Typical conditions of carpets/warnings/disclaimers needed?

[B&BGaryC]

Benzoil Peroxide or whatever that crap is in acne medicine can bleach the carpet out after you clean it.

Customers using over the counter products/ bad techniques can set spots

untreated water damage can cause a whole host of issues

Sometimes you run into pooling and shading

Certain conditions can lead to fume fading

There is sun fading problems....

Here are a list of condition notes Mr. Cermak put on his invoice for quick reference:

1 Heavily soiled - Ground in Dirt
2 Grease / oily spots or soiling
3 Color spots - Permanent discoloration (soda, juice, cosmetics etc.)
4 Water marks or stainds
5 Stains around baseboards, doors, edges due to soil filtration or insecticides
6 Body oil stains in traffic areas or on furniture
7 Excessive wear- fiber breakdown
8 Pet odor and/ or stains
9 Water damage or mildew due to flooding of any nature
10 Carpet swells or ripples
11 Fiber deterioration, oxidation or sun fading
12 splitting or separation of seams
13 Other:

What else is there? If I were going to print the back of my invoice with a quick reference guide so I could take notes by placing numbers next to the room description or so that I could have general disclaimers about how benzoil peroxide can cause bleaching during the cleaning process or that we do not provide disinfecting or sanitizing services only general deodorizing or whatever you should have in there to save you from liability. Trip and fall hazard warning? Notice to inform the technician of any possible mold problems so that we don't use our fans in that home? Notice about general safety concerns like keeping children and pets away?

Or instead of all that just big giant red letters that say HIRE SOMEBODY ELSE WE COULDN'T FIT ALL THE FINE PRINT ON THE FRONT OF THE FORM?

What are your thoughts?

 

[Royal Man]

Re: Typical conditions of carpets/warnings/disclaimers neede

Your clients must have more time on their hands than mine.

If I did that it would NEVER get read.

K.I.S.S. : Permanent Stains, Excessive Wear, Pet Odors, Heavy Soiling, Shading , Other.

Could be you just have too much time on your own hands?

 

[B&BGaryC]

Re: Typical conditions of carpets/warnings/disclaimers neede

It's not for them to read, it's for me to point to and read to them. Fabric protection warranty details. It's only for documentation. Only there to read if a question arises. How come you didn't clean the smashed down part good enough? "As I explained to you in the estimate and as I noted right here this is a pre-existing condition of damage that cannot be remedied by cleaning. It can be remedied by vacuuming and not buying cheap carpet."

Not in those words, and not in those situations exactly but you get my general idea. If I am going to put the fabric protection warranty and a disclaimer about benzoil peroxide and a quick reference key for common pre-existing conditions why not ad something else too? If I am going to fill a quarter of the page why not put more reference guides on it? How about tips on how to get carpets dry faster? A recipe for banana bread? Something. Nobody is going to read the whole thing ever, but they are going to be told it's there and one or two times a year it might come in handy for me to flip the sheet over and read one of the bullet points to them.

 

[Ken Snow]

Re: Typical conditions of carpets/warnings/disclaimers neede

About 10 years or so ago we stopped having any pre-printed negative things on our workorders. Our feeling is that even having them there creates a negative moment of truth and we prefer to talk about how great we will make things look not how this or that won't come out or look perfect.

Please think very carefully about doing this Gary.
Ken

 

[B&BGaryC]

Re: Typical conditions of carpets/warnings/disclaimers neede

That's kinda what I thought, however I also see how it is a benefit to have things written down and not read instead of having to say them or not saying them and having it bite you.

Has anybody ever read the thing they make you sign when you take your car to walmart for an oil change?

in the middle of a long list of crap:

....Walmart will not be held responsible for things that are out of their control such as natural disasters, fire, flood, employee theft, such and such damage to vehicle, etc.

I already knew it was stupid to have walmart work on my car, but this sealed the deal that no matter how quick they can get me in I will go somewhere else.

 

[Royal Man]

Re: Typical conditions of carpets/warnings/disclaimers neede

Although I may be helpful to have the client sign off on permanent stains or pet problems they didn't want to address so it doesn't come back to bite you.

You don't seem to be aware of the main reason for noting carpet condition issues.

It's a sales tool to make it easier for the techs to sell more protector, deo, rotary scrubbing, red removal etc....

That is why it is usually located predominantly near the top of the invoice on the left hand side.(People read left to right)

It needs to be plain to see and easy figure out as you move the sales along.

At Least this is my experience.(I thought other might find it helpful)

Seems many carpet cleaners forget this is a sales and service business.

 

[B&BGaryC]

Re: Typical conditions of carpets/warnings/disclaimers neede

Thank you. Of course that's what it's there for.

See Dave, you can be helpful if you try.