How Often do You Enforce the Fine Print?

Question

In our contracts, it clearly states that if the scope changes and we are not able to do the visit, or if we are sent away for reasons outside of our control we will charge them $300 (for reference our min charge is a half day which is $500).

I had a customer who's assistant asked us to install an undermount sink. It was in the contract, they signed it. We had done a visit with them months before and our technician mentioned a top mount sink would be easy but they specifically asked for an undermount. So we order the sink, show up and the owner not the assistant that coordinated the contract) says they want a top mount. Our technician says ok we'll have to come back. We tell them the charge for the new sink plus the cancellation and they think it's unreasonable.

I definitely know, no one actually reads the contract. Should the technician have said, if you send me away, it's $300 charge extra. But they also are changing the plan.

I'm a softee so I'm not going to charge them the cancellation but what do you think about a situation like that? Maybe the cancellation charge is too much? It's basically enough for me to give the technician something for planning their whole day around the job plus make a very small amount of profit. Thoughts?

anthonysalazar · Answer

I don't think I ever enforce the fine print unless someone is blatantly being disrespectful or they show a pattern of wasting our time (like a customer who always forgets to unlock the gate so we can service their property). It's easier for me to justify since our service is a lower ticket item than yours.

For your situation, did you require a deposit up front to get the materials ordered before going onsite? Maybe in those situations the deposit could be "nonrefundable" or its added as a credit for a future project so you still keep some of the money instead of losing that money because you couldn't complete the project.

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How Often do You Enforce the Fine Print?

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