new home owner upset

[Clean Response]

I clean this house the customer sold, it cleaned up good for white carpeting with 4 big dogs it was a night and day difference. The new owner calls me up (not the customer that paid me) today about a week after we clean saying he cleaned it with his Bissell and was discussed with the water they pulled out. He also is complaining that the house smells like dog.

He goes on asking if I am a pro why I don’t stand behind my work and this and that. I try explaining to him that is an old scam that the water will always look bad and I doubt anther cleaning would really fix the dog smell.

What do you tell him?
What do you do?



I told him I would redo one room and see if it makes any difference. Is this a mistake?

 

[Lee Stockwell]

He's not your customer.

He bought the house knowing the condition.

Then he soaks it with a chickens#^+ machine BEFORE calling you.

He KNEW the house smelled like DOG...he bought it anyway...and now HE made it worse.

NOT your problem.

 

[Art Kelley]

I try explaining to him that is an old scam that the water will always look bad and I doubt anther cleaning would really fix the dog smell.

What do you tell him?
What do you do?



?

Don't be so negative about it. If it smells, it smells. I would set up an appointment and spray down Quat A Lot or Pet Zone, or whatever you like for such a situation. Try to be a problem solver. You will learn something from this experience and the customer will be appeased (he's not technically your customer but you don't want to be a shitweasel about it).

 

[Clean Response]

Not to be negative but more realistic; I doubt spraying or re-cleaning it will do anything the carpet were neglected for several years and I am suppose to make up for it in one cleaning. 4 large dogs in one house it is going to make it smell like dog that just that and I wrong about it or would spraying it with Pet Zone work. I also hate to spend the money when they did not pay me to fix any smell issues.

I tired telling the home owner that 4 large dogs in one home it is going to smell. He says he has had pet and none of his home have smelled.

He wants me to re-clean the entire house. As I mentioned I told him I would do one room and see if it makes a difference. I think I am just asking for problems.

I just am worried about bad reviews/thoughts about my company.

 

[Bruce Humphrey]

He's not your customer.

He bought the house knowing the condition.

Then he soaks it with a chickens#^+ machine BEFORE calling you.

He KNEW the house smelled like DOG...he bought it anyway...and now HE made it worse.

NOT your problem.

I second what Lee says, I would not let this guy make it your problem after he tried cleaning it with a bissell. Tell him what your price is and you would be glad to come out a clean it for him.

 

[Art Kelley]

Life is both good and bad. We can't control most things going on and what other people do, but we can always act in the best possible manner. This is one situation you can improve if you so desire. As Lee said, you are under no obligation to do so. The choice is yours.

 

[John Olson]

As Bruce said offer him a discount on your regular rate. With dog hair and oil use Prochem Power Burst to break it up and scrub with a counter rotating machine like the pro caps or brush pro. This will pull he dog hair out that you and will never ever get with a wand. Then spray everything with odorcide. Do this and I will pay to re-clean it myself if it still smells.

 

[jcooper]

He's not your customer.

If he would like to become a custy then great. How does he know the homeowner didn't tell you to do the cheapest job possible?

 

[Royal Man]

I would just go back and clean it again for free. If you just cleaned it. Then it shouldn't be that big of a deal. Not worth getting your panties in a bunch.

 

[Jimmy L]

I agree with Lee.
He wasn't the one that paid you.

He knew what he had by knowing the previous owner had dogs.

HE had the "walk thru" before he closed on the house.

Bissel owner= Loser cheap skate.

He would NOT be a good long term client and in fact he would never call you back again anyway.

Refer him to some lowball coupon HACK on Living social/Groupon or Craigslist.

 

[Jay_wat]

In your invoice, did you state the pre-existing problems? Offer the previous home owner prices to attempt to remedy them? Even go so far as to have the customer write "declined service" and initial next to them. Just some steps to CYA in situations like this.

Like others have said,, I'd look for a way to attempt to remedy the issues for a fee of course,,hopefully gain a new customer in the process. If they don't go for that, walk, you can't please everyone.

 

[FredC]

I'm not as nice as some of these f'rs. Your contract was with your original customer. You seem to have satisfied him/her. The new owner is saying he isn't happy with the previous owner/ their "values"

don't see that as your problem...AND I MOST CERTAINLY WOULDN'T GO OUT OF MY WAY TO MAKE IT MY PROBLEM.....even if I thought it "improved me" ...

 

[Chris A]

At least go back and look at it, try to appease the guy. If he's an asshole he's still gonna be an asshole after you re-clean it but at least you and him know you did all you can do.

 

[Steve Lawrence]

I understand Brad's concern about getting a bad review even though the complainer was not the customer. You don't want to piss anyone off anymore because anyone can give you any kind of review whether they've used your service or not. Having 4 big dogs shedding and getting body oils and possibly a urine accident here and there will make some carpets smell no matter what you do especially if this has gone on for years without cleaning. I'm not sure what I'd do beyond giving this guy a thorough explanation of your limitations on such a job--as you likely explained to your customer. But, I'd avoid pissing him off if at all possible.

 

[CrazyRay]

I agree with Art. Stay positive. Your potential repeat customer has moved away. Now you have an opportunity to gain a new customer. When you agree to come back and redo a room to see what happens you are basically saying I'm not confident in the work I've already done. You did what you were paid to do, but "I would be glad to come back and give an estimate on what you would like to have done." Give him an estimate. Be sure to set expectations, what can be done, what can't be done, etc. People appreciate attitude and effort more than anything else.

 

[dealtimeman]

Ray, I disagree, he provided both terms and expectations to his customer not his customers- customer. I don't believe anything good will come out of it if he goes back to the house and it is as he describes. The house needs new pad in all carpeted areas and probably need the concrete slab to be cleaned.

 

[SamIam]

I would say we performed service X for the client You bought the house from.

They had me surface sanitize and and deep clean for $X what ever you charged.

I never promised them it would be odor free carpet upon completion only I would do the best I could for what they were paying me for.

We do offer a pad replacement, sealing the subfloor, and treating the top and back of the carpet. That service runs $15.00 per yard.

As a courtesy we can come out and respray a pet treatment at no charge, but thats all we can do...

use kill odor plus, odorcide, or quatalot

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Steve Lawrence]

So Brad, do you have an update?

 

[GCCLee]

Odorcide

 

[bob vawter]

Chris...ya GOTTA run....
not walk, from that job.......

do i gotta tell you everything?

 

[Connor]

Bissell machines are notoriously funky. And if the guy who paid you was satisfied, then the contract is fulfilled.


I'm a jerk.

 

[rhino1]

I wouldn't do anything, the person who bought the house is probably just going to cause you grief if you go back there. You satisfied the customer who owned the house when you cleaned it, your job is done. If the new homeowner leaves a negative review, it is easy enough to explain that you never cleaned for the guy. I am all for trying to please people, but I think the guy is trying to get a free ride.

 

[Clean Response]

I met up with the guy and full filled my offer to re-clean one room for free to see it made a difference. After talking/arguing and half way walking off the job he settled down a bit and says the main reason he wants it re-cleaned it more for peace of mind. He says he is willing to pay me to re-clean but would like a discount of some sort. I really don't want to deal with him at all. You can just tell the trouble makers and he seemed like it from the start. I am still trying to decide if I should work with him or not. I am just worried about bad reviews, and he is threatening to get me black listed with the military which I doubt he can even do.

 

[Chris A]

whenever someone threatens me I immediately go into **** you mode, however you may not wanna take my advice...

 

[Zee]

I met up with the guy and full filled my offer to re-clean one room for free to see it made a difference. After talking/arguing and half way walking off the job he settled down a bit and says the main reason he wants it re-cleaned it more for peace of mind. He says he is willing to pay me to re-clean but would like a discount of some sort. I really don't want to deal with him at all. You can just tell the trouble makers and he seemed like it from the start. I am still trying to decide if I should work with him or not. I am just worried about bad reviews, and he is threatening to get me black listed with the military which I doubt he can even do.

B S!

One guy can not get you "black listed" with the military....heck even on base personnel won't know what's going on in one part of the base in a building....and what's going on in another part. I have done a lot of work on base at Miramar, Coronado island, Camp Pendleton and there is no way that some yahoo could stop you from working on base or for off base cleaning for military persons.

I would absolutely walk from this job and clearly explain on the way out in nice words that him threatening, would not get the job done quicker and I would also let him know that I'm friendly with a whole bunch of carpet cleaners in town and none of them will work with him after I put word out about him.

Colo springs is not that big and I'm sure you know a bunch of locals in the cleaning business. Call them and call some of the Castle Rock guys and heck even Parker and Aurora. I had a house in South Aurora for a few years I know the area well.

 

[Goomer]

To NOT work with him now, for whatever your reasons may be, whether valid or not, will no doubt be percieved as "another" slap in the face to someone with a character such as his.
As painfull as it may be, a hearty attemp to appease him will most likely have the best chance of a possitive outcome, and your best chance of getting rid of him and putting the situation to rest.
A guy like this will not forget about you.
Whatever decision you make, make it in the best interest of your business, not based on your emotions.
If you do reclean, no reason he won't be satisfied if he is properly educated on the issue, and clear expectation are set.

 

[FredC]

T no reason he won't be satisfied if he is properly educated on the issue, and clear expectation are set.

not so sure........

 

[bob vawter]

if you reclean that carpet ....
you will be SO sorry!

 

[FredC]

The military thing is BS...and ANYWHERE he could leave a review that MATTERS you will be able to leave a well formulated rebuttal....which if properly in cases like this, may as well be a 5 star review.

You f'd up going back imo

 

[Goomer]

ANYWHERE he could leave a review that MATTERS you will be able to leave a well formulated rebuttal....which if properly in cases like this, may as well be a 5 star review.

Maybe so, but something like that would really irk the sheit out of me, and I would beat myself up into believing it could have possibly been avoided if handled differently.
Sheit like that burns me up, and keeps me up at night.

Not going back at all is one thing.
Blowing him off now after you did go back is another.

Good luck with this one.
Tough call either way.