Poor customer service, awful product and still get paid!

[Superior Shine]

I recently hired a "graphic artist" to create some post cards for me.

I first told him I liked his samples and I would be sending him a deposit but after I thought about it for a good while I decided the cards (as they were) wouldn't work for me.

I contacted him to make changes and he fought me every step of the way. I wanted a tag line on the front, I wanted my logo, I wanted what I did (mobile auto detailing) on the front.

One day I had enough of his attitude and decided not to use him. I told him to drop the project.

Well he sued me in small claims court and won $830.

As policy I tell all my clients if you don't like my work you don't have to pay for it. In over 20 years in the auto detailing business nobody has ever asked for their money back.

When somebody hires me I am flattered that they have decided to spend their hard earned money on my service. I realize that I have been trusted to deliver a service to them that at a minimum must be satisfactory.

If they told me they didn’t like my work I wouldn’t charge them.


Welcome to the new era of poor service.

Your hard presed to find decent service let alone good or better in hotels, restaurants, anywhere......I am pretty much sick of it.

[matt colvin]

That's pretty bad, Joe. I'm not surprised he won in small claims though, seems like that's the way they usually work out.

The part that said abut being flattered about people spending their hard earned money for your services has really become non-existent these days. I'm pretty big into shooting sports, and, when looking at new guns and equipment, I find that I very rarely feel that my business is appreciated. That is very important to me. I'm glad it is to you as well, esp. as a business owner.

[Superior Shine]

I agree with you. I am shopping for a new van and I almost have to beg for customer service. I am thinking heck I am about to drop $24,000 on one of your new cars , anybody care?


BTW, I am an NRA lifer.

[DETAILS2]

Joe with those type of clowns you first outline what services you need from them with a clause stating final approval must authorized by you (client) before print and make sure contract is in plain english spelled out so they understand that you have recourse in the event the project is not completed to you liking then you can counter-sue for breach of contract. Sorry dude but some people just **** and if we could handle it The Cali way I know you would feel much better but we have grown up and have to just take it on the chin if not protected by contract law.

[Superior Shine]

Well I sure learned th ehard way!! I certainly willhave some kind of contract made up for now on.

I met this guy through thtis photo shoot - PHOTO SHOOT

[35th Anniversary SS]

Re: Poor customer service, awful product and still get paid!

Customer service is a dying practice. I just had a small dose of the same today with my bank. After 12yrs with them, 1 home loan, 2 vehicle loans, 1 personal loan, and numerous large transactions they wouldnt credit me a $33 overdraft fee from an honest mistake. After explaining the mistake to them they told me they couldnt help me, this was after getting the supervisor on the phone and explaining that I will switch banks based on the pricipal of the issue.

Sorry to rant on my own problem... I know how ya feel.

Its just too bad the system saw it his way... its like he was rewarded for doing you (the customer) wrong.

FWIW.. When I finish a job I always say "If you find anything you are unhappy about, Ill be more then happy to take care of it." I even have a customer thats my neighbor and I regularly walk across the street while her car is outside and proceed to clean the windows, shine the tires, and wipe down the wheels. Thats how it SHOULD be.

[Lydia]

Re: Poor customer service, awful product and still get paid!

Customer service is really dieing. And Joe, I know what you mean about the vehicle. Last spring while shopping for a vehicle for me, my Dad and I stopped by a local car lot. We pulled up in a 1989 Delta '88, so I guess they thought we were poor (not the case) and weren't worth serving. We looked around for a while just to find a salesman, and once we finally found one he was very rude to us, and told us he didn't have what we wanted, then before he even finished talking to us, he took a call on his cell phone and completely ignored us. That made me so angry that he treated us like dirt. Sure, we didn't drive up in a very nice car, but that doesn't mean we don't have much money, and even if it did, that doesn't give him an excuse for being so rude.
Another lack of customer service rant: the other day when I went to a nation-wide home improvement product store, I had to get some of that wire mesh stuff you put into concrete when you are pouring it (my Dad needed me to get it while he was at work since I have a truck and he doesn't). In case you don't know what the wire mesh is like, it is in a big, awkward, rusty roll. It is also heavy. Now I'm not any heavy weight (5' 8" and 120 pounds), and I'm a girl. Several employees saw me struggling to get it onto the cart and none of them volunteered to help. Then when they saw me pulling it out of the store, none of them asked if they could help then either. Fortunately for me, some guy out in the parking lot saw me trying to get it into the back of my truck and helped me out (otherwise there is no way I could have gotten it in there).

Sorry about the rants.

Sorry you had to shell out that much money, Joe.

You are correct, 35th Anniversary SS. That's how it should be. And that's one of the things I love about Meg's. They have awesome customer service.

[RDVT4ME]

Re: Poor customer service, awful product and still get paid!

Customer service is what makes you better than the others!

You're a man of your word and that you should be proud of. I'm sure you can sleep better at night than those other guys.

[Superior Shine]

Re: Poor customer service, awful product and still get paid!

Thanks everybody. I am glad I am not the only one that feels this way.

I think I would be too embarrassed that I didn't deliver to sue somebody that didn't want to pay me for my bad work.