Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Moderator David@stives on January 16, 2006, 10:55:54 am
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i have just recieved this cansellation in the post
"Dear MR Morris
I regret to advise you that HMML has decided to change window cleaners
Please issue an invoice covering any outstanding services and adress to ***********
Thank you for your services and we wish you every success in the future
Yours sincerely
I have been doing this account for 7 years and is only a £7.00 job and normally have to wait months for payment.
I phoned them for an explaination as to why but no-one was available to speak to me.
I held on to this job because there soon will be a £40million development of the harbour and thought i would be first choice for the windows on the development.
I know it is only a small job at the moment ,but it did upset me when i got the letter mainly due to the lack of an explaination.
The harbour is owned by one of the worlds largest private banks "ing" so i thought i was on to a winner.
Dave
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Sorry to hear that Dave,i know exactly what you mean about it only being a small earner but it`s hurts just as much as loosing a bigger job,and i have also hung on to small jobs to get bigger jobs that are under development,chin up Dave as one door closes another one opens,Gaz ;)
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Sorry about that Dave , i know it seems unlikely but do you think you were undercut ?
Rich
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I think it is either down to wfp(started doing wfp on theres 4 months ago)
or they are shoving me out to put a friend on the job with the development coming up.
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Yes that seems more likely , i have found though that the bigger the company the tighter they are with the money , it goes for domestic too , spose thats how they get so rich .
Rich
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It makes u feel bad! Happened to me too.
Talking of the bigger the houses the more tight and penny pinchin they can b....... Last year priced a job and thought after 1st clean gonna b onto nice earner. I made a grand job with my squeegee, cleaned frames scraped windows etc, collected money. Customers really happy! Course they were happy, they rung me up couple of days later to cancel. I asked why and they said another local company had come out 2 quid cheaper. Makes u sick. But hey I think I know whos cleaning their windows!!!!! Not the best cleaners!!!
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On a slightly different note, last year i quoted to clean the windows on a office every 4 weeks alternating insides and outsides. Did the 1st clean everything ok when i went back to do next clean told me don't worry we will contact you , they eventually did about 8 months later at which point i told them my quote was for a regular service not ad hoc and that my price would be triple the normal charge needless to say i didn't clean their windows anymore.
Cheers Mark.
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Dave,
its all too common for customers to cancel and not give you a honest reason. The things and lies they come out with instead of telling you the truth are priceless >:(
You give them a good honest service and some of them just treat you like muck ::)
eg " I dont want my windows cleaning after today " you ask her why ? most common one " my husbands bought a ladder " whatever ::) only to find someones doing it a quid cheaper. Loyal ones always stay with you :)
Honesty costs nothing ;)
Brett
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I have prepared this letter for an explaination,as i am not very good with words can anyone improve on this letter and does it sound OK.
The trouble is i am not use to losing jobs especially without an explaination.
16 January, 2006
Dear Mr """""
We regret that you have had to employ another window cleaning company.
We have been cleaning the windows at """""""""""" for 6 years, so far without complaint. If there was a problem with the standard of our work, we would of rectified any mistakes immediately if we were given the opportunity to do so.
So far we were unaware of any problems
In order for us to improve our service could you please let us know why you had to dispence with our services.
Sincerely,
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Dave
As a thought iif you inclose a self addresed envelope with stamp, also a form with tick boxes that they can tick for reason of cancellation. ie pore workmanship, to expensive and other reason then have a few line stateing what the reason was.
If you can make it very easy for them, they may reply.
If they have to type a long letter they wont reply.
Roy
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Roy
Thanks for the good advice
Dave
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I have prepared this letter for an explaination,as i am not very good with words can anyone improve on this letter and does it sound OK.
The trouble is i am not use to losing jobs especially without an explaination.
16 January, 2006
Dear Mr """""
We regret that you have had to employ another window cleaning company.
We have been cleaning the windows at """""""""""" for 6 years, so far without complaint. If there was a problem with the standard of our work, we would of rectified any mistakes immediately if we were given the opportunity to do so.
So far we were unaware of any problems
In order for us to improve our service could you please let us know why you had to dispence with our services.
Sincerely,
16 January, 2006
Dear Mr """""
We regret that you have had to employ another window cleaning company.
We have been cleaning the windows at """""""""""" for 6 years, so far without complaint. If there was a problem with the standard of our work, we would have rectified any mistakes immediately, given the opportunity to do so.
To date, we have been unaware of any problems in the service we have provided
In order for us to improve our service could you please let us know why you had to dispence with our services.
Your feedback would be much appreciated.
Sincerely,
I would have worded it a little more like that, someone else on here might be able to hone it a little more for you.
I like Roy's idea too, that's a good one ;)
Ian
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Dear Mr ???
In reference to your letter dated ??????, I would be grateful if you could supply me with more details.
I have been (their Company name here) Window Cleaner for 6 years and I had assumed my service was both reliable & efficient. I was therefore very shocked to receive your letter stating that you had decided to employ another window cleaner : thereby terminating your contract with me.
Obviously I now have concerns and would welcome some feedback and would be grateful if you could explain the reasons for this change. The sole reason I ask is to study your opinions and to re-evaluate my work and customer services. You assistance would be of great help to me.
As requested, I enclose my final Invoice.
Additionally, should you require any further quotations for work needed, please do not hesitate to contact me.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully
Mr David St Ivel Cream
Just sommat I penned quickly. Not sure if it will do?
Also, and this is just my opinion, to ask them to tick boxes already designed by you is giving them their excuse.
EG
1 Too expensive YES NO
2 Work not to Satisfaction YES NO
It would be like putting their answers in your questions. Let them give their honest opinion IF they reply.
This is just my opinion & of course, someone will come along with a better one shortly.
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Dear Mr Prat,
Reference:
A. Your letter dated XX Jan 06.
We have cleaned your windows for several years without complaint, yet I received Reference A and find my services have been terminated without explanation.
I know where you park your car, I know where you work, I know where your wife works, and most of all I know where you live.
I think you should contact me; now!
Yours faithfully,
(Signature goes here)
D IVES
P.S Only joking!
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Dear Mr """""
We regret that you have had to employ another window cleaning company.
We have been cleaning the windows at """""""""""" for 6 years, so far without complaint. If there was a problem with the standard of our work, we would of rectified any mistakes immediately if we were given the opportunity to do so.
So far we were unaware of any problems
In order for us to improve our service could you please let us know why you had to dispence with our services.
Since I have just been given a contract to clean the new harbour development near to your property i am therefore keen to remain in a good light with my customers.
Your feedback would therefore be appreciated.
Regards
might produce something? ;D ;)
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I bet 100 to 1 that you wont even get a reply.
You charged £7.00 Dave. I would get a mate to give them a call or even better pop in. Offer to their windows at a fiver. If the job is offered then you have your reason.
To send a letter to them asking for reasons for cancellation is a wrong move in my opinion. Its actually putting them in a position of strength to give you something negative as a reason. They can invent any reason they like and actually imparts the impression that you may doubt your workmanship/service in some way. If you are happy with the quality of work and service that you gave.. which I have no doubt was first class.
I bet you its price. You can easilly find that out.
Chin up mate.. move on and let it go.
GO GET the work from that 40m development :)
Cheers
Andrew
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It is the same company who are doing the development and i dont think it is price because £7.00 is nothing to them or nothing to do with the quality of my work.
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Don't bother with a letter. Even if they do reply, unlikely, you'll just get the standard reply blaming current financial situation blah blah.
Send this bum job a quote from a made up company to do the dump for £3.25. Hopefully, they'll bite your "fake" hand off, cancel on the other firm and wait for the bogus you to NEVER turn up.
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I had that on my biggest job last year, 9 years without a single complaint then a letter through the post your services are no longer required.
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dear mr.........it appears that you no longer want me to clean your windows,so i have made a decision to smear dog excrament on all your windows and hire a fully trained sniper to exterminate all your employees.As i write this letter,your house is being demolished by an irish groundworker,who kindly done it for a can of special brew.If you would like further work done,do not hesitate to contact me.yours faithfully.............
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i have just recieved this cansellation in the post
"Dear MR Morris
I regret to advise you that HMML has decided to change window cleaners
Please issue an invoice covering any outstanding services and adress to ***********
Thank you for your services and we wish you every success in the future
Yours sincerely
I have been doing this account for 7 years and is only a £7.00 job and normally have to wait months for payment.
I phoned them for an explaination as to why but no-one was available to speak to me.
I held on to this job because there soon will be a £40million development of the harbour and thought i would be first choice for the windows on the development.
I know it is only a small job at the moment ,but it did upset me when i got the letter mainly due to the lack of an explaination.
The harbour is owned by one of the worlds largest private banks "ing" so i thought i was on to a winner.
Dave
A couple of things I would like to mention here.
First and foremost, remember that it's business and not personal.
Secondly, I feel that sending them a letter is not a good move. However, it seems that you're going to anyway. If you do, I would like to suggest the following:-
That you compile the letter as if it is a standard letter that you send out when a contract is terminated with tick boxes and room for them to make general comments.
For instance something like.
Dear Sir,
Thank you for your letter dated xx/xx/xxxx ref no: xxxx concerning the termination of the window cleaning contract at xxxxxxxxxxxxxx .
In order that we may provide customers with a satisfactory service, it is our policy, from time to time, to review our customers' opinions of the service that we offer. We also have a short questionnaire that we ask customers to complete when deciding to conclude a contract. Although there is absolutely no obligation to do so, we would appreciate it if you could take a few moments to complete this questionnaire in order to assist us in reviewing our business practices.
PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR OPINION OF OUR SERVICE BELOW
How do you rate our service on the following?
1. PRICE (a) totally satisfied (b) mostly satisfied (c) mostly dissatisfied (d) totally dissatisfied
etc etc
Number 2. could be "quality of work" 3. could be "health & safety issues" 4. could be "courtesy of workforce" 5. could be "communication with customer".
Whatever options you include, I suggest that you have the choices of "totally satisfied" down to "totally dissatisfied" alongside each as tick boxes. Ensure that you leave plenty of space at the end for a section on general comments from the customer.
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Dave, what kind of place was this? Was it a shop or unit? I was asked to clean a small unit with a shop on the front as they werent happy with the other w/c although they they gave them a reason for getting rid of them and the w/c didnt care. What the w/c was doing was wfpoling all the glass including the shop fronts. Not good. This shop front was on a busy road and the glass is bound to pick up dirt with water left on it. All the other windows were on the back so it didnt matter. All they wanted was the front to be done with trade i mean it was only 3 bits of glass.
Now I am wondering if its because you went over to wfp and it wasnt good for the position or type of building.
Met an old boy 2day who didnt want anything to do with wfp. I was letting him know how good it is but he had none of it bearing in mind I wasnt using it 2day and dont use it on normal houses. It makes me wonder how many other w/c are out there that think the same. Without access to a site like this they wouldnt know much about it.
Steve
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thats true.My mate,whos been doing it for ages doesnt want to know.I think alot of the time its the expence
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The building is an harbour office .It is owned by one of the worlds largest private banks and are just about to start a £100million+ development of the harbour.
I think they are moving a relative or friend in so they have first dabs on the development.
This is why i am very annoyed about it.
have a look at this link
http://www.hayleharbour.co.uk/frameset.htm
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and this is what it looks like know
http://www.cornwalls.co.uk/photos/img186.htm
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thats true.My mate,whos been doing it for ages doesnt want to know.I think alot of the time its the expence
He was so against it that I was being convinced that it was a waste of time.
Dave, dont give up there must be another way in. I think that I would be go down and see them and let them know that you want the development, you have nothing to loose. The development may be a big headache, you never know.
Steve
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Just found out it is a £200million+ development.
This gets worse :'(
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The building is an harbour office .It is owned by one of the worlds largest private banks and are just about to start a £100million+ development of the harbour.
I think they are moving a relative or friend in so they have first dabs on the development.
This is why i am very annoyed about it.
have a look at this link
http://www.hayleharbour.co.uk/frameset.htm
So it's Hayle then. They've been talking about developing that bit for years haven't they? My friend who lives there once told me that Peter de Savary was going to put up the money years ago but pulled out (can't recall why).
I love that area David. I've had a few holidays in Hayle and St Ives. I went down to visit the eden project last Easter too though that's a bit further out from you.
Maybe you can get in yet with the winow cleaning. No point giving up. Nothing to lose except some time and effort.
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Roy
you are right about peter de savery he sold it and it went through a few hands and now has been bought by a huge banking and development firm.
I expect i will get work from the development ,but it would of been nice to have had first dabs at all of it.
Dave
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Dave, he may have given the job to a guy from his lodge, church, or even his golf club.
If they are going to build houses there, will each person be paying for their own window cleaning?
I have a few estates that I have done since they were built. First objective is to get the sales office. Even if you do it for nothing. Be nice to the girl or girls in the office.
They will tell you when they have made a sale and when the owners are moving in.
If they play ball with you an odd box of chocs goes a long way. This has worked well for me. One more tip, If you buy chocs, tell your Mrs what your doing, or at least make sure you bin the receipt before you go home. Wives get funny about finding receipts for chocs they have'nt had. Dai
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Roy
you are right about peter de savery he sold it and it went through a few hands and now has been bought by a huge banking and development firm.
I expect i will get work from the development ,but it would of been nice to have had first dabs at all of it.
Dave
I'm not sure who Roy is. Try Paul :)
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Yes sorry
Paul
I knew who i meant ;D