[benny d]

I cleaned a ladies lounge/diner, stairs and top hallway a couple of weeks ago. The lounge had a big red wine stain which she said had been down about a month or so. She had tried a few things to remove it herself. I did say that she should have called a pro out asap especially with red wine on a light carpet, but they dont want to pay do they! (Light coloured carpet).

Usually during my quotes I state that "I do the best I possibly can to remove the stain, but cannot guarantee that it will come out." I work with my dad, and out of earshot to me, he possibly said that we "can remove it", although I would be surprised if that was the case.
I will add that at the bottom of my quote sheet is the same line "I do the best I possibly can to remove the any stains, but cannot guarantee that it will be fully removed."

We did the job which took us 2 1/2 hours  = 5 man hours work. We really do the best we can! (Truckmount machine).
The stain wouldnt come out no matter what we did  The lady had the hump on the day anyway because her car was hit the day before, and she had been quoted £ 4,000-00 for a new boiler as well. So all round not a happy bunny!

When we got to the quote the week before she was almost trying to leave for work. (I got there at the correct time as agreed). As we finished the work doing the cleaning, again she was waiting for us with her coat on ready to leave!! I thought it was a bit strange then. Normally you dont want to push workmen on, I wouldnt have thought?

Anyway, she has had a insurance assessor in to view the carpet last Friday, who in her letter said it "beggars belief" that a professional cleaning company would undertake the cleaning of the carpets without first making sure that the red wine stain would be removed.

She also added in her letter to me that there are 8-10 muddy foot stains left on the carpet, and would I go back to the house to inspect.

Anyway, she wants her £ 135.00 back minus the time to try and remove the stain. But I was just thinking of giving her full amout back, and not removing the "muddy stains" on the carpet,  because new carpets laid anyway in due course. (She's hardly likly to be calling me in future is she!)

So, am I right to give her the full amount back, and not clean the muddy marks and just move on?
Thanks for advice
Ben

[Mike Osbourne]

I would smile, pay her the money back and move on. However I would equally agree with someone who shoves the survey small print in her face and says no way.

Because it's how you feel about it in the end that counts.

Also wondering if you will get entangled with insurance and last to touch it blame.

[David_Annable]

Hi

So, am I right to give her the full amount back, and not clean the muddy marks and just move on?

Yep

Dave

[*paul_moss]

Ben
You should have fully qualified the job on quotation,then there would not have been an issue.

If you have stated the stain may not be removed then there should not be a problem.It is obviously miss communication. You either refund and move on or pay her part payment as you cleaned other areas and the lounge accounts for about a third of the jod so refund a third.
Also are you shaw the stain will not come out or be reduced down.You may have a more experienced cleaner by you that can do this.
I have not had a red wine stain beat me yet. So there may be other avenues you can explore.
The biggest thing however is communication and customer satisfaction which im sure your already  on with.

[mark_roberts]

If a customer is getting a carpet cleaned only because of one major stain then  offer to treat it first to have her approval before cleaning the rest.

Its up to you how you charge for this but it solves the above problem.

Mark

[gwrightson]

would be interesting to know , what you tried to remove the red wine stain, and the method

you just may be able to try some thing you havnt tried .

geoff

[stevegunn]

If an assessor has been she would have been told to get it cleaned to see if the stain could be removed first,normally she would have to pay for this successful or not then her excess on top of that.

Certainly would not be giving her full amount back if you have minimum charge give her the difference back. 

[Joe H]

Benny D

What did you actually do to try to move  the stain?

[John Milnes]

I would offer her the price of the lounge diner back, with no charge for the attempted stain removal and charge her for the rest of the job.....fair is fair!

She sounds like a difficult one.

I always tell the custy that, if the stain does not come out, would you want me to clean the rest of the carpet? I also ask if it may be an insurance claim if it wont come out.

John

[PaulKing]

I agree with you a nightmare! refund the full amount and walk away. Would agree that is also a good idea to tackell the stain first and see how that goes before doing the rest.

[JS2]

Appears to me like an awkward customer before you even met.  IMO you're at a disadvantage from the very beginning and the problems are a natural follow-on in these situations.  I don't feel anything''s your fault at all, but to attmept the best compromise you could indeed offer a partial refund. However watch out how you engineer this, the spillage damage was there to start with and you're not accepting any of the blame for this.

Regards

Pete (JS2)

[benny d]

Thanks for all of your replies.

I think that the best thing to do is just to refund her full amount, and just see the back of her.
I believe that she was just out to make a bit of a problem for whoever did the job for her, and it happened to be me.
I have the feeling if she won a million £ she wouldnt be too happy!

I will go around to her and give the full money back, and call it a lesson learnt.

The slight shame of it is that it is on my paperwork, "I do the best I can but......" etc etc, but I think my dad, in trying too hard to get the work, stated that we can remove it, which I never say! Nothing is 100% certain in this business as we all know!

Thanks again
Ben

[gwrightson]

Benny you still havnt mentioned what  you to remove- improve the stain, perhaps some help might forthcoming ie nan alternative approach.
just a thought !!

geoff

[Joe H]

C'mon Benny - were all in suspenders waiting to hear what did you do/use to try to remove the red wine stain.
Tell us .......... pleeeeese

[Mike Osbourne]

If you say you used M Power we can help!

The problem is if you went back, she would say why didn't you do that first time. In any case she sounds a funny one.

Damage limitation and move on. You don't want her slagging you off although her 'friends' probably take what she says with a pinch of salt anyway.

[Graeme@Access]

Hi,

If the customer is allready angry, nothing you can do now will improve the situation.  The only real option is to refund her and move on.

Its experience and character building.

Graeme
Access Cleaning Solutions

[FiberReviver]

She will SLAG you OF whatever you do now keep the money you have done the work and boll**ks to her.
Freddie

[Ian Gourlay]

The problem with insurance claims is the customer does not want you to succeed they want a new carpet.

The other day a customer phoned up for a quote to remove a stain.

She had to obtain two for insurance company.

I asked is the insurance company prepared to pay for two quotes, and also there can be no 100% certainty the stain can be removed.  Would they pay if I  failed.

Sometimes you get customers asking you to do a statement saying stain cannot be removed, usually after they had tried xyz. To send to insurance company they do not want to give you opportunity of removing stain.

So if insurance is involved  I am only prepared to visit if insurance company agrees to pay for quote or attempt to remove stain


Where problems arise is if customer does not tell you its an insurance claim.

And as Paul says you do need to qualify.

One of my competitors advertisers all stains removed, this does raises customers expectations.

It is also best to find reason for carpet clean in first place.  If it is because of stain again you need to check customers expectations


In answer to question Yes I would have given money back and askmyself was I to anxious to get work in first place or am I prepared to except as in most trades this kind of customer is around no matter how ccareful you are at customer selection, and screening on likely hood of getting paid , pleasant customer to work for etc.
Also the more you charge the more they expect.

[Steve_Knight]

Paul (Mossy)
What do you use to remove red wine stains?
Cheers
Steve

[Joe H]

Yes its true that if an insurance claim is likely the customer does not want you to succeed.

A good few years ago I got called to remove radiator black leakage on the carpet and was told off by a customer........... for doing too good a job!