Damage to Clothing

Mark 8262

Mark 8262

Residential and Commercial Pressure Washing Specia
We cleaned a gas station Saturday night and we clean it every 6 months. It is open 24/7 and does not shut down while we are there. We always close down half the lanes with cones and clean them and then close down the first half and clean the remaining area. We clean the canopy, awning and concrete. It is only a 2 person job but I always send 3 so there is an extra person just to help with possible problems with traffic

Saturday night my guys were cleaning it as usual when a car drives around the cones and stops. They get out of their car and my guys direct them where to walk so they do not get bleach dripped on them. They ignored their directions and as a result got bleach on their uniforms (they are fugitive recovery agents). They now want me to pay for their uniforms. They are only $48 each and 3 were dripped on.

It's only $144 but the people maneuvered around the cones and then ignored the directions of my people so I'm not going to pay for them. May very well lose the account over this, but that's OK. I will not do it in the future if they remain open anyway.

Funny thing.....someone called the gas station and left them a message at 5pm saying it was not our fault and the customers ignored our direction....The gas station manager said it was my son that called. (Here's the funny thing) My son does not work for me and was not even aware of the situation and my employees were with me at the time of the call so I know they did not call. The call had to come from an employee of the gas station who witnessed what happened and were aware of the situation.
 
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I'd call their bosses, since they wanna call yours
 
Hey Mark,..I'm a "stand your ground" type of guy,... In this case I would evaluate the importance of the work, and make a decision based on that. Don't let $144.00 ruin a good thing,...as the saying goes,.."Don't cut off your nose to spite your face".

I agree,..people are stupid,...I worked at a very prominent local insurance firm,..we had cones up and was CLEARLY spraying,..I had a guy telling people who insisted on going through the cones to "Please use another entrance",...One guy in a suit seemed to feel he was above being told to use another exit,..he went through and got all kinds of drips on his suit,.HA,HA,..I told my helper,.."I hope his suit is ruined",..I was ready for a confrontation after he discovered the spots,..but I never seen him again.

Maybe his suit was made from the same stuff Dickies pants are.

* Also,..not that you want them,..but if you pay for their clothes,..I think the clothes your replacing becomes your property? Seen Judge Marilyn do that on The Peoples Court I think. I'd take them just for the sake of it,..tell them to bundle the clothes and you'll give them the check.

Jeff
 
Yes if they ignored the cones and marked off work area they are liable and not you.

AC
 
Mark- what do you charge for the complete cleaning at the station? Seems to me $144 would be a substantial percentage of your overall profit, with all the men on-site and chems. etc.....

Even if you clear $500 thats more than 20% of the profit- The gas station owner also sounds "Shady"
 
On principle and in order to help people own up to their own responsibilities and mistakes...I'd say, sorry "we no pay", next time pay attention and show respect for the signs and people working to keep your environment safe.
 
If your asking for consensus, I'm on the ''we no pay" side. Actually I'd love to take there boss's call and break it down for him.Particularly since you we're there and saw how it all happened and who did what. I'd ask that boss "why would your guys drive around , through and past safety cones and then ignore a common seance request from a man obviousness working in that area to use another pump"?
 
I'm with Al call their boss and talk uniform options if you plan to keep the account. No way I'd hand over cash to the workers who knows where that money will go.
 
Well today I'm going to live by the words of Popeye when he says "I've had all I can stand and I can't stand no more" so I'm not going to pay.
 
I'm sure while doing their job they break stuff and tear clothes of people they are recovering and don't pay squat. Maybe next time they won't act like they are above the law.


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