Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Sunshine/Cleaning on December 02, 2010, 10:54:45 am
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I've just had a phone call from an ex customer's grandad who organise jobs for his grand-daughter.
It was an occasional WFP job. Last winter I went to shift a bit of snow for them as they were on their way back from their home in Spain.
I also did some pressure washing at a bit of a reduced price last year.
Last month they wanted the patio pressure washing again. I offered to do it at last years price £150.
They thought I was trying it on and suggested £50.
I went round with the old invoice and showed them the figures.
He went off on one and said he would never have paid that amount.
I said I would only do it for the same as last year, but he wasn't having it.
he told me I had it wrong.
I left it that I would speak to the home-owners (grand-daughter) as grandad didn't trust or believe me.
This morning I had a call from Grandad asking me to go and move some snow so that the grand-daughter could get out.
I said no. As he didn't trust me or believe me I couldn't work for them any longer.
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dont blame you mate, what the effing hell do some people expect?!?! Im calm now... i nearly lost me temper ;D
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I like it :). That`s what I say, it`s a two way thing.
You will get treated better if people realise this.
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silly old git
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TBH I feel a bit bad.
I have a problem with the N word and end up doing things I don't want to.
Today I made progress. ;D
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TBH I feel a bit bad.
Yes, you should.
£150 was a bit steep ;D.
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Well done Stuart.
I told a victor meldew's wife why i was'nt doing their windows last month, when asked.
Just said your husband is rude, she wouldn't have it ;D
suppose you had to be there.
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Well done Stuart.
I told a victor meldew's wife why i was'nt doing their windows last month, when asked.
Just said your husband is rude, she wouldn't have it ;D
suppose you had to be there.
That`s why he`s rude.
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Tell him to shove it up his arse.......
Im never go out of my way to be courtious to enemies or people who upset me
Danny
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i would of done the same - your a business not his personal slave!
if the money aint in it then dont do it!
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That`s why he`s rude.
;D
Perhaps he should goto thailand, with dave on here!
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Its all about , once again people looking down their noses at window cleaners, and general cleaning,
they treat us like dirt, and think they are doing us a favour by giving us some measly poor paid work,
wrong!
you did right mate , clearing snow????
i would have laughed in his face and told him where to shove his shovel,
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Its all about , once again people looking down their noses at window cleaners, and general cleaning,
they treat us like dirt, and think they are doing us a favour by giving us some measly poor paid work,
wrong!
you did right mate , clearing snow????
i would have laughed in his face and told him where to shove his shovel,
It's not that I wouldn't clear snow, it was his attitude when he wanted the pressure washing done that offended me. He point blank said that he didn't pay what I said last year even though I had the invoice in front of me.
I don't even mind doing favours but if someone does not trust I cant work with them.
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I recieved a cheque in the post yesterday from a customer I did last Friday. he wrote on the back of the cheque a very angry note with loads!!! of!!! exclamation!!! marks!!!! Saying I left ice around his property, two people "nearly slipped over" and to be more professional next time !!!!!!!
This job was the last one I did on Friday, {it was already icey}, the temp dropped as if a big freezer door opened next to me and I put close on a whole bucket of rock salt down after squeegieng the ground to make it safe. I have to use the ladders to go up and over his garage to clean the back cos only way to the back is either through or over the garage and he keeps the garage locked. I will be a lot more professional and stop risking my neck to clean his windows!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
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We had the same with a gutter clean
A few years before I joined the business my partner did a gutter job on a big house and before he could say how much for doing it she said 'heres a couple of quid extra for the gutters' - him being such a polite guy just said thanks
So she asks the other month and wanted it done next time - so we had been discussing it as its one of those houses with 2 apexes and gutter running down middle as well as normal places so not an easy quick job and we don't really want to do it
So he says I'll do it and we'll charge her £40 - I said we will tell her first other wise she'll not pay
Any way we get a call from her and I'm repeating what she says so he can hear and he's indicating he wants to do the job as he's such a soft touch and goes mad when I say it would be £60. You could hear the hesitation in her voice when she says she'll have to discuss it with her hubby.
When we saw her she said well it's not really your job to do gutters is it - my thoughts no mrs especially when you don't want to pay
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I avoid cleaning gutters,they think while your there with your ladders 5 minute job,you could 5 houses in the same time it takes to clean out some gutters and its because they think you'll do it for beer money,get a roofer or plumber to it.I say a price like the other day got asked and said £50,they tried to barter me down and said £15.I said I honestly don't want the job.Look at you puzzled if your the local tramp with a begging bowl told her maybe go and get some homeless out work guy to do it for a bowl of soup.If there no money in it say NO!
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I was doing a young ladies house not so long ago and her father in law came out and said "have you been asked to do them?" - silly old fart.
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Some of the oldies get a bit confused sometimes, I have one of these that goes from room to room looking for any blemish on the glass as I'm doing them.
When I knocked for the cash she said, "you have left a white mark on the bottom of that pane", as she pointed to the bathroom window.
I got my brush and gave the offending pane another good scrub. Her hubbie came and said it was no good , it wouldn't come off.
He then leans out of the window and tries removing the mark with his finger. It's still there.
She said that I had left the mark there last time too, but it was OK before then.
It turned out that what the old bat was seeing was was the reflexion of the inside frame on the outside glass of the unit.
So on reflexion, WFP is useless. [pun intended]
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had a custy who s moved recently into a new property quite a way from my work and its only a 3 bed semi sandwiched in the middle of a few other houses.she phoned me today while i was packing perfume.i just had to say no i couldnt fit her in!im nearly 2 weeks behind with work and can do without any more customers at the present moment!!dont think she was impressed that i wouldnt be doing her windows anymore!i had to let her down gently!! ;D ;D ;D
dazmond
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had one today with ten windows, £6 once a month
after finishing i get a phone call, was that you just then ??
erm yeah i am the window cleaner
- what do you clean the windows with?
soap and water, squeegee, why?
- you were too fast , you only took 10 mins
well there is 2 of us and thats not fast for ten windows
is there a problem?
- well they cant al be done
at this point i was well annoyed and said look, i am out here in the snow and ice cold cleaning doing a good job like i always do and do not appreciate you ringing to imply i didnt do a good job
she cancelled and i hung up but was fuming, i pulled the lad who works with me and he said he did every windows with squeegee so i went back and knocked on asking if there werer any problem windows she said no, but thats not the point, so i said well what is??? i should work slower or something?
what a ding bat anyway good riddance
only second clean did first clean for same price like a mug and she took her time paying for that , i text her twice before collecitng and both times had no money ready , its me who is the idiot let my guard down as i do her sister and mother on same estate who are lovely but she is a first class pita, bye bye
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Had 1 last week ... done the house and knocked for the money as I could see they were in ... got no cash says her ...... YOU SHOULD OF KNOCKED FIRST TO SEE IF WE WANTED THEM DOING says him from the safety of the kitchen .... thinking got a double act here and was going to drop them cos of dog poo in garden so with nothing to loose I shouted into the house "yeah well you could have stopped me couldn't you ... dont normally knock !!" no reply from Mr Brave
Pay you next time says her .... (no chance I rekon) ... so going to get my money next time for this clean, do the ones either side of her who are no problem and then just drive off.
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Do you guys ever find that where you've got a clutch of say seven houses, all well-priced, all next door to each other, all easy access and all excellent customers APART from one whose mad-as-a-hatter and you really don't want their business. But you can't drop them because you suspect if you drop them, you'll lose some of the other customers?
I've got one old lass, and I've told her twice that I'll resign as her window cleaner; but she keeps hanging onto me - after trying to give me the run around every month. I try to be patient and tolerant, but she's capable of really rubbing me up the wrong way.
The last phone call was that my WFP was forcing water through her patio doors, which is funny because I haven't used it on her ground floor; Wor Lass trads the ground floor on that property. And twice she's tried a 'not this month, mate' and I tell her each time that she's breaking our agreed terms and conditions and that our 'contract' is therefore finished; eventually she'll grab me and ask me to clean.
I wish she'd just sack me!
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Tosh you could always let her catch you taking a pee in her garden ;D
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Do you guys ever find that where you've got a clutch of say seven houses, all well-priced, all next door to each other, all easy access and all excellent customers APART from one whose mad-as-a-hatter and you really don't want their business. But you can't drop them because you suspect if you drop them, you'll lose some of the other customers?
I've got one old lass, and I've told her twice that I'll resign as her window cleaner; but she keeps hanging onto me - after trying to give me the run around every month. I try to be patient and tolerant, but she's capable of really rubbing me up the wrong way.
The last phone call was that my WFP was forcing water through her patio doors, which is funny because I haven't used it on her ground floor; Wor Lass trads the ground floor on that property. And twice she's tried a 'not this month, mate' and I tell her each time that she's breaking our agreed terms and conditions and that our 'contract' is therefore finished; eventually she'll grab me and ask me to clean.
I wish she'd just sack me!
i wouldn't fear her just get rid if she is a pain. If you do a good job the others will stay with you. I can't be arsed with crap customers. just get shot!
I had a customer complain this week. i suspect she just for what ever reason doesn't like one of my guys. everytime i send him round she complains. I went round to inspect his work and re-clean and she said that i take a lot longer and he is only here a few minutes (of course i took longer, you complained so i wanna make sure i spend time on them) ;D ::) after inspecting my guys work. she had no reason to complain, But when my other guy goes round she doesn't complain and he is just as quick. Strange lady!
Anyways to much hassle so she is now on the suspended list ;D
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I try to drop her, Steve, but this is how my mind goes...
"Fecking auld cow, right that's it, she's gone." And then I'll have another think...
"But she is elderly, and she does live alone; maybe she's a bit senile? The poor lass is obviously frightened about stuff. Aw, come on, Tosh, have a heart. " And I put up with it.
Then the next month comes and she gives me the run-around and its... "Fecking ault cow, right... etc".
:P
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Lucky for me , its not in my nature to ever be smiling broadly when im washing the glass.in fact i probably look as sour as hell .Years ago somebody said i looked like a child molester !
but by looking like a potential "funny bugger" i dont get messed about and having a deep "barry white"voice helps too . if you are unlucky to have an "aled jones" voice you will get messed about no end.
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Are you suggesting I should 'Man Up', Bobby?
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well Tosh ive no idea how you look but if your hair is lank like in yer photo thats a start. its all about first impressions isnt it. youve probably cooked your goose as far as that old bird,shes got the upperhand now and knows you well.
with new customers i try to give off a vibe of "efficient yes,but dont for god sake fook him about "
if a fairly new customer is coming outside with a minor complaint i pretend i didnt hear what was said and then turn to face them and say "do what ?" in a snarley Dennis Waterman/george carter drawl . That usually squashes them
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Hmmmmm!!! I've a Geordie accent, so I start out sounding like I'm hard as nails, but invariably - particularly when I'm excited - my voice goes really high and camp sounding.
A bit like this really...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1zfG9No12Y
Maybe I should pretend to be Welsh, or does that sound even more gay? ???
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stu mate its them that has a problem if you put a price in then you keep the same pricing structure they think they can beat ya down two fingers to em as with the snow clearance you hope she slips and breaks her leg
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that video really made me laugh, Tosh im guessing your more like a Robson Green , rather than Jimmy Nail , though Jimmy is the absolute dream image to strive for if you seek an easy round
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lol :D got a custie like that down ear in the mids like she sounds she will give you a roughin over verbally then she want to be ya best mate with loads of sorrrrrrrrryyyyyyssss 8)
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The most annoying customer I had I never actually ever met. Husband and wife both worked and left the side gate open, never even met them when I did the quote.
Perfect payers though, left envelope and always a cheque within days.
One time when I went there builders were there concreting a base for what was obviously going to be a conservatory. Sure enough, next time I went there was a new consrvatory. Made a mental note I was going to have to call them but only left bill for the old amount.
Before I got round to calling them she was on the phone to my wife. She wasn't paying, I hadn't done them properly, there was a big lump of birds mess on the conservatory roof. Yell, yell, yell, hangup
We never got the money, didn't see much point in trying, what do these people expect?
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I had a good one a few months back.
I do this detached 30's house in a nice part of Bristol and the couple are really nice, self made shop owners ex council estate and treat everybody respectfully. Often they aren't in but they hide the key and let me use it.
Anyhoo I'm scrubbing away and this woman and her friend (in their forties) come jogging along (she's a bit of a BobFoc) and she haughtily says:-
"What do you think you're doing?" In a demanding sort of voice.
Me: (instantly deciding that as she hasn't asked me in a nice way I'm going to be awkward but truthful): "Why do you ask?"
Her: (Right old strop on) "This is my brother's house and I'm staying here and how did you get into the back garden?"
Me: "I opened the gate and walked in."
Her: "Does he know you're here?"
Me: "I doubt it."
Her: "Well I'm not paying you!"
Me: "I didn't ask you to."
Her: "You're very rude!"
Me: " You started it! I'm here minding my own business, getting on with my work, letting myself in with the key your brother has provided and you come along all demanding - you only had to say "excuse me do you mind me asking, this is my brother's house ..." and I would have been disarmed by your charm and given you a ready explanation."
Her: "Humph!"
;)
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I've just had a phone call from an ex customer's grandad who organise jobs for his grand-daughter.
It was an occasional WFP job. Last winter I went to shift a bit of snow for them as they were on their way back from their home in Spain.
I also did some pressure washing at a bit of a reduced price last year.
Last month they wanted the patio pressure washing again. I offered to do it at last years price £150.
They thought I was trying it on and suggested £50.
I went round with the old invoice and showed them the figures.
He went off on one and said he would never have paid that amount.
I said I would only do it for the same as last year, but he wasn't having it.
he told me I had it wrong.
I left it that I would speak to the home-owners (grand-daughter) as grandad didn't trust or believe me.
This morning I had a call from Grandad asking me to go and move some snow so that the grand-daughter could get out.
I said no. As he didn't trust me or believe me I couldn't work for them any longer.
Sounds fair enough to me.
Although it's good to try to keep the business head on, we all have our limits.
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with new customers i try to give off a vibe of "efficient yes,but dont for god sake fook him about "
if a fairly new customer is coming outside with a minor complaint i pretend i didnt hear what was said and then turn to face them and say "do what ?" in a snarley Dennis Waterman/george carter drawl . That usually squashes them
I like yer style bobby ;D
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well Tosh ive no idea how you look but if your hair is lank like in yer photo thats a start. its all about first impressions isnt it.
;D Love it.