Need advice on how to handle unreasonable customer - tanTALK

sunchick7 · 03-29-2005, 07:21 AM

Okay I am going to give you a short version of this situation....
Lady comes in & buys a month for herself & one for her son....
She asks if her son can tan on his month for 5 days then turn it over to her daughter...our policy is NO...memberships cannot be shared, etc....well, *** employee said OK.
So because she told her ok, I agreed to honor it.
Then customer wanted to take 4 days off of the end of her membership & give them to her daughter so she could start tanning now.
I explained to her that we could not do that & how we were honoring the other request because she was given incorrect information. She told me that she wanted her money back & said that one of our employees was rude to her.
I told her that our memberships are non-refundable but that I would give her a store credit that she could use towards merchandise.
She put a stop payment on her check which not only included the tanning but a Worship & a toe ring & they had already tanned some on the membership.
So...my options are now to either make this womans life as difficult as possible...I could charge her with theift, turn her over to our collections agency, etc.
Or I could just call her & tell her she has until the end of the business day today to bring in the total for the merchandise & tanning that she used & just eat the rest of it...but be done with it.

RandyR · 03-29-2005, 12:10 PM

Quote:
On 2005-03-29 07:21:00, sunchick7 wrote:

Or I could just call her & tell her she has until the end of the business day today to bring in the total for the merchandise & tanning that she used & just eat the rest of it...but be done with it.

I vote for this solution because it offers a more immediate resolution. I hate to lose a customer over something as ridiculous as this, but she sounds like she's beyond coming back to your place, and I doubt you want her back anyway. She has used your services and is in posession of your product and must pay for that. She'll probably want to return the lotion for a full refund as well, so be prepared for that. If it doesnt work, then threaten her with the legal action you mentioned...

1MIla · 03-29-2005, 01:05 PM

That’s why we not accepting checks.
Money forward….

ALOHATANCA · 03-29-2005, 01:21 PM

Quote:
On 2005-03-29 12:10:00, RandyR wrote:
Quote:
On 2005-03-29 07:21:00, sunchick7 wrote:

Or I could just call her & tell her she has until the end of the business day today to bring in the total for the merchandise & tanning that she used & just eat the rest of it...but be done with it.

I vote for this solution because it offers a more immediate resolution. I hate to lose a customer over something as ridiculous as this, but she sounds like she's beyond coming back to your place, and I doubt you want her back anyway. She has used your services and is in posession of your product and must pay for that. She'll probably want to return the lotion for a full refund as well, so be prepared for that. If it doesnt work, then threaten her with the legal action you mentioned...

I agree, then make her life miserable .

river_brat · 03-29-2005, 03:36 PM

Go for the polite action if she doesnt abide, then I agree make her life miserable.

suncountry · 03-29-2005, 04:20 PM

what's this even worth? a hundred bucks or so????? is it really worth suing her for something like that. It would cost you more money in the long run taking that ruit.

I would call her, if she won't come in to pay, then ask her to return the lotion and toe ring. You could pour the lotion into sample cups and make the money back that way. If she wont come to return the goods, then go to her home, you should have her address on file.

I don't think it's worth making this womens life a living ****......people scorned can get very evil
when the retaliate. That's why it's called....REVENGE IS SWEET!!

sbtan · 03-29-2005, 04:38 PM

Send a certified letter requesting payment for the products she purchased and service you provided to her. I would approach it in a way that indicates that she may have stopped payment on the wrong check in error and you would appreciate if payment was made via money order or other guaranteed funds. Apologize for any misunderstandings, but she must pay for the products and services she received. Obviously she will never return to the salon (thankfully so). Take the high road and be the better person. If you want to continue to accept checks I would look into getting a machine/service that will guarantee checks that are processed so this does not fall on you. Our credit card service provider would then have to obtain the funds from this client. It is a big relief. We have only had 1 bounced check and never a stop payment. I do not know the legal rights you have under this situation.

sunchick7 · 03-29-2005, 08:00 PM

It isn't worth all of the trouble of suing her to me...but according to my DA"s office (who handles bad chacks) since it was a stop payment it is the only choice I have. This woman was so unreasonable! She tried everything....she put down my staff, my salon, threatened to bad mouth us all over town.....NOTHING whould make this woman happy short of a cash refund & after the way she behaved I wasn't about to do it.
I called her this morning & left her message to come in & pay for the merchandise & the visits that she used by end of business today & she has not been in or called. We actually called 3 times throughout the day. If I have to take her to court SHE will be responsible for all court costs so this will wind up costing her around 200.00-300.00. As much as I really do not like this woman I have no interest in causing this kind of trouble for her BUT I will not let someone walk into my salon & leave with things & not pay for them. That is called shoplifting.

2ndtosun · 03-29-2005, 08:02 PM

Customers can be unreal. She is stealing from you and you have gone above and beyond with honoring her original request when your employee screwed up. I say prosecute. She would not return to your salon anyway.. and quite frankly I don't think you want her. I would call her and demand payment within 24 hours or you will call the police.

dhgranstrand · 03-29-2005, 10:19 PM

Why worry about it? She bought goods and services from you and you have tried to honor the services even to the extent of going beyond the initial agreement. Turn the check over for collection and be done with it. She probably does that to every business in town.

BTW... over what period of time did this take place? We deposit our checks the following day and they clear in 2 to 3 days.

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03-29-2005, 07:21 AM	#1 (permalink)
sunchick7 Join Date: Aug 26 2004 Posts: 230 Rep Power: 21	Okay I am going to give you a short version of this situation.... Lady comes in & buys a month for herself & one for her son.... She asks if her son can tan on his month for 5 days then turn it over to her daughter...our policy is NO...memberships cannot be shared, etc....well, *** employee said OK. So because she told her ok, I agreed to honor it. Then customer wanted to take 4 days off of the end of her membership & give them to her daughter so she could start tanning now. I explained to her that we could not do that & how we were honoring the other request because she was given incorrect information. She told me that she wanted her money back & said that one of our employees was rude to her. I told her that our memberships are non-refundable but that I would give her a store credit that she could use towards merchandise. She put a stop payment on her check which not only included the tanning but a Worship & a toe ring & they had already tanned some on the membership. So...my options are now to either make this womans life as difficult as possible...I could charge her with theift, turn her over to our collections agency, etc. Or I could just call her & tell her she has until the end of the business day today to bring in the total for the merchandise & tanning that she used & just eat the rest of it...but be done with it.

03-29-2005, 01:05 PM	#3 (permalink)
1MIla Join Date: Jun 20 2004 Posts: 46 Rep Power: 0	That’s why we not accepting checks. Money forward….

03-29-2005, 03:36 PM	#5 (permalink)
river_brat I love Derf!! Join Date: Apr 1 2004 Location: WEST COAST Age: 44 Posts: 906 Rep Power: 21	Go for the polite action if she doesnt abide, then I agree make her life miserable.

03-29-2005, 04:20 PM	#6 (permalink)
suncountry Join Date: Oct 16 2004 Location: Ontario Posts: 182 Rep Power: 20	what's this even worth? a hundred bucks or so????? is it really worth suing her for something like that. It would cost you more money in the long run taking that ruit. I would call her, if she won't come in to pay, then ask her to return the lotion and toe ring. You could pour the lotion into sample cups and make the money back that way. If she wont come to return the goods, then go to her home, you should have her address on file. I don't think it's worth making this womens life a living ****......people scorned can get very evil when the retaliate. That's why it's called....REVENGE IS SWEET!!

03-29-2005, 04:38 PM	#7 (permalink)
sbtan Join Date: Dec 2 2003 Location: East Amherst, NY Posts: 396 Rep Power: 21	Send a certified letter requesting payment for the products she purchased and service you provided to her. I would approach it in a way that indicates that she may have stopped payment on the wrong check in error and you would appreciate if payment was made via money order or other guaranteed funds. Apologize for any misunderstandings, but she must pay for the products and services she received. Obviously she will never return to the salon (thankfully so). Take the high road and be the better person. If you want to continue to accept checks I would look into getting a machine/service that will guarantee checks that are processed so this does not fall on you. Our credit card service provider would then have to obtain the funds from this client. It is a big relief. We have only had 1 bounced check and never a stop payment. I do not know the legal rights you have under this situation.

03-29-2005, 08:00 PM	#8 (permalink)
sunchick7 Join Date: Aug 26 2004 Posts: 230 Rep Power: 21	It isn't worth all of the trouble of suing her to me...but according to my DA"s office (who handles bad chacks) since it was a stop payment it is the only choice I have. This woman was so unreasonable! She tried everything....she put down my staff, my salon, threatened to bad mouth us all over town.....NOTHING whould make this woman happy short of a cash refund & after the way she behaved I wasn't about to do it. I called her this morning & left her message to come in & pay for the merchandise & the visits that she used by end of business today & she has not been in or called. We actually called 3 times throughout the day. If I have to take her to court SHE will be responsible for all court costs so this will wind up costing her around 200.00-300.00. As much as I really do not like this woman I have no interest in causing this kind of trouble for her BUT I will not let someone walk into my salon & leave with things & not pay for them. That is called shoplifting.

03-29-2005, 08:02 PM	#9 (permalink)
2ndtosun Join Date: Nov 27 2001 Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico Posts: 22 Rep Power: 0	Customers can be unreal. She is stealing from you and you have gone above and beyond with honoring her original request when your employee screwed up. I say prosecute. She would not return to your salon anyway.. and quite frankly I don't think you want her. I would call her and demand payment within 24 hours or you will call the police.

03-29-2005, 10:19 PM	#10 (permalink)
dhgranstrand Join Date: May 30 2004 Location: Yakima WA Posts: 197 Rep Power: 20	Why worry about it? She bought goods and services from you and you have tried to honor the services even to the extent of going beyond the initial agreement. Turn the check over for collection and be done with it. She probably does that to every business in town. BTW... over what period of time did this take place? We deposit our checks the following day and they clear in 2 to 3 days.

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