Customer saying we damgd car -- opinion please

Rav777 said:
I would be interested in an inspection form as well. I dont know where people order those carbon copy inspection forms.
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You can take any inspection form into any Office Depot Store and they can make them for you in duplicate or triplicate in less than a day......not very expensive either....

HotRod
 
Inspection forms are next to useless. I can't ever tell exactly what I'm dealing with (damages) untill after my 2+ hour wash

An inspection form might be ok for the obvious problems (big dents, scraped wheels, rockchipped windows etc, but what you miss on the initial inspection, will bite you in the arse when the customer picks up the car (spotless) and finds other defects. By using your inspection sheet, they will be able to hang you if it were to go to a court of law
 
We use an inspection form and go around the car from top to bottom every little thing we note and circle it on the form we also do this with the customer present and when done the customer has to sign the form. These days the first thing from a customers mouth is I will call my lawyer we live in a world now that people want to sue for every thing no matter big or small . People are looking for an easy payday IMO.
 
Harleyguy said:
We use an inspection form and go around the car from top to bottom every little thing we note and circle it on the form we also do this with the customer present and when done the customer has to sign the form. These days the first thing from a customers mouth is I will call my lawyer we live in a world now that people want to sue for every thing no matter big or small . People are looking for an easy payday IMO.
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The only difference here is though Adam is your just doing service work. If your detailing and someone brings in a dirty car its impossible to find all the defects. You can better believe though, after the car has been detailed, every flaw will stick out like a sore thumb. Then your really setting yourself up for failure
 
Flash Gordon said:
Inspection forms are next to useless. I can't ever tell exactly what I'm dealing with (damages) untill after my 2+ hour wash

An inspection form might be ok for the obvious problems (big dents, scraped wheels, rockchipped windows etc, but what you miss on the initial inspection, will bite you in the arse when the customer picks up the car (spotless) and finds other defects. By using your inspection sheet, they will be able to hang you if it were to go to a court of law
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Yeah I see what you mean. I guess in this case it is good to just have a good insurance and know a good lawyer just in case the poop hits the fan.

Or maybe just a form where the major dings are present, excluding swirls and scratches?
 
hmm for a OEM repair shop my car was around replacing the bumper, brace, reinforcement, and paint all cost around 1100~1500. That includes parts and labor.

So yeah 750 doesn't sound that outrages for repairs only on a bumper. But I have to say #### like this is just wrong.
 
Flannigan said:
Unfortunately regardless of if you did it or not, you are at fault since you can't prove that you didn't do it. You could refuse to pay, but I would assume that would mean you can't work at that golf course anymore. I would tell the guy that you will have it fixed, but you will get an estimate yourself. Just my .02
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Burden of proof lies with the accuser. If he can't prove the car was damaged at that moment he has no case it would seem. Especially if he came back with the complaint three weeks after the detail? That is gonna sound fishy to any judge. I would call his bluff see if he tries to get legal. Sounds like you have more then 3 witnesses that the car did not go on the curb.

But that is just me.

Disclaimer - I am not an attorney.
 
Does he have a wife? $500 says she did it & either too afraid to admit it or didn't even know she hit something.

Even if you were to pay up, it sounds like his big mouth will still spread a bad rep about you so you may as well fight it I say. Meet with the GM & explain all the info you have & hope he/she understands your position.
 
If you don't pay up, his bad mouth will spread the word. If you DO pay up, he'll spread the word that you're easy picking. I say go to court.
 
Thats why its important to have a sign off sheet for customers,inspect the car with the customer, makes notes on any damaged area,then have the customer to sign and document in a filing system, I take before pictures, then if anything comes back to haunt me I have proof that it was there before I worked on it.
 
I made a pdf of the form last night, Still cant upload it to the web. Anyone interested pm me with your email and i will send it to you.
 
skipper1 said:
I think I would take a measuring tape and measure the height of the curbs where this was to have happened and measure the clearance of the bumper to see if it was even possible that one of your guys could have done the damage.

Then I would try to talk to the customer and show him the facts, be sure to take your camera.
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That is a great idea! Talk to the GM. See if he saw the damage and see how he feels about the guy. Refuse to pay and tell him you did not do it, he is a liar, and he cannot prove that you caused the damage and he reported it a week after so legally he cannot prove that you did it and it was not caused by something else. You have your fellow workers that can all swear that you/they did not do it. So its not just his word against yours. Also there should be scrapes and damage or paint on the alleged curb. Point out the lack thereof to him. He is like a bully. If you dont stick up to him he will keep taking your lunch money.
 
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I only do famliy and freinds cars so I can't advise on the business side of that but do run my own business and I always get specifics in writing from clients as I have been burned due to vagueness in the past.
On to the OP's issue, if I may ask where is the CC located? I live in a gated community built around a golf course and country club, no I do not play. I know very very well what goes on and the attitudes of folks leaving and belonging to private clubs. I'm a social member so I get to see them in all their after glory. I've personally seen this year one member in a drunken stupor drive right over the curb across the lawn leading to the driving range and blame the club due to lighting, saw a lady two weekends ago pull right up to a curb stone and bump it and then gas her car and go right over the damn thing. I would strongly suggest you measure the curb in question and the car if you can get access to it and document those measurements in photos. If there is any doubt I would speak with the GM since he is the only witness the owner has and explain to him while you repsect the club's intentions and the ability to provide a service to the membership and explain why youbelieve your emplyees did not do this. If he is insistent even after being presented the facts you can effectively kiss goodbye the account and discontinue the business relationship and let the legal systems haggle thru it. Bottom line no one witnessed the actual event, the GM only saw it after it was pointed out to him and the customer took possesion of his vehicle(I would assume at that point it was under his control) and he did not inform you until 3 weeks later. There is a weekend detailer at the club by me but it seems to change all the time as far as person or company.
 
Flannigan said:
$720 would buy you a brand new bumper from the dealer with a markup and have it painted by a body shop. I find it odd that they would charge over 10 hours to fix a minor blemish like that.

Unfortunately regardless of if you did it or not, you are at fault since you can't prove that you didn't do it. You could refuse to pay, but I would assume that would mean you can't work at that golf course anymore. I would tell the guy that you will have it fixed, but you will get an estimate yourself. Just my .02

This really goes to show that you should do a walk around with the customer before you start working on their vehicles, and then have them sign some paperwork.

On an unrelated note, if you aren't making enough to pay yourself you either have too many employees, are paying them too much, or not charging enough for your services. Sounds like you might need to step back and take a look at all of that. No reason to work that hard and not have something to show for it.
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I completely disagree with you on this point. Innocent until proven guilty. The burden of proof falls upon the plaintiff. Especially when they're coming back 3 weeks after the fact.

ExoticAutoDetai said:
Here is your answer. If he DID NOT stated the damage the same day you performed the detail job or at least the next day to you not the GM, then you are not responsible for whatever he may be complaining about. I guarantee you a lawyer is not even needed if it was to go to court. A simple check up list can be design to be signed by the owner before doing any work. Something I learned at the dealership. If I find the slip or remember how the check list goes il pm it to you. Hope everything works well.
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100% agree!
 
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Another good reason to do a walk around AFTER the project is completed. You can show off what you did and show the condition of the car when it leaves your shop.
 
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