The first Multiple Chemical Sensitive potential customer I had to pass on

For you guys that serve these customers you're familiar with the questions? Do I use I use chemicals? Can I remove the paint cans from the garage?  Will the paint that's peeling on my concrete floors become toxic after the cleaning? Can I use just water?  I told her that I would hook up to her water spicket. You ready for her response to this? My water isn't safe. My response,  "Mam I don't want to be responsible for you going into anaphylactic. Let me refer you to this company."

Now that I think about it I should have even referred her to someone else

A true hypochondriac. I would have been doing call backs for her for the rest of my life.

They can be difficult, but in my limited experience, they pay well and clean often.

I have one that will actually provide me a list of chemicals that I can't use and seems to be allergic to about everything. She is also agoraphobic and rarely leaves the home, but is always polite and calls for a cleaning 4x per year.

That being said, it sounds like yours was going to be trouble...once she balked at using her own water, I would have looked for an escape route as well.

She also wanted me to take her sofa outside to ensure that It wouldn't get wet

Mo wrote:She also wanted me to take her sofa outside to ensure that It wouldn't get wet

Okay, now that is a person to run from.

I usually tell them "I've been in this biz over 25 yrs and never had a customer have an allergic or negative reaction to any of my ""cleaning solutions"" (which is the truth, and I hope I can always say this).....as I knock on wood, and I'm not kidding about this.....I go out of my way to knock on that wood, and they love it. LOL

Like you said, she's a hypochondriac, and most of it I'd bet is in her head right, but I'm thinking you made a good call by walking on this one.

Of course using safer cleaning chems help, and is one of the reasons I like using S/O........no customer gagging/coughing like I had when I used Pro's Choice pre-sprays.

Also, I Never use the word "Chemical" when talking to a customer.  IMO it's one of those cleaning cuss words just like the word "Dirty", I use "Soiled" and "Cleaning Solutions" instead.  

If you make them feel safe (I use "Green Clean" in my biz name), I think they're more likely to feel safe, in your hands.

Mo wrote:She also wanted me to take her sofa outside to ensure that It wouldn't get wet

Yea, I'd really say you made a good choice on walking from that one.

When people request crazy $hit like that, I flat out tell them "I'm not a moving Co."!

The chemical word was hers I use cleaning solution.

Do you use solvent based sealers with these customers? I bought Ultra Seal and no way would I use that with out permission.

I also don't use 2790 I just don't consider it safe.

Maybe you could just fight fire with fire and tell her that you have a severe obsessive compulsive disorder and that if you were to move a sofa...you would have to kill Tony Danza.

She was probably say " I understand exactly what you're talking about"

Before we got to the cleaning with just water option. I asked what she used to wash her clothes? She said it was a new product she was trying out and wasn't confidant in it yet.

I have a feeling she would have passed out as soon as I walked in the door

Mo wrote:The chemical word was hers I use cleaning solution.

Do you use solvent based sealers with these customers? I bought Ultra Seal and no way would I use that with out permission.

I also don't use 2790 I just don't consider it safe.

Yea, I get it all the time........customer ask me "what type of chemicals do I use", my response is always "the Cleaning Solutions I use are"....
They can use the C word but I don't when talking to them.

Yes, 2790 is strong, but I do think it's much less now in it's current version, Mo. I think the old stuff you used was much more potent smelling than it is now.

The site doesn't have the MSD sheets anymore. Im always weary when a manufacturer doesn't give you easy access to their MSDS sheets. I'll have to call email Ken Horton out of Gilbert AZ

Mo wrote:Before we got to the cleaning with just water option. I asked what she used to wash her clothes? She said it was a new product she was trying out and wasn't confidant in it yet.

I would ask her politely to give you a call back when she's confident of that product that she use to wash her clothes and that you will need that product to clean her rug, that way she can't say that you use something that she's allergic to, but I think you made the right decision by walking out, I would walk out too, lol.

Haaha good idea^

You did the right thing. Walk away from this one. A little concern over your procedure is normal, obsessive concern means obsessive problems. Danger Will Robinson, Danger!

Nice Avatar Dave

yeah thats well beyond your average chemical sensitive customer.
I get allot of them and if you set ( signed ) ground rules they are good customers.

I would consider moving items BUT I would add a huge ticket for moving furniture and and a signed waiver for if any damage happens from me moving things ( because im not a moving company ) you're at fault.

These PITA jobs can result in HUGE $

I would walk from her, sounds like more of a headache than anything

I referred her to my cleaning partner. Im sure she'll be happy with me for for doing that