Issue with customer, not sure how to handle it...

If you do show up tomorrow tell him you would like to work with him but lay out the terms a little more clearly. Get paid for the last days work in full before doing any more work...if he doesn't pay, walk away.



He is trying to see what he can get away with. Nobody else will work for $10 an hour and you shouldn't either, stick to your guns.
 
JPostal said:
If you do show up tomorrow tell him you would like to work with him but lay out the terms a little more clearly. Get paid for the last days work in full before doing any more work...if he doesn't pay, walk away.



He is trying to see what he can get away with. Nobody else will work for $10 an hour and you shouldn't either, stick to your guns.
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Return tomorrow with detailed individual invoices for each vehicle documenting the work done on each vehicle Include a cover letter addressed to him that says as a follow up to our initial verbal discussion I have enclosed invoices for work done on each vehicle as you have requested and payment is due immediately. Cut your losses... you do not need to work for him nor his business..as he has demonstrated he is disreputable in every manner...and you will expect more or the same in the future... call it a lesson learned
 
And, since each car has a key tag, with an identity number on it, make sure that number is on each invoice and matches.

This of course is in addition to the normal vehicle description, model, etc. as are required fields on the invoice/repair order.

I agree Automania and JPostal, if he does not accept the legimate method of doing business, walk away, but do not create an argumentative departure, keep it business like.

Grumpy
 
Sounds good. I have everything printed up to bring with me tomorrow. I will make it clear that I am also in the business to make money as he is, and I'm not trying to dig deep into his pockets, I will tell him flat out that I am giving him 20% off each service to help him out, as it is still going to be putting money into my pocket as well. At $10/hr it is costing me money instead of bringing any in.



As you mentioned If he does not want to work with me, I will ask that he pay the remaining amount that I feel he owes me ($150) if he refuses or tries to make an excuse I will tell him I can no longer help him out. If he wants to pay $10/hr for an inexperienced kid off the street then he has the freedom to do so. But he will not be getting the quality of work that I have done.



He has asked me to be there at 11am (eastern) tomorrow I will be sure to post an update as to what happened.



Thank You guys for all the help. I've learned a lot in the past 24hours.
 
Dave S said:
He is expecting me to be there tomorrow to do a few more cars, and to give me the rest of my money. Should I just cut my losses and look elsewhere, or should I go in, with prices of each service in hand and just offer 20% off, like we originally agreed.
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Something tells me the previous detailer knew how to handle a polisher and the damage caused was not by accident. I would go back and tell him the price for the work performed is $175 with the generous discount. I wouldn't expect anything less than "I'm sorry. You are right. Here you go." If not, I would hand him back the $25 and say "Thank you for the lesson about getting things in writing. How many customers would I have to convince to not buy from you to cost you more than $175?"



On Monday I would have a friend call and represent themselves as an intern at the local news channel. "Our reporter, ________, is working on a story about the shady practices of car dealerships in the area. We have had a couple of service providers for your lot provide statements about your refusal to pay agreed charges for services. Would you be willing to be interviewed or make a statement on camera in response to the claims?"



Or you could go to the news channel for real and see if they have a troubleshooter who would do the story. He'll know it was you but he won't know it's a bluff. He will have no way out.
 
Nth Degree said:
Something tells me the previous detailer knew how to handle a polisher and the damage caused was not by accident. I would go back and tell him the price for the work performed is $175 with the generous discount. I wouldn't expect anything less than "I'm sorry. You are right. Here you go." If not, I would hand him back the $25 and say "Thank you for the lesson about getting things in writing. How many customers would I have to convince to not buy from you to cost you more than $175?"



On Monday I would have a friend call and represent themselves as an intern at the local news channel. "Our reporter, ________, is working on a story about the shady practices of car dealerships in the area. We have had a couple of service providers for your lot provide statements about your refusal to pay agreed charges for services. Would you be willing to be interviewed or make a statement on camera in response to the claims?"



Or you could go to the news channel for real and see if they have a troubleshooter who would do the story. He'll know it was you but he won't know it's a bluff. He will have no way out.
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That's what I was thinking when I saw the look of the car that was messed up. I was thinking to myself "there's no way someone can do this on accident, unless they're BLIND", but I guess since I assumed, he was a man of his word, because he says he's been there for "22 years" I wasn't going to have any issues with him not paying me what we agreed upon days before any work was even started.



And the News thing is actually a really great idea. And the news station is actually less than a mile away from where I live.



Not to mention he plans on having me fully detail a Nissan Altima, which, when I looked at it on Wednesday, was FILLED with pine needles and dog hair and the paint appeared to be a mixture of gray and brown, but is supposed to be white pearl, and the black seats are a light shade of dust and dirt. Definitely, if you ask me, its atleast a $200+ job.





Did a quick search online of the business... heres what I found... Estimates show [Business Name] employs 1 to 4 people and has an annual revenue of $500,000 to $1 million. Yet he has a hard time paying me the prices we agreed on...
 
Hmm, tell him since he paid you by the hour that you are technically his employee and not a sub contractor. Inform him you will be contacting the IRS about his lack of ability to pay his share of your payroll and social security taxes.



Also, a VERBAL agreement is a CONTRACT in almost every state in the union. Even a flipping HANDSHAKE is a contract. He agreed to pay the money, now man up and tell him either he pays the money or will be in contact with your lawyer. Remind him that if you take him to small claims court, not only will he lose but he will pay all legal and court fees in the process. He will pay, and you will have learned a valuable lesson



ALSO, don't do business with this guy ever again! Make it clear that you will not be disrespected and unfairly treated.



You will thank yourself for it later on.
 
Nth Degree said:
Something tells me the previous detailer knew how to handle a polisher and the damage caused was not by accident. I would go back and tell him the price for the work performed is $175 with the generous discount. I wouldn't expect anything less than "I'm sorry. You are right. Here you go." If not, I would hand him back the $25 and say "Thank you for the lesson about getting things in writing. How many customers would I have to convince to not buy from you to cost you more than $175?"



On Monday I would have a friend call and represent themselves as an intern at the local news channel. "Our reporter, ________, is working on a story about the shady practices of car dealerships in the area. We have had a couple of service providers for your lot provide statements about your refusal to pay agreed charges for services. Would you be willing to be interviewed or make a statement on camera in response to the claims?"



Or you could go to the news channel for real and see if they have a troubleshooter who would do the story. He'll know it was you but he won't know it's a bluff. He will have no way out.
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Ignore this completely. Do NOT play games and do NOT make up stories. Either pursue proper legal action, informing him of the laws he broke and holding him accountable, or wash your hands of the whole mess and do not return.
 
I showed up there today at 11am like previously agreed to. He met me outside and was quick to tell me that he didn't have any work for me because "the cars never came in". I found it odd that all the doors to his garage were closed when I arrived. I gave him written invoices for the previous 3 cars that I detailed, minus the $25 he gave me. He refused to give me the full amount because his excuse was that he could have done the 3 cars in 2 hours. I then told him that we can no longer to business together, and he would be better off taking his chances with someone with no detailing knowledge and only willing to learn how to detail cars, and that he can expect me to contact him later regarding the remaining amount owed to me. He then handed me a wad of money ($30) from his pocket and jumped in his truck and drove away.
 
Sound like a real winner! So now your out $120? I would visit this man everyday until he paid me! Except it would be the first day for me! I can be a real a@#hole when you owe me money! Warn everyone walking onto his lot what about get into! This usually works when customers start leaving! And when the police show up if there called you have given him an invoice and they usually won't get into civil matters but they will tell him to ante up!
 
Unfortunately I kind of thought he was going to have a temper tantrum if you stood up to him. Time for you to go on the social review sites (yelp, angies list, so on) and give an honest account of what happened. After that, just go about your business and find reputable people to work for.



If you really want the rest of your money, get a lawyer to put a lein against his property or take him to small claims court, but it is going to be up to you whether all that is worth $120 or not.



Major respect for standing up for yourself though, well done.
 
Yeah, but the way I look at it, $120 for a lesson on how shady some people can be, and how to go about doing everything on paper now kind of seems worth it. I think having everything on paper will make me appear a bit more professional, not to mention when people get a paper with my information on it and a few prices, its easier for them to forward my info to their friends and family, bringing me more potential customers. (I tend to look at the positive thing in every situation.)





IHA Mark said:
Unfortunately I kind of thought he was going to have a temper tantrum if you stood up to him. Time for you to go on the social review sites (yelp, angies list, so on) and give an honest account of what happened. After that, just go about your business and find reputable people to work for.



If you really want the rest of your money, get a lawyer to put a lein against his property or take him to small claims court, but it is going to be up to you whether all that is worth $120 or not.



Major respect for standing up for yourself though, well done.
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I'm sure finding a lawyer and telling them I want to go to court for $120 they'll just laugh, most of them around here charge more than that for even a consultation.



Not to mention I've already gotten quite a few more hits from CraigsList just hoping some of them materialize into something good. 1 of them is a full detail on 2 SUVs... another is a quick interior detail... and I also got a call about removing mold from a truck.. :scared:
 
Nth Degree said:
Run! Run far and run fast.:fear:
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Yeah. I wasn't sure what to do about that call. I doubt it's as bad as the ALLROAD I seen on here. So I should skip that one? (I haven't done anything that has mold yet)
 
Unfortunately he was an *******. But you have recourse. From experience I can suggest the following.

File a police report. It's theft of services.

Take him to small claims court.

If and when judge rules in your favor you can take steps to collect.

If he doesn't pay, then you go to the state and file a lien on his taxes.



I had to do this with a scammer. Took me 2 years to get my money. But I got it.
 
WaxManRonnie said:
I had to do this with a scammer. Took me 2 years to get my money. But I got it.
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Way to go Ronnie! I'm glad that people take the time to do this sort of stuff. There are too many scammers out there because they know they can get away with it.
 
have a buddy in a month or so take a few cars for a test drive.... and when you are out driving the car... have a few dead fish and some shrimp and start hiding them in the vents and in under the seats front and back... make him really pay to get that smell out... he will hire some more schmucks from craigslist and they will spray some febreeze and by the time he hires a few people and wastes more money than he owed you, he may rethink his business practices or fail all together... GL
 
Tote the note car dealers are the absolute worst in terms of payment. I did a few cars for one early on and he was expecting basically autopian quality for $45 a car. After doing 3 cars for him I told him I couldn't keep spending 5 hours per car for less than $100 (this was back in 1994), he laughed and said there is always someone willing to work cheap. Told him that person would no longer be me and I left.



That's when I realized that I wouldn't get anywhere in this business by focusing on a low price point.
 
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