How would you handle this?

todg

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Michael Marcus
If someone said to you after you completed their job ($650 tile and grout cleaning that day) either give me half my money back for the job you just completed, or I'll Yelp you with a bad review...

Just an unhappy person...Now What?

I refunded his money!
 

Desk Jockey

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What was his reason?

Never had that done before. Was it justified or did he plan on ripping you off?

You could take a gallon of gas and a cigar, and go ask for your money back. :icon_twisted:
 

ruff

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Not much you can do Michael. And either way you'll loose.
If you give a money back guarantee, consider it half redeemed.

You handles it well.
 
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Cleanworks

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If someone said to you after you completed their job ($650 tile and grout cleaning that day) either give me half my money back for the job you just completed, or I'll Yelp you with a bad review...

Just an unhappy person...Now What?

I refunded his money!
If you're going to refund his money, demand he give you a good review on Yelp right this minute. Then kick him where it hurts.
 
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ruff

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Supa Hero Capitoni, is rumored to be expanding, and his new side business may handle just these kind of clients.
May be expensive, as it involves swimming and fish, but likely worth every penny.
 

The Great Oz

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If someone said to you after you completed their job ($650 tile and grout cleaning that day) either give me half my money back for the job you just completed, or I'll Yelp you with a bad review...
Just an unhappy person...Now What?
He's a jerk, or he's unhappy with the way the job turned out? If he's unhappy with the work I'd let him know there's no need for threats, if I didn't explain how this might turn out, and there's no way it will improve, I'll be happy to accept half. It's the cost of learning to reduce high expectations.

If he's a jerk, I'd let him know his threat is legally considered extortion, and if he doesn't pay in full you'll send him to a collection agency. If he leaves a bad review anywhere, you'll sue him for extortion and defamation. The courts have proven that they don't like consumers doing this and there's plenty of precedent for not only getting paid, but getting damages and making him apologize everywhere he posted the review. You probably won't have to go through with this once he knows you won't grovel at his threat.
 

Cleanworks

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I have customers that complain once in a while that the carpet just doesn't seem clean. If it's legitimate, I have no problem redoing it to the best of my abilities. I always insist that they be there to see the effort we are putting in. Some carpets are just too far gone to restore. If it's not a quality issue, I would not give in to blackmail, no matter what.
 

ruff

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....

If he's a jerk, I'd let him know his threat is legally considered extortion, and if he doesn't pay in full you'll send him to a collection agency. If he leaves a bad review anywhere, you'll sue him for extortion and defamation. The courts have proven that they don't like consumers doing this and there's plenty of precedent for not only getting paid, but getting damages and making him apologize everywhere he posted the review. You probably won't have to go through with this once he knows you won't grovel at his threat.
I sympathize with the sentiment.

But..... Yea. Right. Do that. Particularly if you have lots of free time to devote to that enterprise. Better yet, take a few days off your busy schedule to handle the matter. You'll feel good about yourself and the fact that you did your civil duty.

Otherwise, cut your losses (well actually lesser profit) and move on.

Not worth the aggravation. Unless of course you hug trees and reside in Seattle.
 

Mikey P

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I have customers that complain once in a while that the carpet just doesn't seem clean. If it's legitimate, I have no problem redoing it to the best of my abilities. I always insist that they be there to see the effort we are putting in. Some carpets are just too far gone to restore. If it's not a quality issue, I would not give in to blackmail, no matter what.


Not since getting the XL Brush Head, I bet..
 

The Great Oz

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But..... Yea. Right. Do that. Particularly if you have lots of free time to devote to that enterprise. Better yet, take a few days off your busy schedule to handle the matter. You'll feel good about yourself and the fact that you did your civil duty.
The key is that you probably won't have to do this once they know you won't grovel...

We typically give the benefit of the doubt, even if the customer seems scammy, as long as we can see a point where we might have done something differently along the way to avoid a misunderstanding.

When someone threatens bad reviews to get free services though, I have that conversation with them, even offering to send them some clips of court rulings. The potential embarrassment of being exposed and having to publish apologies is usually enough.

One person carried through with the bad review threat and posted a hatchet job. I answered the posting with the details of their extortion threat. There was a pretty long list of pro-Burns comments on the post, so with that review neutralized there was no need to take it farther.
 

ruff

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Responding kindly and truthfully to a bad review is always a good policy and results in a positive from your potential and actual clients.

Dealing with scumbags is draining and not worth the aggravation. Since most of us here offer a money back guarantee, they can always ask for their money back anyhow. I'd consider it 1/2, a money back and move on.

If one has the energy to deal with it in addition to their full days of work, I salute their moral stand and victory. Good for them.
 

Cleanworks

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Responding kindly and truthfully to a bad review is always a good policy and results in a positive from your potential and actual clients.

Dealing with scumbags is draining and not worth the aggravation. Since most of us here offer a money back guarantee, they can always ask for their money back anyhow. I'd consider it 1/2, a money back and move on.

If one has the energy to deal with it in addition to their full days of work, I salute their moral stand and victory. Good for them.
I gots lots of energy still.
 

TomKing

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Tom
That's unfortunate. The real question is why would you want the head ache of a legal battle.

My attorney bills me out at $325 per hour. Give him the free work and move on. It will be cheaper and your spirit will feel better rather than living in the mire of that guys crappy life.

It doesn't feel great but stuff like that happens you have to keep moving forward.
 

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