Columinst Wayne Nash claims there are NO silly questions from the customer. If a customer asks the question, it is worth an answer.
How we deal with our customers on a one-to-one basis, is key to the success or failure of our business. We've all seen articles, and been to seminars that stress the "right" approach to bidding, or proper telephone technique. What I'd like to talk about is the relationship between the driller and the customer, when he brings the rig to the site and drills the well. I've heard several customers say, "The owner treated me very well, and answered all my questions, but when the driller got there, he just ignored my questions and concerns, and acted like I was just something in the way!" I've seen drillers so frustrated at the customer that they rigged down in mid-job and left the location, usually leaving a big mess.
If any of my people ever did this, they'd be looking for a new job, like bill collector, or IRS agent. There are NO silly questions from the customer. He might not have any idea what we're doing, or how we do it, but if he asks the question, it is worth an answer. One reason is: This may be the first well this person ever had drilled. He's probably heard all kinds of stories about wells and well drillers, some good, and some not-so-good. When we leave, about all he sees for his investment is a foot or so of casing sticking out of the ground, some pipe, and some wires. He's got a right to wonder where the value is. It's up to us to explain it to him, until he is satisfied. (I know, there are some that are NEVER satisfied, but we've still got to do our best.) Some questions, like, "How deep are you?" Or, "Have you hit water yet?" are pretty easy to answer, but since we hear them all the time, we tend to sometimes give a quick answer without any thought to why the customer asked. It may be the 10-millionth time you've heard it, but it's probably the first time he's asked it. He probably really is interested, and anyway, he's paying the bill. I had a customer the other day that stayed with me the whole process, from rig-up to completion. He was 82 years old, but sharp as a tack. He asked about the mud, as we were filling the pit, and mixing.