Problem customer

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JoeSchmoe

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Hey everyone, anyone experienced this yet?

The other day a customer came in saying their key fell off the keyboard of their laptop and they glued it back on. I told them I could try to replace the key. I ordered the new key and tried to scrape the krazy glue off. I attached the new key and the whole keyboard doesn't work now. The customer is stating the keyboard was working before they dropped it off and it's my fault. I told them something must have shorted out when the glue was being removed. I stated a foreign object such as krazy glue is just that, a foreign object. It did not belong there and more problems arose from that. Now they're saying I am digging for a sale. (I actually ate quite a bit of the cost and this job is costing me money to do. just to make the customer happy). Regardless, they are not happy any ideas on what to say or do to get them to think more rationally? Thanks!
 
Yeah, replace the keyboard that you broke. They gave it to you working (you did check, didn't you?) just minus one key and now it's kaput. Just turn the tables and see how you'd feel if the shoe was on the other foot.
 
I am eating the cost of the other key and the cost of the overnight shipping. I gave them a great price and only charged them $50 out the door for the keyboard and virus removal. They are still upset is my point. I am asking what can I say to cool them down. If the key wasn't glued back on this ordeal would of been bypassed.
 
Charge for the virus removal and eat the keyboard and associated costs. And your prices are WAAAY too low.

Another option - give them the keyboard and shipping at cost - and be prepared to show them the invoices for same.
 
Yeah, I agree. Just get them a keyboard. They're not expensive.

In fact, don't even screw with sticking a single key back on. It's almost always a waste of time when keyboards cost about $10 on average.
 
You can either make the customer happy (replace the keyboard or somehow get the old one to work) or lose any future business (and any referrals) that this customer may bring. I would suck it up, apologize, and make it right.
 
14049752 said:
Yeah, I agree. Just get them a keyboard. They're not expensive.

In fact, don't even screw with sticking a single key back on. It's almost always a waste of time when keyboards cost about $10 on average.
Click to expand...

Agreed, I only quote for complete keyboard.
 
+1 on replacement keyboards. I never order a single key. It is always a replacement keyboard.

The time it will take you to mess around with one key, is far greater than it would be to replace the board.
 
Another tip... Charge more.

This way when something happens you still have some margin left and can eat the cost of a $10.00 keyboard or $8.00 key without skipping a beat.

$50.00 for virus removal and keyboard replacement would be way to low for me to stay in business. Might be ok for pizza money but not to run a business.
 
wow everyone jumped down ehousecalls throat. I was a little confused about the virus removal thing two. it was just kind of thrown in there.
 
Well the OP was probably just trying to be 'too nice' in the first place. Offering to replace the single key [+ freight costs] and charging so little with virus removal added on. I would charge the customer added freight cost and also make sure that the item is functioning first off.

I generally sit with the customer and initially go over the system externally visually and boot the system up to check anything else that the client may have not informed me. I not this down on a form and get the customer to sign the form, which as included in the Business Kit from here :P

As other ppl have already stated, suck it up I suppose and give the customer what they need - even if you have lost out profit wise now. Thats why you need to charge realistic prices.

my my two cents +GST :P
 
@ eHousecalls

The OP mentioned $50 dollars and the virus removal on reply number 3

+2 for complete keyboard and raising prices.

also like the others said look over a system before the customer leaves so they cant say that something worked when it didn't.

In the future you will likely encounter a customer that says that the PC still turns on but when you take it back to your shop it doesn't even have a motherboard and and you get blamed for it
 
I beg to differ! Laptop Keyboard for only $10?

Sorry, but I'd like someone to find me a new 'English' keyboard for a Compal FL90 on eBay (U.S.) for under $30 (including shipping). Are there plenty of the Dell and HP's at that price (?) sure are, but the OP didn't state what laptop the client brought in.

Yes, he's charging too little, and I suspect that if the client had one of these Compal's he might just decide to 'get by' with his glued-on key, rather than replacing the keyboard. I suspect most of us would charge $50 to $60, including the labor.

I think the OP has learned a valuable lesson and take it for what it's worth, this lesson is small potatoes (cost-wise to you OP) compared to some lessons we learn and have to pay for along the way.

So, as others have said, suck it up, eat the cost, charge it up to experience and don't forget to apologize. You may even have to provide him with a discount on his next repair to keep him happy (so up your rates NOW).
 
gikstar said:
Sorry, but I'd like someone to find me a new 'English' keyboard for a Compal FL90 on eBay (U.S.) for under $30 (including shipping). Are there plenty of the Dell and HP's at that price (?) sure are, but the OP didn't state what laptop the client brought in.
Click to expand...

Well, sure, you can always name an exception... Apple keyboards are a LOT more than $10, for example.

But Acer, Dell, HP/Compaq keyboards can be had for less than $10 a lot of times. The common brands. Compal isn't a common brand, so you're going to pay more for a part. I'm just taking a wild guess, but chances are the laptops one of those brands and not a Compal.
 
Lesson learned. The customer could be lying and because of that drop them as a customer. You fixed it by replacing the keyboard. They are just complaining for no reason. Out the door.

Never work on a part the customer fixed. Always replace, helps with these situations.

Sent from my DROID2 using Tapatalk
 
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