how do YOU fire a custy?

[Dolly Llama]

double/triple your prices?
Don't call them back?
Tell 'em your too busy and refer them to Stan?


..L.T.A.

 

[hogjowl]

Yep
Any other dumb ass questions?

 

[Dolly Llama]

Yep
Any other dumb ass questions?

one a day,

Igpay

..L.T.A.

 

[Desk Jockey]

When forced to fire one, I always did it with tack and diplomacy. Fortunately it didn't happen that often.

I preferred to call them but have also sent a couple of emails. Never in the heat of the moment. We have a small market and truly hate to lose a client. However being a realist, there are going to be some you don't want.

I would thank them for their business but also let them know it has come to my attention that we have not been able to please them lately. Tell them I think the time has come that it would be best for both of us to move on.

I got all kinds of responses, appreciation, defensive, apologetic. I went with their decision. Some stayed, some left, some came back years later. Some we never heard from again.

 

[Papa John]

Ive told a couple clients that I could no longer handle the mental trauma cleaning their carpets causes me.
The real reason was i felt their were ungrateful for all the effort I went though.
They were the problem. But u can never win telling a customer that--so I blamed it on the carpet.

 

[Numero Uno]

Think it out well them go on the offensive .
Numerous times ,I have tried to rectify the problem.
At this point the phone book is full of other cleaners .
I hope you appreciate my honesty.
No hard feelings it just best we part...
Do it in a way yrs from now you look back an smile...
As instructor's said in the 70s.
We only scratch the surface of our market
An with the advent of wall to wall losing sales.
We still have more then enough to complete company mission.
Best of luck if all else fails give em my number.
That video will be classic .lol

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Send them to Justin.

 

[icleancarpetz]

in front of their names and why in the notes. When they call, i ignore and don’t pick up. They leave messages, I delete. After a short time, they don’t call anymore. Just like some of you...if a business you call and leave messages and they don’t return your calls do you keep calling or move on? You move on.

customers that go bad or are bad from the get go or sometimes new inquires are chizlers on the phone...my motto is this...”birds of a like feather flock together”. So I don’t want to deal with them nor their circle of friends.

with all that said, sometimes there are exceptions to my above rule....sometimes hard to deal with clients can lead to bigger fish. I once had a client that I picked up through another job. The job was a bit challenging to work with the on site construction foreman. Cussing sailer type. I was always polite despite his demeanor towards me. This fella one day pulls my to the side and explain why he has to be the tough guy attitude on site....he had to keep his crew in line that way. I then understood. This son of a gun referred my name to another company which used my services for 20 years! Had I gone toe to toe with the previous foreman or toss him to the side, I would have lost the opportunity of 20 year business relationship through his referral!!!$$.

So be very careful and thoughtful before you toss a customer over board cause you might just sink your ship with missed opportunities. Some customers are obvious chiselers...we all know the type....others customers you might want to give it a little more thought before shutting the door on them.

 

[Desk Jockey]

in front of their names and why in the notes. When they call, i ignore and don’t pick up. They leave messages, I delete. After a short time, they don’t call anymore. Just like some of you...if a business you call and leave messages and they don’t return your calls do you keep calling or move on? You move on.

customers that go bad or are bad from the get go or sometimes new inquires are chizlers on the phone...my motto is this...”birds of a like feather flock together”. So I don’t want to deal with them nor their friends.

I would think that would generate bad reviews for you. ???

 

[icleancarpetz]

Thus far, none. Chiselers are like ambulance chasers. When they hear a low price ambulance driving by, they go chase after it and forget you in the process.

Don’t we all do that from time to time and forget the last place of business cause the lower price satisfied our cheap azz ego?

 

[Brian H]

I have fired a few customers over the years for trying to hit up the crew to do side work. A simple phone call to let them know that we don't appreciate what they attempted to do and that there is no reason for us to continue our relationship.