[Bizzie Lizzie]

Hi all, Yesterday I visited a potential new customer, she was a nice old lady who lives with 5 cats.  As I walked through the front door the smell hit me!  She showed me around her home, exlaining which rooms she wanted cleaning.

Firstly we walked through the hall - there was glass leaning up against it she said this is where the cats pee and it will need cleaning occasionally!

Every room was absolutely covered in cat fur, you couldn't see the carpet - that is not an exageration!

Now to cut a long story short (I know, I've gone on a bit) I wouldn't do the work myself and therefore couldn't send my staff but how do a tell her?  I've got to let her know (sunday) when I can start.  I want to let her down gently but have never come across this before - HELP PLEASE

Thanks in advance - I am sure someone can ? 
 Bizzie Lizzie
 
 

[lisa123]

Hi BL
how are you?
I would just say on sunday that you have had some jobs come in at short notice and are now unfortunatly (for her) booked up for a while. (or perminatly) she can't argue if you are fully booked can she.

good luck

[Prestige1]

I would suggest to get it up to a standard in which we can clean effectivly we would have to give the place a full top to bottom clean the cost would be £300 plus a price that will put her off, if she goes for it give your staff a bonus to clean it.

[lisa123]

thats a good idea, she wont beable to afford you then probably. do that  make a few extra quid if shes up for it.

[Bizzie Lizzie]

Hi Lisa, I'm fine thanks.  Hope you are?  Hows business.  Sorry I haven't been in touch for  a while - you know what its like.  Thanks for the advice - have you had anyone that you have had to turn down before?  I will try and email you to catch up with you soon (promise)
Bizzie Lizzie

[Bizzie Lizzie]

That does sound like a good idea - but the smell was terrible I don't think I could stand it for long!

[garyj]

I'm moving house and went to view somewhere tonight that was full of cats and ducks!! ( wouldn't have thought the two would get on ). The place stank, I needed a bath and change of clothes when I got in.
If you do send your cleaners in here they might well smell of the house for the rest of the day and that will give you a bad name amongst the rest of your customers.
It doesn't do any harm to turn work away every now and then. Even with an initial blitz clean you're not going to get rid of the smell of cats wee, and it is an on going problem, it'll smell even worse in the summer.
Phone her up and tell her the only girl you've got available at this time is allergic  to cats so you can't take it on at the moment. Either that or tell her the truth!!

[Paul Kettless]

Im with garyJ on this one, why lie.

I have had this on quite a few occasions, and simply told the custy that I would not be able to get staff to work under these kind of conditions.

However, I did once have a customer reply to me that they did not realise that it was that bad, and asked for my help to rectify the problem.  We did a full initial clean, top to bottom, including carpets at great expense to the customer, and we still spend a couple of hours with her every week.

The customer is 91 years old, and has no family, relatives or friends to visit her.  In my opinion we are providing her with an excellent service, and have without doubt improved the quality of her life.

Regards
Paul