Customers "planting" valuables

EBPcivicsi

EBPcivicsi

GOT PREP?
Just wanted to pick everyone's brain about this...



I have a really good customer (actually it's an entire family) that only likes for *me* to do the work on their cars. They don't mind if my guys help, but I must be there when they drop the car. Whatever...



So yesterday I am away for a bit and the customer wants to drop the car. He calls me, I tell him I am away, he decides to drop the car anyways--cool. I check back in the shop that afternoon and my guys tell me that there was a $50 bill under the driver seat. OK cool, we put it in the cupholder and let the customer know that we found it(he's lucky it didn't get sucked up in the vacuum). When I tell him he proceeds to tell me that he put it there on purpose to test my guys.



I took offense to it really. I wouldn't have guys working for me if I thought for a second that they would take customer's money. Heck, we even take the change out the cupholders and put it in bags for them.



Anyone else have this happen to them? Thoughts?
 
ebpcivicsi said:
Thoughts?
Click to expand...



A good business relationship is founded in trust on both sides.



I'd say unless this customer had a reason based on prior experience not to trust you or your crew, he was not dealing in good faith. I'd rather work for people who inherently trust me .... not somebody who sets traps for me to see if I'll fall into one.



For what it's worth, I've never had it happen to me that I know of. I've found a few things of value detailing cars, but I don't think it was ever a deliberate set-up.
 
I wouldn't worry about taking offense as much as the possibility of not catching it if he pulls that crap again. What if it had been sucked up in the vacuum? He'd be raising hell, not wanting to pay, and saying you owed him fifty bucks. Hell, he's trusting you with a lot more than $50 by dropping off the car. I'd let him know how easily his $50 could have been vacuumed up and it just might if it happens again.
 
As if anyone just drops a 50 under a seat and doesn't miss it. Anyone with half a brain in their head would say "if i wanna keep my job i'll make sure this gets returned." If i hired people to work at my shop, id plant a 50 in a car myself and see what they did with it.



If i find anything over a $5 bill i find it pretty suspicious, and i would hope anyone working for me would do the same.
 
That never happened to me specifically. I DID have a guy follow me after I picked up his car. Why, I have no idea. I guess to see of I was going to drive reckless with his car. Some people are just overly paranoid. I prefer not to do business with those types of people.
 
I would be extremely offended! I would confront him and let him know that yourself and the guys you work with are 100% trustworthy. Obviously he doesn't trust you or the guys you work with. I know it will happen to me and I wont realize i sucked it up or something! Then you just lost a customer for an honest mistake.



remember, everyone is trying to sue everyone these days. It has become one of the easiest ways to receive money. its sad.
 
or you could look at it as a test you passed with flying colors and he will continue to send you business and praise your trustworthiness



"guys, take your car "here". This one time, I left a $50 bill in the seat and the guys over at "here" were completely up front and honest and returned it to me. I would let them take my car anywhere because I know I can trust them"



I wouldnt be upset over it, rather joke it off and ask "did I pass" with a chuckle.



Remember, you are in business, and if you lose that customer, you may lose more than him!
 
wfedwar said:
I wouldn't worry about taking offense as much as the possibility of not catching it if he pulls that crap again. What if it had been sucked up in the vacuum? He'd be raising hell, not wanting to pay, and saying you owed him fifty bucks. Hell, he's trusting you with a lot more than $50 by dropping off the car. I'd let him know how easily his $50 could have been vacuumed up and it just might if it happens again.
Click to expand...



x2, well said... I wouldn't be too pleased with anybody trying to set me/my business up.
 
I'd be offended.



The only way what he did would not be offensive is if he'd had something disappear out of his car in the past was trying to narrow it down to where it happened.
 
I would make it clear to the customer that his "test" could have resulted in an employee being falsely accused of stealing and even being terminated (had it actually been vacuumed up or otherwise disposed of unknowingly). He (the customer) had no idea of how you might react to the situation. I would say he owes, at the very least, an apology to your guy that found the money. I might even go so far as to warn him that if your guys refuse to work on his car, which I would allow them the option, then he might have pay a higher rate for you to take care of it personally.



Hopefully he realizes how wrong this could have gone and gives your guy an apology and the $50.
 
Scottwax said:
I'd be offended.



The only way what he did would not be offensive is if he'd had something disappear out of his car in the past was trying to narrow it down to where it happened.
Click to expand...



I totally agree and he better come clean very quickly as to why he did this and if he is taking any kind of smug, snotty attitude this is his last appointment with me.



Smile, take the money for service performed and a one handed wave goodbye as they leave. Knowing that a couple of fingers would be balled up into my palm presents the proper wave I would be using.
 
I would be offended, however to combat this situation, I tell all my clients to remove any valuables such as CD's, loose change, lipstick, paperwork with personal information on it, medication, etc. from inside the vehicle. I explain to them that this makes the detailing process go easier and as stated earlier, it is also to ensure that the little things don't get sucked up in the vacuum. I started doing this after receiving a vehicle where it looked like the person lived in their vehicle....clothes, shoes, brushes, lipstick, ice skates, etc...it took me about 45 minutes just to bag all of her stuff up; and of course, she paid for it...but it is strange that someone would not check their vehicle or remove valuables before taking it somewhere. I know I always do it before having it serviced.
 
I guess you could take it as offensive, but I would take it as a blessing because now he's going to tell his friends how honest you AND your guys are. He may know you, but he doesn't (didn't) know your guys. As said above, make sure he knows that you're not responsible for anything left i the vehicle.
 
I should have provided a little more background for you guys--sorry.



The customer would *never* miss the $50 if he had actually dropped it. Not that he has more money than he knows to do with, but rather he *always* carries *large* quantities of cash with him--think 6" knot everytime he pays. I am sure that you guys understand and have customers lke this.



My only concern is that it will happen again and as others have stated, it will be vacuumed up and the customer will think that we took it. I am certainly not going to "fire" the customer, his family probably spends $200 a week with us on just maintenance washes/waxes(less in slower times, but a very good customer).



Thanks for all the posts guys.
 
I have had this happen before. I had a customer who left $700 in his console. While cleaning around it I hit the release button. I was like what in the world. Of course he claimed to not know that it was there. :nervous: Well I never trip when I find valueables in a customers car. I do not have regular employees, but the guys I get to help I feel I can trust. I agree it is a set up,but you have to take the bait! Bag it and return it for continued business. Don't loose a Great client for nothing!
 
Rather than take it too personally and be offended, you should be happy you at least now have some kind of proof, so to speak, that your guys are trustworthy. Had an accidental vacuuming occurred it certainly could have been ugly though. Really, who implicitly trusts people these days? I sure as hell don't and unfortunately I'm all too often right. Even the Cops here have apparently a <50% pass rate on similar integrity testing scenarios (no Cop bashing intended - just illustrating a point).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top