/biz/ - Business & Finance

[Anonymous No.21468702]

Any other small business owners had a customer threaten to sue you?

I have a small business, tile installation. I recently did some repairs on a womans master shower. As a contractor you always get one or two people that are 100% insane every year. The repairs went perfectly and I took "After" photos. The female customer got really angry during the job and claimed my crew left smudges and scratches on some nearby marble tile. The tiles looked totally fine, I carefully inspected them. I cleaned and buffed the shower a second time just to make her happy. She paid me a check and we left.

So this morning (5 days later) I get a Voicemail from this lady that we scratched and scuffed her marble tiles and if we don't come fix it then she will file a lawsuit. Her exact words "If you don't come fix this I will file a lawsuit against you"

I'm truly beside myself with these stories they don't even seem real. But it is. I spoke to a local attorney and he said just never talk to her again and if she sues me he will represent me in court and we'll win. Plus I have the photos and my crew was their to witness what happened.

But IDK I'm thinking of just calling this lady and offering her a full refund on the shower repair.

Thoughts?

[Anonymous No.21468847]

>>21468702
I don't know what the law is in the US, but in Australia before initiating court proceedings, a letter of demand must be sent to the defendant demanding compensation/rectification of the alleged damage. That's the first point that you would engage your solicitor to respond to the said letter. If the matter is not settled at that point, then they next step for the plaintiff would be to file a lawsuit.

[Anonymous No.21468887]

not hard, dont talk to her and if you go to court you go to court. listen to the lawyer.

[Anonymous No.21468892]

>>21468847
AKA if the law in the US is similar, don't do anything until you receive an official letter of demand (usually through her solicitors).

[Anonymous No.21468946]

>>21468702
imagine doing any of this gay shit. you're no better than a wage cuck dude

[Anonymous No.21468987]

why did you hire a lawyer if you weren't going to listen to him

[Anonymous No.21469240]

>>21468702
>But IDK I'm thinking of just calling this lady and offering her a full refund on the shower repair.

based cuck retard

[Anonymous No.21469367]

>>21468702
beat her up

[Anonymous No.21469394]

>>21468702
Hold your ground. You have photographic proof right?

[Anonymous No.21469500]

>>21468702
hold ur ground bro i do remodeling construction bathrooms, kitchens, etc. and 99% of these pschyo customers wont do shit they just threaten you to see how much u bend ur knee to them like your lawyer said dont talk to her again you already got paid bro dont stress about it

[Anonymous No.21469506]

>>21468702
If he’s a good lawyer I’d take his advice. This type of person doesn’t deserve a free job.

[Anonymous No.21469583]

>>21468702
As a business owner you will eventually be sued. You need to fight these lunatics and win. As you said a few people a year are legitimately insane.

Most of them are used to getting their way and will simply back down if you show you have a spine.

You owe her nothing. If you don't defend yourself she will make even more wild claims.

[Anonymous No.21469588]

>>21468702
It really depends on how much money you stand to lose, but if it won't make-or-break your business, I'd save myself the headache, refund them and never speak to them again.

I've been a business owner for 12+ years and I get at least one of these type customers every year. I've made the mistake of defending my business and not caving to their demands. These people lead sad, hollow lives and will take this up as their sole purpose in life until you're all the way fucked.

[Anonymous No.21469630]

You can't be this fucking stupid. If you've gone out of your way to make her happy, stand your ground and tell her you would love to see her in court. I've been threatened like this 4 or 5 times in my career. They've never taken me to court. Do not give her a refund. And stop working for so many home owners. Fuck them. Find some commercial work and be set. My company (me and 3 guys) makes about 30-60k a month. 90 percent commercial work. Easier work. Better pay. I only work for home owners if I like them. Couldn't tell you how many people I've done estimates for and never even gave them an estimate or contacted them again. I fucking block their numbers. If you're going to run a successful business, don't be a retarded cuck.

[Anonymous No.21469641]

>>21468702
Say you’ll go fix it then go fix it but make sure you steal something

[Anonymous No.21469660]

>>21468702
>But IDK I'm thinking of just calling this lady and offering her a full refund on the shower repair.
>giving into crazy cunts wanting free shit
fuck her, dont talk to her ever again. this is what she wants to make a fuss so you give in.

[Anonymous No.21469670]

If she tries to tank your business with review bombing or a social media campaign then that's when you counter sue.

[Anonymous No.21469727]

>>21468702
Also if you give her refund then you give her power. She’ll keep doing this with other people. Stop this bitch in her tracks right now anon.

[Anonymous No.21469748]

>>21469670

I'm really glad you mentioned this. I have a really strong online social media presence.

What can I do if this happens? Just ask my attorney to file a suit?

[Anonymous No.21469762]

>>21468702
Listen to your lawyer

[Anonymous No.21469780]

>>21469748
Talk to your attorney. Not 4chan.

You will hate yourself if you capitulate to this cunt.

[Anonymous No.21469786]

Ignore her. If she keeps harassing you but never takes it to court, get a restraining order. They're not too expensive and if she contacts you again she can get in big trouble. It's a good way to stick it to these nutjobs.

[Anonymous No.21469919]

>>21469748
She's going to light your online reputation on fire - that's almost a guarantee. She'll leave a bad review from her account. She may ask friends to leave bad reviews too. She'll tag you on social media and spread lies. Trying to counter-sue is just more bullshit you're going to have to focus on rather than running/growing your business.

All these guys saying "fuck her bro just stand up to her and she'll cave" have never dealt with these psychotic type customers. This isn't a hill worth dying on! If your time / sanity mean anything at all to you, I would refund her and be done with it.

[Anonymous No.21470142]

>>21468702
>I spoke to a local attorney and he said just never talk to her again and if she sues me he will represent me in court and we'll win. Plus I have the photos and my crew was their to witness what happened.
listen to him. giving in to her demands is retarded, especially if you have proof and witnesses like you say.

[Anonymous No.21470585]

>>21469641
This but also the night before eat a huge Taco Bell meal, then shit in the tank of her toilet.

[Anonymous No.21470724]

>>21469919

This is where I'm so torn. I'm 99% gonna just do what the attorney said.

But I have many friends that are also business owners. We talk a lot. Most of them just told me to give the woman her money on the shower to avoid a public trashing.

[Anonymous No.21470844]

>>21468702
kek ignore the bitch, if you get sent to small collections use your photo evidence

[Anonymous No.21470865]

>>21470724
Just refund her. Not worth it.

[Anonymous No.21470936]

>>21468702
>I'm thinking of just calling this lady and offering her a full refund on the shower repair
Theyre not insane, they know that by trying this bit theres a chance some cuck will fall for it and they’ll get free shit

[Anonymous No.21470957]

>>21468987
This, what the fuck OP

[Anonymous No.21470984]

>>21468702
I work with relative at small business and that's the one thing that gives me anxiety any time the phone rings.

We can only try our best at things and of course can't behind some corporate shield. Kind of sucks but is what it is

[Anonymous No.21470990]

dont be afraid of getting sued

ANYONE can sue ANYBODY for ANYTHING at ANYTIME

[Anonymous No.21471112]

>>21470724

I briefly did recording engineering out of my house a while back and I would just refund her, tell her to go fuck yourself so you don't feel completely walked on, and move on. Let any and all contracting buddies you know to stay away from her, and most importantly learn to screen clients better. I dealt with a few crazy people but I could tell immediately that they were crazy and blocked them, as another anon said, so I've never been in your position. I consider myself a principled person with a semblance of a backbone but it's just not worth it, if she goes full psycho you will be the loser regardless.

Of course, this is all dependent on how much money is at stake, but if it's not a lot then I'd just drop it.

[Anonymous No.21471142]

>>21471112

Lol the repair was $500.

I'm on track for $90k this year.

[Anonymous No.21471178]

>>21470936

Basically this. I wouldn't let her get away with this shit out of principle and follow the lawyer's advice the last place I was employed would absolutely cave to any pressure from customers even if it was entirely unfounded. It was highly dependent on the customer experience aspect for profitability and they just considered the 3-5 out of 100 people who would try and get things for free a cost of doing business. Apparently bad reviews hold so much more weight than positive ones AND the customer will share a negative experience 20x more than a positive one with people they know. They did a lot of research into the topic. Most of these problem customers are indeed psychopaths and genuinely feel slighted by what ever ridiculous mental gymnastics they are pulling. Of the 3-5% less than half actually want something for free, the majority just want their voice to be heard and to exercise some authority or power. Its so frustrating and more profitable in the long run to cave unless you aren't established as a company and/or the job was a large percentage of your earnings for the quarter or year.

Fuck this bitch bro don't cave.

[Anonymous No.21471208]

>>21471112

Actually let me add one thing to this OP since I just reread the OP -- she only left you a voicemail. If she was really going to fuck your shit up she'd be calling you nonstop, not just leave you a voicemail. I'd ignore the voicemail for now -- if it escalates then refund her. My 2c

[Anonymous No.21471264]

>>21471142

Oh bro that's nothing. I'd still wait to see if she actually goes further than a voicemail but if she keeps contacting you then just refund her, thats peanuts.

[Anonymous No.21471325]

So may people want shit for free. Don’t cave, if it’s only 500$ she will spend more in court fees than the job is worth. It’s a bluff and she just wants you to do some more free work.

[Anonymous No.21471354]

Kek I’m in the granite top biz. When I get this types of people I try my best to make it right but when it gets tom crazy I give them there money back then rip the tops out and leave them with nothing. When I tell them I’m taking my shit back they usually calm down. Tell her that you can refund her but you want your tiles back

[Anonymous No.21471489]

>>21468702
OP you're a dumb fucking nigger if you call that bitch. You're just encouraging her psycho behavior if you do so. Listen to your lawyer.