How do you professionally fire a client??

[Able 1]

SO... I cleaned for one of my repeats that I no longer want to service.. Big PITA that thinks her time is golden and mine is shit.. I really want to keep everything on a professional level, but I never want to even see her again.. I think ignoring her calls isn't very professional so what do I do? Her house is like a million dollars and how she pinches pennies I can see how see lives there.

What do you tell them when you have had enough?

 

[joeynbgky]

Next time she calls........say........ we no longer provide that service and refer
Or say your booked for a month but u can refer her to someone else

Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Tapatalk

 

[Jim Martin]

I got a handful that I refuse to go back to...as soon as I am done I tell Tia to red flag them and never send me back....when they call....we never have a opening...

 

[carpetcleaner]

I handle it the same as Jim. I just tell my wife that if she books them, she will clean them. We don't ever seem to have a spot for them.

 

[Nate The Great]

Simply just say, take a long walk off a short pier... Or charge "A" tax... A$$hole tax... !gotcha!

 

[rhyde]

Or raise your price to the custy enough that in the event they still want the work done it's worth it to you.

Depends on how "professional" the customer is?

Had a obnoxious old lady make me come to her house last fall so she could hammer me on cleaning price for her piss soaked rug.
she asked me to think about my price and call her back cuz she really only wanted to spend 100 bucks on cleaning her 9x12 rug :shock:

I'm still thinking about it.

This is the front of her house it screams fun doesn't it!

 

[Derek]

there's a supplier who can give you a lot of good ideas :mrgreen:

 

[handdi]

20 percent of our customers take up 80 percent of our time????

 

[dgargan]

That was funny Derek .

 

[Jim Martin]

there's a supplier who can give you a lot of good ideas :mrgreen:

Yea....just go...?z??? ???s ??q....and refuse to service them because you didn't like the way they said "Good Morning"

 

[renegade_cowboy]

SO... I cleaned for one of my repeats that I no longer want to service.. Big PITA that thinks her time is golden and mine is shit.. I really want to keep everything on a professional level, but I never want to even see her again.. I think ignoring her calls isn't very professional so what do I do? Her house is like a million dollars and how she pinches pennies I can see how see lives there.

What do you tell them when you have had enough?

Talk to her professionally about the issues you are having with the job. I don't see why you need to beat around the bush by creating lies or ignoring her. Just take charge of the situation and don't be pushed around by her its really that simple.. I feel bad for her husband, she probably treats him like shit.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I agree with Brent just tell her you've not come out well in the past when working for her and you can no longer afford to do her work.

If she wants you to clean for her it must be at an increased rate, there's no give in the price.

(that's if you want to do the work)

People can be cheap and expect a lot for little cost to them. We have an attorney we do some work for, he had a water loss in his home last year. $1,200.00 job nothing too big, some foundation issues. It was wet again a few weeks ago, he calls several days after a week of rain and wants us to pick up "a rug".

This rug was an L shaped family room, they hired some one to tear the pad out wanted us to bring the ball of wet carpet up from the basement (it needed 4-men), bring it in plant to dry it, clean it and deliver it back for a $200.00-$300.00. :shock:

We estimated it and it was just over $1200.00 to do it the way they wanted. Problem was their guys had already mangled the edges and split some seams. Pretty much ruined the carpet trying to save a few bucks.

We could have dried it in place just as before, saved the pad and dried the lower walls as a side benefit, had they just called us as they had the year before. :roll:

 

[Greg Cole]

SO... I cleaned for one of my repeats that I no longer want to service.. Big PITA that thinks her time is golden and mine is shit.. I really want to keep everything on a professional level, but I never want to even see her again.. I think ignoring her calls isn't very professional so what do I do? Her house is like a million dollars and how she pinches pennies I can see how see lives there.

What do you tell them when you have had enough?

If and when she calls you inform her that you really appreciate her using your company for all these years but regretably it's just not profitable for you to continue to service her home any more. Provide her with the names and number of a couple of other credible cleaners you believe would be a good fit for her

 

[Gary Taylor]

If she has given you referrals be professional. If she has not...............just don't bother. They wouldn't bother with you if they wanted to "fire" you.

 

[truckmount girl]

I would raise the price to a level that if she agrees will be worth your time and patience. If she doesn't bite, then refer her to other reputable area cleaners. make sure you note the price you quoted her in your files so if she calls back in a year or two, you will remember.

Take care,
Lisa

 

[daniel@procarpet]

SO... I cleaned for one of my repeats that I no longer want to service.. Big PITA that thinks her time is golden and mine is shit.. I really want to keep everything on a professional level, but I never want to even see her again.. I think ignoring her calls isn't very professional so what do I do? Her house is like a million dollars and how she pinches pennies I can see how see lives there.

What do you tell them when you have had enough?

This is so easy buddy. Next time she calls do an estimate and explain your prices have gone up. Just charge her double or triple your price. Chances are she will pay what you want and then she will be one of your favorites. If not then she can call someone else.

 

[CleanEvo]

"lose my number" works for me

 

[Ross Buettner]

Ma'am. I am in business to make money. In some cases I feel there's some grey area, but in your case this is a complete loss. I can not, and will not sacrifice my time that puts food on my family's table for your business. Thanks for calling.

Done.

 

[Jim Martin]

How many times have you cussed your self out because you raised your price..not wanting to deal with a nut ball and they went for it anyway..??

and then there are people out there that no matter how high you raise the price....you just couldn't get paid enough to deal with them....

saying your booked out is the best bet....that leaves no stone uncovered.....

 

[Art Kelley]

This is all good advice above. I agree with Greg and Lisa and Richard in how to talk professionally to them. Lie like Michael Corleone. Tell them it's not personal, it's just business. My exact words in the few instaces I cannot tolerate the thought of dealing with someone again: "It's not economical for me to do this job". Excuse my syntax, but they eventually get the message.

 

[Derek]

the only problem with turning her over to another reputable cleaner, is will that dude thank you or curse you?

i'd let her find her own new contractor...unless you don't like your area CC'ers

 

[Jack May]

I'm with Brent on this...

Man up and talk to her. Do it now, do it later wehn she calls, whatever, but don't let any emotion come into it. Never do it as you're leaving the job.

I've done it a few times, I normally tell then that despite my attempts at providing a serive that is not only the best we can do, but also at a vlaue that our clients appreciate, we realise that some people will always want a higher level of service or have higher expectations than we are able to achieve/deliver. I then state simply, not in an accusational manner, that over the last x times we've worked for you, you have felt we didn't do a good enough job, our price was too high or whatever they are complaining about.

Gently give them an honest suggestion of another service provider that will better suit their needs. Do this in all honesty, and try and match your referral to her complaint (price/quality/whatever). You may also want to warn them as I have.

Some politely move on, others bitch and move on, and a few, realise they dont get to wear the pants in our contractor/client relationship and really are happy with your service and stay on as loyal clients.

John

 

[boazcan]

I would raise the price to a level that if she agrees will be worth your time and patience. If she doesn't bite, then refer her to other reputable area cleaners. make sure you note the price you quoted her in your files so if she calls back in a year or two, you will remember.

Take care,
Lisa

x2

"Price it until you like it!"

At the right price, she becomes tolerable. You may also realize that by raising your prices you will not lose very many "clients". Let them say no.

Do not refer her to anyone. Let her find her own.

 

[Luis Gomez]

We just did a fire loss last month for a special lady. After the initial walk, common sense told me to walk away but after taking to the second adjuster (it was bumped to mid loss) I babied her for 6 days. She must have cried on the phone 2 or 3 times a day... total invoice around 45k for a weeks work. If they pay your invoice I will stop been a carpet cleaner and play psychologist.
I had to return her rug last week and her painters where there... he told me he painted the
kitchen 8 times with different colors and still did not like the colors of her choice.
Raise your prices to customers that talk for an hour and for crazy people.
Luis

 

[rhino1]

All of you have more class than me. I just put them on the blocked caller list that sends them straight to voicemail. They give up after a while.

 

[Vivers]

We absolutely are booked out for the foreseeable future mrs so & so. If she still goes for it then double your usual prices. We personally would never refer a trouble client to another cleaner. They can find there own. I have in the last also told them that they were treating us unfairly and really just plain be nasty.
I tell them we are here because you called us and we will do everything in our power to do a wonderful job and take great care of you but, if you continue to be nasty and just plain mean we will be happy to leave. I swear most of those usually aplogize and realize they are being nasty probably from some other situation going on. After that they tend to be extra nice.

 

[Jay_wat]

do you have other employee's?? maybe they will get along working with the client?? that way you dont lose a client! if its just you,, have no problem telling them thanks,,but no thanks!

 

[Brian R]

The above answers without emotion seem to be the best.

Just be straight forward without being insulting.

If it isn't worth your time to put up with them... Just say it without the "putting up with them" remark.

 

[Greg Cole]

do you have other employee's?? maybe they will get along working with the client?? that way you dont lose a client! if its just you,, have no problem telling them thanks,,but no thanks!

Hmmmmm thats a good point. Most sucessful business put up with problem customers without banning them.

 

[Brian R]

Customers by definition are a "problem" or should I say "challenge"

Some are just worse than others and only a certain amount of time should be taken to deal with them.

That decision is up to the "problem" solver.