Custy says "Sell it to me or I'll find it online!!

[jstucky]

I was cleaning a custy's coffee stain the other day and had about 4 spotters out. I'u ve cleaned for this gal about 3-4 times and is very wealthy.

Used them all until STAIN ZONE took out the coffee. She said "O wow, what's that stuff?"

The lady just grabs my Stain Zone. "Huh Stain Zone?" How much for a bottle???

I said sorry Polly no can do I can give you some more basic spotter that I have given you and some dry cleaning powder to absorb spots out. She says oh come on just sell me the stuff. Said no you should have extraction machine etc...and it can bleach out ur carpet if not careful. She says great I want new carpet.

I refused. She goes into our vacuum store and asks my dad to sell it. He said no upon my request. She was not happy and said if you don't call in a few days I'm getting it offline. I called Interlink Supply and dude says they will sell it to anybody. Do I just let her buy it and get her hands white and burning and maybe on the wood floor??

??

 

[dgardner]

You can't really stop her from purchasing something on her own. At least the liability won't be on you if she ruins the carpet or injures herself. Warning her of the danger is all you can do from my point of view. Maybe make a note on her work order that you refused to provide it and you warned her, just to cover your bases?

 

[sweendogg]

That is one of the only things I do not like about online sales of professional equipment. Its too easy for the the stuff to get into the hands of the consumer... I really don't care too much about loosing work because they got the spots out, rather as you pointed out, many consumers like this gal don't understand the degree of danger and side effects some of these products can have if not used properly.

Great job for standing your ground. we have all seen what the oxidizing spotters can do to a carpet off the store shelf. Now your customer will really go to town! But atleast the blame will fall on the seller and not on you.

 

[John Olson]

I was cleaning a custy's coffee stain the other day and had about 4 spotters out. I'u ve cleaned for this gal about 3-4 times and is very wealthy.

Used them all until STAIN ZONE took out the coffee. She said "O wow, what's that stuff?"

The lady just grabs my Stain Zone. "Huh Stain Zone?" How much for a bottle???

I said sorry Polly no can do I can give you some more basic spotter that I have given you and some dry cleaning powder to absorb spots out. She says oh come on just sell me the stuff. Said no you should have extraction machine etc...and it can bleach out ur carpet if not careful. She says great I want new carpet.

I refused. She goes into our vacuum store and asks my dad to sell it. He said no upon my request. She was not happy and said if you don't call in a few days I'm getting it offline. I called Interlink Supply and dude says they will sell it to anybody. Do I just let her buy it and get her hands white and burning and maybe on the wood floor??

??

I deal with this often. If a home owner walks in my store (they are easy to spot) the only thing that can buy is a rake or a neutral spotter (Steam Way First Action, Prochem Pro Spotter etc) I get alot of very pissed off people walking out of my store. This I can control but when it comes to the web it is nearly impossible to control.

I try to limit what is availalbe to the average person that happens to find our websites. I would say 99% of the people that order from us online are professional cleaners but a few homeowners sneak through. I know when a home owner trys to buy stain magic becaus they always buy the dual chamber sprayers thinking they are getting a sprayer AND the chemical at some super deal.

They usually get pissed off when I tell them it is a DUAL CHAMBER SPRAYER and no where does it say it has chemical in it and if they where a cleaner they would have known this so please send it back as I will not be sending you the chemical. LOL

I don't mind pissing off home owners they ARE not my customer you guys are.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Reiterate you position and why, but don't leave her hanging and pissed off. Send her in the right direction but remind her of the possible consequences.

 

[AshleyMckendree]

This is why I take the logo off of my bottles, or cover them with tape or just put them in clear un-marked bottles with sharpie marking what they are like Red Dye Remover, etc.

I always have customers snooping around my van and around me while I clean.

 

[daniel@procarpet]

The other day I cleaned for a customer that was very concerned about the cleaning products I used. There was one stain I could not remove. I rinsed it and dried it out good. Then I did my normal routine with stain magic. The guy asked why I was covering the product with plastic. He wanted to know if it was due to the chemical being toxic. :?

I told him I was using a peroxide based solution and the plastic would help the peroxide work longer. He had two rooms that he didn't want cleaned. Sure enough I turn around and he is pouring peroxide on the carpet. I told him that was a bad idea and the product I use is more advanced and not just peroxide. It was bad enough that he sprayed some kind of natural stain remover all over the carpet before I arrived. The carpet had dog hair everywhere. I told him I couldn't vacuum. Most of the hair cleaned up anyways and the carpet looked great.

 

[BlinkClean]

I told him I was using a peroxide based solution and the plastic would help the peroxide work longer. He had two rooms that he didn't want cleaned. Sure enough I turn around and he is pouring peroxide on the carpet. I told him that was a bad idea and the product I use is more advanced and not just peroxide. It was bad enough that he sprayed some kind of natural stain remover all over the carpet before I arrived. The carpet had dog hair everywhere. I told him I couldn't vacuum. Most of the hair cleaned up anyways and the carpet looked great.

I hate it when clients do that! I recently had someone who actually thought that infomercials are true and that all bleach based products are the same. Apparently he thought pouring Clorox on the carpet was a good idea and then he got pissed off at ME because I told him that there was no remedy for that gigantic circular stain (it was like 2 feet in diameter), and that he would have to have it replaced or at least patched! Then we catch him snooping around in our truck when I went to get the invoice...The nerve some people have....