Paperwork Question.

[cleanwithit]

I bought the Computer Business Kit with all the paperwork in it. I have a question, when you have a customer sign the papers, do you give the customer a copy of the signed paper? Or do you just keep it in your records?

[vdub12]

I want to make duplicate forms from my work orders so I can leave a copy behind but I have not wanted to spend the price that they cost. I may start using carbon paper but that makes a mess. Many customers have multifunction printers and just photocopy it.

[rapidcom]

I use a dot matrix form printer with 3 part carbonless paper.

[TopLevelComp]

Carbonless paper:
http://www.data-labels.com/precpapforin.html

[RegEdit]

They sell carbon paper at any office supplies store. You absolutely should give them a receipt upon time of drop off and upon time of pick up. There should be a waiver of data liability on the work order that they sign. I also note what exactly they are dropping off and then note exactly what they are picking up. They also sign again upon pick up. One time I had a customer who had lost a software CD and he thought that he left it with me. People are stupid like that. You need to protect yourself.

[Mushin]

I like to use duplicate copies as well but if you are not setup with this don't worry. Still give them a copy of the terms of service even if you can't give them a copy of the one that they have signed. The signed copy is for you and to cover youself in the event of problems.

In many many years of running a service business I have never had quote a policy out of my terms of service to resove a customer issue or dispute. Actions speak loder than words so if an issue does come up provide quick attention to the matter and come to an agreement with the customer on a resolution. Most customer issues come from failure to set the proper expectations with the customer or just a general lack of knowledge on the customers part.

I would say that the vast majority of customers issues come from something that does not "work" after you perform a service. Many times these items are unrelated secondary issues but since you were the one to work on it last they truly feel that it may be something you did. This is where a repair warranty can be handy. We provide a 30 day repair warranty but look I look at a warranty not as a way to bill the customer for additional services but as a way to protect the customers investment in the repair. 30 Days is ample time for unidentified issues to pop up that you may not have found when the first service was completed. It is also ample time for you to be sure that an infection removal was fully succesful.

So when a customer has a secondady issue... I don't debate or pass blame. I simply tell that we will take a look under their warranty. In most cases the issue is pretty simple and does not warrant additional charges. If it is obviously a completly new issue that you feel is worth contencion over you will have to make the best business decision for you. Many times I value the relationship with the customer over the additional revenue becase I want a long term customer and it will pay off in the long run to eat some service time on the front side of things.