[james roffey]

Had a phonecall this morning from a customer whos carpets i cleaned two day ago, the carpets were only lightly soiled with a couple of draught marks under the bathroom door, and around some of the edges
The carpet is a manmade fibre i did a burn test and it melted did not see if it floated, the carpet is cream coloured berber style.
The customer called this morning to say that "black marks have appeared all over the carpet and it looks like i have not cleaned it properly"
I used Powerburst on the main areas and ultrapac on the draught marks, the results after the clean were very good and the customer was happy, i have arranged to go round to her home tonight and have a look anyone have any ideas on what could have caused this, how i can remedy the problem and how to deal with it.
When i did the job i got the impression the customer was very fussy and noticed a dark mark on the edge of the stair treads all it was, was a shadow, i did what i always do to clean apart from agitation with my envirodri as it simply did not need it, she said the draught marks are gone but has these black marks where it has not been cleaned properly

[Colin Day]

Could you get some photos for us to look at James...

I would be tempted to bonnet clean it if this is an option to you... The best you can offer is a re-clean and use the envirodri for a "belts and braces" approach...

It's crap when it happens, but I've had a couple of bad experiences of late with 2 call backs and one who refuses to pay and it had knocked my confidence a bit TBH!!!!

My big shock failure was not being able to get rid of "Pot Rock" burns in a cheapy polyprop carpet : : :

[james roffey]

I do have a rotary and that was what i was thinking of doing Perhaps some Nemesis and or fusion clean but i hope its not on the stairs as i cant bonnet them.

Obviously something has wicked back but the carpet was unmarked before i started just very lightly soiled

Got to stew all day what a bummer

[Paul Simpson]

I would go in with a clean white cloth and neutral pre-spray, test the black marks in front of the customer, if any dirt transfer offer to clean again or at least bonnet clean it.
If there is no transfer show her/him and explain it is not soiling then some investigation would be needed, backing, underlay, etc.

[james roffey]

Paul good idea about going in first with spotter etc, i dont think i will HWE again as this did not work the first time but bonnet clean the areas in the hope this will remedy the situation

[cml]

Just a thought to cover yourself in aftersales.

On each job take a camera (digital or other) and take a picture after each job.  Then call you clients post job next day or two and conduct like a job satisfaction survey and ask if they are happy with the job.  If they then report a satisfied service record this and if time permits follow up with a thank you letter.  If they call back thereafter you could put forward that you were told  all was well.    Therefore any marks or dirt appearing may be new and you could requote if they want to spot clean these particular areas of complaint.

[M.Acorn]

Got one today myself !!

Just did a lounge,hall and stairs,they were absolutely minging,they had asked me to clean the lounge as a last resort,as land lord waqs expecting to have top replace the carpet,it was a very pale,almost white decent polly prop ,which i got every single mark out of,and prob saved them a good few hundred quid.
Stairs were also very heavily soiled,and i got most of that out also,using powerburst hot,and long dwell and agitation,got a call back the other day,4 or 5 small spots have re appeared on the stairs,tread no 5 and 6 !!

The pic does not show the full extent of the dirt,always say free call back,but sometimes people take the pee

[james roffey]

What worries me is this carpet had no stains apart from the draught marks which have been completely removed

Will let you know what happens i am going back tonight to take a look.

[The Great One]

Hi

I think no more HWE as it may make it worse.

Go round with a terry towel & spotter and see if that will remove them (depending how big and how many there are)

That be all that is required as if you get them out I think the client will be happy.

Alternative use a LM system as previously mentioned.

Best of luck

Martin

[M.Acorn]

I hate Berber on stairs,it`s always a nightmare to get clean,have had the pleasure of doing 3 sets of really bad ones this week,there is only so much one can do,as i find the muck gets trapped inside the loop,and can`t be to rough on it,or it just goes fluffy.
Had one customer who i cleaned for over 3 years ago,wanting the same price as i charged last time,she was not happy when i told her that it`s nearly double what it was last time,due to the amount of soiling,had she had me out every year then it would have prob worked out cheaper.
Good luck James

[clinton]

Same as some of the above posts james id would use fusion clean or maybe even just a bonnet pad diped in hot water first...

[Paul Redden Countryfresh]

Wonder if its black duralay wicking up  Had a complaint today saying I hadn't got the black edges out, damned if I could see them!

[james roffey]

Well i have just got in about 9 pm got to customers house at 6.30 when she arrived home from work, at first i could see nothing at all no spots at all then she pointed to the carpet at the top of the stairs the only way of describing what she was showing me was a  perfectly straight line one side looked a little soiled the other clean.
At first i thought it was the light in the room as this house has exposed light bulbs white walls and black furniture lights etc so i gave the ceiling light a knock to see if this shading moved, it didn't the customer said that she could see these lines going down the stairs almost like they had been left by my hand tool but i overlap etc when i use it i was unable to explain it looked like i had missed an area but in a perfect straight line which i do not think is likely.
I decided to bonnet clean the entire area i cleaned yesterday with HWE , i used fusion clean applied hot with sprayer and hot in the bucket thinking that fusion clean would be better, soil retardancy and more slippery on the berber than M Power, the mark seemed to come out and i cleaned the rest of the area thinking why am i cleaning this i cant tell where i have been its clean, i extracted on the stairs using M Power but made the passes length ways across the treads : the light in this house  plays tricks on your vision, but i think i got them out.
While i was filling my bucket she asked me how long i had been carpet cleaning etc and mentioned the testimonials on my website : she had a look around after i had finished i explained that i could not see the marks and she replied i will have a look in the morning and let you know if they are still visible
 i may take it up with the NCCA i said thats ok please call me in the morning.
To be honest all i am worried about is the feedback on the web she may leave, if she does call and is still not happy i will give her her money back, thats all i can do now.

I have done everything by the book, that carpet looked immaculate yesterday and looks better now i am not worried what the NCCA may say even if they bother to get involved as i have not been negligent, and i am confident that any liabilty claim will be pointless.

I did come out of that house thinking that if all my customers were like that i would pack in in

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

James

It happens so don't beat yourself up about it. You have acted totally professionally. If you refund then that really is the worse that can happen and you'll be annoyed-mainly with yourself for the time you have put in for no financial gain.

And tomorrow you'll probably have some delightful clients thinking you are the best, giving you tips and providing lashings of tea and biscuits.

I do probably around 800 jobs a year. Statistically you are bound to get some who are not happy. In my case it's usually about 3 or 4 a year. The trouble is they seem always to come in pairs and at the most inconvenient of times usually when you are very busy; and callbacks are usually for clients who you have travelled a long way for or who wanted the work doing at inconvenient times.

When it's over put it down to experience and add it to your ever-growing list of annecdotes that you entertain/bore your kids with in your dotage.

Rog

[wynne jones]

Jim

take a hundred people and you will always find one. She sounds like the one. As your experience and judgement grows you will be able to distinguish between something where you have genuinely hit a snag which you will gladly rectify and one where you can never win. Not seeing the problem it could be something you could have prevented or fixed I don't know but it does sound like you have met Mrs Anal.

Sizing up customers and manageing expectations is a key skill which you will hone in time. In this instance I would do everything you can to keep her happy but inside feel your work is up to scratch and this is an opportunity to practice your customer skills.

[clinton]

James roger and wynne made good posts.

In time you will tell or try to tell the clients that are going to be hard work..

I had one last week when i went to do the quote and felt uneasy with her expectations.

Lots of draught marks too so i said a silly price as i didnt really want the job

[richy27]

james as others have said dont beat yourself up over it sometimes a customers expectations are impossible to achieve you will learn from every situation you are put in and sharpen up your spider senses.  had a classic one this week where customer pointed out every mark in a 4 bed house will this come out will that come marks ranging from boot polish curry pee makeup you name it was there. at the end of the day we clean carpets and in most peoples cases in a prof manner in a situation such as this i try to make sure the prospective customer is aware that they are paying for a cleaning procedure and where every effort will be made to remove spots and stains in some cases it simply is not possible. we are not miracle workers if they want a new carpet BUY ONE

[Doug Holloway]

James

Seems a bit odd, dirt doesn't occur in straight lines unless there is an issue with the carpet, underlay or floor borads.

I wuill go and have a look if you so wish but as the others have said, don't be too hard on yourself, even experienced guys like me get customers you just cannot please.

Cheers

Doug

[Colin Day]

Isn't it funny how they always complain about the stains you didn't get out, and never mention the ones you did get out

[james roffey]

James

Seems a bit odd, dirt doesn't occur in straight lines unless there is an issue with the carpet, underlay or floor borads.

I wuill go and have a look if you so wish but as the others have said, don't be too hard on yourself, even experienced guys like me get customers you just cannot please.

Cheers

Doug

Cheers Doug

You may regret that kind offer

Her original phonecall was "you have not cleaned my carpets properly" they were pristine when i left and i walked her around before i left, she was happy.
They were pristine when i left yesterday but i dont think i have heard the last of this saga.
She said she was a "bit of a compulsive" when i did the survey before i cleaned then she really haggled over price too :

[garry22]

James,

I think the others are right. Sometimes you just get people who will never be satisfied.

I've had the total opposite today with a firm of financial planners (who you may think would be really image conscious and fussy).

They had a delivery guy walk oil up two flights of stairs and landings (yucky polyprope). They only wanted the spots cleaned and I managed to get the oil out. They now have a load of clean circles on a dirty carpet (I've blended them as best I could).

When I showed the client he said "that's fantastic, what an improvement". He said send the bill and we'll pay you by return (and they will, they always do).

The thing is James, you have probably done a 500% better job than I have. It's just that the clients have totally different expectations.

Garry

[james roffey]

I am of the same opinion, i hada jobthis morning a lounge and small bedroom.
Both were filthy the customer had used a shampoo after builders madea mess which had made it ten times worse, one of those you think why did i not bring my camera with me.
It was a bonded synthetic pile the results were amazing the customer said after i used the Envirodri wow thats better, you know your on a winner when they think thatsthe end result and you have not even extracted.
when i got to the bedroom it had a big pole up to the ceiling and mirror opposite being utterly professional i thanked her for clearing the room for me and restrained myself from further comment
After yesterday a little light relief, excuse the pun.

[derek west]

heres my 2 penneth worth, take it or leave it.

never cut corners on a job just cos you think its not dirty,

i always use the enviro dri. and i charge accordingly, even if the carpet isn't that dirty.

why?

1) it looks professional
2) thats the way i clean regardless
3) i charge for this so why would i not use it
4) it lifts the pile
5) next time you clean it, it may well be a lot dirtier and then you'll have to up the price, not the way i do things.
6) just cos it don't look dirty, doesn't mean it aint.

so i say, go round and do it properly. sorry james, love you

[wynne jones]

So it's no cleaner than a quick going over, but you go through the motions so you get top money?

That's how some will read it who would do what's needed, then charge accordingly. Of course there will be those who just give it a quick clean (probably with a rotary ) and charge top money anyway. You know who you are 

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

Got to agree with Derek.

Every job gets cleaned the same way, pre spray - agitate - rinse & extract.

Dirty or clean - same price per m2.

Win a bit on some, lose a little on others.

[derek west]

ive been misread on here by quite a few, winnie me old mucker  , couple more won't harm me

ps... i never charge top money, thats why i'm busy and doing well................ ish.....

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Those who charge top money aren't busy but then again they get that much they don't need to be that busy.

Me?.... I'm a poor Yorkshireman

Shaun

[elliott cleaning]

Derek

Work on it.   Gradually charge top money and you will still be busy.    I have no doubt you produce the quality as well as having the amiable spiel.     
That's when you'll find that the business is so rewarding that you will be able to call it a day earlier than anticipated.   Whole days with nothing else than  being able to concern yourself with eating 'mackies' or whatever they are called

[derek west]

i am frans but takin it disimo.

as they say in cheshire

"slowly slowly catch a maccies"

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Derek do you still work as a 2 man team?

Shaun

[derek west]

not anymore, had to let him go yesterday, he wouldn't work weekends anymore and thats when occasionally i get the big commercial jobs. so i was a one man band today. still managed all right though, big beer spill in a pub this morning, 1.5 hours, 5 bedder 3.5 hours and a lounge carpet, 45 mins. quite surprised how quick i am on my own.

[happy mondays]

not anymore, had to let him go yesterday, he wouldn't work weekends anymore and thats when occasionally i get the big commercial jobs. so i was a one man band today. still managed all right though, big beer spill in a pub this morning, 1.5 hours, 5 bedder 3.5 hours and a lounge carpet, 45 mins. quite surprised how quick i am on my own.

Had to let Courtney go? youve done a deal with Mc Donalds I seen him tonight buffing the floors at the Northwich branch, 3 stars on his badge... LOL 

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I've found it tough to keep long term staff, motivation is one problem hours of business is another...oh and paying them aswell (the blighters require money now )

Shaun

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Shaun

if you were an employee of somebody would you stick around? If so as it because the pay was good; was it because you are a loyal type of person, or would it be for some other reason?

Rog