When are customers responsible

[daniabeach]

Hi, Im fairly new to the industry and just the other day one of my customers ignored my signs(like usaual) and put a king size comforter in a top loader. Next thing I know their are heaps of smoke billowing out of the machine, I was so enraged that i politely told the customer that if she couldnt follow simple directions she would not be allowed in my matt anymore. She burned out the motor, now my toploader doesn't agitate. Good thing i am still under waranty. My question is, what should i do in a situation like this, should I press charges, what should I do if this was to happen again?
Clueless in South Florida

[PeterH]

Did you see her when she first came into the store and start stuffing the toploader? I catch my comforter-customers at the door and ask them directly "What size comforter do you have?" And with their answer, I steer them to the right machine. The ones that sneek by, you can usually catch them as they build arm and upper back strength stuffing the machine, at which point I walk over and tell them they need to use the frontloaders. Embarrassed that they were caught, they all grumblingly comply. The one or two that refuse, I asked them if they have their credit card or extra cash with them, as they will be buying me a replacement washer if the machine breaks.

-ph

-ph

[daniabeach]

Hey, thanks a lot for the quick reply Peterh, and no I didn't see her jamming that comforter in my top-loader. But what I really want to know is if they are responsible if they break any of my machines???? And what are the standard procedures.

[Howard]

I think you are what we call SOL. What are you planning to do - sue someone that lives paycheck to paycheck? Chalk it up to experience. Further bad news, your warranty does not cover abuse (over loading) - good luck.

[Charlie]

I guess I've been lucky. This has never happened to me and I have 26 toploaders in an unattended mats. However, my Maytag repairman once told me that "your customers are overloading the machines". My response was simple. "Of course they are! If your machines can't handle it, let me know, and I'll start using one that can" Frankly, for the most part they handle it just fine.

I worked for a company once selling telephones. We had a problem with the pushbuttons on one model. The manufacturer said we "needed to train our customers how to push the buttons correctly". This was absurd, as is the concept of teaching "all" our customers how to properly load. We do get most, but we'll never get them all, and the machines better be able to handle it.

[Charlie]

Now I'm curious. My Maytags will burn up the belt if they are overloaded, which takes about $8 and 2 minutes to replace. What machines are you using?

Charlie