Has this ever happened to you

[daniel@procarpet]

I get a call from a guy this morning that says he needs three rooms and hallway empty house cleaned. I ask him how soon he needs it done and he says right away. He asks me if I have the big machine that stays outside. I say I do. I had a job in the area and told him I would work him in. He then gives me the address and says make sure you are on the west side not the east side etc. On my way to the job something struck me as odd with this guy. Then it all came back to me. I did a job on that street about 6 years ago and the guy called the cops on me for charging him 79 dollars to clean his carpet. I told him 49 dollars to shampoo his carpet and 15 for each additional area. He had three rooms a hallway and one of the rooms was about 450 ft so I charged him for 5 areas total. This guy flipped. I had my baby sister with me at the time too. Anyways he files a complaint with the bbb which they sided with me, but the complaint was on my record for three years. I arrive at the house and it is the same one. I inspect the carpet and tell the guy 125 to do the job. He comments that sure is a nice truck you have. I bet it will get the job done right. The guy here this morining had a rug doctor. I replied. "Yes it does a pretty good job, much better than the last time I was here and you called the cops on me. You do realize that the complaint was on my record for three years. Well I am already here so I will do the job for you just don't file a complaint or call the cops this time." The guy was totally shocked he fooked up and called me. At the end of the job he said the carpets looked better than they had ever looked and he was happy with the job. It just made me realize how far I have come in this business. In all honesty I wanted to soak this guys carpet with stripper and call it clean, but I know better than that.

 

[Charlie Lyman]

I had a guy gripe and complain the whole time I was there doing his carpet. At the end of the job he asked if I had insurance. I put him on my do not do again list. Got a call from the same guy and not knowing it was him booked him for another house. When I got there he told me I did the best job he as ever seen. Weird.

 

[Fred Homan]

I would have said...I remember you from the last time!!!
I would have walked away....Why the hell would you have done any work for an a$$hole like that?

 

[Joel D]

wow, good story

no, never had anything remotely like that happen

I say well done. You made your money and possible cheerleader.

 

[Brian R]

If it only happens to you once or twice, chances are it's the customer that is F'ed in the head.

I took a guy off the books the other day because he was complaining before we did the job. It was house cleaning and carpet cleaning and he was telling me how he could do it for way less and all that.
I finally said, "well, I don't feel comfortable cleaning for you now because of our conversation." He seemed surprised.

When you have been doing carpet cleaning for a while...you just know when to say no.
That guy would have been a problem no matter how good or bad we cleaned.
Not worth the problems.

 

[joe harper]

Sometimes you just have to FIRE the cleint.... :shock:

A couple of months ago...I spent 45 min. on the phone with a lady concerning the cleaning
of her Oriental rug. She was VERY pickey..! She tried to nail me down to a price...I told
her we would have to inspect it to give her a price.

She brought up several times....that her rug was appraised at 25K...When my son gets to
her home. She DEMANDS to see proof of our insurance....!!! She had her aprasial "In HAND"
My son is explaining to her that the rug CANNOT be cleaned in house...Due to the animal URINE...Well she goes BaLiStIc...when he mentions that there is urine present in the rug...

He goes out to the truck..and calls me. He says to me "There is NO way we should attempt
to clean this ladies rug. He thinks she is trying to sue ... any cleaner that touches this rug..!

So, I call the lady...I tell her that we cannot guarantee the urine damage...and feel she should
call another company.. "She goes off on me.." Your ad says you guarentee your work...And
you give a free WRITTEN estimate..." So she DEMANDS a WRITTEN ESTIMATE...I say FINE..

I call my son and tell him to write her an estimate...We gave her this ESTIMATE....!!!!

Clean & Protect 1... 9x12 wool rug + urine treatment = $25,000.00
If customer is 50% satisified = $12,500.00
If customer signs "Holds Harmless" document = $7500.00

ALL SERVICES ARE TO BE PRE-PAID....."CASH"

She hasn't BOOKED YET... :shock:

 

[Scott S.]

daniel,,

i cant believe you cleaned that guys carpet. i would have gotten there, confronted him and told him how he called the cop last time and that i wouldn't be doing it.. i dont trust people like that..

 

[KevinL]

I would have kicked him in the nuts. Then dumped my waste water on his head.