So I’m still fairly new to the business side but I think I already have one of those customers where they want to eat off of their concrete. Small 10 x 10 patio but they Literally want it to look absolutely brand new and was happy the day I did it but then one spouse tells another she’s not so they want me back.
Assuming they won’t end up happy no matter what how have you all dealt with customers like this?
Do you have an “after” pic? We’ll tell you whether to go back. 
No, was too frazzled to get out of there lol.
I will tomorrow. It has no like just household stains so I’m using double eagle and grounds keeper this time instead of just de. 1 year old and too tight for surface cleaner so it’s scrub and rinse.
There has to be situations where you just have to say this is it and walk away when some are never pleased and you are working for free for a client. Not sure how to do that without them just giving a bad review. Really I might have just been better not taking the job because they were asking for other areas to be cleaned that had nothing to clean at all that I said no too. Learning exp I guess lol
I would say, just go back and re clean.
You can’t afford a bad review starting out, it can cripple your business…
Go back re clean…
Be firm that is the best you can do… Smile and go
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I am doing that tomorrow. They also have a driveway with tire marks otherwise clean that I set the expectation that I would try with every chemical available ( light pressure too new) and if it wasn’t significantly removed I wouldt charge them so I’m def being reasonable and that if that didn’t work they would need hot water which I don’t have.
Don’t offer services that you don’t have equipment for
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Just go back and see what they have to say. Offer to re-clean it if they’re not satisfied.
If they’re still not satisfied just refund them their money and walk away.
Never service them again.
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I always tell the customer it may not be perfect, depending on stains. If they don’t like that, I pack up and say thanks and sorry.
There certainly are, but they also involve a refund. The trick is knowing when the refund is inevitable, and just cutting your losses at that point.
IBS is correct though, don’t offer services for pay if you don’t have the right equipment or knowhow to do, that’s how you wind up in those situations
I have the same Chems that anyone else does and many say they get them off without hot water. It seems that without hot water it’s just not guaranteed BUT I explained this ahead of time and offered that if they aren’t removed then they don’t pay and I have nonissue with that but I do need to accept defeat if they don’t come off tomorrow and give a refund. I think that’s fair and they lost nothing.
F9 says DE is safe to use 1:1 so I’m going to try that.
Just give them back the 25 dollars.
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I don’t think anyone said anything about chems…anyone can buy any chems. It’s setting the expectations, and what you do on it. I’m not sure what they did to their concrete in a year that’s so bad, but there is way more way easier work out there than trying to remove stains that they’ve gotten on fresh concrete and let set bc they apparently didn’t care…
Probably the best idea
I think he also has a driveway with burnout marks he’s trying to fix.
Yea for the tires but that was agreed upon during quote that I wouldn’t charge if they didn’t come out. The patio husband was happy wife told him she wasn’t the next day.
This is where before and after photos would help. Even if a bad review was left, you’d be able to respond to said review with photos and state that you tried your best.
It sounds like you’ve already let the customers know there’s a way to get their money back if they aren’t satisfied - don’t plant that seed as perhaps they are just trying to get out of paying for a quality job as there are people like that in the world.
What stains are you thinking are on the patio that aren’t coming off? Any reason why you aren’t using SH? Or is it more of a BBQ grease, kids painting project gone wrong kinda thing?
Yes no SH as there is no mold or organic anything on the patio. Light stain from potted plant, kids chalk maybe a drink spill. Maybe some dirt dried in place as it was hard to rinse because it’s enclosed with framing on the ground. Had to push water out of the screen door as I was rinsing, about 30 min after I was done and just working on something else he told me it looked good.
Pictures will save your butt and also give the experts here a chance to help you “I’m not an expert”. On a residential pad 10X10 aside from grill grease or a drain oil spill I would just go hot SH.
Wet the grass around the pad really good. Dont prewet concrete just pump spray 6%. Dont get it on the grass. Walk back to your truck sit for 10-15minutes. Come back water the crap out of the grass around perimeter then rinse deck off. If anything remains try straight 12.5%. A hot mix will do wonders on concrete just remember it will also do a lot to plants.
Without seeing the job it’s hard to really give advise but I more than likely would just bump pressure down since its newer concrete and surface clean it.
Thanks. Husband said leave the patio it’s fine. It’s his spouse that is a bit much. Focusing on their tire marks now. Coming up with straight double eagle but like almost in layers with lots of scrubbing.
I see it the opposite, it’s on our shirts…will some people be like that? I’m sure, but they’re going to be like that whether you make it clear you guarantee your work or not…it’s who they are.
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