Customer Issues

[Dreamworkz]

On Thursday I did a full detail on a family friends '11 Ford F250 crew cab (strip wash, clay, wax, vacuum and shampoo carpets, clean and apply product to seats and interior panels). It's a pretty big job especially for a full size truck. I figured I'd give them a deal and only do it for $300 which is pretty darn reasonable. Before I did the job I told her what I was going to do and how much I would charge her and she agreed. Mined you this couple owns a successful HVAC company. I finish the job in one day and she was very impressed. Cut me a check for $300 and I was on my way.

A few hours go by and I get a call from the husband, who is really good friends with my father and he tells me that I charged way too much and "I thought we were friends here" and I should give some of the money back to his wife. I told him that I gave her a huge steal on my service and had used a lot of my product for the vehicle.

My question is, what should I do? Should I give them some money back or nothing at all or should I just give them the entire check back and say screw it? My family has been friends with them for a very long time and it pisses me off that they think they should get **** done for free.

 

 

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[Ralfy]

Give the husband back a dollar

[baker]

Calmly talk to him. Tell him everything you did and what you would charge an outsider. Then tell him you gave him the family discount. And that you have a "bird dog" program.. if he referrers customers and they pick the full price package.. you give him a finders fee..

 

Or maybe offer to advertise with him.. twice the ads half the cost...

[07RS4]

"Before I did the job I told her what I was going to do and how much I would charge her and she agreed."

 

Sounds like this guy and his wife have communitcation issues....I know they are friends of the family, but it's not your fault they don't communicate. Ensure he knows that his wife OK'd the deal, he may not.

[Schwag one]

This is a tough one. You're damned if you give money back and damned if you don't give money back. No matter what you say or do, this can affect your parents relationship with their parents. If your a smarta55 like me, I would listen to their tone and his delivery. Remember this is your money you deserve it plus it was an agreed upon price. You want to use Irish diplomacy (telling someone to go to hell so they look forward to the ride). When you talk to him keep a passive tone, no matter what is said. Soo I would simply say, of course we are friends, this is the friends discount, typically I charge.....for a job this size, but your right since we're friends here is your check back I don't need that bad

[Redbeard]

That's definitely a tough spot to be in. Tread lightly, but it already sounds like there won't be a win/win outcome here (unless he does an about-face). I'd first ask him if he was dissatisfied with any part of the work you did. Assuming he's not, I'd tell him exactly how much you normally charge for that job (itemize if you want to, and/or figure up how much you have in product and time) so it's clear how much of a deal you're giving them. I would hope that as a businessman he would understand where you're coming from at this point.

I think the bigger issue here is he seems to think you pulled one over on his wife, so it probably won't do much good to say "I went over all this with her beforehand and she agreed to it," even though it's true. Personally, for the good of all involved I'd be prepared to eat some of your cost and settle on a new price with him. I'm not saying I think this is the right thing to do, but it's probably best in the long run to keep the peace. It sucks, but if he won't be reasonable it's even more important that you are. And I hope your other family members don't get caught in the middle.

Edited November 3, 2012 by Redbeard

[69supersport396]

If you want to make this person happy, ask him what he thinks is fair, decide if you want to comply, remind him his wife agreed to the deal, and give him back what he wants.

 

Make sure you do not detail their vehicles in the future. We all know here that you cut his wife a screaming deal!

[LFairbanks]

Ask him if what he charges for service when it comes to HVAC is fair. Some of them want 80 bucks or more just for showing up at your doorstep. I know he is a family friend, but he needs to be realistic. He isn't going to just send some guy over to your house for free for service or maintenance. HVAC guys leave a sour taste in my mouth. I was screwed over by one at the tune of $11,300. And another company tried to pull a fast one on my mother.

 

Go to, or get someone to go to another detail shop or two in town and ask for a bid for like services. Sometimes people don't know what they are really getting and that sounds to be the case here. Good luck.

[CODY-GTO]

I agree that this guy probably does not understand the process of the kind of detail you did, and the cost of the products. I would explain to him that the product you use isn't an auto parts store cleaner and wax.

 

I would also get quotes from other places around to show him that he was given a fair deal.

[JBlack151]

That's an unfortunate issue. Like the others have said, talk with him to explain the process, time and effort you put into the work completed. From there let him know you will offer a free wash to hopefully resolve things and make him feel like he is getting something out of it in the end.

 

Good luck and remember to stay professional while helping out somebody you know.

[Bunky]

I would share your pricing model which usually equates to some charge per hour. You said it as a $400 detail discounted to $300. If you put in 8 hrs then you are looking at $35 per hour. What you charge per hour is based upon your skill and reputation. You then can compare that to what his company charges per hour.

 

However, many people do not want to pay any more than they have to pay even when they are in a service business. They always want the special deal but do not want to extend it for their own business.

[Dreamworkz]

Thanks for all the info guys. I'm gonna go to a local detail shop today to get an estimate to find out exactly what they would charge for this truck. Also, I talked to my father and he said that he was going to talk to him about it over a beer, which will probably be interesting. The guy did say I did a fantastic job and will be referring me to a few other people, so maybe this will be a good time for me to let him know I will do a finders fee. All I want to do is make this right, but at the same time not loose money over it since I do use all Adam's products on every vehicle I detail, which I told him that I am using nothing but the best stuff and not the auto parts store products.

[RSCamaro]

**EDIT**Please disregard post...didn't go to page 2

[GXPaycheck]

If you give any cash back, I would never give them another discount.

[Green Machine]

If you give any cash back I would never do a detail for them again! Plain and simple! Sorry if this is harsh advice but some people just don't realize what goes into detailing a car!!!

[mjhpadi]

I agree the guy really can't understand how much work is involved in a detail, especially on a full size truck. My first thought is to give them all the money back and then explain how many hours and how much money you put into the detail of their truck. Then walk away and chalk it up to experience. Next time when a friend asks to do a detail, just say no and explain why you won't do it.

[crowvet]

Either way if you give money back or don't he has already caused a relationship problem. I would never detail for him again. Ask him how much you should return. Give the money back and then tell him Wow I am so lucky to find out what a jerk you are for that amount... Really? I probably wouldn't do that but if you did I would

[Rains]

It seems like the folks that have money are the ones that complain about having to spend a dollar. If he has the luxury of being able to pay someone to detail his truck instead of cleaning it himself, he needs to have the luxury to pay for what it cost to have it done. I wouldn't give him a dime back, regardless of who he was. These Adams products are expensive as you know and you have to make enough to replace the product used and make you enough to put a biscuit on your table to eat. Sorry for the rant.....but I run into these kind of people all the time.

[mjhpadi]

Either way if you give money back or don't he has already caused a relationship problem. I would never detail for him again. Ask him how much you should return. Give the money back and then tell him Wow I am so lucky to find out what a jerk you are for that amount... Really? I probably wouldn't do that but if you did I would

If you return all of the money the guy will understand that you are upset about questioning the price especially if he owns a business. Returning all the money will say a lot about how you feel about a cheap son of a gun that questions your price...I know I won't want to do business with someone who is a cheapskate! You should name his business so we can all avoid him!

[gymrat7953]

As a young man I was in similar situation; end result....if I do anything for friends of the family I don't expect much as I feel that I'm returning a favor on my parents behalf.

[Chewy]

If you end up giving him some money back, I wouldn't do anymore work for their family.

 

NO MATTER WHAT! Probably won't have to worry about it as the guy sounds like a cheap A..

 

Chris

[Team Adam's]

I would share your pricing model which usually equates to some charge per hour. You said it as a $400 detail discounted to $300. If you put in 8 hrs then you are looking at $35 per hour. What you charge per hour is based upon your skill and reputation. You then can compare that to what his company charges per hour.

 

However, many people do not want to pay any more than they have to pay even when they are in a service business. They always want the special deal but do not want to extend it for their own business.

 

 

Show them what 'regular price' looks like compared to the $300... many times people don't expect a detail to cost $300 b/c they're used to seeing the car wash ads saying "Full detail for $100!".

 

Educate them on the difference between what you did and what they'd get elsewhere.

 

If nothing else, you can always work trade out... never hurts to have a good HVAC guy who owes you a favor. Give him a refund of the $300 and let him know you'll expect the same favor if/when you need work done.

[Coderedpl]

I think the issue here is, or at least comparing this to what I see locally is that some car wash places will charge you say 150$ bucks "spend" a few hours on the car, make the car "shine" and smell nice and that's it. Other people, after seeing that expect the same from everyone else which makes it tougher for people like us detail enthusiasts or even those who do it as a job.

[dipolley]

Going to have agree with Dylan and Bunky. They gave a much better option than what I would have given you.

[Dreamworkz]

Well, here's what I did. I gave him the money back, all of it. Showed him what the real price was and he was shocked of my discount I gave him. I shook his hand and he told me that if I need any HVAC work done to give him a call and he'll do it for free, which will be nice since the wife and I are looking at buying a house within a year.

 

 

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[Green Machine]

Should have got it in writing!!!!!! JK everyone's happy !!!!! I think