Don't You Guys Just Hate This...

[everfresh1]

A customer calls and schedules an appointment, You give her an approximant time of arrival, You call her to let her know you are on the way, When you get there, she has her drive blocked so you can't pull in, When you get inside the house she has not picked up her clothes and crap laying on the floor in the bedrooms, So you start to pick up some of the crap and she goes in the other room and gets on the computer, Not even thinking to help pick up her s...t. Man that pisses me off. :x Plus its hot as hell and she doesn't even offer you any water. :roll:

 

[Lee Stockwell]

...too bad for her you haven't given her a price yet.

 

[Mikey P]

Does she have a mustache and a life partner named Carla?

 

[dgardner]

Ma'am, just a reminder that company policy prohibits us from handling clothing and other personal items, we are required to clean around them. If you care to pick up any personal items while I'm setting up, I'd be glad to clean those areas AT NO EXTRA CHARGE!

 

[The Asian Sensation]

A customer calls and schedules an appointment, You give her an approximant time of arrival, You call her to let her know you are on the way, When you get there, she has her drive blocked so you can't pull in, When you get inside the house she has not picked up her clothes and crap laying on the floor in the bedrooms, So you start to pick up some of the crap and she goes in the other room and gets on the computer, Not even thinking to help pick up her s...t. Man that pisses me off. :x Plus its hot as hell and she doesn't even offer you any water. :roll:

SOunds like you need better communication. Next time try: "Hey woman, Get your ass over here and Pick up your sh*t and go get me a nice cold drink/sandwich before I start a ruckus!!".





Or......




You can just try Dan's approach.

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Ma'am, just a reminder that company policy prohibits us from handling clothing and other personal items, we are required to clean around them. If you care to pick up any personal items while I'm setting up, I'd be glad to clean those areas AT NO EXTRA CHARGE!

Good response. I have told a few that they would need to reschedule after they cleaned their house and charged them a trip charge. I never heard back from them. I have a crazy cat lady that pays great money for me to clean about 50 sq ft in each room because the walls are pilled from the floor to the ceiling.

Some people forget about moving cars. What gets me is when I am cleaning on the second floor and the customer wants me to stop to disconnect the fresh water hose to move the truck. I have done it a few times in the past. I guess it depends on the customer if I tell them to wait or be charged an extra set up fee. Actually this can be prevented by asking if they need to move any vehicles before starting.

Has this ever happened to you? It happened to me last week. I was cleaning a sofa and all of a sudden my suction was just gone and then it came back. WTF? I looked out the door and the customer drove her car over my vac hose and barely missed my filters. The hose wasn't damaged so all was good. I was just a little shocked.

 

[harryhides]

Jamie, don't you have a short reminder list of what is expected from the custy BEFORE you arrive ?

Your policy re pets and parrots etc
Pre-vacuuming unless you really do do it yourself.
Stuff you will and won't move.

Would prolly help with folks like this.

 

[amazingcleansc]

Ma'am, just a reminder that company policy prohibits us from handling clothing and other personal items, we are required to clean around them. If you care to pick up any personal items while I'm setting up, I'd be glad to clean those areas AT NO EXTRA CHARGE!

Good response. I have told a few that they would need to reschedule after they cleaned their house and charged them a trip charge. I never heard back from them. I have a crazy cat lady that pays great money for me to clean about 50 sq ft in each room because the walls are pilled from the floor to the ceiling.

Some people forget about moving cars. What gets me is when I am cleaning on the second floor and the customer wants me to stop to disconnect the fresh water hose to move the truck. I have done it a few times in the past. I guess it depends on the customer if I tell them to wait or be charged an extra set up fee. Actually this can be prevented by asking if they need to move any vehicles before starting.

Has this ever happened to you? It happened to me last week. I was cleaning a sofa and all of a sudden my suction was just gone and then it came back. WTF? I looked out the door and the customer drove her car over my vac hose and barely missed my filters. The hose wasn't damaged so all was good. I was just a little shocked.

WHAT THE HELL KIND OF PERSON DOES THAT?

 

[Nate The Great]

Ma'am, just a reminder that company policy prohibits us from handling clothing and other personal items, we are required to clean around them. If you care to pick up any personal items while I'm setting up, I'd be glad to clean those areas AT NO EXTRA CHARGE!

Good response. I have told a few that they would need to reschedule after they cleaned their house and charged them a trip charge. I never heard back from them. I have a crazy cat lady that pays great money for me to clean about 50 sq ft in each room because the walls are pilled from the floor to the ceiling.

Some people forget about moving cars. What gets me is when I am cleaning on the second floor and the customer wants me to stop to disconnect the fresh water hose to move the truck. I have done it a few times in the past. I guess it depends on the customer if I tell them to wait or be charged an extra set up fee. Actually this can be prevented by asking if they need to move any vehicles before starting.

Has this ever happened to you? It happened to me last week. I was cleaning a sofa and all of a sudden my suction was just gone and then it came back. WTF? I looked out the door and the customer drove her car over my vac hose and barely missed my filters. The hose wasn't damaged so all was good. I was just a little shocked.

WHAT THE HELL KIND OF PERSON DOES THAT?

I'm curious to what kind of car rolls over it and not damage vacuum hose.... :?

 

[dgardner]

WHAT THE HELL KIND OF PERSON DOES THAT?

Maybe it was the Fire Chief...

n]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJdaO6k2_VYn]

 

[everfresh1]

Jamie, don't you have a short reminder list of what is expected from the custy BEFORE you arrive ?

Your policy re pets and parrots etc
Pre-vacuuming unless you really do do it yourself.
Stuff you will and won't move.

Would prolly help with folks like this.

Yea i normally tell them to vacuum and pick up all there stuff off the floor, but since I forward all my calls to my cell and answer the phone while working, I'm in a hurry and forget to tell them sometimes , But this lady is a previous custumer and should know the routine, Plus its just common sense if you ask me.

 

[everfresh1]

A customer calls and schedules an appointment, You give her an approximant time of arrival, You call her to let her know you are on the way, When you get there, she has her drive blocked so you can't pull in, When you get inside the house she has not picked up her clothes and crap laying on the floor in the bedrooms, So you start to pick up some of the crap and she goes in the other room and gets on the computer, Not even thinking to help pick up her s...t. Man that pisses me off. :x Plus its hot as hell and she doesn't even offer you any water. :roll:

SOunds like you need better communication. Next time try: "Hey woman, Get your ass over here and Pick up your sh*t and go get me a nice cold drink/sandwich before I start a ruckus!!".





Or......




You can just try Dan's approach.

Occasionally I'll do that with some old women thats busy trying to help :roll: " Go in the other room you're gonna be in the way here"

 

[Nate The Great]

Jamie, don't you have a short reminder list of what is expected from the custy BEFORE you arrive ?

Your policy re pets and parrots etc
Pre-vacuuming unless you really do do it yourself.
Stuff you will and won't move.

Would prolly help with folks like this.

Yea i normally tell them to vacuum and pick up all there stuff off the floor, but since I forward all my calls to my cell and answer the phone while working, I'm in a hurry and forget to tell them sometimes , But this lady is a previous custumer and should know the routine, Plus its just common sense if you ask me.

Common sense isn't all too common. I believe it's God given. If you don't got it, you never will. :wink:

I learned that at a young age.

 

[Contemporary Carpet Clean]

i hate all the incidents people have posted....the running over the vac hose really chaps my ass....at least ask before driving over it!!! I have 2 or 3 cars drive over our hoses and never had one break or crack. How i dont know.

We ask before we open doors in the house that if there are any pets that need to be put away b/c we need to leave the door open about 2 inches so they dont run away. Then we ask if there is a car in the garage that would need to be moved while we are doing the work. If so we have them move it then. We still every once in a while get it where people they still need me to move my van after ive been all set and cleaning after i asked if they needed a vehicle moved. Really hate that! I tell them to wait if Im almost done or I just do ahead and move it.

How about when you ask people to watch their animals, dogs in particular and they say ok. You start cleaning and the whole rest of the time the dog is chasing the wand trying to bite it and the custy is standing right there watching it and never thinks to call the dog or put it somewhere else!

 

[bob vawter]

my step-son "poofed" a little yappy ankle biter wit the wand.... one time....
where-as it promply fell over dED!

 

[Wayne Miller]

After driving the better part of an hour to clean a small area of her small townhouse a friend's sister did that once saying, "Feel free to move anything you like."

Grrrrrrrrr........

 

[Wandslinger]

Harry hit the nail on the head. For eighteen plus years I ran into that problem from time to time. Recently I started sending Precleaning Instructions. What the hell have I been thinking all these years. The last job (new custy) had everything picked up, bed skirts lifted and driveway cleared out. I think it must have saved me 20 to 30 minutes. Simple communication goes along way.

 

[Padden McFadden]

I had one a few years ago that was so bad I felt like walking. Trash, clothes, toys, junk,etc. laying all over the place. SO rather than walk I started plowing the filth (bulldozer style) with my vacuum. I had it all shoved to the sides , and then I started cleaning the inside diameter of the carpet that was cleared (about 50 sf in the middle of the living room) when the lady saw what I was doing she started to pick stuff up.

It was a moment of weakness, I'm not proud of it. :wink:

 

[Mike Draper]

I had one a few years ago that was so bad I felt like walking. Trash, clothes, toys, junk,etc. laying all over the place. SO rather than walk I started plowing the filth (bulldozer style) with my vacuum. I had it all shoved to the sides , and then I started cleaning the inside diameter of the carpet that was cleared (about 50 sf in the middle of the living room) when the lady saw what I was doing she started to pick stuff up.

It was a moment of weakness, I'm not proud of it. :wink:

Thats great!! I wish I had the guts.

 

[FLYERMAN]

I had one a few years ago that was so bad I felt like walking. Trash, clothes, toys, junk,etc. laying all over the place. SO rather than walk I started plowing the filth (bulldozer style) with my vacuum. I had it all shoved to the sides , and then I started cleaning the inside diameter of the carpet that was cleared (about 50 sf in the middle of the living room) when the lady saw what I was doing she started to pick stuff up.

It was a moment of weakness, I'm not proud of it. :wink:

Oh shit that made me laugh.

Here's what I do... After scheduling is all done I say "Okay to get ready for me just vacuum really really good and move everything you want cleaned under." I never see the situation described in the opening thread. If I did I would walk. Wouldn't even discuss charges, I am an ass that way.