[windows_chepstow]

he said it took me eleven minutes for nine quids worth of work and wanted to know if my prices were going up again.

He went onto say that he hasn't worked in two months, has no problems with my work, yet feels my price is on the 'edge' of acceptable.

I gave him the 'spiel' which made him feel better and told him I'm going to try and get my speed down to under 10 minutes, so I don't have to put my prices up for a year or two.

 

Don't you just love it when you don't care if you lose certain accounts!

[P @ F]

I think that goes for most of my work Tosh !

 Rich P @ F

[supernova77]

If I had a customer time me and talk to me like that about the time it takes and my prices then I would tell them to find another window cleaner!

Andy

[windows_chepstow]

If I had a customer time me and talk to me like that about the time it takes and my prices then I would tell them to find another window cleaner!

Andy

If he was rude, I'd've been the first to drop him.  I think he's just out-of-work and getting stressed about it.  He's not a stupid bloke, fairly articulate and both he and his wife have been exemplary customers.

I think he's just stressed, and paying me wasn't much fun for him; since money has obviously become an issue.

Believe me, I do not keep rude customers.

[Londoner]

He's probably got a point. A pound a minute ( more or less ) would seem excessive to a lot of people. In simple terms that works out at £50 -60 an hour.

To a bloke who's out of work and counting the pennies it must hurt to put his hand in his pocket for something like window cleaning which isn't exactly essencial. I wouldn't take offence if someone said it to me. I would probably ask him if he wanted to go on every other time (8 weeks).

I do that for some of my old ladies. At least you keep them as a customer and surely most of us have been skint ourselves and know what its like.

[macleod]

dont worry tosh,

your family comes first, and if you need it, you should carry on cleaning.

I'm sure this customer will get by somehow, begging on the street or something; remember people are more generous towards long-term jobless vagrants comming upto Christmas.

 

[Extremeclean]

He's probably got a point. A pound a minute ( more or less ) would seem excessive to a lot of people. In simple terms that works out at £50 -60 an hour.

To a bloke who's out of work and counting the pennies it must hurt to put his hand in his pocket for something like window cleaning which isn't exactly essencial. I wouldn't take offence if someone said it to me. I would probably ask him if he wanted to go on every other time (8 weeks).

I do that for some of my old ladies. At least you keep them as a customer and surely most of us have been skint ourselves and know what its like.

Look after your customers and they will look after you. I agree wholeheartedly with you Vince.  People skills are very important in our industry.  You would create a win-win situation by doing what Vince suggests.

Rich.

[gsw]

my guess is said customer will be a window cleaner within 6 months if a new job doesn't materialise....especially now he thinks you are earning £1.00 a minute.......probably start with his own windows!!!! ( he might let winter come and go first) dont tell him about sealskinz!!!!!!!!!!

[windows_chepstow]

I'm sure this customer will get by somehow, begging on the street or something;
 

Nah,

I should've mentioned that they've got three vehicles parked on their drive.  One of which is a nice landrover, used purely for fun off-road driving.  He's a member of some off-road club.

So his wife and himself have a car each and a landrover for fun.

I'm not willing to put this customer on better terms and conditions than they've got already, although I have done so for other customers experiencing financial difficulties (new baby/marraige break up/stuff).

I charge extra for an every-other-month service, and I doubt he'd have went for that offer.

[windows_chepstow]

In simple terms that works out at £50 -60 an hour.

I dislike it when people work out a small rate and turn it into an hourly rate.  Or an hourly rate and turn it into a daily rate, and a daily rate and turn it into a weekly rate etc.

I spent three-to-five minutes talking to the customer!  I didn't charge him a pound a minute for talking to me. It probably took another five to seven minutes to get to my next customer; I didn't charge for that either, obviously.

[Extremeclean]

I'm sure this customer will get by somehow, begging on the street or something;
 

Nah,

I should've mentioned that they've got three vehicles parked on their drive.  One of which is a nice landrover, used purely for fun off-road driving.  He's a member of some off-road club.

So his wife and himself have a car each and a landrover for fun.

I'm not willing to put this customer on better terms and conditions than they've got already, although I have done so for other customers experiencing financial difficulties (new baby/marraige break up/stuff).

I charge extra for an every-other-month service, and I doubt he'd have went for that offer.

Ahhh got the picture now.  Fair play to you Tosh. I would do the same as you with this one. He probably is financed up to the hilt on the Keep up with the Jones's cars and stuff. Why should you lose out? He could get rid of the 4 x 4  (He will probably get rid of you first though)

Rich.

[windows_chepstow]

Extreme Clean:

Ahhh got the picture now.  Fair play to you Tosh. I would do the same as you with this one. He probably is financed up to the hilt on the Keep up with the Jones's cars and stuff. Why should you lose out? He could get rid of the 4 x 4  (He will probably get rid of you first though)

Rich.

No probs,

Re-reading my original post, I do sound arrogant.  I've obviously assumed you lot to know the background.  The three vehicles they have are an integral part of the story though; so that's poor communication skills on my part!

Anyway, I just thought it was funny for a customer to 'time me', and what he told me sounded more like compliments, ie he has no complaints with my work, only took 11 minutes and I charge him 9 quid.

Thank you and I'll see you next month!

Personally, I think he's just stressed about cash and I turned up at the 'wrong time'.