[Mike Osbourne]

Obsessive compulsive. Anyone had one of these?

Well sort of knew what I was letting myself in for on the quote.

Shoes off, no problem, will I mark the paintwork, no problem, shoes off at door etc etc.

Turned up this morning, OK if park van on drive? Mmmm not really you may leak oil on it. Put plastic down from kitchen to front door for bucket filling, towels round hoses etc.

She literally followed me round either with brush or mop, i hinted she was outgunned on the cleaning equipment front but didn't take a hint.

All went well BUT I knew there was a bad draught mark. I tried very hard but even ultrapack didn't shift it. I had said about it prior to clean but knew it was an issue and got a signiture on the quote sheet to the effect.

Anyway I braced myself- She's NOT happy, she ummed and arrrd kept looking at it.

I said I understand and it's still there so I knocked some off the bill, then she said she will have to speak to hubby, so went away with nothing.

Learned a lot today.

[Cleaning Resource]

I got a cleaner working for me whos got ocd, she drives herslelf nuts

[ianharper]

Mike

its a mater of managing expectations, when i get one i give the job for free if they go on to long. as i believe that it will come back ten fold.

you have to feel sorry for these people. if you please them they will recommend you all over the place, so its worth the effort and free work.

below is a photo of my last problem, leather restoration is an area that need managing expectations big time. you never learn if you don't have a go so, i told him that it was beyond my skill level to fix the holes, and he told me that it was paper ink on the arms, it had faded loads, so i said if your really sure i can have a go at removing the ink and the fading was not a problem.

set the price he was happy.

day of the job, find out that with more expected that it was not ink but dirt covering really bad wear though the seal, so no way was the black going to come out. cleaned it and then applied the colour restorer, great al least that's ok.

anyway, he check it and starts to haggle on the price, i paid out about £45 in materials, one rule that i have is that i set the price. in the end just said you can have it for free.

jobs like this are worth it as its training.

when i went on the free leather course i ask about how you gain experience in restoration, did not really get a proper answer. stains are the same if you explain up front that some will be spots and other stains. the spots will come out but the stain will not. then it does not sound like excuses after.

one other thing that you could have said is that you would have to stop for health and safety reason as you cant if she walked on the damp carpet and then slipped on the hard floor you would be in trouble.

I tell you a funny story about a guy on this forum that had a payment problem and told the customer that if she did not pay he would not spray the neutralizer on the carpet. two can play at that game approach.

and don't forget its them that damaged the carpet in the first place and not you. as long as you did not say you would remove it then you should get paid.

anyway you will get it back from somewhere else, luck works like that.

respect

Ian harper

[Mike Osbourne]

I must admit the prevac didn't yield much.

Good test though, I was ultra careful with hoses, wiping down skirtings, working with someone breathing down your neck etc.

Came back in after putting machine away, she had rolled the settee of foils and had dived down the back of the TV with a cloth. Complete nightmare.

[Mike Osbourne]

It's not a nice condition, I suspect it limits her life somewhat.

I think on this occasion despite the disclaimers I did the right thing, it was still visible and I thought I'd get at least 90% out, but I wuz wrong.

[Dennis]

I always want to walk when I hear, "My husband's a bit of a perfectionist"  :

True story - I have a customer who's a psychiatric sister and she had a patient in the hospital who had OCD. She was obsessed with her skirting boards and just went round and round the house cleaning them.

[Mike Osbourne]

I see them in my other capacity but like to keep things seperate. Requires working on dissociated part, then treat the habit and anxiety. Can be very tricky to treat.

[colin thomas]

on the other hand i had a guy who was just trying it on, when i  started to wand the hallway i discovered that the paint on the skirting was vinyl silk emulsion!!! i hardly touched it with the wand and it peeled right off, in  fact, some of it shot up the wand in long rubbery strips, the guy went so mad i was in stitches, he looked hilarious, anyway i told him the difference between vinyl silk and gloss paint in no uncertain terms and offered him his dirty water back through his letterbox if he wanted and he paid up without a mutter, in fact i charged a fiver more for a spot i had got up that wasn't in my quote.
funny thing is if he had been reasonable and calm i would have knocked some money off for him.

colin

[Mike Osbourne]

Just been round to collect.

Spoke to husband, he was very reasonable almost apologetic. We agreed on an amount for the work I did that we were both happy with. I asked to have a quick look at the marks dry and they were a lot fainter.

She was sat on the sofa eating Revels of all things. Hardly spoke then said could we go in kitchen cos she watching one of her soaps. :

[ianharper]

well done,

bitch, this is the disrespect that i hate in cleaning, just because you are a cleaner she looks down at you. we have sacked loads of maid service clients over this over the years. i will not put up with it. at least you now know that it was not your cleaning, but discrimination.

respect

Ian harper