craz0boy
New member
- Apr 6, 2012
- 283
- 0
Warning this is going to be long.
Two days ago received a call from a guy looking to detail 2 vehicles. I gave him my prices for a basic detail( also stating prices are not final based open final inspection of vehicle). Ended up giving me the info for clients, address, phone, etc.. We discuss payment options and agree to do it by check which I was to pick up the following day. So I booked the details. So this morning I contact the fellow and low and behold he had to go "out of town" so we would need another payment option. Starts offering me that he will either wire the money, mail a check, PayPal or I can give him my bank account number and info and he will deposit the money. Hold up! Red flag going up. This was all seeming to fishy. So I tell him Paypal and ask for email do I can send him a invoice. Thinking to myself what do I got to loose, if I don't get paid I don't do the job. His email was ***carwash@*****. Car wash? By the power of google I look up the name and am lead to this site offering mobile detailing throughout the US. So I put two and two together. He's the middle man contracting work out. Wasn't a problem for me, figured I'll end up taking the customer over anyways. The money was put into my paypal and I transferred it into my bank account. When I go and do the detail. The vehicle is in bad shape (was told it was not that bad) stains on carpet, leather needs to be cleaned & conditioned, gooey gunk in cup holders, paint on hood & roof ( which by the way felt like sandpaper!) need to be debugged, clayed, compounded and waxed. So I only did what I was paid to do and even a little more. I call the client out to inspect, and the vehicle is basically a turn around. I got the thing clean and shiny. ( Ill post a pic later wont let me upload on my phone)I pointed out that the roof and hood need serious attention and wouldn't mind working on it but it would cost extra. Well he blows up and gets upset complaining that "they" (they being the middle man who set up the detail) were offering a $200 complete detail for everything. Even tells me the vehicle does not look clean. You don't understand how angry that got me. But I keep my cool and keep everything professional and try to resolve the matter. No luck I end up calling the guy who set up the appointment, hey guess what no answer! Left a very pissed off voicemail with a call back number. And the only thing I can tell the client is look I'm sorry about the situation but I did what I was paid to do. I explain, this "middle man guy" never told me he was a third party, never told me they were offering a $200 COMPLETE DETAIL and I only got half of that! I don't advertise with them, I don't know them. All I was told to do was a basic detail. Vac, wipe down and clean interior, wash, dry, spray wax, tire dressing & I even did more. Of course I understand the guy was mad, he was expecting $200 worth of detailing when I was only paid to do $100 worth of detailing. The customer ends walking inside and the end.I leave and guess who decides to call? Mr. Middle man. I tell him the situation. He doesn't care, says the client is expecting a show car finish for a cheap price, which by the way quote: (I only charged him $80 says Mr. Middle Man). BS! You mean to tell me you are going out of your way to find me work and loose money! I hung up and headed to ( oh I bet you forgot I had a 2nd detail from that guy) haha when I arrive I meet the lady and I start asking her about who she paid for detail. Same thing advertised to her $200 complete detail. So I explain what happened with last client she gets furious says she going to get her money back and we reschedule and she will be going straight through me. No middle man. I'm even going to detail her boyfriends ride. Turned a $100 detail which would have resulted in a unhappy customer, into a $300+ detail and a happy customer!
Learn from my little ordeal be careful who is giving you jobs! Could be the rip off middle man potentially putting your biz and name at risk! I feel better after this vent
phew
Two days ago received a call from a guy looking to detail 2 vehicles. I gave him my prices for a basic detail( also stating prices are not final based open final inspection of vehicle). Ended up giving me the info for clients, address, phone, etc.. We discuss payment options and agree to do it by check which I was to pick up the following day. So I booked the details. So this morning I contact the fellow and low and behold he had to go "out of town" so we would need another payment option. Starts offering me that he will either wire the money, mail a check, PayPal or I can give him my bank account number and info and he will deposit the money. Hold up! Red flag going up. This was all seeming to fishy. So I tell him Paypal and ask for email do I can send him a invoice. Thinking to myself what do I got to loose, if I don't get paid I don't do the job. His email was ***carwash@*****. Car wash? By the power of google I look up the name and am lead to this site offering mobile detailing throughout the US. So I put two and two together. He's the middle man contracting work out. Wasn't a problem for me, figured I'll end up taking the customer over anyways. The money was put into my paypal and I transferred it into my bank account. When I go and do the detail. The vehicle is in bad shape (was told it was not that bad) stains on carpet, leather needs to be cleaned & conditioned, gooey gunk in cup holders, paint on hood & roof ( which by the way felt like sandpaper!) need to be debugged, clayed, compounded and waxed. So I only did what I was paid to do and even a little more. I call the client out to inspect, and the vehicle is basically a turn around. I got the thing clean and shiny. ( Ill post a pic later wont let me upload on my phone)I pointed out that the roof and hood need serious attention and wouldn't mind working on it but it would cost extra. Well he blows up and gets upset complaining that "they" (they being the middle man who set up the detail) were offering a $200 complete detail for everything. Even tells me the vehicle does not look clean. You don't understand how angry that got me. But I keep my cool and keep everything professional and try to resolve the matter. No luck I end up calling the guy who set up the appointment, hey guess what no answer! Left a very pissed off voicemail with a call back number. And the only thing I can tell the client is look I'm sorry about the situation but I did what I was paid to do. I explain, this "middle man guy" never told me he was a third party, never told me they were offering a $200 COMPLETE DETAIL and I only got half of that! I don't advertise with them, I don't know them. All I was told to do was a basic detail. Vac, wipe down and clean interior, wash, dry, spray wax, tire dressing & I even did more. Of course I understand the guy was mad, he was expecting $200 worth of detailing when I was only paid to do $100 worth of detailing. The customer ends walking inside and the end.I leave and guess who decides to call? Mr. Middle man. I tell him the situation. He doesn't care, says the client is expecting a show car finish for a cheap price, which by the way quote: (I only charged him $80 says Mr. Middle Man). BS! You mean to tell me you are going out of your way to find me work and loose money! I hung up and headed to ( oh I bet you forgot I had a 2nd detail from that guy) haha when I arrive I meet the lady and I start asking her about who she paid for detail. Same thing advertised to her $200 complete detail. So I explain what happened with last client she gets furious says she going to get her money back and we reschedule and she will be going straight through me. No middle man. I'm even going to detail her boyfriends ride. Turned a $100 detail which would have resulted in a unhappy customer, into a $300+ detail and a happy customer!
Learn from my little ordeal be careful who is giving you jobs! Could be the rip off middle man potentially putting your biz and name at risk! I feel better after this vent
phew
