Elderly customers

[hogjowl]

Over the past week, I’ve had two elderly customers call me (embarrassed) to come cleaned an “accident” they’ve had in their carpet. One was a long term customer who I’ve done business with for 30 years. He owns rental property and a gas/full service station. I’ve had an account with him since 1979. His wife called me because he’d fallen in the night and had diarrhea and blood from hitting his head. When I got there, he was in another room and I heard him ask his wife who came. I assume he was embarrassed and wanted me there and not Brady. (Or the other way around.)

Of course, I cleaned it all up without commenting about it and I’ll never bring it up to him, but he’ll probably be embarrassed every time he sees me.

The second was an elderly woman who lives with her daughter. I’ve never met her, and her daughter is an on again/off again customer. I never saw the lady, but the daughter was annoyed with her Mother because “she didn’t try to make it to the bathroom”! Pissed me off. The poor woman couldn’t help it.

What’s my point?

I don’t know. I guess I’m proud the first one felt close enough to me to call and the second one should have been kicked!

Which one do you think I billed?

 

[GreenTechAgain]

I hope the daughter paid enough for both jobs.

 

[Mark Saiger]

Over the past week, I’ve had two elderly customers call me (embarrassed) to come cleaned an “accident” they’ve had in their carpet. One was a long term customer who I’ve done business with for 30 years. He owns rental property and a gas/full service station. I’ve had an account with him since 1979. His wife called me because he’d fallen in the night and had diarrhea and blood from hitting his head. When I got there, he was in another room and I heard him ask his wife who came. I assume he was embarrassed and wanted me there and not Brady. (Or the other way around.)

Of course, I cleaned it all up without commenting about it and I’ll never bring it up to him, but he’ll probably be embarrassed every time he sees me.

The second was an elderly woman who lives with her daughter. I’ve never met her, and her daughter is an on again/off again customer. I never saw the lady, but the daughter was annoyed with her Mother because “she didn’t try to make it to the bathroom”! Pissed me off. The poor woman couldn’t help it.

What’s my point?

I don’t know. I guess I’m proud the first one felt close enough to me to call and the second one should have been kicked!

Which one do you think I billed?

Neither I bet....

 

[Desk Jockey]

We see it quite often and our guys are very professional and show genuine concern. It is very sad and anyone with an ounce of compassion will process this type of work without hesitation.

 

[Cleanworks]

I've had quite a few over the years. I usually just smile and say something like life happens and am able to put them at ease while cleaning up the mess. 2 memorable ones, one was cleaning up the afterbirth from a accidental home delivery, she is still my customer. One of the most disturbing, I had an eighty year old man call me to clean a blood stain. I was in the neighborhood and was able to stop by immediately. He had been assaulted in his underground parkade by 2 thugs, who beat him over the head with iron bar. When I got there, he was sitting in the kitchen because he didn't want to bleed on the rug anymore. He was so confused, he called the carpet cleaner before calling the police. I called an ambulance for him and waited for the police to show. They caught the 2 young drug addicts. They got his wallet with less than $50 in it.

 

[Mikey P]

I don't know why the first guy was feeling so embarrassed, I have no problem shitting all over you.....

 

[Mikey P]

Well, in 30 more minutes my hot tub will be up to 104 degrees

I sure hope I don't take a doodie in it

 

[hogjowl]

Well, in 30 more minutes my hot tub will be up to 104 degrees

I sure hope I don't take a doodie in it

If the blood rushes from your head, your body will explode

 

[Mikey P]

Bawb asked for some newdie pics with well placed foam lumps.



Watch your PM's...

 

[Desk Jockey]

Yum, fecal stew!

 

[Mikey P]

Back to the original topic I've cleaned up countless elderly poop diarrhea and vomit stains I think you'd all be really impressed with a decorum in which I handle these situations

 

[Cleanworks]

Back to the original topic I've cleaned up countless elderly poop diarrhea and vomit stains I think you'd all be really impressed with a decorum in which I handle these situations

Yup, walks in and first thing he say, Holy Shit.

 

[hogjowl]

I wouldn’t be surprised at all .

I’ve always figured we were the only folks you treat like s#|t

 

[rwcarpet]

I don't know why the first guy was feeling so embarrassed, I have no problem shitting all over you.....

This page needed a laughing my ass off imogee.

 

[rwcarpet]

Back to the original topic I've cleaned up countless elderly poop diarrhea and vomit stains I think you'd all be really impressed with a decorum in which I handle these situations

Speaking of poop.....tell the troops.....the new troops about your breaking and entering a custys house to poop. Its like an old war story.

 

[bob vawter]

Over the past week, I’ve had two elderly customers call me (embarrassed) to come cleaned an “accident” they’ve had in their carpet. One was a long term customer who I’ve done business with for 30 years. He owns rental property and a gas/full service station. I’ve had an account with him since 1979. His wife called me because he’d fallen in the night and had diarrhea and blood from hitting his head. When I got there, he was in another room and I heard him ask his wife who came. I assume he was embarrassed and wanted me there and not Brady. (Or the other way around.)

Of course, I cleaned it all up without commenting about it and I’ll never bring it up to him, but he’ll probably be embarrassed every time he sees me.

The second was an elderly woman who lives with her daughter. I’ve never met her, and her daughter is an on again/off again customer. I never saw the lady, but the daughter was annoyed with her Mother because “she didn’t try to make it to the bathroom”! Pissed me off. The poor woman couldn’t help it.

What’s my point?

I don’t know. I guess I’m proud the first one felt close enough to me to call and the second one should have been kicked!

Which one do you think I billed?

no the question is: which one did you double bill...........?

 

[steve_64]

I've been through this a lot. What sucks is when they start telling you goodbye. I've probably had 5 or 6 over the years I've cleaned up after that told me it would be the last time they called me with tears in their eyes.
It just happened again recently and made me realize I should handle it different. I've always played it off saying I will see them next time. But i think from now on I'll try and be more sympathetic and spend more time with thrm instead of just trying to get out of there.

 

[FB7777]

When you've been in this business for 3 decades you observe customers going through different stages of life

One guy in particular went out hard.... cancer and dementia

Last year of his life I serviced his home 5-6 times for accidents

The last call was to remove blood

It wasn't his , it was from his wife's nose and lip

Watched his warrior wife, who was also elderly, care for him until he became violent and she had to place him in a home.

Never wanted to charge them but the wife absolutely insisted

First service was 1989 , he was in his late 40's energetic as hell , an architect that always had a home project going

This business sometimes brings you into some people's lives where most of their closest friends aren't invited

As each year passes, I find myself attending and sending more condolence cards to customers

 

[Jim Pemberton]

We are privileged to be trusted in our customers' homes, and at times like we're talking about, helping them through deeply embarrassing experiences. Its a rare chance we're given to show compassion and respect to people who didn't choose to have this happen to them.

All of us can only hope others will be as kind to us when our time comes, as it surely will.

Thanks for sharing this Marty.

 

[Desk Jockey]

As each year passes, I find myself attending and sending more condolence cards to customers

Thanks a lot!

I can't use "Soulless" anymore.
Oh well, thankfully "Piece of sh*t" still works.

 

[FB7777]

Would it help regain my status if I told you I enclose any outstanding invoices with the condolence card?

 

[Desk Jockey]

Don't take this the wrong way but "I love you man".

 

[Nomad74]

Sounds like quite the day. It was better than mine. You guys would not believe the issues a “Professional Renter” is giving me and the PM. It’s a bird nest. I would rather deal with poop.

 

[FB7777]

Back at ya

Merry Christmas Richard!

 

[FB7777]

Sounds like quite the day. It was better than mine. You guys would not believe the issues a “Professional Renter” is giving me and the PM. It’s a bird nest. I would rather deal with poop.

Don't sweat it

Part of the property management gig

As long as you ain't being sued or accused it's just a tweaking resolution

 

[Nomad74]

Don't sweat it

Part of the property management gig

As long as you ain't being sued or accused it's just a tweaking resolution

Get this. She called another cleaner in my town to ask about my methods. She told him that she had cleaned the room a week prior with a Rug Dr. She said she went over the carpet 9 times! No wonder why it smelled so bad and I could not find any urine with my blacklight. She smeared it all around.

Yeah. I’ve been up all night stressing about this.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Don't sweat it

Part of the property management gig

As long as you ain't being sued or accused it's just a tweaking resolution

Much of my day to today is dealing with my tasks as a landlord. Dealing with renters is a lesson in understanding some of the least desirable parts of humanity, while attempting to hold onto your own.

As long as you ain't being sued or accused it's just a tweaking resolution

No truer words .....

 

[FB7777]

It gets back to one of our many conversations Jim ( if you numb nuts aren't doing business with Pemberton simply for the free sage advice only then you're idiots)

Early on in my Jan San days I hated the people part of it ... mostly employees

I decided early on I wanted a lot of soldiers out there earning money for me,

So I invested , dollars in large amounts worknday and night for you

They don't talk back or fook with you

But people suck

 

[Jim Pemberton]

This reminds me of something that happened about 15 years ago.

An elderly gentleman was having a difficult time understanding the self service gas pump. The female (its the kindest thing I'll call her) at the counter was shouting instructions to him over the loudspeaker, and he was only becoming more confused. I came over, told him that these things are impossible for me too, but that my daughter taught me how to do it, then I handled the payment process and pumped his gas.

I went inside later and the "female", perhaps thinking I would sympathize with her, decided to comment on "old people shouldn't go out if they can't handle things today".

I went into full Fred Boyle mode and told her that, considering his age, he went through the Great Depression, likely fought in WWII, and probably worked in the mines or a steel mill, all experiences someone like her couldn't comprehend, yet alone survive.

I then told her that I hope she gets treated better by the world in 2050 than she treated him.

I dont think she liked me very much after that.....

Yes, clean up poop and whatever else the elderly need from us. They are, as a whole, better people than our generation is, or any generation after us will ever be.

 

[hogjowl]

Amen