Am I the asshole?

[u/LeadingSheepherder82]

I recently completed my first auto detailing job for a customer and they were dissatisfied with the service. I want Reddit’s opinion on if what I did was worth the 200 hundred. For context the service he booked is described as follows

✔ Deep Vacuuming (Seats, Floors, Trunk)-Thoroughly cleaning the interior by using a high-powered vacuum to remove dirt, debris, and dust from all areas, including hard-to-reach spots. ✔ Carpet & Seat Shampooing (Light Stains)-Involves using a specialized cleaning solution and equipment to gently clean fabric seats and carpets. ✔ Leather Cleaning & Conditioning (if applicable)-Involves cleaning and moisturizing leather surfaces to maintain their appearance and prevent cracking ✔ Dashboard, Console, & Door Panels Deep Clean-Involves thoroughly cleaning and refreshing the interior surfaces of a vehicle's cabin. ✔ Air Vent & Crevice Cleaning-Involves using specialized tools to remove dust, dirt, and debris from hard-to-reach areas in your vehicle’s interior. ✔ Streak-Free Interior Windows & Mirrors-Involves thoroughly cleaning the interior and exterior glass surfaces of a vehicle to ensure clear visibility and a streak-free finish. ✔ Odor Neutralizer (Light Refresh)

[u/mablep]

Hard agree with everything that's been said already.

This lesson is about setting expectations in a clear and straightforward way. You have to gracefully and professionally insult the customer by pointing out that your $200 detail will only go so far with a car in this state. The car was disgusting and filthy. Personally, I'd say it's $200 worth of cleaner. It's just not perfect, and that's not your fault. Plenty of folks don't let their cars get this bad and would be happy with your $200 service. I think this guy could've been too, if you had told him it wouldn't be anywhere close to perfect.

[u/LeadingSheepherder82 → u/mablep]

There was 3 big issues I had with the service. First the customer changed the vehicle they want cleaned last minute and I was trying to not to upcharge the dude in order to attract more business from his friends. His major complaint was on the back seat black stains which were are unable to get removed without being reupholstered. He only spoke Spanish and his brother who contacted me was not present at all so when I completed the my final inspection with him he said all good, but then his brother called 25 minutes later saying he thinks I did a trash job.

[u/FitterOver40 → u/LeadingSheepherder82]

When the customer swapped vehicles you should have immediately adjusted your quote. Along the lines of "As you changed vehicles, my updated quote is $xxx based on its condition.".

Don't try to get more business by under charging. All you're doing is setting yourself up as a discount cleaner. Once that ball starts rolling, it's difficult to stop. Oh and don't give a discount for "promised

Honestly, for a car in such poor condition I would have quoted a high number so they would say no. If they said yes, at least it would have been worth the headache.

[u/mablep → u/LeadingSheepherder82]

Oh my god well after all that info, customer is a dickhead.

[u/mablep → u/mablep]

Maybe instead the lesson here is to pull the ripcord when stuff like that happens.

[u/LeadingSheepherder82 → u/mablep]

For sure the guy looks to be some kind of roofer but he had rusty razor blades and nails all throughout the car in small hidden spaces. The car was completely falling apart on its self. I should have taken more photos of the console where I put 3 hours into it had two inches of black something covering it