I walked away, instead of making it worse.

ABC

New member
Customer shows up 1/2 hr. late to meet me onsite.

Customer is complaining about the day so far..... to me.

Customer screams at the dog in his house through the glass door. Sort of startled me and drew the attention of the neighbors.

Customer complains about additional cost to wash flagstone.

Customer is still annoyed as he follows me around and does "instant" inspection after every wave of the wand.

Customer screams again at the dog who is still barking and scratching the customers door from the inside.

Customer goes inside to secure the dog, which allows me to actually make a bit of progress on the wash.

I turn back around, and poof, there's the customer holding the poodle by the neck and spanking it on the bottom. The poor little guys legs were flopping all around and he yelped.

THIS DOES NOT SIT WELL WITH ME FOLKS.

My jaw hits the floor, but continue to work my way around the corner of resi. and mind my business.

I work the corner to next corner, and lo and behold, customer has a few more questions he would like to ask me along with his "instant" inspection.

200 ft plus back to the trailer to shut down and answer questions about flagstone cleaning that he doesn't want to pay for. Don't get me wrong, though, I love the upsell.

I am still a little miffed about seeing the little dog take a butt beating ( just for doing his job when a stranger is around). I shut things down for this guy my 4th and final time.

As I asked him to get off of my hose that he was standing on, he said, " I have a few more questions".

Please understand, the same question can be asked several different ways, but usu. yields the same answer.

I replied by telling him I have no more answers for him. But in a kind way told him that the next contractor hopefully will have the answers he needs.

Customer realizes that I am situating my hoses for roll up before job was complete and starts asking a series of other questions. I told him I have done all I can do and that there is no charge for the 3/4 wash.

Customers questions turned to insults and meaningless remarks which I just sucked up the best I could.
I did my best to explain to the customer that there is no charge and that I would not be completeing his housewash and did not want his business anymore. ( Remaining as calm as possible)

Customer says he is going to report me to "everybody". Along with every other explicit insult he could come up with.

I was at my truest test of my life in how I am going to handle this one. He called me crazy, and a few other choice words. I need to get out of this place and still have 300 ft to roll up and secure the trailer as normal. I need to do this quick as my temper is BOILING and I am thinking of "night time options" for this nutjob.

I walked firmly up to him and said GET OFF OF MY HOSE AND PLEASE GO INSIDE AND START REPORTING ME TO EVERYBODY, I WILL BE OFF OF YOUR PROPERTY IN 5 MINUTES A__HOLE.

First time for me to lose it like this ever. I amazed myself. It was like "A Christmas Story" when the little boy beats the crap out of the bully using every cuss word in the book.

Customer stands on front porch that was cleaned for free, holding the little dog he just got through beating in front of me, like it never happened. He said I just don't understand why you won't finish the job, YOU ARE NUTS, he shouts. I'm going to report you.

Before I got into the truck I asked him who he has time for first, the cops or the Humane Society to answer questions for an animal abuse report.


I know others would have handled this differently than I just did.

Yes I lost a good fee for a large housewash.
Plus I let my emotion get in the way.

BUT........

I am thinking of how much money I saved by not beating this guys arse into a pulp for hitting the little pooch. Bail, Lawyers, impound fees, medical.

I just couldn't finish the job guys. I just couldn't finish.

If I stayed any longer, I wouldn't be here sharing this.

I hope I handled it to the best available options I had. Stay and get to the "boiling point" with this guy and do something I would regret later.

OR

GTH out of there before I can't hold back, and ruin my life.


Sorry so long of a post........



Just one of those days I guess.
 
Damn Adrian you should write a book. That was a pretty interesting story. IMO you did better than I would have. I have no patience for people like that. Good job! I think the guy could use some meds for his anger issues. :yeah:
 
Damn Adrian you should write a book. That was a pretty interesting story. IMO you did better than I would have. I have no patience for people like that. Good job! I think the guy could use some meds for his anger issues. :yeah:

Thanks Larry,

It really turned out to be a sucky day today.


I might need meds for my anger issues after this one.
 
You did the right thing even though it's like pulling teeth to walk away. First instinct kick his arse!! He probably only beats little dogs and women..
 
Mike Vick just called me and told me not to use ABC Cleaning in Texas.WTF?


Hopefully Mike Vic has learned his lesson.
But I look at him and today's customer with the same hateful eyes.


I may have to enroll in some sort of "Bite your tongue" training, because I may have screwed the pooch today, but at least I didn't spank it.
 
You did the right thing even though it's like pulling teeth to walk away. First instinct kick his arse!! He probably only beats little dogs and women..

His wife was an absolute pleasure to speak with and set up the entire cleaning. She is nothing like him at all. That's what is eff'ed up on this one.

He may have issues bigger than the dog, but it is none of my business to speculate.


....It did feel somewhat liberating ( I know it's wrong) to call him that though.
 
Should have finished and gotten paid.
The greatest joy in that whole situation would have been to take that guys cash and then say I don't like you or how you treat me or your animals don't ever call me again for work and leave.
 
You lasted longer than i would have, i probably would have lost it when he beat the dog!!!
 
Should have finished and gotten paid.
The greatest joy in that whole situation would have been to take that guys cash and then say I don't like you or how you treat me or your animals don't ever call me again for work and leave.

Thats always easy to say when it wasnt you :dirol:
 
I'm sure this is going to come as a surprise to many here but I'm way too sarcastic to let something like that slide.

Things like:

"That's the way to keep that dog in line! - Dogs are stupid and need a hard beating like that some times.....my brother works for the SPCA and he disagrees with me. Wait till I tell him how good that beating you gave your dog worked!"

Or,

"I sure hope you didn't kink my hose standing on it like that. The manufacturer voids the warranty for standing on it and I just paid $700.00 for it last week."

I lay in bed at night working on stuff like that.....:grin-devilish:
 
Should have finished and gotten paid.
The greatest joy in that whole situation would have been to take that guys cash and then say I don't like you or how you treat me or your animals don't ever call me again for work and leave.

That works for those that can keep their cool.

I literally asked myself if I am going to be able to ride this project out.
I literally answered myself and said, only if you want to end up in jail because you know you are about to give him a mouthful.


I didn't keep that kind of cool Alexy.

Just hoping to not ever have a replay of this.
 
Trust me in KEC work we deal with "difficult people" every night.

But you have to see them again, he wont be seeing this douch bag again you can count on that.:butcher:
 
I'm sure this is going to come as a surprise to many here but I'm way too sarcastic to let something like that slide.

Things like:

"That's the way to keep that dog in line! - Dogs are stupid and need a hard beating like that some times.....my brother works for the SPCA and he disagrees with me. Wait till I tell him how good that beating you gave your dog worked!"

Or,

"I sure hope you didn't kink my hose standing on it like that. The manufacturer voids the warranty for standing on it and I just paid $700.00 for it last week."

I lay in bed at night working on stuff like that.....:grin-devilish:



What can I say Tony, that's classic.


I have a gut feeling that you would have wanted to pop him just like me.
 
But you have to see them again, he wont be seeing this douch bag again you can count on that.:butcher:

+1 unless it's on Animal Cops.:hang2:
 
You really should report him, people that abuse animals are not right in the head. Thats where serial killers start out, hurting animals.
 
:sarcastic: Houston PD :sarcastic:
Urban yuppie who spanked his dog. No chance.
HPD evacuated first during Hurricane IKE.

It goes no further than a case # assignment with HPD.

I have to speak with cruelty specialist.
Which probably won't put much emphasis on it either.

There is alot of abuse and mills and illeagal backyard breeders in Houstoned
for them to raise flags on any taxpaying urban yupsters for tweeking the butt of their pooch.
 
It would of been over the second I saw that POS beating his dog. Good for you, walking away. You're a bigger man than I.

Probably some liberal disappointed with the "messiah's" broken promises.
 
Good job keeping a professional demeanor. It's hard to keep your cool under situations like that. I know you wanted to rub his face in that lil poodles hot load, but you showed teriffic restraint. The nuts on some of these people!
 
Back
Top