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Bryan C

How Would You Handle This?

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Hey Guys -

Got a call to clean up a few restaurants - six to be exact - on Friday afternoon. Apparently the Corporate people will be arriving to tour the stores on Tuesday and I was asked if I could get them done on such short notice.

I did not have the opportunity to walk the property with each individual store manager and had to do the work overnight due to other scheduled jobs, including a large strip/seal deck job. I quoted each store the same - all concrete, drive-thru area, dumpster pad, and awnings. Of course, I got the "If you do a good job, I will have 22 other stores for you to clean on a regular basis".

Knowing that the stores had not been cleaned in some time, I made no promises and told them that it would take several cleanings to get up all the oil spots and gum. I was told that they did not expect miracles and that they completely understood.

So over the course of the weekend, I put in about 4 hours at each store, cleaning every square inch and being meticulous about removing the gum. I get a call this afternoon requesting that I revisit 4 of the stores to touch up some areas - faded gum spots, faint tire marks on curbing, oil spots - and they need them done by tomorrow morning. The best part is that the stores are located all over Indianapolis - some 45 minutes from each other.

I tried to explain my position that these stores have gone untouched for years and miracles don't happen overnight. I also offered to visit the stores again over the course of the week - at my expense - but it wasn't going to happen tonight. I also mentioned that if they were concerned about the work, there was plenty of time to notify me prior to cleaning all of them, thus eliminating the request to return.

Just curious how others handle situations like these. I feel that I went above and beyond and then feel my work quality was questioned. I came very close to telling them that if they weren't happy with the work, don't pay me, but I am moving on, additional stores or not.

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It sounds to me that you handled it just right. I would have done just the same. Doing that bit extra to land a contract is okay, bending over is not. If you allow that attitude to establish itself with them, then you're in for trouble. Unfortunately it will happen. If you set the relationship of "I will do good work but you (they) need to be realistic and I am not your servant and will not (literally) clean up for the fact that YOU have not implemented a proper maintenance plan for YOUR stores" then the boundaries will be set where they should be. Don't EVER fall for the future business ploy! If you show that you are a dependable and quality service provider, then you will be fine. It's way to easy to get caught in a trap.

"If you don't respect yourself, don't expect anyone else too"

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Sounds like a breakdown or lack of communication. You set the expectation and than they come back asking for more despite saying they did not expect miracles and yet they did anyway.

Was this is same person you spoke to initially and was it the same person who called to tell you of the issues?

Rod!~

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