when is it time to fire a customer?

[juniorc82]

I have a 2 day a week janitorial account at a medical clinic. It seems as though I cannot please the office manager and get bordline frivolous complaints almos once a week. I have had the account for a month and have gotten 3 complaints ( 2 complaints for somthing that was totaly nonsense and 1 complaint today for a trach can that got missed.) I called in 2 other janitorial contractors I know to walk through the building and they both thought I was doing a great job, I picked this account up for winter cash flow work but am wondering if the small profit I am making is worth being gone for 2 hrs 2 nights a week really worth it. Ih ave them on a month to month so either party can terminate the other with 30 days notice. I feel like for the profit I make in there I could just pick up 2 restaurants and be home alot more at night. Is it time to Donald trump this account our what?

 

[FB7777]

They may be just setting the bar and tone for their expectations

If its profitable keep it and dump it in Spring

Only you can determine if it's worth the aggravation

If you can't live up to their expectations , the decision will be made
For you anyways

I have a couple JanSan accts that I haven't had more than 3 complaints in 10 years

 

[steve frasier]

if you are making at least $560 a month I would dump it

but to answer your question, when the customer asks you to pressure wash the gum off the street in front of her house (she didn't like driving her car over the gum) then complains because you put the bill for the job in her mailbox, this is when it is time to fire the customer

I'm right there with Fred, I have dumped a few and cherry picked the good ones but I also do the windows, vct, ceramic tile and carpet at all of them and bill them on a monthly basis for all of it then clean it on a schedule

 

[Jimmy L]

One way to look at is to expect complaints.

People will look for your reactions to complaints.

Don't take it personal.

If you are defensive they will go out of their way to pick on you.

If you have had it for only a month it's just a feeling out process for them.

Tell them to leave you notes on what you missed.

And just take an extra 30 seconds to fix them.

Don't go in during the day so they see you, out of sight, out of mind.

After awhile once you know their expectations they will leave you alone.

And if you still feel uncomfortable find another account to replace them first so that you DUMP them and not the other way around.

You have the power, don't give it to them.

 

[Jerry]

It will probably be that way for a little while until you guys get used to each other. I had to fire a customer a while back for being a low paying pita , but you always seem to gain back great new customers. I'd say stick with it through the winter, then decide, just mho, for what its worth

 

[Mikey P]

People will look for your reactions to complaints.

how do you do face to face when they point out blunders?


I've gotten better over the years, now Im trying to get my son and hired gun to not get defensive


its not easy when you've busted you ass to clean a total pig stye and now that one fiber is out of place they notice and bitch about it.

 

[steve_64]

how do you do face to face when they point out blunders?


I've gotten better over the years, now Im trying to get my son and hired gun to not get defensive


its not easy when you've busted you ass to clean a total pig stye and now that one fiber is out of place they notice and bitch about it.

ive noticed this with a couple of my helpers.

but i think you are making to much of thier issues. correct what they are complaining about, and refine what you are doing to make things even easier and all will be good.

i like repetitive workand it doesnt take long to figure out what they are looking for or not looking for so you know what corners you can cut when.

i had an eight hour janitorial job i could do in 3 hours or less on certain nights. you have to get to know thier expectations and if they are telling them to you then it should be easy money.

 

[Jimmy L]

There are some people in this world who like to "put people in their places" to whom they think are beneath them.

Understand this.....don't give them the power of them seeing you act defensive.

Other wise they have won.

Just smile and say I'll take care of it thank you for pointing it out.

This type of reaction takes their power away from them and gives it back to you.

Your face to face contact on matters is very short and before you know it your work is done and you're down the road and back at home.

When I'm carpet cleaning for someone who is nitpicking or just a bad attitude I keep my mouth shut and do my work.

Because I know in 1 to 3 hours I'll be out of there .

 

[davegillfishing]

This is actually a easy one for us.

My company policy is EVERYTHING go's to the customers benefit till I say no. If you just cleaned a room and scrubbed it and beat the crap out of it and the customer says. Can you just hit it one more time. You smile and say yes ma'am if that's what will make you happy we would be happy too.

Anything else you say leaves a negative in her mind and that go's against what we are trying to do. Our goal is to make money and lifelong customers. It levels out. Most of our customers are easy and in the family but some are just a pain in the ass. You have to love the pain in the ass ones just as much as the easy one because they are all paying my bills and buying my toys.

I tell my guys when a customer is a pia just think of the car you drive or the bill you have to pay because she is paying it. And thank her for it at the end.

Now saying that. There is a limit of crap I will take and will not allow someone to be nasty or abusive to any of my guys ever.

In 7 years and over 5500 customers we have fired 4 and have a 89% retention rate according to service monster.

So suck it up and love ALL your customers it's your job to make them happy. Some are easy and some are a challenge.

 

[FLYERMAN]

Raise your rates and tell them why.

Something to this effect: "I am sorry and that kind of thing is not out of the ordinary for this line of work. If you'd like me to price in a second go over for the whole place so that nothing like that ever gets missed again I can."

 

[Desk Jockey]

I think another chance is due. Yep they should give YOU another chance.

Seriously, I'm only going off what you're telling us, so I could be way off (doubt it) but it does sound as if maybe you need to tighten up your procedures on this one.

They do sound picky, but they are paying for clean. If you priced it too cheap to do what will please them, is it really their fault?

What I would do is meet with your contact, admit the negative, that things haven't gone as smoothly as they normally do and see what can be done to correct them.

Here is the thing we live in the Midwest, not the East coast, we can't all be an ass like Fred Boyle. j/k We have to treat all clients with respect whether they deserve it or not.

Here is why, people talk and facilities managers talk with each other. So while this is just one small account it could affect the impression of your company to other larger prospects.

 

[SamIam]

I can handle most people but some foreigners who walk behind me saying please hit this spot again and again. It just pisses me off.

If it were just one spot maybe but to micro manage carpet cleaning bitch about the price and call back very 6 months to do it all over.

That's the person You fire.

 

[Desk Jockey]

LOL Just charge him more Sam. When he asks why they explain it's because of his behavior. ig:

 

[Shane Deubell]

You could probably make the same amount of gross profit on 1-2 carpet/tile cleaning a jobs a month. We have a couple also and sometimes i feel like it gives me a false sense of security and should be putting more effort into picking up more carpet/tile work.

 

[John Olson]

Why are you cleaning a medical clinic twice a week? Thats not ok to begin with. It gets used by sick people 5 days a week at least and should be cleaned 5 days a week. If it is open 7 days then at the very least 6 days a week. You are responsible for educating them. No way can you clean an office building only 2 days a week. Minimum would be 3 days a week and even then that leaves 2 days of dirty toilets and full garbage cans.

You need to go back and change the contract or walk and I am leaning on you walking as you should never have accepted cleaning of a medical clinic only twice a week..

 

[Ken Snow]

Sam, are you saying because they are foreign it bothers you and that if Mr or Ms Lilly white it wouldn't?

 

[juniorc82]

I think another chance is due. Yep they should give YOU another chance.

Seriously, I'm only going off what you're telling us, so I could be way off (doubt it) but it does sound as if maybe you need to tighten up your procedures on this one.

They do sound picky, but they are paying for clean. If you priced it too cheap to do what will please them, is it really their fault?

What I would do is meet with your contact, admit the negative, that things haven't gone as smoothly as they normally do and see what can be done to correct them.

Here is the thing we live in the Midwest, not the East coast, we can't all be an ass like Fred Boyle. j/k We have to treat all clients with respect whether they deserve it or not.

Here is why, people talk and facilities managers talk with each other. So while this is just one small account it could affect the impression of your company to other larger prospects.

I have to disagree. I understand how it may look while reading it in this forum. My price has nothing to do with this , it has more to do with me being able to please the customer. In carpet cleaning if you make a significant improvement the job is deemed a success. In janitorial you can have 99% of the building looking sparkling clean and if your manager wants to find a cobweb or a ball of lint they will. At 2 days a week we have gotten this builkding as clean as we can possibly get it. The bottom line is in janitorial work if an office manager wants to find somthing wrong they will always be able to because no building is ever going to be 100% spotless. As a matter of fact I gave or 30 day notice to them this morning along with our invoice. I dont believe in setting my self up for failure . I believe sometimes all customers may not be a good fit for all companies or even any company in some cases. No offense intended Richard but its easy to preach ideal business philosiphy when you arent the one in the trenches on your hands and knees cleaning toilets in the middle of the night.

ohow

 

[juniorc82]

John Olson" data-source="post: 4182587" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">

Why are you cleaning a medical clinic twice a week? Thats not ok to begin with. It gets used by sick people 5 days a week at least and should be cleaned 5 days a week. If it is open 7 days then at the very least 6 days a week. You are responsible for educating them. No way can you clean an office building only 2 days a week. Minimum would be 3 days a week and even then that leaves 2 days of dirty toilets and full garbage cans.

You need to go back and change the contract or walk and I am leaning on you walking as you should never have accepted cleaning of a medical clinic only twice a week..

Its a plastic surgery and vein clinic so they dont have patients everyday

 

[Desk Jockey]

No offense intended Richard but its easy to preach ideal business philosiphy when you arent the one in the trenches on your hands and knees cleaning toilets in the middle of the night.

None taken and I didn't intend to offend you either if I did.


At the risk of sounding like Old Man Toburen (j/k), I've been there.

As a kid I helped dump trash in the janitorial accounts my father had. As a young adult I had my own building I cleaned in. And yea sure I remember the dickheads that would write the date on a piece of paper and put it in the corner just to see if I would pick it up, or hide a quarter under their desk to see if you sweep beneath it. Put a paper clip on the carpet just to see if the carpet gets vacuumed. Time passes, decades pass but asshol*s are still doing it.


I worked a hard day cleaning carpet only to still have to clean my building. It sucked but it still deserved the attention they were paying for. I'm not saying give a bunch of free work. What I'm saying is, if the scope of work is more than they are paying then charge more. If he doesn't want to pay it move on. If the scope is what you agreed to then you have to step up your service.


Clean toilets? Duuuuuude we've made a living off of offering services cleaning disgusting things that no one else would do. I spent years cleaning up other peoples turds, urine, blood, vomit, mold, dust, dirt, fleas, roaches and maggots.

In the early days it was either Dan or I "On Call", for years if there was a loss, one of us was there.

I've been there and lived to tell. ig:

 

[juniorc82]

Im just a little brned out on that account. It can be very mentaly straining to have to play business politics and engage some of these needy customers in continuos mental warfare. I have a couple of other janitorial accounts that are running strong so for the little bit of profit I was making on that account it will be easily made up else where. I gave the office manager my notice along with the business card of a competitor who isnt as busy as me who says he would take the account for the smae cost . I figured I would rather leave on semi decent terms than to let the relationship totaly deteriorate

 

[Desk Jockey]

It's probably a good thing if it was stressing you. I couldn't wait for the day when my father got rid of all the janitorial accounts. It wasn't the work, the work wasn't that bad. It wasn't even the people, most were decent to me. It wasn't the money either, if you factored the time spent cleaning it wasn't a bad gig.

It was KNOWING that no matter what, a party a family get together, rain, snow or sleet.......I still had to do my building.

 

[juniorc82]

kinda like chinease water torture isnt it! I dont let too many accounts go but we where greatly surpassing the man hours on the origanal estimate. I was scared to go back and request more money because I was affraid I would then be heald to an even higher more unreasonable standard. I think by giving them 30 days notice and refering them to another firm I have did more than alot of other companies would.

 

[Desk Jockey]

If you felt you gave all you could and he was still not satisfied you're better off down the road. The business is tough enough without someone giving you undue grief.

We always try to salvage the situation but when it doesn't work out and there is little that can be done to resolve it, its best to move on. .

 

[Jimmy L]

I agree with Richard about those jan accounts that have to be done no matter what day or weather etc.

I talk to a local carpet cleaner who does apartments and it's the same thing.

Can't really take a vacation and have to be on call 24/7 for water damage , turnovers etc.

You did right in the 30 day notice and setting up a friend to do them.

Life is too short to put up with assholes.

Fook em and leave em!

 

[steve frasier]

expectations and how an agreement is written are two different things

I will usually bid it high enough to go an excellent job reguardless of what is written because at some point in time they will ask for something extra but anymore, I'm asked what will it cost to have you come clean my building instead of asked to bid on it

private clinics are never cleaned everyday and dentist offices are cleaned once a week but in house staff tend to tiddy it up their work area on an every day basis

 

[juniorc82]

I have had much worse when it comes to problem customers. The differance is I dont mind putting up with a problem child a few times a year when it comes to carpet cleaning , but twice a week is a harder bite to swallow. I should hav e saw the red flags as when I came to bid they where telling me how unpleased they where with another janitorial company

 

[ruff]

I can handle most people but some foreigners who walk behind me saying please hit this spot again and again. It just pisses me off.

If it were just one spot maybe but to micro manage carpet cleaning bitch about the price and call back very 6 months to do it all over.

That's the person You fire.

LOL Just charge him more Sam. When he asks why they explain it's because of his behavior. ig:

Better yet, Sam. Tell them you hate foreigners who walk behind you.
Who doesn't?

Especially if they say: Please hit this spot again and again. And they probably say it again and again.
Those are, most definitely the worse foreigners!

You got to give them credit for being polite though, due to their excellent use of the word- please.

Though with foreigners, you never know what they really mean. Do you?
Chances are "please" may be a code for something totally different. Particularly with the micromanaging foreign types.

Just thinking about what that 'please' could mean, "let alone If it were just one spot maybe but to micro manage carpet cleaning bitch really pisses you off."
Doesn't it?

Achtung ???!!!

 

[SMRBAP]

Anymore we fire before work is even started. As soon as a customer gets combative on the phone our price climbs and our schedule becomes filled 3-4 weeks out.

We let the PITA's find our competitors and slow them down.

There is enough of a challenge to turn your average customer into a long term customer in these buyers market days.

 

[ACE]

I think Junior just doesn’t like being talked to like the janitor. If you want to do janitorial work you really have to come to the table ready to deal with disrespect
Being a passive aggressive person I use one of the two following tactics to deal with unreasonable customers:
1. Talk to them like a little kid or someone that is mentally deficient. I talk to them in a slow even patronizing tone. Well,,,, Mrs.,,We,,Need,,To ,,Work ,,veryyyy,, efficanitlyyy,, to,, be,, competitive. Wee, Only,,Agreed to Clean Your Building,,,, In Hopes off Making a Small,, Profit. Weee,,Can ,,Not ,,Clean,, everyyyy,, Square,, Inch,, Everyyy,, Night.
2. Over the top customer service. I would be calling the contact as so as she walked in the door after every service and beg her to let me know how we can improve service. If she complained I would apologize profusely. I would call, vist and call some more untell she started dodging my calls and would sure as hell think twice before complaining cusss she knows I’ll go OCD on her again.

 

[Desk Jockey]

LOL

You're nutz Mike.....but I like both approaches!