Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Pure Glass on June 22, 2011, 05:21:52 pm

Title: guilt-how do you deal with it??
Post by: Pure Glass on June 22, 2011, 05:21:52 pm
Dear Dierdrie

First clean, older couple-£15 inc conny.

First window over conny done-reducing pole which catches on the finial of the con, knocking it flying, bounces down the roof and onto the floor into around 22 pieces.

Oh poop me thinks!! She then asks if I'd like a cuppa. "Er, yes please" I says sheepishly whilst thinking should I say something.

Oh whata lovely job, take £20 for your trouble.

How do I live with the guilt? I'm feeling like a complete wotsit for mugging her off big style

Please help
Title: Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
Post by: bobby p on June 22, 2011, 05:27:18 pm
get repairing it .  i keep a variety of glues in my van , clear silicone being the one i use the most   

also i have a stash of rubber bands ,to hold the repair in place ,while its all setting
Title: Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
Post by: LWC on June 22, 2011, 05:30:59 pm
The £5 top woulda covered the guilt
Title: Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
Post by: steve rix on June 22, 2011, 05:40:51 pm
Any damage to customers property HAS to be reported to customer, or if not in to me so I can deal with it. Would sack anyone who tried to hide damage. Accidents happen and people are ok with it if told and damage repaired properly
Title: Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
Post by: Helen on June 22, 2011, 06:11:21 pm
get repairing it .  i keep a variety of glues in my van , clear silicone being the one i use the most   

also i have a stash of rubber bands ,to hold the repair in place ,while its all setting

glue 22 pieces back together?
Title: Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
Post by: Blackbushe Windows on June 22, 2011, 06:12:39 pm
Yes, you will always feel better by owning up. We all have the occasional mishaps.
Title: Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
Post by: bobby p on June 22, 2011, 06:20:53 pm
get repairing it .  i keep a variety of glues in my van , clear silicone being the one i use the most   

also i have a stash of rubber bands ,to hold the repair in place ,while its all setting

glue 22 pieces back together?
mmm,yes a bit of an evening challenge,AFTER the kids have gone to bed !
Title: Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
Post by: Johnny B on June 22, 2011, 06:59:24 pm
Definitely pays to own up.

If you do, you will probably find that the customer will tell you not to worry about it. If you don't tell them, they will probably think you did the damage and will be disappointed in you for not coming clean.

Be straight with them, they'll respect you more for it.

John.
Title: Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
Post by: supernova77 on June 22, 2011, 07:11:49 pm
Quote
First window over conny done-reducing pole which catches on the finial of the con, knocking it flying, bounces down the roof and onto the floor into around 22 pieces.

Will the customer not notice it missing?

Andy
Title: Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
Post by: Ian101 on June 22, 2011, 08:07:45 pm
Im afraid u gotta do the right thing .... happened to me when I did a customer for the first time and ripped her driveway gate from the walll with the side of my van ..... fixed it and told her after I fixed it ... was well happy and since then she recommended me to her daughter and another neighbour "cos he was so honest"

Title: Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
Post by: Ian101 on June 22, 2011, 08:13:11 pm
Im afraid u gotta do the right thing .... happened to me when I did a customer for the first time and ripped her driveway gate from the walll with the side of my van ..... fixed it and told her after I fixed it ... was well happy and since then she recommended me to her daughter and another neighbour "cos he was so honest"


"cos he was clumsy but so honest"  ;D



crap driver too  :D
Title: Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
Post by: alanwilson on June 22, 2011, 10:07:59 pm
yeah just let them know that you broke it but were too embarrassed at the time to own up - offer to have it fixed or replaced (its your fault after all).

do this and I'm pretty sure they will be so impressed by your honesty that they'll be recommending you.

I have a habit of knocking doorbells off!!

Replaced 3 in one week!
Title: Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
Post by: Tom White on June 22, 2011, 10:19:58 pm
I have a habit of knocking doorbells off!!

Replaced 3 in one week!

Clumsy twot!  ;D

I'm frightened to say it, but I've broken nowt in ages!

(You just know what's going to happen tomorrow!)
Title: Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
Post by: alanwilson on June 22, 2011, 10:26:00 pm
yeah just watch out you don't trip on a hose/drop the pole on a car etc.

anything else doesn't really matter
Title: Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
Post by: the bfg on June 23, 2011, 06:34:09 am
Dear Dierdrie

First clean, older couple-£15 inc conny.

First window over conny done-reducing pole which catches on the finial of the con, knocking it flying, bounces down the roof and onto the floor into around 22 pieces.

Oh poop me thinks!! She then asks if I'd like a cuppa. "Er, yes please" I says sheepishly whilst thinking should I say something.

Oh whata lovely job, take £20 for your trouble.

How do I live with the guilt? I'm feeling like a complete wotsit for mugging her off big style

Please help

















just go back and tell the customer what happened and get your PL to sort it out,  aftyer all thats what we take PL out for.



but your absolutely right,  by not saying anything you have well and truely MUGGED them  and that gives us all a bad name.
Title: Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
Post by: AuRavelling79 on June 23, 2011, 07:32:01 am
My best clumsy story (or worst).

Nice bungy with conny plus two lovely Burmese style fancy flowerpot/planters each side of the door each on a little stand.

I had just gone wfp and was having "great fun" with hose control etc and I pulled one over and it broke in several bits and deposited potting compost and flowers on the patio.

I ring door bell - custy is good about it and says he has a spare in the shed and I offer the clean (£20) for free and carry on.

No sooner had he gone in and shut the door but I pulled the other planter over and did the same again! Custy has that "shocked" emoticon look and it was going to go either way but he burst out laughing at the absurdity of it all and got another two free cleans out of it!

£60 in work that cost me - never had a "clumsy" like that since - except when I stepped back into a fishpond up to my thigh but thankfully didn't fall over or break anything!  ;D
Title: Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
Post by: H S and Son on June 23, 2011, 08:14:36 am
by not saying anything you have well and truely MUGGED them  and that gives us all a bad name.

And yourself by the sounds of things if you can't live with the guilt. Thats why the word sorry was invented  ;)
Title: Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
Post by: phil espezido on June 23, 2011, 04:29:53 pm
you should always seize these moments as great opportunities to show how 'good' you are. Its a great customer relationship/service moment. accidents happen to all of us, we are people. you will be measured by your ability to deal in the right manner with such an event. when we break things we buy flowers, offer free services, do the clean for free. 9 times out of ten we either get MORE work from the client or a very strong Referral. i actually get excited when we break things because we always turn it into a win for us and the customer, so much so you could almost intend to break things then come in with an excellent customer service.

if you want to get a feel for what im saying, consider your credibility when that customer discovers for HERSELF the damage that you have caused! shes gonna hate you and bad news travels faster than good.

just my limited opinion
Title: Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
Post by: poleman on June 23, 2011, 04:51:42 pm
WELL honest is the best policy!

Sadly putting the  finial back on top of the conny is a pain in the ass if you conny roof cant be walked on! your going to have to higher a conny roof ladder to get up there and even get a matching finial...best of luck your going to need it....
Title: Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
Post by: Paul Coleman on June 23, 2011, 07:11:29 pm
get repairing it .  i keep a variety of glues in my van , clear silicone being the one i use the most   

also i have a stash of rubber bands ,to hold the repair in place ,while its all setting

glue 22 pieces back together?

It could be an episode on The Krypton Factor.
Title: Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
Post by: Paul Coleman on June 23, 2011, 07:14:46 pm
My best clumsy story (or worst).

Nice bungy with conny plus two lovely Burmese style fancy flowerpot/planters each side of the door each on a little stand.

I had just gone wfp and was having "great fun" with hose control etc and I pulled one over and it broke in several bits and deposited potting compost and flowers on the patio.

I ring door bell - custy is good about it and says he has a spare in the shed and I offer the clean (£20) for free and carry on.

No sooner had he gone in and shut the door but I pulled the other planter over and did the same again! Custy has that "shocked" emoticon look and it was going to go either way but he burst out laughing at the absurdity of it all and got another two free cleans out of it!

£60 in work that cost me - never had a "clumsy" like that since - except when I stepped back into a fishpond up to my thigh but thankfully didn't fall over or break anything!  ;D

I broke a £200 garden table once that I paid for.
She cancelled a week later.
That's the way it can go though.