Deadbeat Clients

[thevolvoguy]

We pro's have most likely had more than one run in with clients/customers that have tried to give us the run around.



Unfortuntely this just happened to me recently. I hope we could all share bad experiences that we have had with some customers and what you did to prevent it from happening again.



Heres my story. No names will be given so dont ask.



Had a loyal customer who had us out a few times, seemed like a nice guy. He calls us up last weekend to schedulle a date to get his cars prepared for a big show this weekend. We recently ( 2 weeks ago) did a full detail to remove minor swirls on one of the cars. Well, we get there and the car is worse than it was before it was ever detailed. Swirls and micro-marring just about everywhere. So we worked over a period of 2 days to get them back out. 90% of them were removed by the time we left Thursday.



So we get to the show Saturday (what a nice guy offering us free tickets, right) and he starts complaining about the car being swirled. The car looks horrible, he was right.



Here is the problem. He is rubbing at the car with a hankerchif (sp?) thats shoved in his pocket to remove the dust/dirt. He is swirling the car in front of my eyes and blaming it on me.



To sum this all up, he ends up trying to make us feel wrong, saying the only reason the swirls are not visible in some areas is because he "put zaino there to cover them up". He paid us $40 for 2 $120 + details. We accepted the money, having a customer satisfaction based business.



Our solution? Waivers. If you trust a customer, still use them, dont let it happen to you too.

 

[rusky]

That sucks man, sorry to hear about that. What a dumb@ss!

 

[Scottwax]

That would be the last time I touched any of his cars.



I've only had one customer like that in the nearly 10 years I have been doing this full time. I detailed a 1992 Bonneville SSEi that was in horrible shape. Dust throughout, the wheels were corroded, paint was swirled, etc. He was not at home when I got there, no was his wife. Just his 15-year-old son. When I went over the car, I was appalled at the condition since I was told it was in cherry shape and should need very little (this was also the last time I quoted over the phone). I tried to call the guy at his office, but he never called back so I started in on it. I had finished the interior and was working on the exterior when his wife finally showed up. I pointed out several things to her that were really messed up on the car and that there was little I could do with the wheels since the brake dust had long since eroded the white paint off them and they would have to be stripped and repainted to look good again. She agreed and just told me to do what I could with the car.



Finished it up and it looked pretty good, especially considering the way it looked when I started. Of course, the wheels didn't look all that great, but they were clean. She pays me and I leave. About 9 PM, my cell phone rings and I recognize the number as the owner of the Pontiac. He is trying to act like a new customer and asks how much I charge for detailing a mid sized car. I told him normally around $90-110 (this was about 5 years ago) and he asked what it included. I told him what I do to the exterior and interior and he then asked about the engine. I told him I normally don't clean engines but I do charge another $25 to clean and dress the rubber under the hood, but I recommend taking the car to the dealer for engine cleaning because of all the electronics under the hood and if they short anything out, they would have the parts in stock and mechanics to replace them. He then asked about wheels. I told him the rims are cleaned and the tires are dressed and also that wheels with heavy brake dust damage cannot always be cleaned completely if the dust has eaten away the coating and in that case, they would need to be stripped and recoated, which runs about $100 per wheel.



He then tells me he is the owner of the Pontiac (duh!) and he was really unhappy with the work I did, because I did not clean the engine (I had previously told him it would be extra) and that the wheels did not look good and again, I explained to him the brake dust was completely gone and what he was seeing was bare metal and he would have to take the wheels to a wheel refinishing company to have them repaired.



He then proceeds to tell me I need to come back out to his house and clean his engine and bring some white paint to touch up his wheels. I told him I already put 5 hours into detailing his car and already hadn't charged him enough because the condition was so poor and that it would be another $25 to clean the engine and he would have to supply the paint for the wheels and it would be $30 an hour to touch the wheels up and I could not guarantee they would be perfect. He got mad and said I would do it all for free at which point I told him I would simply mail his check back and he could find someone else. He then told me he didn't trust me to mail it back and he was sending his wife to my house to pick up the check. About an hour later, she shows up, real pissed...at her husband, not me. She said she completely disagrees with him and the car looked great. She said he can be a real a$$hole sometimes. I just nodded and handed her the check.



He called about two days later wanting to know when I was coming out. Autopia rules will not allow me to post my response.

 

[Preachers Sheets]

Originally posted by Scottwax He called about two days later wanting to know when I was coming out. Autopia rules will not allow me to post my response. [/B]

I read the story, what an idiot then I saw the last line. I would of went nutty on that guy "how about I detail your eye with my fist".

 

[safetyman2010]

That would be the last time I touched any of his cars.



I've only had one customer like that in the nearly 10 years I have been doing this full time. I detailed a 1992 Bonneville SSEi that was in horrible shape. Dust throughout, the wheels were corroded, paint was swirled, etc. He was not at home when I got there, no was his wife. Just his 15-year-old son. When I went over the car, I was appalled at the condition since I was told it was in cherry shape and should need very little (this was also the last time I quoted over the phone). I tried to call the guy at his office, but he never called back so I started in on it. I had finished the interior and was working on the exterior when his wife finally showed up. I pointed out several things to her that were really messed up on the car and that there was little I could do with the wheels since the brake dust had long since eroded the white paint off them and they would have to be stripped and repainted to look good again. She agreed and just told me to do what I could with the car.



Finished it up and it looked pretty good, especially considering the way it looked when I started. Of course, the wheels didn't look all that great, but they were clean. She pays me and I leave. About 9 PM, my cell phone rings and I recognize the number as the owner of the Pontiac. He is trying to act like a new customer and asks how much I charge for detailing a mid sized car. I told him normally around $90-110 (this was about 5 years ago) and he asked what it included. I told him what I do to the exterior and interior and he then asked about the engine. I told him I normally don't clean engines but I do charge another $25 to clean and dress the rubber under the hood, but I recommend taking the car to the dealer for engine cleaning because of all the electronics under the hood and if they short anything out, they would have the parts in stock and mechanics to replace them. He then asked about wheels. I told him the rims are cleaned and the tires are dressed and also that wheels with heavy brake dust damage cannot always be cleaned completely if the dust has eaten away the coating and in that case, they would need to be stripped and recoated, which runs about $100 per wheel.



He then tells me he is the owner of the Pontiac (duh!) and he was really unhappy with the work I did, because I did not clean the engine (I had previously told him it would be extra) and that the wheels did not look good and again, I explained to him the brake dust was completely gone and what he was seeing was bare metal and he would have to take the wheels to a wheel refinishing company to have them repaired.



He then proceeds to tell me I need to come back out to his house and clean his engine and bring some white paint to touch up his wheels. I told him I already put 5 hours into detailing his car and already hadn't charged him enough because the condition was so poor and that it would be another $25 to clean the engine and he would have to supply the paint for the wheels and it would be $30 an hour to touch the wheels up and I could not guarantee they would be perfect. He got mad and said I would do it all for free at which point I told him I would simply mail his check back and he could find someone else. He then told me he didn't trust me to mail it back and he was sending his wife to my house to pick up the check. About an hour later, she shows up, real pissed...at her husband, not me. She said she completely disagrees with him and the car looked great. She said he can be a real a$$hole sometimes. I just nodded and handed her the check.



He called about two days later wanting to know when I was coming out. Autopia rules will not allow me to post my response.

I would have told the guy to go piss up a rope. Regardless of the fact that this is a service based business, you have to stop when the customer expects too much and gets to be too much work. I had a guy like that once and he asked me if we could get mildew stains off the inside of his mid - 80's mercedes canvas convertible top. I told him I would be more than happy to try but could make no guarantees because of the nature of mildew and that anything too aggressive could actually damage the top. He agreed that was fine and dropped the car off to be done the next day. We went to town and got it looking significantly better but did not remove the stains completely. His wife and son came to pick up the car and paid by cheque (we don't take them anymore) and left. We got a phone call 30 minutes later telling us that the cheque had been cancelled and they refused to pay for the job because the stains were not completely gone. I reminded the "gentleman" that I would not guarantee that the stains would come right out and he said I was lying. I wasn't having any more of it so I just told him if he didn't come down with the cash the next morning I would deposit his cheque, let it bounce and then send the bailiffs out to pick up his car for non payment. He promptly arrived at 9 am with cash in hand and continues to call us for quotes to this day (we are always too "busy" to take his car now). You have to put your foot down with scammers as they do this to everyone that will let them.

 

[stilez]

I had the same deal, but with a friend of my brothers.



He gives me his '95 Camry with 140k on it. Heavy smokers car (cigs and weed). Never touched with any kind of paint treatment other than car washes. I did everything for this car and I thought it came out awesome compared to what it looked like... Charged him $120 because he was a friend. He picked up the car and was like WOW! But then, hes like, "theres still a stain or two in the passenger side seat, you mind going over it again". Then hes like, "yo can you throw another coat of wax on for me". All of this after NO TIP.



You try to hook up a friend and they come back at you wanting more. I didn't end up doing the extra work for him because I was very busy with other jobs. He forgot about it, but still. Here are a couple of pics...



BEFORE

AFTER

Mats were still a lil wet, those arent stains

 

[imported_Greg1]

When I was first starting out, a guy called me to do 3 of his "cars." He asked me how much they are and I said, $100 a car. He said ok. He said "They are in real good shape, just want to make them look a little better." The first was a minivan (not a car as he described" , the interior was a wreck, about 5 orders of french fries in the seats. I finish, he was happy. I said, what's tomorrow's car? He points to the massive RV sitting in their driveway. I thought he was joking. I said "you said 3 cars and I quoted you appropriately." He said, "oh well do it anyway for $100 or I want all my money back for the minivan and won't let you do the other car." I was sooo pissed. Since I needed the money, I did the damn RV for $100. He is gone when I finish. Calls me up that night (8 P.M) and says, you missed a piece of dirt on the interior, will you come vacuum this? I come back and see there are another 5 orders of new french fries in the interior of the minivan and has already spilled coffee in the RV since I cleaned it earlier that day. He opens up the door and there are 2 pieces of dirt about the size of an ant. I brush them off with my hand, get in my car, come back and do the third car- actually a car, suprise, and then vowed never again!!



On a sidenote, there was massive amounts of tar on the RV and I told him that bug and tar remover was going to stain the fiberglass. He handed me some no-name bug and tar remover and said "I've used this a hundred times on it, works like a charm." I told him, ok, but I have a feeling it will stain. He said use it anyway. I spray and it stains the lower fender. I show him and he gets pissed at me. When I came back to vacuum, he shows me where he "didn't believe that it actually stained the fiberglass" so he used it on the entire side of the RV. Brown stains everywhere. I just lauged.

 

[safetyman2010]

When I was first starting out, a guy called me to do 3 of his "cars." He asked me how much they are and I said, $100 a car. He said ok. He said "They are in real good shape, just want to make them look a little better." The first was a minivan (not a car as he described" , the interior was a wreck, about 5 orders of french fries in the seats. I finish, he was happy. I said, what's tomorrow's car? He points to the massive RV sitting in their driveway. I thought he was joking. I said "you said 3 cars and I quoted you appropriately." He said, "oh well do it anyway for $100 or I want all my money back for the minivan and won't let you do the other car." I was sooo pissed. Since I needed the money, I did the damn RV for $100. He is gone when I finish. Calls me up that night (8 P.M) and says, you missed a piece of dirt on the interior, will you come vacuum this? I come back and see there are another 5 orders of new french fries in the interior of the minivan and has already spilled coffee in the RV since I cleaned it earlier that day. He opens up the door and there are 2 pieces of dirt about the size of an ant. I brush them off with my hand, get in my car, come back and do the third car- actually a car, suprise, and then vowed never again!!



On a sidenote, there was massive amounts of tar on the RV and I told him that bug and tar remover was going to stain the fiberglass. He handed me some no-name bug and tar remover and said "I've used this a hundred times on it, works like a charm." I told him, ok, but I have a feeling it will stain. He said use it anyway. I spray and it stains the lower fender. I show him and he gets pissed at me. When I came back to vacuum, he shows me where he "didn't believe that it actually stained the fiberglass" so he used it on the entire side of the RV. Brown stains everywhere. I just lauged.

If he had already paid you for the minivan you should have turned around and walked away. Jerks like that feed off of bullying people into doing what they want. Next time get your money and politely tell them to find another detailer - you will appreciate the look on their face when you turn the tables and blow them off.

 

[Magellan498]

That's another issue we have. We need to start getting money up front. We're both pretty good gages of work and time so it's not like we're trying to screw anyone, just the opposite.

 

[PakShak]

I have a friend who owns a mobile detailing business. Well, one day out of the blue I get a call from someone who wants to know if I knew of anyone who would detail his new black Cadillac Escalade. I said sure I have a friend who owns a mobile detailing business that could do it. Then 3 weeks later I meet up with my friend and he tells me thanks for the referral. He went to the owner's house and detailed the customer's Cadillac Escalade. However, my friend said he almost walked away from job. My friend is Japanese and the customer made a rude comment. The customer told him that all Japanese boys are spoiled and live off their parents. My friend turned to the customer, exchanged some words and the customer apologized. And he left it at that. Well, several weeks past and he gets a call from the same customer and he tells himself I shouldn't but he does. This time he sends his workers out to the same customer's house to work on his Cadillac Escalade. Well, my friend arrives at the customer's house to inspect the work. The customer comes out and tells my friend that "one of his boys" stole his ring. My friend asks his workers if anyone had found a ring in the Cadillac Escalade and they all said no. So the customer gets upset and starts yelling profanity remarks about their work and his workers. Basically calling them thieves. To end this short, later that day he receives a call from the customer apologizing about the ring because his son had taken it in the house for him. My friend said, he told the customer he had to find himself a new detailer because he was not going through that again.



With Aloha,

Ranney

 

[Scottwax]

GSRstilez-Wow! Not only should he have been more than happy to pay you the $120, but he should also have insisted you date his sister.

 

[Detailing NY]

i can tell you this much, if i worked 2 days on his car and he said he was not going to pay me, he would need a lot more then a detail on his car by the time i was done with it.



When i do show cars i have all the waivers signed and pre-detail sheets completed. I come to an agreement with the customer on price and explain to them that a % of the final price is to be paid up front.



Another thing i do with all my customers is I have the "KEYS"

You dont pay me, then i guess you are walking home. Once i get paid you get your keys back.



Dont get me wrong i have customers that call me up and ask for a detail but want to pay me in a few days when they get paid.

i dont have a problem with that but i make sure they sign something showing that they had the vehicle detailied and the amount that is owed.





**

if the person owes you a lot of money tell them you will detail the car for free, when they show up take the keys and do not release the vehicle until they pay you the back money owed.

and for those legal buffs out there, this is legal as long as the customer signed something that he understands that the vehicle will not be released until it is paid in full.



NYD

 

[safetyman2010]

i can tell you this much, if i worked 2 days on his car and he said he was not going to pay me, he would need a lot more then a detail on his car by the time i was done with it.



When i do show cars i have all the waivers signed and pre-detail sheets completed. I come to an agreement with the customer on price and explain to them that a % of the final price is to be paid up front.



Another thing i do with all my customers is I have the "KEYS"

You dont pay me, then i guess you are walking home. Once i get paid you get your keys back.



Dont get me wrong i have customers that call me up and ask for a detail but want to pay me in a few days when they get paid.

i dont have a problem with that but i make sure they sign something showing that they had the vehicle detailied and the amount that is owed.





**

if the person owes you a lot of money tell them you will detail the car for free, when they show up take the keys and do not release the vehicle until they pay you the back money owed.

and for those legal buffs out there, this is legal as long as the customer signed something that he understands that the vehicle will not be released until it is paid in full.



NYD

I am not sure about the US but in Canada we have a law called the "Mechanics Lien Act" which allows a person who performs service to any vehicle to seize, hold and sell off a persons vehicle if a bill isa left outstanding and the person refuses to pay without merit. This is oversimplified of course and there are certain legalities which I have not explained but the law is to protect us from the idiots who will try and take off without paying. I have only had one guy ever try and not pay me and shall we just say I didn't need to go through the "legal" system torecover my money. I just made a phone call, he got a visit from some unfriendly bikers and my money was paid in full the next morning. Not a solution I would take part in unless the guy is a real **** as this guy was.

 

[Detailing NY]

I just made a phone call, he got a visit from some unfriendly bikers and my money was paid in full the next morning. Not a solution I would take part in unless the guy is a real **** as this guy was.

You are my kind of person. I was going to say in my post when

all else fails you make a few phone calls and the person will pay either with money or pain. I would prefer the money and i think the customer would to.



we have the mechanic lein here to. never had to use it though. not sure of the entire law around it.

 

[safetyman2010]

You are my kind of person. I was going to say in my post when

all else fails you make a few phone calls and the person will pay either with money or pain. I would prefer the money and i think the customer would to.



we have the mechanic lein here to. never had to use it though. not sure of the entire law around it.

The guy I was dealing with was a cocky little foreigner who brought in his old POS Porsche 928 and we agreed that we would do a full detail for $150 (that was a long time ago - now I wouldn't touch the car for under $200). He agreed BEFORE we started and when he came back started going on about how he wasn't happy with the job. He couldn't come up with why he wasn't happy - nothing in particular, he just wasn't happy with it. He kept trying to get me to take it outside and I said no - we need to settle the bill. He insisted on seeing the car outside before he would pay which made me suspicious because he had an extra set of keys in his hand. I finally said okay and when we took it outside he dropped the bomb. I'll give you $100 and that's it - I'm not happy. I said no and he said well I only brought $100 so that's all I can give you (mistake 1). I told him that if he only brought $100 than he had no intention of paying me the full price in advance of seeing the job we did and he was trying to rip me off. I gave him 2 choices - come back within 30 min with the rest of the money or suffer the consequences (I realize it was only $50 but that's not the point - the kid was trying to rip me off). Of course he laughed it off and never came back. I received an angry phone call from his dad the next morning because I sent the leg breakers out after him (he also refused to pay up) but we got our money soon after from the kids friend who was embarrased because he was a good customer and his friend made him look bad. On a sunnier note - the kids car was soon after seized and sold due to non-payment of a mechanical bill at an aquaintances garage. People like that ALWAYS get what is coming to them.

 

[imported_CBX Carl]

I have to say that pre-payment / authorization is becoming quite common with our small service shop. All customers get a swipe of the CC before we do any work just to weed out the sharks. A few new customers have come back with cash first to cover any charges but then again we did have a nice fence installed around our parking lot.