[wynne jones]

I was thinking more along the lines of a competitor sees his comment, or some git. They call up the equal opportunities mob and they see the post. They then make two calls, one in an english accent and one in a Pakistani accent. If he says he's busy and can't do it but can for everyone else he's in big trouble.

And if you think they wouldn't go to those lengths believe me they would.

 

[SteveAllan]

I also never do work for them, had to much grief off them in the past when i was plastering. Mind you its not only them that try it on, ive had it with British people too and have ripped down the odd the ceiling that i have just put up when faced with t*ssers who wont pay.

[daniel osmore]

I have plenty of South Asian clients, nine times out of ten there is not a problem. Yes it is true some people from all backgrounds can be difficult to deal with, but that is where good customer relations skills and communication come into play. If I only dealt with people who were easy, I'd lose half my business. I do not work for anybody because I want to be their friend, I work for people because I want their money. I cannot afford to turn away potentially good clients, if you do, I suspect you are losing a good income stream. It is true that South Asian clients are more likely to ask for a discount, some of them will also be difficult. On the upside however they are more likely to give you repeat business and referrals, what you lose on the swings, you can gain on the roundabouts.

[from edge2edge]

Fair point mate but i will stick to the rocking horse coz that way i get no shxt.....................Alan

[wynne jones]

I must admit my heart sinks when I hear a Pakistani or Chinese accent. Unless they say, my takeaway is ready!  

 

[andyM]

Im a window cleaner and i've only got 2 regular indian customers, but I have to say they are good as gold.
Although I did have to barter with one of them when she wanted her patio pressure washed. Best thing is to overprice first off and let them knock a bit off and they feel as if they have won.
But I did have an experience with an "anglo-indian" not so long ago who had just opened a mini market and he wanted windows cleaned including upstairs flat windows (every 3 weeks) and the shop signage (one-off clean).
I went and quoted and agreed a price for the window and signage first clean and then a price for just the regular 3 weekly window clean thereafter.
When I went to clean he was following me round all the time watching my every move.  
He then asked me to clean a window round the side of the building which I had not seen when I quoted because there was a pile of rubbish in the way, I reluctantly agreed.
Anyway got paid....................then went back 3 weeks later for the next window clean.
I started cleaning and "matey" comes out and stands there watching me again.  
Then he pipes up "You are gonna clean the sign again aren't you?".
So I said "Well I can clean your sign for you again but I will have to charge you as I am only here to do a window clean."
Cut a long story short he wanted me to do extra work for nothing and had no intention of paying more for the extra work he wanted doing, so I told him where to stick it and walked away.
That was about 2 months ago and I drive past there fairly regularly.
I have noticed his windows and precious signage are starting to get dirty....................      
 

[Doug Holloway]

Hi guys

I used to do all and sundry but now only customers who will not gve me grief.

I almost certainly wouldn't have booked the job in the first place but if I had I would have walked straight away, not worth the hassle.

Cheers

Doug

[from edge2edge]

Too right Doug its why we chose to be self employed ......................Alan

[garry22]

One of most satisfying work days involved one of these types of customers about ten years ago.

After a long layoff following a serious back injury, I needed any work I could get.

I ended up working for a group of five brothers who all lived in huge, expensive houses. Their idea of business with me was ever reducing charges each time.

This came to a head one day when they were having work done before a load of in laws flew in for a wedding. The husband asked for a quote for the upstairs bedrooms (several large ones) as extras following the arranged work that day.

I gave him a price and he said "I'll give you a fiver for each room" (he was serious).

I said "Sorry I don't need the business"

"Don't give me that, course you need the business". I refused.

Just as I was about to pack up, the baby was sick on the hall carpet. The lady of the house ( a lovely lady who I got on well with) said "Could you do it and I'll sort you out moneywise?"

I started on the "accident" and some vile kid aged about ten walked by and said "Huh. I suppose that is costing us another tenner"  !!!!!!!!

I left seething, vowing never to go back. As it happens, I went on an Alltec seminar wgere one of the lectures was called "Sack the Customer".

To cut a long story short, they phoned another six times to ask me to work for them ("We'll pay you double", "You are the only one we trust in our house" etc).

Eventually I said "Look Mrs C. Your husband insulted me. There is no way I'm coming back again". She apologised and even tried again a month or so later.

I felt absolutely brilliant after I got rid of the whole bunch. Amazingly, within a couple of weeks I had replaced them with nice people who accepted the price, paid on time and were never any trouble.

[wynne jones]

Nice one Garry.

Sack the customer or culling clients which has a ring to it seems harsh, madness even but is an excellent strategy.

Over time you get more and more of the people you want to work with and psychologically it's one of the best thing you can do every year. Cull the bottom 10% and put your prices up 10%.

Don't do this too soon in your business though.   

[garry22]

Thanks Wynne.

There's an important lesson here for some of the newer members of my profession. It's about knowing your worth and not allowing others to bully you or make you feel inferior. These people wanted more than a discount. They would happily have had me work for nothing.

Shortly before I "sacked" the lot, another member of this family allowed me to drive twenty miles to their house before telling me they had changed their mind and did not want it done on that day.

Even after I got rid of them I had a voice in my head saying "what on earth are you doing getting rid of customers you idiot?"

As I said above it took only perhaps two weeks to replace them with much better customers.

Ironically, the more I said no to this family, the more they tried to get me to return. Lesson two.... sometimes saying no is a good idea.

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

You're right Garry, it is indeed about knowing your worth but also about effective pricing structures which enable you to be able to make commercial decisions like these. Sometimes cheap prices force you to take on any job no matter what.

[Kinver_Clean]

I used to do a lot for a particular south asian family- I was always told at 12.30- stop and come and have some lunch- some of the best curies I have ever had. They always paid and didn't argue.

Takes all sorts------

[clinton]

 Am suprised that you didnt walk half way through the job terry..

Must say next time as some above posts said you can use the booked up or on a large flood job for 3 weeks card to put them off

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

I used to do a lot for a particular south asian family- I was always told at 12.30- stop and come and have some lunch- some of the best curies I have ever had. They always paid and didn't argue.

Takes all sorts------

I worked for a Russian family in London approx 5 years ago, a mixture of new carpets and cleaning of existing. They asked if I had brought lunch with me, I hadn't, so at 1pm on the dot I was invited into the kitchen and enjoyed a fantastic 3 course meal and a cigar !

Trouble was, I was so full the rest of the job took bloody ages !

[Warren Aldridge]

Ironically Indians in particular put great emphasis of education and achievement. 60% of the time the house I'm in will have the walls plastered in photo's of their children accepting their degrees. They will have nice houses and are generally pleasant.

I've just got back from a job and when I called to say I was running late I got the grandmother on the line with her "accent". Turns out the house was beautiful and they were great as customers.

Don't confuse Asian's with scumbags because you will come up short, you get sh*heads in every culture and to blatantly discriminate purely based on race without meeting them is out and out bigoted and racist.

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

only ever one in 20 years , i drunk husband came back half way though a job and started makeing coments about my body and what he would like to do , i wasnt happy and it got quite nasty with him starting swearing at me ,  his wife must of been beaten by him in the pass she said northing 

i nipped to the toilet and phoned julian and then the police , he was very lucky the police got there frist because 5 mins later four  vans pulled up full of lads (julians famliy ) they would of kicked him to death he was lucky that day

never in my live have i been fighten of being beaten or worse not good

[Russ Chadd]

Russ Chadd

You would think it's your prerogative to make statements like your earlier post, but I would recommend you delete your post. 

Its my choice who i work for and no im not going to delete my post!
Lets put political correctness aside for one second here...

You wrote "You cannot deny services on the grounds of race."
Its got naff all to do with race!... culture maybe, and if its part of someone's culture to refuse to pay once a job has been completed or to miss lead you on the phone in order to obtain a lower price then i don't have to put up with it.

Why does someone always have to play the race card? 

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I agree with Russ, you go by pain memory when you get stung by someone you bloody well remember it and yes you do categorise, I've been done by pikeys twice you'd have thought I'd have leaned but I though not twice they're not all the same, it's not racist its not personal it is about business.

Shaun

[K.O. Glanville]

It seems as much as the world changes, things still stay the same.

I have no problems cleaning for Asians.

We are a tourist town and cater for many Japanese. Koreans, Chinese and other Asians, especially the teens learning English, etc;

HOWEVER, when it comes to Indians, I draw the line.

Probably twenty years ago after a futile conversation with one family, I vowed never to accept their terms again.

I actually walked on this job also.

Now, whenever one of them is stupid enough to call me, I immediately treble my price.

They don't even bother to try and barter.

They just hang up.

Suits me.

Shorty.