Has a customer ever refused to pay you?

T. Perinne · 12-28-04, 12:22

I was reading on another forum where a former detailer told a story about how he had once taken a job for several hundred dollars, completed the detail at what he thought was an acceptable level of quality, only to be told by the customer that it just "wasn't good enough" and was only given $50 since "that was all the detail was worth".

I immediately thought of all the pros here and was just curious how you would handle this situation... or any other where a customer refuses to pay the agreed upon fee. Do you get payment in advance? Do you throw the dirty water back on the car

? I'm just curious...

ScubaStevo · 12-28-04, 12:50

Key it on the way out.

No but seriously, I never begin a detail without them signing a estimated price and that they can afford to pay it and they are willing to pay it...

scottabir · 12-28-04, 02:00

I would ask WHY they felt that way and try to understand it from their point of view first. If they just dont want to pay the full price...that is another story. By walking around the vehicle and getting the expectations of the customers and being honest with what your abilities will do I think you can eliminate a lot of this threat.
If you fulfilled your end of the bargain and they still wont pay, the keys are mine until payment. If they have a valid reason I will correct whatever I missed on my end of the bargain.

NY detailer · 12-28-04, 04:13

I have a form i use when i get a bad vibe from a customer. It says that they agree to the upfront price of the detail and there vehicle will not be released until the fee is bad.

so no payment, no keys back to the car.

T. Perinne · 12-28-04, 05:20

Cool, interesting answers... I was wondering if a typical private detailer could go as far as holding back a customer's keys. I bet that could make for some nasty confrontations though...

Hopefully nothing like this ever happens to you guys... the story I read was the reason its author quit professional detailing so it had me wondering if any Autopians had faced the issue.

Thanks!

mirrorfinishman · 12-28-04, 05:54

I have never had a customer refuse to pay and I would never expect my customers to sign any type of form for my services.

NY detailer · 12-28-04, 06:07

Quote:

Originally posted by mirrorfinishman
I have never had a customer refuse to pay and I would never expect my customers to sign any type of form for my services.

Well, then you are just asking for a possible headache. I go over each vehicle with customers I do not know and write all damages down using a check in sheet. It goes over the complete condition and says on the sheet that payment is due once the vehicle is completed or the vehicle will not be released.

In business you need to cover your butt.

Pondscum · 12-28-04, 08:02

If anyone refuses to pay, this is called theft of services and is illegal in all 50 states. You can call the police and if they attempt to leave or if they have already left, they can be arrested. Certainly if you have a signed agreement with the customer, you will have more ammo when the cops get there. There's little point in getting confrontational. Call the police, that's their job. Just the threat of calling the police should be enough to deter most people.

az57chevy · 12-28-04, 08:27

It's a theft if they agree that the got the service they wanted but won't pay. Here you have a civil disagreement and no legal right to hold the keys. I suspect most cops would say give up the keys or face charges as well! Many states allow Mechanic's liens which if the customer signed as part of the original estimate, means it can't leave until paid. It would be interesting to see if detailer's would be considred a mechanic in your state.

Pondscum · 12-28-04, 09:28

If the customer's only retort is the job "wasn't good enough", without providing specific examples and a very good reason, clearly they are attempting to obtain services by deception and fraud which is illegal. It doesn't matter if they agree they got what they pay for or not. If they don't have a legitimate complaint with the service which a reasonable person would agree with, clearly their intent is to receive services at a drastic discount.

There is a certainly percentage of people out there who pull these kind of things all the time. They get a particular satisfaction out of knowing they pay far less for services because they know most people won't go through the hassle to challenge them. The best way to handle it is to call their bluff and get the police there. If it is a bluff, they will undoubtedly pay up at just the mention of the police. The worst thing that can happen is the police will side with the customer which means he would be no worse off anyway.

ShineShop · 12-29-04, 04:04

I have only had it happen once. The kid gave me a bad vibe when we negotiated the price and when he came back to pick up the car he kept insisting that we take the car outside and he wouldn't pay until he looked at outside. I finally agreed and then when we got it outside he said he wasn't happy with the job and offered me $100 instead of the $150 we agreed upon. I said no and he showed me that was all he had brought with him so take it or leave it. I then asked him "if that was all you brought - and you hadn't seen the car then how did you know you wouldn't be happy and that would be all you were willing to pay for the work". He didn't have an answer for that - BUSTED! Needless to say it was closing time and I didn't want to argue for an hour so I told him to be back with the money in half an hour or face the consequences, He never showed so the next day I sent some unpleasant people I know over to beat the money out of him. The funny thing is I got a phone call from his Dad bitching me out for sending the "legbreakers" after him but he still wouldn't just take care of the $50 his kid had ripped me off. You wonder where people get the mentality - at home. Anyway, we got paid and all was well.

crobinso · 12-29-04, 04:20

Quote:

Originally posted by Pondscum
If anyone refuses to pay, this is called theft of services and is illegal in all 50 states. You can call the police and if they attempt to leave or if they have already left, they can be arrested. Certainly if you have a signed agreement with the customer, you will have more ammo when the cops get there. There's little point in getting confrontational. Call the police, that's their job. Just the threat of calling the police should be enough to deter most people.

This is the best answer I've read, thus far!

(1) Go over the car with the customer for all prior damage.
(2) Have customer sign an agreement.
(3) If they refuse to pay fee, let them go, then call police.

Works for me!

Charles