parttimer
Active member
- Aug 5, 2013
- 1,564
- 0
I was referred to a new client by an existing, long time customer to work on a few vehicles. Some may remember my California Duster post as he was a frequent user. So, I met him and looked at his new vette that was trashed by the dealer during his free wash with oil change. I quoted him a price for 3 vehicles, a ceramic coating on the vette and 2 exterior 1-step jobs on his GMC Envoys. I gave him roughly 30% off the whole package, basically I was doing a whole vehicle free. My reason was, he has another vette friend that was looking to get his vehicle done. I figured I would be able to get my money back on the second vette with a coating. Did his vette, turned out great and he picked it up. I scheduled his wife's Envoy next. I arrived to pick it up Tuesday evening. I asked if they were going to pick it up that night or do they want me to bring it back the next morning. The went with the following morning. I said ok, I'll get it done and brought back in the morning. He then asked about the inside..... I said my price was just the exterior work, no interior cleaning. He said uh-oh, I might have gotten myself into some trouble. He told his wife it was ALL three vehicles, inside and out! I said no, sorry, an interior on a SUV is going to add another 2-3 hours onto the exterior which was already going to put me into the late night. He said, oh, that is allot of money for just the outsides. I said I am already looking at 20 or so hours to do all three vehicles, not including another 4-6 for interiors of the two SUV's. I said I would vacuum and wipe down the insides at no charge. He agreed. I took the vehicle home, full decon, one step, wipe everything down and call it a night. The next morning I return the vehicle. His wife is inside, he greats me and says thanks. I said don't you want to check it out? He says ok, and does a walk around. Then he asks how much if we stop working now........... He is in over his head on the "bargain" I gave him. I told him a price, he said ok we will do the third vehicle. I schedule it for Sunday.
Thursday I call to confirm and he agrees. Friday he calls and says he doesn't want the third vehicle done. Ok, then he asks for MORE of a discount because he said his wife found some things wrong. I said I wish you would have told me, I would have fixed anything that was found. He said there was "road grime" on the doors and something dripped down the side. I said I had you walk around the vehicle and inspect it! His response was "I didn't look very close." Ok, first the road grime, I washed the whole thing, nano skinned it and dried it. Next I used Blackfire Polish to one step the vehicle. The WHOLE vehicle. If anything, there was polish dust, however Blackfire doesn't dust. Second the "run" he talked about I have a feeling was from a trim panel that had water stuck behind it and when I drove it 25 minutes to his house, it ran. But again, I walked around it before he came outside and I didn't see it. Eventually after being furious I said just pay me for the vette. He agrees and says, I still want you to wash my vette because I know you know what you are doing! Really? After I get paid, I am done with this guy, I know I lost out on the second vette, but at this rate I don't care because who knows what he was going to try. So, I have already come up with a few things I will be doing differently. No discounts, period. Secondly, I will offer pickup but I will no longer deliver a vehicle, someone will be required to do a walk around and sign off on it. This is my first complaint in 3 years, and I don't even call it that. I think he got in over his head and just wanted out. Totally ruined my attitude for most of the weekend.
Thursday I call to confirm and he agrees. Friday he calls and says he doesn't want the third vehicle done. Ok, then he asks for MORE of a discount because he said his wife found some things wrong. I said I wish you would have told me, I would have fixed anything that was found. He said there was "road grime" on the doors and something dripped down the side. I said I had you walk around the vehicle and inspect it! His response was "I didn't look very close." Ok, first the road grime, I washed the whole thing, nano skinned it and dried it. Next I used Blackfire Polish to one step the vehicle. The WHOLE vehicle. If anything, there was polish dust, however Blackfire doesn't dust. Second the "run" he talked about I have a feeling was from a trim panel that had water stuck behind it and when I drove it 25 minutes to his house, it ran. But again, I walked around it before he came outside and I didn't see it. Eventually after being furious I said just pay me for the vette. He agrees and says, I still want you to wash my vette because I know you know what you are doing! Really? After I get paid, I am done with this guy, I know I lost out on the second vette, but at this rate I don't care because who knows what he was going to try. So, I have already come up with a few things I will be doing differently. No discounts, period. Secondly, I will offer pickup but I will no longer deliver a vehicle, someone will be required to do a walk around and sign off on it. This is my first complaint in 3 years, and I don't even call it that. I think he got in over his head and just wanted out. Totally ruined my attitude for most of the weekend.
