[carpetx5]

Got called out to a large horge house to carry out a full living room clean including deoderiser, used champion cr33 diluted by 10ml to a litre, carpet came up lovely and then placed coasters on all furniture that required it

next day i receive a call telling me they had moved the furniture and that there was now french polish stains on the carpet,,EVERYWHERE!!

anyway before i arrive flash oxiaction was used by the client on the stains which i beleive is a some sort of bleach.. any way i have managed to fade the french polish stains but not remove them plus there is now a bright yellow circle around each of the stains, anyone got any ideas?


thanks

[woodman]

Tell her to get her contents insurance policy out and pray she has accidental cover.

Sorry but sounds like it's a write off.

Did you explain to her not to move the furniture off the pads for at least 24hrs?

[Dynafoam]

Whilst the customer has a justifiable conplaint against you, provided the furniture was not moved of the tabs you placed under the legs, you cannot be expected to take the responsibility for the subsequent use of a totally inappropriate cleaning agent by the customer.

Not only does this product contain a peroxide, which is responsible for the yellow halo marks, but its' use may be responsible for your failure to completely remove the wood dye.

It Is often the case that a carpet cleaner is placed in a situation of liability because in attempting to remove a stain the overall condition of a carpet is worsened - this is the other side of the coin and it is the customer that must accept responsibility for a self-inflicted wound.

It is going to take all your tact and diplomacy to put this to the customer in a way in which your reputation does not suffer when the story is related to friends and relatives.

John.

[Derek]

John is correct...

the simple adage is...' the last one to touch it owns it'.

I have taken two calls today from a company I do some consultancy work for... in both instances I managed to prevent  their customers touching a problem to allow the offending company to put it right.

These were not carpet cleaning companies  by the way.

Cheers
Derek

[Robert_O]

This is the sort of situation that I was talking about in an earlier thread regarding the after cleaning advice slip that I ensure my clients have and read prior to undertaking the cleaning works.

If you have only verbally discussed the reasons for placing the protector pads under the furniture with your client, then this is your word against theirs.

But if you give it in writing and make sure that they read it, leaving then with a copy, then this would certainly strengthen the cleaners case in the unfortunate event of things going wrong.

"If things turn sour Verbal instructions  are not worth the paper that they were'nt written on"!!!

It really is good practice for every professional cleaner to leave written advice incorporating a thankyou notice following cleaning!!!

Hindsight is a wonderful thing though!!!

I hope that things work out

Regards

Robert Olifent

[Len Gribble]

Robert

I concur with what you say but even leaving it in writing still would not strengthen your case they could throw it away and say I have no recollection of you leaving this type of paper work, the only way I see is you have carbonate copy with there signature/date or a dup with there signature/date which you retain that way I feel you are covered.


I will admit I’m surprised the client tried to remove the marks even with my wife’s (blond) logic need I say more!

Have you a copy of your writhen advise that you could send me?

Len

[carpetx5]

Thanks for all your replies , i thought that this was the case but i just needed to check it with some of you guys...as regards advice whenever someone calls me up i always advise them to never use any of the household cleaning solutions, gels, sprays available in the supermarket but as you have already said this is only verbal over the phone, but i like that idea of making an after job advice slip
luckily i`m quite good freinds with the people who refferred this job to me, but unfortunateley the guy who`s carpet it is is a lawyer  .


looks like ive got some tiptoeing around to do thanks again

[Dave Parry]

Robert, After reading your post re aftercare, I now have them printed on the reverse of my reciepts. So there are no arguments. (hope you have no objections to using the material).

[Robert_O]

I am pleased it is of use to you.

Kind regards

Robert Olifent

[Shorty]

Sorry for what has happened, and also for re-posting these words.

ALWAYS, put furniture that is suspected of bleeding, onto blocks or skidders, otherwise wrap them in alfoil

PRIOR

to pre-spraying any chemicals.

Taking the time to do this, can prevent gut twisting stories like above.

Good luck.

Cheers,

Shorty.

[Robert_O]

Hi Len

You are absolutely right, it would be a better idea to encorporate it on the reverse side of the Invoice survey form. If a problem arises then there is no argument if they ignored the advice you gave them!!!

The only problem that I found when considering  this is that I usually give the advice slip immediately prior to the commencement of cleaning in order for the client to be pre-advised.

It doesn't seem appropriate that I issue the client with the bill (albeit having the advice on the back)when I first walk through the door.  

Maybe just have two advice slips, with the additional one printed on the backs of the survey /invoice forms would do the trick.

Its ok don't mind me, I am just thinking out loud (well typing anyway)!!!

Good point though

Regards

Robert Olifent