learn quite quickly.  Management has never had a problem with us giving contractors who try to abuse the privelege a polite but firm reminder of our rules.


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## TimNY (Apr 21, 2011)

I have a govt issued phone and it gets used maybe 6 times a month.  Secretary can get me if she has to.  All calls go through the office so requests for inspection can be entered in the computer.  I have voicemail at the office, leave a message if you don't want to talk to secretary.  Like others, I will not answer a phone when I am doing an inspection, and I will not even look at a phone when I'm in my work vehicle.

On the flip side I freely give my personal email to the contractors and they can email me any question about any job.. anywhere.  My one condition is that when I send you a response, I will send the code section, not a plain english answer.  If you don't understand a section, give me the section number and I'll try and explain.  I try to check email before work, at lunch and after work.

So, maybe you can't get an immediate response, but I do the best I can.


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## peach (Apr 21, 2011)

I couldn't do business without my company issued cell phone as my main office is on wheels.  If we're running late, we call the contractor; if the contractor realizes he's not ready, he can cancel the inspection without incurring an inspection charge.

I even carry a blackberry now.. I don't necessarily like being constantly connected, but I can read e-mails as well as being available to our clients (not always contractors).  I'm a firm believer if we always do what we've always done, we'll always have what we've always had.  For my team, that's not really acceptable as we are trying to grow.

Jurisdictions looking to pinching pennies should look elsewhere; while laying people off is not a happy option, it reduces much more cost than the cell phone ever will.  Retraining a person to take more responsibility (rather than answering the phone and contacting the inspector by radio) is a better option than getting rid of cell phones.


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## TimNY (Apr 21, 2011)

Laying off people is the _last_ option.  I'll give up my phone, my work vehicle and my lunch break if I can save a coworkers job.  Luckily we're not in that bad shape.. yet.

If you have a large area to cover maybe the cel phone is a necessity.. But my office is in... my office.  My jurisdiction is not big enough for it to really make a difference.


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## peach (Apr 21, 2011)

I'm not saying it's necessarily a good option, but watch what the clerical/reception staff people do from time to time.

Ignore people at the counter because the phone is ringing and they "must get in touch with the inspector".. or

Ignore the phone ringing, because it will go to voice mail OR be routed to someone else to answer and tend only to customers at the desk... then never return the voice mail (this happened to me this week).. OR

sit at the reception desk doing nothing most of the time.. looking at catalogs or searching the internet...

Need to find a smarter, better use of the clerical staff; use technology that's available to encourage these frequently underused staff for a better purpose.

I've seen it all.. my current part time clerk doesn't have time to search the internet or shop on line... as he masters one task, I shed another of mine and make sure he understands priorities.  And I thank him every day for what he does.. it frees my time up... to keep him.. well, busier.


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## fireguy (Apr 21, 2011)

Started a fire system upgrade today. The woman who was pretending to be the GC did not know she was  to schedule the gas man before I could finish my work. I called the inspectors office and cancelled my inspection.  The inspector showed up anyway.  While we were looking at my project,his wife called twice as did  his daughter.  Not only was the inspector's time wasted, so was my time.  This also delays the opening of the resturant.


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## mtlogcabin (Apr 21, 2011)

Forgot to mention last week the memo came down not to use a cell phone while driving a city vehicle. Don't know if it is because of safety or preception. We can still use the radios


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## peach (Apr 22, 2011)

radios.. cell phones.. both are dangerous to use when driving (even using a bluetooth while driving doesn't help too much.. the discussion itself can be distracting).


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## Frank (Apr 24, 2011)

our inspectors and supervisors have county issued cell phones with numbers freely passed out website/business cards.  we did away with inspector office phones to save money.

I will answer mine at all times although may whisper if on deer stand.


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## Daddy-0- (Apr 24, 2011)

Same as Frank. Our numbers are posted on the web and customers are frequently transfered to us to answer questions. The boss says that we should never miss a chance to educate. Oh....go to bed Frank.....I am. Happy Easter everyone.


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## peach (Apr 24, 2011)

Happy Easter.. have a blessed day.

Need to look to the future, and it'll be cell phones (maybe even.. *gasp* blackberries)... not two way radios.


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## Bryan Holland (Apr 25, 2011)

I rarely answer my cell phone when out in the field performing inspections.  I am either driving down the road or doing the inspection.  If you just happen to call at the moment I am getting in or out of the truck, I may pick up.  But for the most part, I let all incoming calls roll over to voice-mail.  I will always return the call the same day, but when it is safe and appropriate for me, not the caller.  That's my policy...


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## peach (Apr 26, 2011)

me too.. although I frequently make that decision when sitting in traffic... glance at who's calling before I make the decision.  I NEVER answer the phone during an inspection (it's just rude for one thing).... unless it's one of my inspectors who has also recently called and I let go to voice mail.. then I excuse myself "it's important" and get out of earshot of those present for the inspection.  Most of my business is not the business of other clients.


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## Jobsaver (Apr 27, 2011)

As a whole, if contractors had a choice, they would choose inspectors that are accessible. I think the folks paying the bills, through permit fees, deserve timely access to the inspector. This can be facilitated in numerous ways, including direct access by cell.


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