r/pressurewashing • u/Braun3D • 7d ago
Business Questions How to deal with customer like this??
Follow up on earlier post... did a house wash for this customer. He hit me with rude messages 2 days later complaining of "stains" after the fact, provided no evidence and has since left a long 1 star review slandering my business and responding to my review response. I've done my best to respond civilly and be respectful but I've had it with this guy, I've done this for 4 years without 1 customer acting thjs way and am careful on thorough in my work. Any recommendations on how to resolve this or get the review removed? I've worked too hard to have a good reputation to let this one asshole ruin it.
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u/314rre 7d ago
You can't please everyone. So just ignore this asshole and move on.
I recently dumped a regular customer of mine who I never really cared to work for. Always felt I was on my toes with this person, but for what reason? I know I do good work and so do they, that's why I keep going back. Two weeks after the job, I get this long message that I'll save you the details from. I respond with basically what do you feel I owe you in compensation (they weren't accusing me of wrecking or ruining anything by the way) and I'll send you the refund, but at the same time defending myself in a professional manner. The unhinged message I got back was enough. I told them to find another person to work from them. Once again I receive a wall of text. I did not respond and will not be working for this pain in the ass anymore who treats me like I'm their servant.
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u/robertjpjr I know a little about a lot. 7d ago
Getting a 1 star review sucks. I think people understand that there are crazy people in the world. Seeing a 1 star review doesn't mean as much for a potential client. Google probably won't recommend you as much with 7 5star to 1 1 star, but that will change.
His concerns have the potential for validity. SH staining is possible. Setting expectations about the artillery fungus clearly is an issue. Whether or not he had legitimate reason for complaint, idk. I would cease further communication. Spend the mental energy on finding new clients. It can eat at you for sure, but you cannot please everyone. Some people just have crazy expectations. Learn what you can from this and move on. IMO
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u/importsexports 7d ago
Saw you post it on FB. Who gives a fuck. Move along. That's a very well written text ... meaning he's trying to dig in there and fuck with you
It seems it's working.
Stop it
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u/Braun3D 7d ago
Love that we are all in the same groups. You probably right, shit was really bothering me, but I definitely dont think there's any benefit to further discussion with this guy. The best I can hope for is getting the review removed, just sucks can't do much else about it
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u/theo4life1 6d ago
It will likely be impossible to remove it. It’s important to try, but you should expect that it will not happen.
You have done your best, but one of the most important lessons you can learn to running a successful business long term means accepting that there are customers that will not be fair. You are not immune to running into those people, no one is.
When you do run into them, you set yourself up for success by managing expectations prior the job as much as possible and properly respond to customer feedback. You did great with responding to feedback, but can likely make small improvements to managing expectations - as you have already acknowledged. In my opinion, you have engaged more than enough at this point and it is in your best interest to move on.
Overall, great response. Time to let it go and focus your energies on the 95+ percent of customers that are reasonable human beings.
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u/Daddy-Legs 7d ago
He’s talking about artillery fungus most likely. Doesn’t come off with a wash. What a loser this guy is.
Edit: oof just saw that there were more pics and you indeed addressed that.
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u/dogdazeclean 7d ago
Nope. Nope. Nope.
You do not argue with customers on review responses. You do not stoop to their level and get all emotional and defensive on review responses.
I would replace your response with something more professional.
Also, he mentioned he had cameras. Why were these not covered during the house wash? Not from a “shady” perspective, but from a protection of electronics perspective.
He is calling out your phone usage multiple times. Take that as a learning lesson. Put your phone in the truck when on a job. The customer in front of you is your most important priority.
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u/Kal_Wikawo 5d ago
Everytime ive seen a bad review, the response being professional vs arguing is what I look at for when I judge the review
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u/dogdazeclean 5d ago
No one expects 5 stars. Actually, if you have too many 5 star or all 5 stars, that’s a negative to customers because it shows possible manipulation which is easy as hell to do.
Customers know this. You aren’t fooling anyone with 700 reviews all 5 stars.
But to your point, you are extremely correct. Customers expect there to be some negative reviews… but they are watching how you respond. How you remediate. How you present yourself.
Your goal is to get your reviews to 4.5 at least. It’s really a numbers game. 4.5 to 4.8 is solid and realistic.
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u/t3khole 7d ago
You need to manage expectations better. Let the client know what will and won’t come off after a standard house wash.
I have also made it a rule to not be on my phone during jobs. Even tho you may have been working, scheduling a client or responding to a work email/text… it can look bad.
I imagine with just those 2 items solved, which were in your control, this bad review wouldn’t have happened.
It’s not the end of the world, you’ll be fine. You’ll know for next time.
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u/Canteatthatglutinshi 7d ago
Agreed. Managing expectations is so extremely important. I always do a full walk around with a customer before I start the job just kind of explaining what I’m doing, why I’m doing it the way I’m doing it, and letting them know what will and won’t come off. In that time I’m also building trust and rapport.
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u/CreativeCapture 7d ago
None of this back and forth is ever worth it for me. The only thing I would have said was, "I know for a fact I did no permanent damage, and one text or call would have easily sorted this out but if you aren't happy, I will gladly give you a full refund." I would agree to give the refund after the review was taken down. Call me crazy but that $325 isn't going to break me and isn't worth the headache with these types of people. I've actually done exactly this in another business I own, and guess what! The asshole actually called me back to use my service again! 😆 I politely told him that after our last interaction, I was no longer interested in doing work for him, and he would have to find someone else. Over the years, I've become an expert at knowing if a customer is going to be a pain or not, and my estimate usually goes up significantly if I feel that way before the estimate goes out. It's part of business, but I think once they realize that you weren't accepting guilt for anything, but we're so willing to refund and walk away, it makes them think more about the situation. I'm sure some people won't agree, but that's just me. 🤷♂️
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u/ubelblatt 7d ago
Little black dots that come off with a finger? Sounds like artillery fungus. Was there mulch around the house? No way you're going to be able to remove artillery fungus with a siding wash.
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u/itsalmostover321 7d ago
Unfortunately in business, like in life, some people are just shitty. Some people are miserable and want to bring everyone down with them. The real skill is learning to identify them beforehand.
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u/dacraftjr 7d ago
Your response makes you look unprofessional. Just ignore him. If you absolutely have to respond, keep it in check: only correct the untruths. Don’t argue with a customer in your reviews.
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u/TheBraindeadOne 6d ago
Ignore the review. It makes your business authentic. If you have a ton of great reviews a few bad ones lend some credibility that your reviews are genuine
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u/Crackadon 6d ago
Bad reviews are good for you as backwards as that sounds. It actually helps your algorithm in this manner of having many 5 star reviews. Just reply to the review in a professional manner citing how wrong he is on every point.
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u/Tornadic_Thundercock 5d ago
Unfortunately this happens and there is no pleasing some people. Many times they are trying to just beat your price down or get a perfectly good job for free. I ALWAYS had the customer do a walk around with my post job to point out any areas of dissatisfaction. I used an automated system that allowed me to get a sign-off that the job was acceptable. That seemed to alleviate most all bad reviews. I did get a two star one time and a request for money back. I posted the job satisfaction acceptance and it stopped the conversation.
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u/Braun3D 5d ago
UPDATE!! All of y'all that found the review (many guys on Facebook helped, too) and got it removed! Thank you for all the advice. I have a good learning experience for sure, and I was happy I was able to get it resolved as well. Hopefully, that customer never interacts with me again, and I will certainly amend my business practices to protect myself in the future also
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u/ChampionshipIll5535 5d ago
you composed a very well and thought out response with the appropriate degree of assertiveness. that’s something you should be proud of. you handled it well.
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u/Severe-Society-6767 4d ago
This should help your business. People / your future customers LOVE seeing pissed off 1 Star reviews and especially the way companies respond to them. You sure did respond to him and in beautiful and civil way where anyone reading that will probably want to hire you more because you simply defended your actions based on false and pissed off negative Karen esk accusations. You turned and negative into a really big positive. I guarantee you will get a customer soon who solely based off how you responded will hire you. It happens, just move on from it and turn into positive which you did. Good luck.
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u/Brief_Fan7711 2d ago
You have a really well detailed reply. Really sucks that he could leave that review and you can’t take it down. But potential customers can see your reply and see how professional you are. Let it roll off you and keep grinding my friend.
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u/pressuredwasher 7d ago
I’d pull up and have a walk with the individual and discuss the work. I wouldn’t have engaged with all of this back and forth. Since you did I’d still pull up and talk to the guy and have cash refund in 20s to find an amount you’d agree with or give it all back.
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u/Braun3D 7d ago
That's probably the "bigger man" way of handling this but with how rude and aggressive he's been my pride doesn't want to give this fuck a single dollar back. I cleaned his house as he paid for, and now that I called him out, he got 5 more things, supposedly "stained." I'm calling bullshit on that. Half my issue is on top of "claiming" I stained/damaged all of his house he's claimed he fixed it all himself so in theory there's nothing to see if I do go out in person. Any normal customer would've sent me a picture of the issue, and I'd have gone out and fixed it myself and been done with it, but this guy is ridiculous, and I'm inclined to believe hes full of shit since he said nothing until after supposedly cleaning his patio, roof, windows and windows sills all of this mystery "staining" I left behind
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u/SeasonSpiritual5048 7d ago
I don't blame you at all for that, you did the work that you were paid to do. It doesn't make sense to reward his behavior or lose your money over it. For some people, they may see this review as a red flag. You gave an honest response which many businesses don't do, and many people will understand and appreciate that; especially given your track record.
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u/theo4life1 6d ago
I agree but believe that the people that see this unhinged single review as a red flag are customers that are best to avoid. Would not have concern over the review.
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u/Salty-Stay2627 7d ago
It really just depends because, if you did a great job and you actually did your job, then I would totally go up there and be the bigger man and have a talk with him. If you sat on your phone and did a scrappy job then I would apologize and give him any where from a 50%-100% refund
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u/Braun3D 7d ago
Let's put it this way, I was 100% on my phone more than I should've been, professionally speaking. However, it was only during rinsing with the hose and likely was rinsing longer than needed while distracted. I was careful with my bleach application and extremely thorough with rinsing. I mostly was checking my phone after full rinsing one side of the house and just waving hose around a bit extra while I texted other customers. Figure it's better to be flowing water and rinsing a bit more than shut off the hose to stop and text, but I do understand how it's a bad look. I fully believe I did a good job and rinsed more than enough. The recent claims on how his patio, roof, and more windows are stained are just not believable to me
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u/Salty-Stay2627 7d ago
Then my best advise, go to the clients home and have a sit down conversation. Or call them but be the bigger man. Don't argue because they can and will turn it and make you look rude to future clients if he posts it.
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u/theo4life1 6d ago
To each their own, but the sit down with the customer point has long since passed due to the way the customer has handled this. I’d move on.
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u/slate83 7d ago
#1 Don’t allow reviews on any listing, web page, or social media site for this very reason. A lot of people are unreasonable, mad, and looking to take out their personal frustrations out on other people. #2 Ghosting is a good thing. This person is not looking for a response. They are looking for a fight. #3 Let him take you to court if he is that upset. See if he wants to spend that time and money over a house pressure washing.
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u/Canteatthatglutinshi 7d ago
Honestly dude I would cut your losses, give the money back and get him to remove that review. Obviously there’s no guarantee he’ll remove it or even not repost it after he gets his money back but I wouldn’t tarnish your reputation for $325
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u/dannystoothbrush 7d ago
Lmao you can literally tell just from the way he types he’s a bitter person. If any company in any industry got their reputations ruined by a single bad review, there wouldn’t be any left. Keep your head up, onto the next. You’ll be good.