My first unhappy customer...

[G Force]

Re: My first unhappy customer...

More and more garages are copying main dealers procedures .i have been in the trade for about 30 years (mechanical sections) i think it's the only way to avoid these kind of situations.

[AeroCleanse]

Re: My first unhappy customer...

My opinion is you did the wrong thing by giving her the money back. Just because you can't please her doesn't mean she doesn't owe for the work. Leaving a wax residue on the door? Only a poor detailer would do that. Taking the windows out? Unless that was spelled out before you started its not the common business practice.

[Andy M.]

Re: My first unhappy customer...

Hey n737nc,

For what it is worth, I think you did an excellent job on that van. I think that the woman was just trying to get something for nothing. Your rep. is still good because you did the honorable thing of giving her the money back and anyone who actually sees the work you did would feel that she is crazy.

Andy
101impala

[cafemoc]

Re: My first unhappy customer...

Would you work on her car again if she ask you?

You have done super job for crappy van

[Lydia]

Re: My first unhappy customer...

Nice job on the van! What a nutter she was....wax the wheel wells?? I would say most people here are pretty car crazy, but that is just insane IMO. I think that was wise of you to give her the money back. Now she can't really say anything bad about you. I think she probably just wanted something for nothing. Some people seem to have no conscience...

[Superior Shine]

Re: My first unhappy customer...

Van looks great!

Don't feel bad. I was fired by Ann-Margette's (yes the movie star) grounds keeper today.

He said we did "awful work."

The cars we had to do there were in very very bad condition. Two were black and scratched to heck.

We only washed and he wouldn't go for a detail.

He loved our work and raved about it in the past. Today with no warning we got fired.

Oh well, at least my other 82 clients (some I have had for 15+ years) like us.

[MaxImage]

Re: My first unhappy customer...

In your guys' opinions, do you think that the reason some people make a big "stink" about our work as detailers (mind you that we all know n737nc and Joe do great work) is because they don't know any other way to tell us that they don't want our services anymore? I guess this is more so in Joe's case, than n737nc's because his (n737nc) was only an initial detail, which IMHO, came out spectacularly!

[Silverado12]

Re: My first unhappy customer...

You brought that finish back to life and it looks great in my eyes. She clearly just wanted to find something to complain about so that she could get a free detail.

Waxing the fender wells on a delivery van.... LMAO.

[Jimmy The Detailer]

Re: My first unhappy customer...

You did great work no doubt, and I feel her getting a refund was unnecessary, but a honorable thing on your part that attests to your professionalism and character. It is unfortunate that some people betray their ignorance and poor humanity, despite educating them, to have them berate ones legitimately good work in an attempt to get something for nothing, feel smug that they've gotten their way. Sadly for them they will have to balance that out as everything we do, is accountable. Don't be surprised one day she works hard designing someones interior and her customer ends up making ridiculous assessments of her work and refuses to pay her. What goes around...

[rascal]

Re: My first unhappy customer...

IMO, this person was totally unreasonable. I would speculate that her entire gripe was a ply to get something for nothing. I wouldn't have returned her money since I think that she is likely to bad mouth you anyway.....again, JMHO.

I get those in my business as well....ya win some (most, hopefully) ya lose some. Just don't let the maniacs get you down. (looks nice to me BTW)

Mort (who hates people like that)

I have dealt with people like that, but in the photo business. If you wanted to give her anything back, I would have refunded some of the money, not all. Every customer is going to have their own opinion about a business. What's not to say that a person this lady talks to after this ordeal doesn't come to you anyway? Besides, the lady lives three hours away. It would be a different story if she lived in the same area of town you do.

I really think you did a great job on the van.

[TKDDAD]

Re: My first unhappy customer...

Van looks great!

Don't feel bad. I was fired by Ann-Margette's (yes the movie star) grounds keeper today.

He said we did "awful work."

The cars we had to do there were in very very bad condition. Two were black and scratched to heck.

We only washed and he wouldn't go for a detail.

He loved our work and raved about it in the past. Today with no warning we got fired.

Oh well, at least my other 82 clients (some I have had for 15+ years) like us.

So on top of knowing how to prune a fig tree this grounds keeper also is an expert on detailing ??!...Joe, the guy must be smoking some of the plants he's taking care of !!

[johnyB]

Re: My first unhappy customer...

Great job on the van nothing wrong with that and she got a sweet deal i might add! One of my mentors once told me something interesting (he has been in the carwash industry for 30 plus years) he said that "the fastest way out of business is trying to please everyone" i believe that if you do your best and are honest what more can you give a customer.

As detailers we all have our own flavour hell who knows maybe theres a detailer who disasembles your car and waxes wheel wells, she asked for a service you told her what you were going to do then did it, that sounds like a good business pratice to me.

In my opinion refunding peoples money over something silly is not a good practice and can lead to more people trying to take advantage of you! as for the bad press i say let her tell her friends because they are probly just like her

[Dibbuz]

Re: My first unhappy customer...

My opinion? She wanted a free detail and she got it. Her reasons are total bs.

[CAShine]

Re: My first unhappy customer...

I completely understand that you want to give excellent customer service and have every customer walk away happy. And I definately understand not wanting bad press because you want to continue to grow your business. But unfortunately there are people whom you can never please no matter how much you do. These people are just looking to get something for free. They know if they complain that most people will give it for free just out of sake of customer service. You and the customer had come to agreement that perfection was not the goal, so why all of a sudden is the customer complaining about not having achieved perfection? I feel that a partial refund would have been sufficient because after all you did perform a service and the customer was happy with everything else but those few items. It didn't warrant a full refund. It is commendable that you want to make the customer happy, but at what cost?

[CAShine]

Re: My first unhappy customer...

So on top of knowing how to prune a fig tree this grounds keeper also is an expert on detailing ??!...Joe, the guy must be smoking some of the plants he's taking care of !!

Hilarious. I definately agree.