Tosh

  • Posts: 2964
This one takes the biscuit.
« on: August 14, 2017, 07:12:44 pm »
Whilst you're at it you couldn't take that ivy down could you?






*A HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE - THE SHORT STORY* 'Hydrogen is a light, odorless gas, which, given enough time, turns into people.'

H2GoKent

  • Posts: 532
Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #1 on: August 14, 2017, 09:45:28 pm »
The words 'could you just..' always fill me with dread.  ;D
A manager is generally someone who has been promoted to the position by someone else who didn't see them as a threat.
Hence all people are promoted to the level of their incompetence

EandM

  • Posts: 2167
Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2017, 09:45:55 pm »
Whilst you're at it you couldn't take that ivy down could you?


" Certainly. That will be £1,000 "







AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 23689
Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2017, 10:19:12 pm »
Love it! What did you say?
It's a game of three halves!

Tosh

  • Posts: 2964
Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #4 on: August 14, 2017, 10:31:54 pm »
I wriggled out of that one by the expression on my face. Not much needed to be said.
*A HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE - THE SHORT STORY* 'Hydrogen is a light, odorless gas, which, given enough time, turns into people.'

rosskesava

  • Posts: 17015
Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #5 on: August 15, 2017, 12:19:06 am »
The words 'could you just..' always fill me with dread.  ;D

I could write a book on those words..... 'could you just'.

The amount of times in the past where I have found myself spending stupid amounts of time and effort for good customers due to those few words.

As for the Ivy, I've had that in the past also. I thought it'd be a simple case of pulling it all down.  :-[
Just chant..... Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. It's beats chanting Tory Tory or Labour Labour.

M & C Window Cleaning

  • Posts: 1568
Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #6 on: August 15, 2017, 12:21:24 am »
Some people seem to be completely out of touch with reality.  You think they are joking only to discover they are completely serious.
I had a neighbour of one of my customers ask me to quote for a PVC restoration job that would have taken half a day and when I gave him my price he nearly choked.  So I asked him what he thought it would be he said, "£10." and he was quite serious.  I found it hard to keep a straight face.
 
We have a choice! We can do one or the other, the opposite, both, or neither depending on which way the wind is blowing.

nathankaye

  • Posts: 5366
Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #7 on: August 15, 2017, 12:49:10 am »
It seems to be that it is only us, who takes our professionalism seriously. Regardless of signed vans to stand out, regardless if its a van installed production n delivery unit or a diy delivery system. Regardless if we take the time to think of a company name, to have business cards, websites and what nots. Regardless if we have a uniform or not............we are window scrubbers and work for tit bits and grateful for the crumbs that they throw us
For some, this thinking will never change sadly and painfully so.
But then some window cleaners dont help that stigma either, which for me is the worst part 😕

I think weve all experienced this along the way. The chap who i helped for yrs, was sentimental about a particular round, a round which i have sinced taken over. For years she would ask him to "whilst your there, could you pull back the ivy etc" we kept telling him to charge etc and he never did. 2 months back  she asked me, "whilst your there" and for first time in 15 years she heard "i can, but there will be a charge for doing so!"
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1NKServices.co.uk

dave f

Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #8 on: August 15, 2017, 07:14:54 am »
i used to be that mug until a customer of mine dropped me for a cheaper quote I had gotten rid of wasp nest cleared snow, one or two bits and pieces.  customers  eh

Stoots

  • Posts: 6063
Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #9 on: August 15, 2017, 07:23:56 am »
I'm sure we all get this quite often.

Mine yesterday was a free gutter clearance apparently as I was doing an fsg.

You couldn't just empty them out whilst your here?

Yes I can that'll be £X.

Oh, ok doesn't matter

Thought it wouldn't  ;D

8weekly

Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #10 on: August 15, 2017, 07:28:30 am »
I'm sure we all get this quite often.

Mine yesterday was a free gutter clearance apparently as I was doing an fsg.

You couldn't just empty them out whilst your here?

Yes I can that'll be £X.

Oh, ok doesn't matter

Thought it wouldn't  ;D
Customers like that are thrushes. ;D

dazmond

  • Posts: 23599
Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #11 on: August 15, 2017, 09:02:40 am »
hardly ever happens these days as i usually say no.

i cant believe how some customers let their houses get such a mess with ivy then expect you to just cut it down for a tenner! ;D
price higher/work harder!

Dry Clean

  • Posts: 8545
Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #12 on: August 15, 2017, 09:56:49 am »
I got to the stage where I just stopped quoting for add on jobs on compact domestic work, in other words don't ask and you wont
be offended.
Just got tired of them pulling hankies out of their £500 handbags to dry their eyes because I was looking more than pennies to
look after their properties.

8weekly

Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #13 on: August 15, 2017, 10:17:11 am »
The hardest ones are the ones you did when you started. A big conservatory for £40 or a 4 bed fsg for £60 that I'd now charge double for.

My favourite line is "can you dust off the fascists while you're there?". Green! They get so offended when you say no.

Soupy

  • Posts: 19542
Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #14 on: August 15, 2017, 12:48:46 pm »
Quote from: some wifey
If you 'just' run your brush round the facia boards, I'll give you an extra £2.

 ::)roll
Every line of serious work that I have written since 1936 has been written, directly or indirectly, against totalitarianism and for democratic socialism, as I understand it - George Orwell

8weekly

Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #15 on: August 15, 2017, 01:19:56 pm »
Quote from: some wifey
If you 'just' run your brush round the facia boards, I'll give you an extra £2.

 ::)roll
I missed the "just". And "give".  ;D

AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 23689
Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #16 on: August 15, 2017, 04:00:17 pm »
The hardest ones are the ones you did when you started. A big conservatory for £40 or a 4 bed fsg for £60 that I'd now charge double for.

My favourite line is "can you dust off the fascists while you're there?". Green! They get so offended when you say no.

I suppose Himmler, Goering and Hitler would be a bit dusty after over 70 years.
It's a game of three halves!

p1w1

  • Posts: 3873
Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #17 on: August 15, 2017, 04:10:32 pm »
The hardest ones are the ones you did when you started. A big conservatory for £40 or a 4 bed fsg for £60 that I'd now charge double for.

My favourite line is "can you dust off the fascists while you're there?". Green! They get so offended when you say no.

I suppose Himmler, Goering and Hitler would be a bit dusty after over 70 years.
;D

8weekly

Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #18 on: August 15, 2017, 04:55:13 pm »
The hardest ones are the ones you did when you started. A big conservatory for £40 or a 4 bed fsg for £60 that I'd now charge double for.

My favourite line is "can you dust off the fascists while you're there?". Green! They get so offended when you say no.

I suppose Himmler, Goering and Hitler would be a bit dusty after over 70 years.
There's a few on the other board but obviously autocorrect on the iPhone.

the king

  • Posts: 1389
Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #19 on: August 16, 2017, 06:02:11 am »
the old classic i had not to long ago was , o can you just give the upvc a dust off wile your here  ;D some people just try it on or just dont think  ::)roll

Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #20 on: August 16, 2017, 07:23:44 am »
The hardest ones are the ones you did when you started. A big conservatory for £40 or a 4 bed fsg for £60 that I'd now charge double for.

My favourite line is "can you dust off the fascists while you're there?". Green! They get so offended when you say no.

I suppose Himmler, Goering and Hitler would be a bit dusty after over 70 years.
There's a few on the other board but obviously autocorrect on the iPhone.

Yeah, the old iPhone blame game.

That English degree really looks very unlikely.  ;D

Johnny B

  • Posts: 2385
Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #21 on: August 16, 2017, 08:03:47 am »
the old classic i had not to long ago was , o can you just give the upvc a dust off wile your here  ;D some people just try it on or just dont think  ::)roll

I get this quite often, and am too busy to do it there and then, so I suggest booking it as a rainy day job.

Some actually expect it to be done as a freeby.

I had one recently. Could you just give the guttering quick wipe? It was green! It was also at the end of a long day. I told him it needed a bit more than a wipe and I didn't have time to do them. He tried to persuade me to do them so I offered him the use of my other set of ladders so he could see for/do them himself.

John.
Being diplomatic is being able to tell someone to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip.

Ian101

  • Posts: 7887
Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #22 on: August 17, 2017, 08:22:40 am »
Neighbours coming over on £400 drive cleaning jobs - can you do mine whilst your here ?

Yes - that will be £400 please.

Tossface - "oh can you not do it cheaper cos your here already"

NO - same price as Im charging Mrs Smith

Tossface "oh ok I will leave it then"

How much did you want to pay ?

Tossface - I'll give you £30 cash right now

 ::)roll ::)roll ::)roll ::)roll

paul alan

  • Posts: 1683
Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #23 on: August 17, 2017, 08:30:57 am »
Ive got 1 today whos asking me to "just knock the grass growing from the gutters out" crackers!

8weekly

Re: This one takes the biscuit.
« Reply #24 on: August 17, 2017, 11:32:38 am »
The hardest ones are the ones you did when you started. A big conservatory for £40 or a 4 bed fsg for £60 that I'd now charge double for.

My favourite line is "can you dust off the fascists while you're there?". Green! They get so offended when you say no.

I suppose Himmler, Goering and Hitler would be a bit dusty after over 70 years.
There's a few on the other board but obviously autocorrect on the iPhone.

Yeah, the old iPhone blame game.

That English degree really looks very unlikely.  ;D
I could give you a few "comparisons" Mr Thicky McThick of Thicktown.  ;D