What do you do if a customer says an employee stole somethin

[joeynbgky]

Ok heres what happened.........

My cleaning girls went to a customers house and cleaned it. The were ten minutes late. After they got finished, my carpet tech went and cleaned there carpet. I met my carpet tech there to give him his new inline filter replacement. So of course i walked the house and spoke withh customer. I appologized for the girls being late and gave her a 20 buck discount. (cause im nice) So then i left. Customer called and said she fell on her laminate floor. (from carpet being wet)... She accused oneof my employees of stealign a bottle of oxicodeine. Said she was calling the cops. So i called first and told them i think she was trying to get out of paying the bill. She then called me back and said she was going to drop it. and just wanted to let me know i had a thief... I called and cancelled cops. My tech said she came in bedroom while he was cleaning and acted funny and took her jewelry box.... lol She called me while he was still there cleaning. she said nothing to him. So the lady gave the girls a 20 buck tip a piece and gave my tech 20 buck tip as well. Even after all this mess. Carpet tech owns half of business, cleaning girls are my sisters. so i know nothign was taken.. but what can you do in this kind of situation?

 

[Guest]

That would be the last time I ever had that person as a customer.

 

[Jeremy]

Call the cops... Have them meet the tech at the next appointment. Call the appointment and let them know what happened & apologize. Send replacement tech if the items in question are found in the van or on the tech.

 

[Bob Foster]

Not much you can do to defend yourself other than your reputation when push comes to shove.

She's obviously got issues that are not worth you doing anything for her again.

I'm glad you and your staff came out OK.

 

[XTREME1]

I wouldn't have cancelled the police and I would not give a discount for 10 minutes late on a cleaning and are your cleaning girls carpet cleaners or home cleaners?
No matter how well i knew my staff I would have had them emopty there pockets(in my hand book they aren't allowed to carry anything except company issued materiials on them) and have the police take the report.
I would have spoken to the customer and let her know the steps you are required to do by your company policy in this situation , assured them you were insured

 

[joeynbgky]

my cleaning girls clean houses. like toilets and such.... the customer basically accused the girls. But, the customer still gave 40 bucks of tips after she thought something was stolen. I think the customers have issues.

 

[Bjorn]

when a customer thinks you or one of your employee has stole something of value or what ever

the first thing you tell the customer to do is call the police and file a report!

It will usually stop right there and it puts you in the light you have nothing to hide so please call the police.

and if she is mistaken then she will have a problem with the police

 

[bob vawter]

back in the eightys a big mansion customer called me an' sED that a bottle of rare and expensive perfume was missing from her bathroom.......so
i picked up my employee at home the next day...saying that i HAD to use his restroom real bad.......
THERE IT WAS.......!
he gave it to his girlfriend as a gift......FIRED!!!!!
and i bought mrs Phiff a brand NEW bottle.........

the customer????
Turned out to be my BEST cheerleader to this day......

 

[rhyde]

have her file a report ....say nothing to the techs employees for a few days then drug test everyone.

 

[Sticky]

Opiates(pills)are the new crack of this era...She probably found them shortly after she accused your techs of stealing them....Thats why she tipped you guys because she felt like BiOtch after she found them.....

 

[Mountain View Carpet Care]

That's why I don't have employees.

 

[randy]

Call the cops... Have them meet the tech at the next appointment. Call the appointment and let them know what happened & apologize. Send replacement tech if the items in question are found in the van or on the tech.

Very bad idea, and full of liability for the business owner.

You can't give the police permission to search a vehicle (even if you own it) if you are not in the vehicle. The police would need the consent of the driver to search the vehicle and permission from each individual to search them, their pocket books or bags. The only exception would be if there was probable cause to believe they committed a crime. Someone making an accusation of theft isn't probable cause. An employer can't give permission for the search of his employees, their vehicles or even lockers at the work place. Thankfully after the Supreme Court ruling 6 months ago in Arizona v Gant , search after arrest and during a stop ( search of areas directly under control of driver for "officer safety" ) where the person has been removed from the car are a thing of the past. Ruled unconstitutional, so sometimes the high court gets it right.

In general it is a very bad idea to consent to a search, ever. If you trust the police more than your employees, you need new employees.

 

[Jimmy L]

Re: What do you do if a customer says an employee stole some

.

 

[Bob Savage]

I agree with Terry.

 

[Chris A]

I only have one experience, customer called 10 minutes after we left a job saying an Ipod was missing off of her son's nightstand, I cornered my assistant, he had it in his pocket. I fired him on the spot and drove back to the house to give back the ipod. Thankfully she was super cool about it and is still a great client. And I got rid of that lying sack o' shit before he did any MAJOR damage.

 

[truckmount girl]

Another reason I never had employees.

18 years and never a single accusation of theft.

Take care,
Lisa