Customer Relations Questions & Answers

Here are questions from carpet cleaners around the world and answers to them. If you'd like to have your carpet cleaning related question answered, drop me a line!. I'll send a personal answer directly to you and also place it on these pages for the benefit of other carpet cleaning technicians. Check back often, these pages will be changing frequently...

Hi Ron,

What would you advise telling a customer who has called about a month after we cleaned their carpet that reappearing stains came back and they want their carpets cleaned again at no charge? To me it seems an unreasonable request. We are in the business to make money and going back to clean for free would offset the money that we earned. Some carpets as you know have underlying stain problems that we can not forsee when we are there cleaning it. Yes, please do not get me wrong about my attitude about not willing to go back. It it is a few stains that I feel that can be handled, no problem I will take care of it to make my customers happy. But, sometimes, they get out of line and want something for nothing. I do try to negotiate with them by offering them a free carpet protector on their next cleaning. It does not always work. What do you suggest Ron?

John from West Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

Hello John,

Yes, it is hard to return after an entire month has lapsed. You wanna make your client happy, but you also don't want to feel like you were taken advantage of. I've been there before.

I have a policy that is actually written in my work order. It is a 3 day inspection policy...that is, the client has 3 entire days to inspect the work and if unsatisfactory I'll return free. I even extend it to a week.

The point is, it is written right in my contract and I point it out to the client as a benefit. I usually say something like this, "So you know Mrs. Jones, I want to be sure you are thrilled with the work I've done for you so as you can see on the work order here, I give you 3 days to inspect the work. If within 3 days you are not happy in any way, give me a call and I'll return for free." I tell this to all the clients I clean for. They feel good 'cause they know they have plenty of time to check out the work and I feel good 'cause it helps eliminate those people that call a month after we've been out to clean the carpet.

If you do get a client that wants you to return a month later, tell them that normally you don't return when a month has lapsed but because they are a good client and you want to make them happy you'll make an exception. All you ask is $20.00 to cover materials and your gas. If the client has any shred of being reasonable, they'll accept that willingly. If not, they're probably not worth keeping as a client.

John also asks...

Also, how do we protect ourselves from new customers who insist on us billing them after the job is completed without offending them? Until I get to know a customer, I'd prefer not to bill them. I've been stung in the past and have had to go after deadbeats who didn't pay, only to waste a lot of energy and time. I would like to do work for every new customer that I possibly can, without running the risk of not getting paid. What is your strategy on this Ron?

Well John, that doesn't happen to me very often, fortunately. 99% of the clients I clean for pretty much assume they have to pay right away. But I know how you feel. If it is a problem that seems to keep cropping up for you, I would finish giving the quote and say something to this effect, "It'll be $175.00 Mrs. Jones and just so you know, we accept personal checks, Visa, Mastercard, and cash. Whatever is most convenient for you."

If your client was thinking it was going to be a billing, he/she usually will say something like "Oh, I thought you could bill me." at this point. And then you can tell them you don't accept billings(or do).

If you say that sentence to every client you clean for, you'll greatly avoid having to 'bill' your client for the job after you've finished.

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