How would you deal with . . . .

[SMRBAP]

a custy who insists your cleaning is causing her eye's to have near swollen shut, sneezing, headache, etc - and is complaining about a chemical smell.

Basic steam clean on 3 rooms, no pre-spray used, no stain chems used, just a wand clean that was protected afterwards. Was dry as per her in 3-4 hrs.

I have sent 2 techs there, as per them, not even the slightest detectable odor.

She is claiming a citrus smell - even with nose to the carpet it isn't "citrusy".

Lady has a hospital bed in her bedroom - and seems nutty as squirrel def.

I have basically told her I am willing to work with her to help fix a situation that we do not know the cause of. Explained our process, how dilute the cleaning agents are by the time they actually come out of the wand, yada yada.

I have offered to do two things - A) perform an air quality test, look for allergens, as well as VOC's. If at the end it's determined to be our doing - we pay those costs, fix the issue. If it's determined not to be our doing, she pays the costs.

Or B) that if she wanted just a re clean less any cleaning agents - we would offer a rinse of the areas cleaned, but without knowing the exact source - in turn potentially aggravating the situation, she'd have to sign a claims waiver for us to to anything without the testing.

Been in 25,000 homes, have never had this issue before, and I have worked for hypersensitive custy's - both to allergens, and smell sensitive - BUT they let us know from go. . . . .

 

[Jamesh921]

Sounds like she is a first time custy and is looking to sue you for some shopping money.

Your offers are reasonable. If she refuses your offers, get your lawyer involved immediately - you may be in for a court battle. This lady sounds like a pill. I hope I'm wrong and this all goes away. Good luck.

 

[tmdry]

I had the same situation happened to me last year. It's hard to make those happy even if you do and explain everything in your power.

How old is this lady?

 

[Goomer]

Place pillow over face and hold until problem is resolved.

 

[Bee Busy]

first thing is go there in person and find out what's really going on. sounds like a typical sensitive situation where you have to do a lotta explaining about your cleaning process and chemicals..

 

[Dolly Llama]

I have sent 2 techs there, as per them, not even the slightest detectable odor.

forgive me, but something as potentially as serious as this... seems a personal "face to face" visit and inspection would be in order




first, I'm not going to ASSume the Old Bird is coo-coo or is trying to run a con.
It could very well be one or the other, it could very well be legitimate .
It's even possible you're cleaning had nothing or everything to do with it


now some random thoughts


do you use citrus cleaners?
what's the juice you're injecting into the carpet thru the wand???
Top brand emulsifier or backyard bath tub gin?
The protectant ??

"maybe" she is sensitive to something you introduced

"maybe" there was something about the carpet and moisture was the catalyst to cause a reaction.
We don't know what falls into carpets over the years

and maybe, it was just an unfortunate coincidence that she an allergic reaction to something else completely unrelated to anything you did



But think I'd go see her for sure an ask what "she" would like you to do to remedy the situation.
Then go from there.

BTW, has the condition cleared up for her???
"maybe" she just wants you be aware she "had" a reaction to your juice and little more

you won't know til you talk "face to face" with lady



..L.T.A.

 

[ruff]

Larry is absolutely right.
Before you get all in battle mode, go there.

When I had issues with clients I asked them what will make them happy.
Most times what they asked for was a lot less than what I was willing to offer.
99.9% of clients are very reasonable. They want to be heard and their complaints acknowledged. Doing that alone will solve most problems.

However, if you go there already persuaded that she is either coo-coo or trying to take advantage of you, it is going to be reflected in your behavior and make the problem possibly worse.

Go there with an open mind and a true wish to take care of it and most likely you will.

 

[GCP]

i wouldn't, if you have insurance you should be fine. either way i would just lawyer up.


p.s. and that is off course after you have done all you can to please her or satisfy @ that point it's out of your hands.

time to protect yourself.

 

[truckmount girl]

Also realize that with media hype on chemicals a lot of people are paranoid about what chemicals are used in their homes and any thing that goes wrong in the days following cleaning will often get blamed on the cleaning. Also, psychological odors are an all too common phenomenon. When people think or fear there are chemicals, they will smell them even if there is no odor.

I do think you should do a personal inspection, offer the testing correct anything that might be a problem and if she still has issues, refund her money and cross her off your client list. A few clients are just not worth it....

Take care,
Lisa

 

[renegade_cowboy]

Another matter you should bring up regarding IAQ.. Is the house venting system. The venting system is like the lungs of the house.. what it breathes you breathe.

In front of her, look into the venting system and start asking when they were last cleaned. Its a fact that, that is one of the main resons for low indoor air quality. If it is a bogus case, then this will help draw out the fraud.

I personally in 13 years have never had a customer like this.. but I did have a customer want just a clear water rinse, while she proceeded to pre-treat the carpet in front of me.. With 2 gallons of the cheap ass vodka.

Some people are nuts.

But check into the venting system. Its most likely a psychological issue regarding the cleaning.

 

[SMRBAP]

Thanks everyone. This happened on a Friday, got the call yesterday, I pulled the work order, checked the TM to make sure the chem dilution was functioning properly, met with the tech that performed the work, met with the manager that was sent, spoke with the girl that booked the job - so I'd have as much info from the gate as possible. Tried calling, got no response, sent them an e-mail. Tech said the lady isn't anywhere near sane, which is why I took the approach I did initially. My thoughts, by giving her an option to scientifically see what's in her air she might be reacting to - if she refuses the option and wants to go to court, she shot her own case down by not having IAQ tests performed. She'd be suing me for causing a problem she has no hard evidence to prove, and furthermore refused to investigate.

I also made it a strong point I want to help solve the issue - it just has to be done the right way and not by guessing.

I have not had a chance to go in person yet, because I couldn't get them on the phone, and just showing up without setting a time with them wasn't an option.

CTI Liqua Pro, and CTI Stain Guardian - no home brewed stuff here. Same chems for 8 years now.

@ Lisa - We do fire resty as well, so I know phantom smells very well, it's pretty common and very hard to deal with - there is no set way to handle that issue, no matter how nicely and gingerly you approach that situation, most take it as being called crazy. I won't service her again if she offers 500% of my normal rates. I have a no-service list with about 1500 custy's on it, (almost all for standing us up on their appointment) she'll be one more on that list.

I guess what I was really meaning to ask was has anyone ever had this happen, found they caused a problem, what caused it/why, and how did they correct.

I never assume I know it all, nor that with our protocol bad things can't happen. But I don't think that's the case here.

 

[Dolly Llama]

Another matter you should bring up regarding IAQ.. Is the house venting system. The venting system is like the lungs of the house.. what it breathes you breathe.

In front of her, look into the venting system and start asking when they were last cleaned. Its a fact that, that is one of the main resons for low indoor air quality. If it is a bogus case, then this will help draw out the fraud.

don't be a knucklehEd all your life, Brent.
That's for the lawyers, and qualified test techs ..."IF" it gets to that.
No need at this point to snooping around vents and make implications to the contrary of what she thinks..real or imagined


some points that very important;

no one knows yet what "she" wants.
It seems no one has thought to ask her yet either.
The tech missed it, the middle mngr missed it as well as anyone in the office

Instead, she was told what they could do for her.
Nothing wrong with that, but they took the perception of control away from her.. to use Steve T's phrase.
I call it something different, but in this particular situation, it's a benign manipulation tactic to achieve a satisfactory conclusion for all parties .

Path of easiest resistance ....

I guess what I was really meaning to ask was has anyone ever had this happen, found they caused a problem.

Fortunately , no.
But have been in position that it could of been potentially litigious



IMO, what "needs" to be done before any good decisions came be made , is ask her what "she" wants.

It just might be less than what you were prepared to offer

If she doesn't get back to you, forget about it.
It's possible she's just an unhappy, unhealthy crank...but not litigious and you'll never hear from her again



..L.T.A.

 

[ruff]

i wouldn't, if you have insurance you should be fine. either way i would just lawyer up.


p.s. and that is off course after you have done all you can to please her or satisfy @ that point it's out of your hands.

time to protect yourself.

Jay,
You should change the name of your company to 'Combat Green.'
Is the Green part of your company's name actually in reference to the green berets?

 

[davegillfishing]

just supply her with msds sheets for everything used in her home..i have
done that more than once tell her to call if she has any questions..if
you are using safe products that seems to chill the money chasers
down when they know you are safe and can prove it..

 

[truckmount girl]

Any time anyone had any issues with odors, residue, etc. real or imagined, I normally came out and did a quick fresh water rinse and they were happy. I had one old lady who was always sure I had caused color loss on her carpet. She would call me back and I would vacuum for her and she was happy.....go figure....

Take care,
Lisa

 

[SMRBAP]

@ Larry, I don't want my techs to handle these situations, just help me get as much data as possible. I can't give a custy in a situation like this what they want when what they want could put me in a worse situation - totally different situation than someone not satisfied with someone I guess is what I'm getting at, what she wants could cause a bigger problem.

Her desire is for us to fix the problem - a problem we don't know the cause of - what she wants is impossible unless she agrees to work with me to find the problem, which I'm only forking the money to do if it's found to be our fault - not unfair - least I think it's fair.

@ Lisa, I could very well go in there and do a fresh water rinse - the other end of that sword is sharp too - just saying "what if" - what if there is a mold/fungal issue somewhere here - I could possibly be giving that another drink. Or if she has used her own home brew of chems that is off-gassing something, again I could make that worse.

It's why I'm adamant about finding the problem then determining the plan to fix - and not just appeasing someone for the moment.

Maybe I'll give CTI a call tomorrow and ask them a bit more about those two products too.

 

[Bee Busy]

just go face her in person with your MSDS sheets and explain, like Brent said...probably her ducts or she has window issues....u can download them from Pro Choice's site or call Todd....don't mean to sound like a dick but if this is the first time this has happened in 25,000 jobs....u have to be the luckiest rug sucker I've ever heard of shiteatinggrin

 

[renegade_cowboy]

I am having a hard time understanding things. You originally stated you used no chems on the original cleaning.. only protector.

But then you said you would go back not using any chems and then you explained how dulited you chems are when they come out of the wand.. So was there chems used?

And yes Larry dirty vents do play a huge factor in IAQ.. Sounds like she is having an allergic reaction (if true or not) and the vents circulate bio pollutants within the house. So discussing the venting system is nothing out of the ordinary. I discuss it almost every job.. I talk about indoor air quality and so on. Its educating the customer.. and this one probably is overdue for a cleaning. Now if YOU have no experience in air duct cleaning then sure.. why bring it up.

Just go out there and talk to her, maybe she just wants to feel like her "issues" were addressed. But seriously if she is on a hospital bed and have reactions like that.. help her by checking to see if her vents need to be cleaned.

 

[glenboy]

HAD THE SAME PROB WITH A VERY OLD CUSTY,HER FAMILY CALLED ME ASKIN FOR msds SHEETS.they took her to the hosp and called me the next morn and said the doc told them it was from her vac n...airborn dust and allergies