[Suffolkcleaners]

Went to a regular customer today(been going 7 years)never once complained.... They already had a conservatory but just got a new one built to replace it.....

Anyway cleaned the usual windows and the 'new conservatory' wasn't finished inside (but was on the outside) and there was this film or something on the glass that wouldn't shift with a standard clean(trad methods) it was all over the conservatory glass but didn't shift at all with the usual methods... anyway I cleaned it is best I could...

Get a text from customer saying... Hi,why wasn't the conservatory cleaned today?

I replied... Hi Barry... The conservatory was cleaned today as the man inside working saw me clean it.... However I noticed there was a film or some sort of coating on the glass which wouldn't come off with a standard clean.... Normally the builders would clean this after they finish.... I would have to bring a scraper and stronger detergent(ok I had the scraper with me but it would have taken bloody ages)to shift the film or whatever is on the glass.... Does this help explain? I can bring a scraper and detergent next time? it will take abit longer but happy to do that?

This is what I said(no response as of yet)    Is this reasonable or should I have cleaned it all off thoroughly? Sometimes I question my own judgement..... another example is when a custy got new windows on a conservatory and it had stickers all over and they expected me to scrape all of them off for the usual price.... although they were quite rude when it didn't happen on first clean so by the next time I just cleaned without removing stickers... then explained wife was rude to me and that if they had mentioned in a nice way.... such as would u mind taking the stickers off(even offer a couple of quid as a goodwill payment)then I would have but I did say it would cost more for that clean if they wanted me to spend half hour more scraping all these stickers off........

Anyway am I being unreasonable? Am open to constructive criticism if necessary and always value the advice given on this forum :-)

[8weekly]

It isn't your job to finish the conservatory. Why should you remove the stickers? Assume it will take 1/2 hour and price accordingly I would say.

[CLEANCARE WC]

No i wouldnt of done it either mate (im from ipswich) I would of cleaned how i normally do for the normal price, explained as you have this is something the builders should do but if they dont your willing to do it for £xyz

[SB Cleaning]

You did the right thing buggered if I would do it without charging extra

[bobplum]

It isn't your job to finish the conservatory. Why should you remove the stickers? Assume it will take 1/2 hour and price accordingly I would say.

+1

[SeanK]

Anytime I get a job where I would need to use a scraper I tell the customer that I cant do
them until they have signed a scratch waver.
And yes you need to charge extra as it can take a lot longer.

[bobplum]

you sometimes get it when the "painter" as painted the exterior walls and flecks of paint appear on the glass and have been there for two weeks and they expect you to clean them and they get the hump with you......i normally tell them to get a rebate of the painter

The reality is were only charging to remove normal day dirt that lands on windows over a period of weeks or months

[Marc Stock]

Went to a regular customer today(been going 7 years)never once complained.... They already had a conservatory but just got a new one built to replace it.....

Anyway cleaned the usual windows and the 'new conservatory' wasn't finished inside (but was on the outside) and there was this film or something on the glass that wouldn't shift with a standard clean(trad methods) it was all over the conservatory glass but didn't shift at all with the usual methods... anyway I cleaned it is best I could...

Get a text from customer saying... Hi,why wasn't the conservatory cleaned today?

I replied... Hi Barry... The conservatory was cleaned today as the man inside working saw me clean it.... However I noticed there was a film or some sort of coating on the glass which wouldn't come off with a standard clean.... Normally the builders would clean this after they finish.... I would have to bring a scraper and stronger detergent(ok I had the scraper with me but it would have taken bloody ages)to shift the film or whatever is on the glass.... Does this help explain? I can bring a scraper and detergent next time? it will take abit longer but happy to do that?

This is what I said(no response as of yet)    Is this reasonable or should I have cleaned it all off thoroughly? Sometimes I question my own judgement..... another example is when a custy got new windows on a conservatory and it had stickers all over and they expected me to scrape all of them off for the usual price.... although they were quite rude when it didn't happen on first clean so by the next time I just cleaned without removing stickers... then explained wife was rude to me and that if they had mentioned in a nice way.... such as would u mind taking the stickers off(even offer a couple of quid as a goodwill payment)then I would have but I did say it would cost more for that clean if they wanted me to spend half hour more scraping all these stickers off........

Anyway am I being unreasonable? Am open to constructive criticism if necessary and always value the advice given on this forum :-)

What you should of done is raise the issue with the customer right away as apposed to letting him call you about it later on, if you already noticed the film on the glass. That's what I would have done before continuing with the clean. This is the mistake you made here.

Going forward there isn't really much you can do but what you have already said. He might come back to you and say ok and pay for a deeper clean. But the damage might already be done, as he might have taken it as a cheeky "see if I can get away with it " type thing from you and be looking at changing to someone else who is more eager to please.

If your that worried about it; id go back to him and say. Please accept my apologies..i should of notified you right away that there was a film on the glass that needed deeper cleaning. Really the only way round this one now is to take on chin go back and make good for no extra charge as in my opinion you missed your opportunity to upsell a deep clean to start with.


 

[Suffolkcleaners]

I'm liking the advice guys :-)  I did actually question whether I was being reasonable but realise now I wasn't     plus I offered to bring detergent and scraper next time for them..

[Suffolkcleaners]

marc stock...

It's a 4 bed detached with conservatory(maybe 3) but 3 windows(biggish)at front and 4 at back(2 up/2 down)and a good size conservatory... did it for a tenner for the first 4 years then after 6 put it up to £12 then few months back up to £13.00... It was raining today and the custy wasn't even in...

Anyway(I'm getting off the point lol) but would you really put a letter through door explaining all that? Maybe I was too eager to just get to the next job or get back in car(as rain was coming down abit)

Fair enough.. like I said I'm open to constructive criticism :-)

[tom20001]

i think ur bang to rights suff*** and agree with u 100 % and would do exactly the same thing

if i was getting a mechanic to service my van i wouldnt ask him to valet the car as well and not pay him!

also sean ks scratch waiver is a great idea going forward

[Marc Stock]

marc stock...

It's a 4 bed detached with conservatory(maybe 3) but 3 windows(biggish)at front and 4 at back(2 up/2 down)and a good size conservatory... did it for a tenner for the first 4 years then after 6 put it up to £12 then few months back up to £13.00... It was raining today and the custy wasn't even in...

Anyway(I'm getting off the point lol) but would you really put a letter through door explaining all that? Maybe I was too eager to just get to the next job or get back in car(as rain was coming down abit)

Fair enough.. like I said I'm open to constructive criticism :-)

I think my point here is just notifying the customer first that you noticed a potential issue, as apposed to letting him see if he noticed for him to contact you with a complaint. See?

You notify him first-No complaint.. as he now knows the issue

You don't notify him- A complaint- as he wants to know why they still look uncleaned.

Simple stuff really. A note on his voicemail or home phone just highlighting the issue briefly and a recomened course of action would have taken a couple of mins during the day..  as aposed to a whole evening worrying about it like you are now.

Simple customer service.. that's all..

[Suffolkcleaners]

Can someone explain more about the scratch waiver? I know it's abit self explanatory but what exactly do you mean? :-)   Is this something you guys get all your customers to sign? are you saying they all agree to sign this?

[Suffolkcleaners]

Fair point marc stock.. like I said open to constructive criticism.. are you based in Suffolk by the way? :-)

[Marc Stock]

Im based in Surrey. 

Out of interest, how do you use your scrapers?

[CLEANCARE WC]

Fair point marc stock.. like I said open to constructive criticism.. are you based in Suffolk by the way? :-)

where are you based SUFFOLKCLEANERS? and i mean where in suffolk 

[Suffolkcleaners]

What do you mean marc stock? we make sure the window is wet and then scrape any birdmuck or stickers off... would never scrape on dry glass :-)   I'm assuming most people scrape this way? Lol

[Marc Stock]

Yeah exactly.. id never use it dry either. So why get customer to sign a waiver?

Not needed in my opinion. If you know how to use a scraper, and use a SHARP fresh blade, with water & detergent you aint going to scratch that glass at all to be honest.

[Suffolkcleaners]

cleancare..based in Ipswich in Suffolk.. marc stock-very true :-)

[CLEANCARE WC]

cleancare..based in Ipswich in Suffolk.. marc stock-very true :-)

me too what do you drive? is it sign written?