Customer Problems

[dykes7]

HI
Can someone help me with this?
I run my own computer business and 6 months ago, i fitted a second hand screen in a damage laptop for a customer.
At the time i told her that the screen was second hand and i charge her £70.00 inc labour,
The laptop was tested when the screen was fitted and passed ok
now she says that there is red lines on the screen and the words jump
I advised her that the laptop could of been damage when she dropped it as i tested it when the screen was fitted and it seems ok.
Now she is taking me to court because i refuse to put a diffrent screen in her laptop with me paying the cost. She as had so called legel people on the phone trying to put the frighters on me and would like to know where i stand on this. She says i didnt tell her it was second hand but common sense says that you cant get a new laptop screen for £50.00 and i did explain to her before i did the job

 

[stugster]

Give her the £70 back and tell her to sling her hook.

Saves you the hassle

Put it down to experience, and get them to check the work by signing it off next time... making clear the warranty and the type of replacement (new for old) (old for old) etc.

 

[JonathonV]

For future use you might also consider putting a clause on your receipt or contract that work is as is, and that liability is limited to the cost of the work done. That way you won't be out more than they paid you.

 

[leen3o]

Both of the above sound like good advice to me... There are always those customers who start throwing legal stuff around trying to scare the little businesses.

 

[kerching]

So its been working fine since the repair 6 months ago.
As mentioned,get your customers to sign for everything that you do.

 

Nobody in the country would give a 6 month warranty with any 2nd user parts, and you have no idea if it was your screen or something they have done which has caused the problem. No court in the country would find in her favour.

Tell her that, and tell her you will fix it at cost.

Also get some T&C's written, and mention on all invoices/del notes that you
can supply these upon request.

Only you really know if this customer is worth handing your cash back to - decent customer service is a must in our industry, but it does sound to me like they are 'trying it on', and I just wouldn't bow to that.

 

[noidea]

Give her the £70 back and tell her to sling her hook.

Saves you the hassle

Put it down to experience, and get them to check the work by signing it off next time... making clear the warranty and the type of replacement (new for old) (old for old) etc.

Agreed (same with others advice)

1. Always get them to sign
2. Itemised Invoice & Receipt (i.e. "Second hand screen", "labour")
3. Provide a makeshift test certificate - optional - make it professional and would make the customer feel that everything is above board and that the service is great!
4. Don't let being a "small" business put you off. The laws etc. are the same as any big company would have to follow.
5. Consider recording phone conversations - add it to the Terms of Service (on rear of invoice) - invoice for harassment or time for support services (word it right, customers wont like being invoiced for after sales support, I would choose the harassment/abuse at staff one)

 

[dykes7]

Cheers foreveryones comments?
I have taken legel advice and the problem could of accour when it was damage to the screen she does say that its making a humming noise which rules out the screen
giving a bad name in my local papers his her way of showing that i cant do the job yet i have A+ NETWORK+ MCP and i have been doing it for five years

 

[noidea]

Cheers foreveryones comments?
I have taken legel advice and the problem could of accour when it was damage to the screen she does say that its making a humming noise which rules out the screen
giving a bad name in my local papers his her way of showing that i cant do the job yet i have A+ NETWORK+ MCP and i have been doing it for five years

Yes I don't doubt your ability.

With no disrespect to you replacing a screen isn't all that difficult, but you have the qualifications and experience, I don't think you could have messed up and made a screen hum. That's ridiculous!

Are you suing this women for bad reputation? Are you contacting the papers requesting an public apology??

 

[richgk]

For future use you might also consider putting a clause on your receipt or contract that work is as is, and that liability is limited to the cost of the work done. That way you won't be out more than they paid you.

Doesn't the T&C only apply if the customer has seen the terms and conditions (and agreed to them) before they have a receipt?

 

[noidea]

Doesn't the T&C only apply if the customer has seen the terms and conditions (and agreed to them) before they have a receipt?

No, not if it is your Terms of Sale. You would create a self-executing clause in it specifying that creating a transaction between themselves and you specifies acknowledgement and acceptance of the terms of sale. Would also be a good idea to add reference to it on your website, in your shop (if you have one etc.)

 

[dykes7]

I give her an invoice just stating the work done. her other problem is her sons laptop as i reinstalled windows xp and drivers and told him at the time that someone had been temping with it as the mouse pad would work intermitit now she blames me for that
i went to trading standards who said i have two options, replace the screen free of charge and get her to agree that if the problem still acours (which it will) there will be no comebacks or hope that the judge agrees with your case but if you see her e-mail that its worth taking it to court i am gratful for all the advice everyone as given me

 

[noidea]

I give her an invoice just stating the work done. her other problem is her sons laptop as i reinstalled windows xp and drivers and told him at the time that someone had been temping with it as the mouse pad would work intermitit now she blames me for that
i went to trading standards who said i have two options, replace the screen free of charge and get her to agree that if the problem still acours (which it will) there will be no comebacks or hope that the judge agrees with your case but if you see her e-mail that its worth taking it to court i am gratful for all the advice everyone as given me

unfortunately Trading Standards is about the consumer complaining about businesses basically or businesses complaining about businesses. They have no idea in cases like this.

 

[JoyDivision]

Did you make it clear in writing at the point of sale that it was a used screen?

We know how much new screens cost but joe bloggs does not have a clue if they cost £5 or £500.

It dosn't sound like its your fault, but it might be easier to give her the money back rather than risk getting a bad reputation. She will go telling her friends you charged her £70 and it never fixed the problem - these people don't let the problem of facts get in the way.

Out of my 700 customers (I am in the same business as you) I would say only 3 of them have been what I would call bad customers. They were all stuck up, all in the fanance/legal business and all drove an Audi or Golf :.

Some people will just never be happy.

Incidently I fixed a laptop by replacing the hard drive, 1 month later same problem occured (BSOD), I swapped for another thinking it was a BIOS issue, this time a smaller 80gb one, 2 days later BSOD again. I addmited to the customer and despite my tests all showing the original HD was faulty your motherboard has a fault and as the laptop was a 3 year old Celeron was not worth fixing.

When I returned I think the customer thought that was that, I said then to him I will refund the part and a bit of labour I will but as I have done all the proper testing there will be a small labour charge, I was going to give him £50 back (he paid me £75) but he didn't accept it saying I spent a lot of time on it, he said call it £40.

If this had been a customer like the one you had I wonder if I would have had legal action taking over me?