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Post by Pages Personal Cleaning on Sept 5, 2005 12:27:23 GMT -5
I have a former customer demanding a refund for house cleaning that was performed on July 27th. They used my PayPal account to make payment on that date for the services. I received an email from PayPal stating that they filed a complaint against my company. I decided not to clean for these clients any longer because they would not pay at time of service as agreed. We would do the cleaning every other week with no payment made and I would have to call every time to try to collect payment.
This cleaning was done over a month ago and I haven't heard from them since. Now they are saying they were not satisfied with the cleaning on July 27 and want a full refund. He has sent me two threatening emails today. When I try to email back to him, my emails come back.
It clearly states on my website that if you are dissatisfied with your cleaning to call within 24 hours and we will return to reclean the area they are not satisfied with.
Also, he said he wants full refund for every payment he made for cleaning services in the past because I would not clean for them any longer. We don't have any kind of contract whatsoever.
Just really needed to vent about this. It really upsets me.
Patti
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Post by CleaningChick on Sept 5, 2005 17:50:20 GMT -5
Relax, Indianagirl, the customer is clearly a jerk. You stated that you have no contract whatsoever, but you do have terms on your website. Is he emailing you thru the website? If so, this means he has clearly seen the terms that state if he is not happy, he is to contact you within 24 hours of service. I have never heard of a customer being awarded a refund for all previous cleanings because a cleaner quit cleaning for them....Keep copies of all these emails he is sending, and a log of when you tried to return emails just in case he files a small claims suit. However, I don't see how he could be awarded anything from you. Just chalk this up to a learning experience and move on.
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Post by Pages Personal Cleaning on Sept 5, 2005 17:58:26 GMT -5
Cleaning Chick
I know you are right, but I think this guy is a big enough jerk that he will try to take this to court. His reason for asking for a full refund for all cleaning services is that he had to hire another company and pay for an initial cleaning again. I think he is just trying to get my company to pay for his new cleaning service. And I am keeping all emails and records of this just in case. I contacted PayPal today and explained the situation and they informed me that he couldn't get a refund for services that were performed. So now he is saying he is contacting American Express to try to get a full refund.
Patti
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Post by 2Sisterz Janitorial on Sept 5, 2005 18:09:57 GMT -5
Sounds to me like this guy is hurting for money and looking for an easy way (so he thinks) to get some money. If he were not satisfied, he would have contacted you by the next day. He would not have waited a month. Tell him u have a 24 hour policy and u are not going to change it, after that I would not talk to him anymore. If he takes u to court he will only make himself look silly  Linda |
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Post by 2Sisterz Janitorial on Sept 5, 2005 18:16:17 GMT -5
I just realized u said your emails come back to u. His inbox is either full or he is using a fake email address. I wouldn't worry about it. If he is sending you threatening emails, u may want to show them to the police, if he is not threatening u personally, as in harm I would block him from contacting u in this way. He will then have a choice, take u to court or leave u alone. If he starts calling u, record it and take to police.
Linda
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Post by tcmb04 on Sept 5, 2005 22:19:51 GMT -5
When i started out i had a customer for condo from out of town and there was plenty of ocassions i had tried to contact for payment and he was really getting it cheap.
Then in others words i set the ground rules first i sent a invoice with late fee and then there was a ocassion i went when suppose to clean and he had a no show. I told him i still charge a fee for my time he did pay. I sent him a e-mail about my rates went up and that he could even pay through paypal. I don't clean for him he has not contacted me this year. It's for the best when you have to keep tracking them down for payments.
Maybe i should have cleanoutlook put that on my website to protect me. Thanks for that idea never thought of.
Tina
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Post by Extended Arms Cleaning on Sept 10, 2005 14:55:48 GMT -5
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO STATE "STOP ACCEPTING SERVICE PAYMENTS THROUGH PAYPAL BECAUSE 9 TIMES OUT OF TEN PAYPAL WILL REFUND THAT CUSTOMER AND YOU WILL LOSE...AND GET SOME REST BECAUSE IF THERE WERE NO CONTRACT OR NO WAY TO REPLY THERE SHOULD BE NO WORRY FOR YOU----KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
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Post by Extended Arms Cleaning on Sept 10, 2005 14:56:39 GMT -5
OH I WOULD LIKE TO ADD...KEEP ALL THOSE HARRASING EMAILS FOR LEGAL PURPOSES.
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Post by jdinstl on Sept 10, 2005 23:58:37 GMT -5
Indianagirl,
When I was 16, I worked in a Baskin-Robbins store in Ballwin, Missouri. This store was owned by a gentleman named Charles Pauly. You won't read about him in any book, nor will you find him quoted the lecture halls of the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, nor will Louis Rukeyser tear up talking about him over martinis during a Good Life cruise. He was just a small time local businessman. Along with the Baskin Robbins, he dabbled in commercial real-estate, as well as a few hotel gift shops, etc. All small time operations.
Cantankerous, profane, missing teeth, and ill-fitting clothing did nothing to assert this individual as anyone of note. Yet many of us youngsters who bought our first cars from the proceeds of his paychecks learned skills about business that would serve us well for a lifetime! Had I known then the gifts he was freely imparting, I would have followed him with a tape recorder, capturing every utterance!
One time in that store, a customer accused me of messing up her order. She was livid. Furious. Punishment for my misdeed...why, death by firing squad would have been but a slap on the wrist! I was starting to take it personally, and becoming upset. Unfortunately, the poor misguided lady made the fatal mistake of turning her ire onto Mr. Pauly. First he went up one side of her, then down the other. Having softened her up, he then closed in for the kill. She left the plaza with tires squeeling, she couldn't get away fast enough.
Totally upset, I profusely apologized to Mr. Pauly -- offering resignation, thinking for sure I'd be the next victim. I expected it, after all, I had just cost the store a customer!
I'll paraphrase, and remove the profanity (it would fill the server anyway, and noone else could post) "John, in business, you'll learn that it's like fishing. You don't cast your line with the intent to catch every fish in the lake. You hope for the big ones, but even the little ones will provide a meal. Sometimes you don't even get a fish. You might reel in a tire, or even, like in that particular case....a nasty old toilet seat somebody pitched! Don't sweat it, just throw it in the trash."
Indianagirl, I'm with Linda -- it sounds like this individual is under financial duress. Your stated history of payment issues and collection efforts supports this. The threatening emails tell me the duress is serious.
If your emails are kicking back, he's blocked you -- and waived you of any requirement to communicate further. I strongly urge you to provide copies of those emails, and a document describing the history to your police, your internet service provider -- and his. You are now being harrassed. Such behavior is usually indicative of a person in desperate straits. I'll bet your fee he has no luck with Amex either.
John
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Post by Pages Personal Cleaning on Sept 11, 2005 8:28:02 GMT -5
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO STATE "STOP ACCEPTING SERVICE PAYMENTS THROUGH PAYPAL BECAUSE 9 TIMES OUT OF TEN PAYPAL WILL REFUND THAT CUSTOMER AND YOU WILL LOSE...AND GET SOME REST BECAUSE IF THERE WERE NO CONTRACT OR NO WAY TO REPLY THERE SHOULD BE NO WORRY FOR YOU----KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK An update on this matter: I still haven't been able to resolve this with PayPal. I have called them twice and sent a fax on Friday to them. Normally PayPal won't issue a refund for services (only goods) but the client who filed the complaint said he was filing because of non-receipt which isn't the case becuase he received the services. I have been with PayPal for years and had no problems, but If this matter isn't settled soon I am going to close my account and go with another company. Patti |
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Post by Kevin on Sept 11, 2005 8:38:16 GMT -5
It is a credit card issue, if you were using any processor, you would get the same result. If you called your credit card company and said the plumber that came by did a terrible job, the house is leaking they would issue a refund to (YOU)the customer. Credit Card companies policy protects the consumer more than the business. What was the amount for? Is Paypal putting a hold on the money?
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Post by Pages Personal Cleaning on Sept 11, 2005 8:42:29 GMT -5
Kevin.
If that were the case then every time someone hired a cleaning company to clean and used a credit card, all they would have to do is complain to the credit card company and get a free clean.
Patti
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Post by Pages Personal Cleaning on Sept 11, 2005 8:44:33 GMT -5
Also, this former client is saying he is demanding a full refund for every cleaning service we did for him in the past from American Express. What a crock  |
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Post by Kevin on Sept 11, 2005 8:47:43 GMT -5
Well its kinda like that, with any service. Strong documentation stops this confrontation prior. A written service agreement, a payment promise; For example any job Purity does for $250.00 or higher, customers sign a work order. Regardless if they pay with cash or credit? Im just wondering if the job was over $100.00 and if Paypal has held the payment, If so I would call the police and report him for fraud and grand theft. Show the emails, i would also call and tell him this first.
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Post by Kevin on Sept 11, 2005 8:50:21 GMT -5
Now your talking lawsuit-Send me whatever you have emails..etc..all the information first, let me take a crack at him.
You Wrote:
Also, this former client is saying he is demanding a full refund for every cleaning service we did for him in the past from American Express.
What a crock
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