# irate customer



## stanza (Sep 28, 2003)

i need some help. i plow a community in my area. Approx 30 drives. one drive is steep and at a weird angle w/ a front load drive. two weeks ago I turned in before the drive and onto the grass. The plow wasnt down so i backed out immediately. i went in about ten feet. Last night I slipped off the drive while backing out and left my right left tire mark in the snow for about ten feet next to the drive. This woman calls me up tonight screaming that she is taking me to small claims court and that I better refund her full season price.
She signed on at the begining of january so i wrote her a check for 125.00. half the price. What? should i do at this point?
These people are psychos. She's telling me that i should stop drinking while im driving. She has her nose so far up in the air if she sneezes she would stab herself to death. Do i have any leeway as far as expected slipping and sliding during bad weather. I dont have a contract with any of these homeowners. This is the third year and i havent had any problems until now. I think that most homeowners know some things cant be avoided. thanks for any feedback.


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## jeffw (Feb 5, 2005)

was there any damage? first i would not refund anything,,, then i would explain to her that these things can happen and that in the spring you will glady come and repair any damage. as for court don;t sweat it and don't give her a refund that just says your guilty.

i would fix the damages and be done with that drive, sounds quite unrealistic.


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## stanza (Sep 28, 2003)

this woman called me at my home and screamed and called me everything. i want rid of her. tomorrow we are expecting 12 to 15 inches.
she says i left tire tracks.


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

BS!!! If the ground was frozen and you didn't spin the tires, it's unlikely that there was any damage. You simply drove on the snow. You've given her back half the seasonal price - that's more than enough. Usually, you'll just offer to correct any damage in the Spring - rake the dirt and spread some grass seed. 

People like that are just impressed with themselves. Get rid of that account (or that part of it) and count yourself better off. Tell her "Thank you for your concern. You should now find yourself a new plow guy while I go to rehab. Hope to meet you there".


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## JPMAKO (Dec 10, 2003)

Tomorrow leave a pile of snow for her instead 
I hate people. The worst part of doing business is obtaining or retaining clients like that one. Get rid of her, cut your losses now. And for future reference sign contracts. It is the only way to ensure that you are not responsible for stuff like that. S**t happens and these people don't understand that.


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## Runner (Jul 21, 2000)

The lady is obviously a nutcase. What is she going to sue you for,...tracks in the snow? Give me a break. There obviously are no grounds for suit. I wouldn't refunded her a red cent. I also would've told her to go ahead and try. The judge would throw her out of court like a used piece of garbage. If you do away with her, that's just fine. Just pray for whoever does her lawn in the summer. Lord forbid if they get any clippings or leave any tire tracks on the drive. That for sure would ruin that concrete.


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## L.I.Mike (Dec 28, 2002)

First off do not send her any money back. Drop her a note that any damage done by you plowing will be repaired in the spring at no charge to her. Go over there and take pictures. Then explain that due to her abuse that you can no longer service her driveway and to find someone else.
You dont need her abuse.


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## johntwist (Feb 10, 2004)

Mick said:


> Tell her "Thank you for your concern. You should now find yourself a new plow guy while I go to rehab. Hope to meet you there".


That's a great line Mick!


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## mikelawtown (Dec 5, 2004)

I keep a camera in the truck at all times. If i ever have a customer call me for some, so called damage, i'm right over there to look at it and take a few pics..and log it....


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## Lux Lawn (Jan 5, 2004)

It sounds to me like this lady is just a PITA but she would never win a nickel in court because you went off her driveway.You should have a contract for all of you accounts.If you want to get rid of her that bad before the next big snow what I would do is give her the *un used* portion of the money back.Meaning if you told her the season ends April 1st.and you gave me $125.00 today is Feb. 28th so you used 2 months worth of the $125.00 that you paid me so you get a refund for $41.66.You need to be paid for the months that you already worked for her.If you collected sales tax on that do not refund that.
That is what I would do if you really want to get rid of her.


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## stanza (Sep 28, 2003)

thanks for the feedback guys,
i took some pictures today and wrote her off. dont need the headache.


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