Correct them or let them believe it's wool or stone..

[Mikey P]

I think we take a far greater chance of insulting our customer's intelligence when we tel them what they REALLY have.

Letting Mrs pift know that the wool that's she's been so proud of for years is actually a synthetic may make you loook or feel smart but what are the odds that she's now better off knowing the truth?

Slim to none...

Same goes with a porcelain that they thought was natural stone, or a polished floor that is really just (poorly) coated with a finish.

A silk or wool designer piece of a upholstery that's really an Ikea poly?






I can now think back to so many of these correction conversations, that for some reason was the last time I ever saw them...




I think the early days of the bulletin boards did more harm than good in the bigger picture of us all.

 

[hogjowl]

I lost a customer once by showing her pet urine with a black light. Her dog “ never went in the house.”

 

[Mikey P]

I lost a customer once by showing her pet urine with a black light. Her dog “ never went in the house.”

I can beat that, I had a lady convinced her dog was peeing all over their fine wool rug in the dining room and it turned out to be her living father.

Which I proudly pointed out..






When I got back to the Coit office you better believe they let me know on how to better handle that situation..

 

[hogjowl]

I had a long time customer call me to clean a 8x12 wool rug with pee in it. Upon questioning her I found out it was human pee from her husband with Alzheimer’s. I told her it was useless but she persisted. I gave her the number of an actual put washing rug plant. Yuck

 

[they live]

I had a long time customer call me to clean a 8x12 wool rug with pee in it. Upon questioning her I found out it was human pee from her husband with Alzheimer’s. I told her it was useless but she persisted. I gave her the number of an actual put washing rug plant. Yuck

So pet pee was acceptable to clean but not human?
I told a customer the other day to put it outside in the rain and scrub in Mr clean.
She didn't want to pay to clean it.
I got 2 referrals already from her.

 

[hogjowl]

Depends
But you burned your brain out years ago on drugs
So I’m not wasting my time arguing with you.
It’s useless.

 

[they live]

It's been salt deficiency. I'm taking 4 grams of sodium chloride tablets a day now and I keep getting healthier. Repairing a lifetime of health problems. The weed was pain relief and helped me sleep. I don't need it anymore.
Hyponatremia. Diahreia all my life malnutrition. My brain wasn't firing right depression add add ocd low blood volume and pressure heart kidney stomach lungs my bones hurt nerve damage sinus problems bad teeth muscles are lumpy and tight arthritis it's a wonder I lived this long.
At least I was smart enough not to get back surgery. It was offered at 25.
Salt cured my cataracts ankle swelling gone sinuses are clear tooth doesn't hurt as much breathing better able to swallow food ok arthritis is better bones don't hurt depression and other issues gone stomach good kidneys good I was peeing black not so hot all the time not sweating much mind is clear memory is much better.
I'm sure I'm forgetting things because there is so much.
All from low salt.
I had the highest asfab score ever in Chicago 82 after getting kicked out of class for smoking weed in class. I hated school didn't learn much. They were going to make me an officer and let me fly helicopters lol.
My autism is much better now too. It's been a trip. My mind was gone a few years ago not from weed but lack of salt.
My neurologist said I'm very high functioning autistic. Several Dr's used that phrase. Not high functioning but very high functioning.
But it's OK if you don't want to talk I understand lol.

 

[they live]

Oh and I had a dislocated ribbon for a couple years before a chiropractor jammed it back into place. That was shorting out my brain too I told the neurologist but he said it was impossible but a Chinese massage guy worked out the knot and things started getting better. Other problems I was having lije dizziness and my mind racing figuring things out like in the movie phemonomna.
Some real bizzare stuff.
Genny said I need to start smoking weed again because I talk to much now and am not sleeping well.

 

[ChristinaBlack1]

I think we take a far greater chance of insulting our customer's intelligence when we tel them what they REALLY have.

Letting Mrs pift know that the wool that's she's been so proud of for years is actually a synthetic may make you loook or feel smart but what are the odds that she's now better off knowing the truth?

Slim to none...

Same goes with a porcelain that they thought was natural stone, or a polished floor that is really just (poorly) coated with a finish.

A silk or wool designer piece of a upholstery that's really an Ikea poly?






I can now think back to so many of these correction conversations, that for some reason was the last time I ever saw them...




I think the early days of the bulletin boards did more harm than good in the bigger picture of us all.

Man, this hits home. I’ve definitely had those ‘correction conversations’ that seemed fine at the time but ended up costing me a customer. Sometimes it’s just not worth it to point out every little detail, especially if it’s something they’ve been proud of for years. These days, I try to focus on the solution and keep things positive. How do you handle it now? Do you avoid bringing it up or just sugarcoat it?

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Put yourself in your customer’s place:

You’re at a gathering and talking about the car you just bought. Then some know it all tells you all the bad stuff they’ve seen about it on the internet, or how you paid way too much for it.

Do you like this guy?

Don’t be him

 

[Mikey P]

Man, this hits home. I’ve definitely had those ‘correction conversations’ that seemed fine at the time but ended up costing me a customer. Sometimes it’s just not worth it to point out every little detail, especially if it’s something they’ve been proud of for years. These days, I try to focus on the solution and keep things positive. How do you handle it now? Do you avoid bringing it up or just sugarcoat it?

I don't even point out urine spots anymore..

They know its there.

If the stain won't come out than I say I tried hard but any further actions would ruin the carpet.

 

[they live]

Put yourself in your customer’s place:

You’re at a gathering and talking about the car you just bought. Then some know it all tells you all the bad stuff they’ve seen about it on the internet, or how you paid way too much for it.

Do you like this guy?

Don’t be him

Yeah people hate me.

 

[Nate The Great]

That fine line between slapping them down and offering a hand up.. I don't do well with unrealistic expectations..

I can help you with "your problem".. Honesty is the best policy, and don't be afraid to walk away.. I don't wear my "Captain Save-A-Piece" cape anymore.. I know my limitations and am a great learner of other people's mistakes..

 

[Doug Cox]

I’ve corrected more people on the fact they don’t have wool carpet more times than I can count

 

[Mikey P]

I’ve corrected more people on the fact they don’t have wool carpet more times than I can count

any regrets?

 

[Doug Cox]

Nope. Never had anyone get upset

 

[Ever-Fresh]

So pet pee was acceptable to clean but not human?
I told a customer the other day to put it outside in the rain and scrub in Mr clean.
She didn't want to pay to clean it.
I got 2 referrals already from her.

Many people will call to get free advice on how they can solve their problems. Nine times out of ten, they do not have access to what is needed to successfully deal with the issue, they just hope you will do it for free or instruct them so they can do it themselves and get professional results. Face it, most people that have a true bio-disaster never cared enough to prevent that disaster and will not spend money to solve the disaster. In their minds... it's your fault the problem is too expensive to fix.

 

[Ever-Fresh]

I don't even point out urine spots anymore..

They know its there.

If the stain won't come out than I say I tried hard but any further actions would ruin the carpet.

So, what happens when you get a permanent yellow stain that you did not acknowledge is in the carpet before you clean? Wouldn't that look like you did not make an effort or were incompetent in cleaning carpet? (Trying to get into the mind of the customer here.) Do you price in urine treatment/removal in your quote and do not say that you are pricing it in? Or do you do a Stanley Steamer process with a splash and dash, saying that the residual smell and stains "Just would not come out" after a single pass method of speed cleaning? "You get what you pay for?"

My problem is that I am a softy for those who have these problems, and I want to help them. I usually only end up charging them my cost for the extra chemicals but not the labor. (One of my many poor business practices that I certainly do not recommend if you want to make a profit!) I refuse to do a sub-standard job or "splash and dash" even though that is all they want to pay for, because their carpets are my advertising, and it has my name on it. Because of this, I don't do "half-cleanings," or traffic lane only budget cleanings.

I set low expectations on urine, stating that there is a 50/50 chance that it will not come out (even though I know it is better than 90% that I will get the stain out.) I only promise a 90% reduction in urine odor for dogs, and a 70% reduction in cat urine odor, though I usually achieve much better in most cases. If I exceed these low standards and do better than promised, I am a hero in their eyes. My normal response to a permanent stain is like yours, that, "I used the best stain removers on the planet, but if I take it any further it will bleach a spot in your carpet, which would look a lot worse than a faded stain."

 

[Brian H]

I only promise a 90% reduction in urine odor for dogs, and a 70% reduction in cat urine odor, though I usually achieve much better in most cases.

I have had customers call back and claim that we must have not gotten ALL the odor out of their carpet because their pet went back to the same area and peed again. There was no noticeable odor or stain but we must not have gotten it all out. I then ask them why there pet urinated their in the first place. I further explain that you will never get it to a point that a dog can't smell it. Their sense of smell is too keen, that's why they are used for for bomb and drug screening at airports, etc.

 

[Dr. Kleen]

So, what happens when you get a permanent yellow stain that you did not acknowledge is in the carpet before you clean? Wouldn't that look like you did not make an effort or were incompetent in cleaning carpet? (Trying to get into the mind of the customer here.) Do you price in urine treatment/removal in your quote and do not say that you are pricing it in? Or do you do a Stanley Steamer process with a splash and dash, saying that the residual smell and stains "Just would not come out" after a single pass method of speed cleaning? "You get what you pay for?"

My problem is that I am a softy for those who have these problems, and I want to help them. I usually only end up charging them my cost for the extra chemicals but not the labor. (One of my many poor business practices that I certainly do not recommend if you want to make a profit!) I refuse to do a sub-standard job or "splash and dash" even though that is all they want to pay for, because their carpets are my advertising, and it has my name on it. Because of this, I don't do "half-cleanings," or traffic lane only budget cleanings.

I set low expectations on urine, stating that there is a 50/50 chance that it will not come out (even though I know it is better than 90% that I will get the stain out.) I only promise a 90% reduction in urine odor for dogs, and a 70% reduction in cat urine odor, though I usually achieve much better in most cases. If I exceed these low standards and do better than promised, I am a hero in their eyes. My normal response to a permanent stain is like yours, that, "I used the best stain removers on the planet, but if I take it any further it will bleach a spot in your carpet, which would look a lot worse than a faded stain."

Under promise and over deliver… I usually will do a similar thing with some customers. I remember a few jobs when my head was too big and I told the customers “sure, no problem…those stains will come right out, I’ve removed much worse…” yet there I was throwing everything I had at it with sub-par results. More embarrassing than anything but definitely humbled by those experiences. Live and learn (and better chemistry now

 

[Ever-Fresh]

Under promise and over deliver… I usually will do a similar thing with some customers. I remember a few jobs when my head was too big and I told the customers “sure, no problem…those stains will come right out, I’ve removed much worse…” yet there I was throwing everything I had at it with sub-par results. More embarrassing than anything but definitely humbled by those experiences. Live and learn (and better chemistry now

Red removal is one of those things that I have learned to set low expectations. It seems like those red stains I think will come out defy all efforts, and those that I don't think have a chance are the ones that clean up perfectly!

 

[Ever-Fresh]

I have had customers call back and claim that we must have not gotten ALL the odor out of their carpet because their pet went back to the same area and peed again. There was no noticeable odor or stain but we must not have gotten it all out. I then ask them why there pet urinated their in the first place. I further explain that you will never get it to a point that a dog can't smell it. Their sense of smell is too keen, that's why they are used for for bomb and drug screening at airports, etc.

It tell them that I can remove enough odor that they will not smell it, but I cannot fool the nose of a dog! Sometimes I wonder if it is about habit of going to a spot, or re-marking to refresh a known spot more than an odor existing that the animal pees because they smell something. Shy of getting rid of all pets, no one can guarantee that an animal may not return to the scene of the crime.

 

[they live]

Many people will call to get free advice on how they can solve their problems. Nine times out of ten, they do not have access to what is needed to successfully deal with the issue, they just hope you will do it for free or instruct them so they can do it themselves and get professional results. Face it, most people that have a true bio-disaster never cared enough to prevent that disaster and will not spend money to solve the disaster. In their minds... it's your fault the problem is too expensive to fix.

I figured Marty is afraid of getting aids or other human diseases. I can't reme.ber if he cleanes blood.
My point was why vacuum any pee it's disgusting. I go in hosing it all down hoping it kills the smell too. Fook vaccing that disgusting mess. I have to flush the crap out of it anyway.
I have lowered my prices to help some people but I can't work for free. High end customers can be just as nasty when it comes to their pets.

 

[Jack Zipper Zerkie]

For total removal do two things. Remove carpet get new and remove pet problem solved. Sorry not practical but true.

 

[Nate The Great]

For total removal do two things. Remove carpet get new and remove pet problem solved. Sorry not practical but true.

Jack probably the oldest cleaner on MikeysBoard coming in with the most logical sense!

Our weather and lack of predators keep me in the mindset of pets belong outside the home.. It’s like giving your kids koolaid or box of crayons and telling them not to spill or color on things.. Don’t cry when shit happens!


And we have gotten one of the best free advertising piece written by someone who called up and asked questions on how to clean up their mess.. They wrote a small article in a prominent magazine that has upper scale readers..

So we don’t mind giving advice, but you have to remember the audience that you’re talking too…dumb it down in layman’s terms..

 

[hogjowl]

Steve’s a hack

 

[they live]

Steve’s a hack

I'm not taking a piss soaked vacuum to my next job so there's that.