Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Carl2009 on February 21, 2014, 06:42:38 pm
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Have a retired custie who lives by the sea who and I've been doing for 5 years. His windows get filthy because of the salt and bird muck. The price was a bit low because I was new when I took him on and I didn't realise at that time just how long they were going to take. I also have to fone the night before to get him to unlock a gate (though I can lift it up a bit and open it - I just call out of courtesy). Oh and he sometimes takes 8 week summer caravanning holidays when he doesn't need a clean. I'm pretty flexible though and it doesn't bother me. Generally though he's been fine.
Annnyyywaay, last month I foned as usual and he says, "Your not coming in this are you!" as it's forecast rain and wind later that week. Now I genuinely can't tell if he's admiring my work ethic or he wants me to leave it that month. My fone doesn't help as it's playing up and crackling like mad. Anyway as we get into the conversation it becomes clear that he doesn't want me to clean his windows that month and he thinks I'm taking the P - he's getting upset. So I say i'll leave it and see him next month. Which is now...
So I call him tonight and he says "Oh, I don't think they need doing - I only did them on Wednesday". At this point I see where this is going, so I say "Right, what shall I do, shall I take you off my list permanently"? "Yes I think so" he says.
On balance I feel a bit relieved as it was underpriced, took loads of water and there was definitely some tension following last months conversation that was going to be difficult to ignore from now on - you know what I mean. And as I do his immediate neighbour I know i'll see him and be able to be nice and friendly "Morning Jim! How's it going!" ;D
Let's see how it goes. If he calms down and let's me explain that I genuinely didn't know if wanted me to cancel that month i'll take him back on but at a higher price. In the meantime he'll have the pleasure of doing his own windows - without a WFP system it'll take him ages! :-\
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He will prob ask ya back next month,
I wouldn't bother with him if he did, peeps who say don't bother cause its gonna rain are a waste of time. 👍
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I think that you have already cut him a fair bit of slack. Even though I'm light on work right now, I don't think I would want to continue such a job. Be friendly when you bumop into him. It's not personal. But such a customer has a small effect on business profit margins.
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I had one last week, only a £6 flat but ive been doing it for years and always got on well with him, hes passed me on to family members etc... never had any issues.
Turn up last week, he comes out as im doing his neighbour, hes comes out and says 'bit wet aint it?'
So I laugh it off and say 'we do live in England'
He pays me the £6 he owed from last time and says 'dont bother cleaning them and dont come back;
;D ;D ;D ;D
Cheers then :D
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I don't drop customers lightly, as I like to work with them within reason. If a customer told me he had cleaned them himself, I would politely, but firmly say that I take it that that my services are no longer needed.
I actually said this to a customer last year who had told me his son was going to clean his. Said son never went near them, but whenever I cleaned his next-door neighbour's windows the old fellow would look over, and I got the distinct impression that he wanted to ask me, but feared I would remind him what i said previously.
Last month though, when I turned up to do next door's, his wife was leaning out of the top windows vainly trying to clean them. I carried on as if I hadn't noticed, then he asked me if I would start doing them again. Being the old softy I am, I took him back on. We'll see if he behaves from now on.
John
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I'm sure he'll regret it as they really do get bad and he'll soon get fed up doing them himself. Given that he did them himself I guess he was going to drop me when I foned this time anyway - he would have known I was due.
It will be fun being nice and polite with him and seeing if he does ask me to start again! I'm looking forward to tomorrow morning! ;D
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I don't drop customers lightly, as I like to work with them within reason. If a customer told me he had cleaned them himself, I would politely, but firmly say that I take it that that my services are no longer needed.
I actually said this to a customer last year who had told me his son was going to clean his. Said son never went near them, but whenever I cleaned his next-door neighbour's windows the old fellow would look over, and I got the distinct impression that he wanted to ask me, but feared I would remind him what i said previously.
Last month though, when I turned up to do next door's, his wife was leaning out of the top windows vainly trying to clean them. I carried on as if I hadn't noticed, then he asked me if I would start doing them again. Being the old softy I am, I took him back on. We'll see if he behaves from now on.
John
I know your situation mate, but ya still getting soft in your old age ;D
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Have a retired custie who lives by the sea who and I've been doing for 5 years. His windows get filthy because of the salt and bird muck. The price was a bit low because I was new when I took him on and I didn't realise at that time just how long they were going to take. I also have to fone the night before to get him to unlock a gate (though I can lift it up a bit and open it - I just call out of courtesy). Oh and he sometimes takes 8 week summer caravanning holidays when he doesn't need a clean. I'm pretty flexible though and it doesn't bother me. Generally though he's been fine.
Annnyyywaay, last month I foned as usual and he says, "Your not coming in this are you!" as it's forecast rain and wind later that week. Now I genuinely can't tell if he's admiring my work ethic or he wants me to leave it that month. My fone doesn't help as it's playing up and crackling like mad. Anyway as we get into the conversation it becomes clear that he doesn't want me to clean his windows that month and he thinks I'm taking the P - he's getting upset. So I say i'll leave it and see him next month. Which is now...
So I call him tonight and he says "Oh, I don't think they need doing - I only did them on Wednesday". At this point I see where this is going, so I say "Right, what shall I do, shall I take you off my list permanently"? "Yes I think so" he says.
On balance I feel a bit relieved as it was underpriced, took loads of water and there was definitely some tension following last months conversation that was going to be difficult to ignore from now on - you know what I mean. And as I do his immediate neighbour I know i'll see him and be able to be nice and friendly "Morning Jim! How's it going!"
Let's see how it goes. If he calms down and let's me explain that I genuinely didn't know if wanted me to cancel that month i'll take him back on but at a higher price. In the meantime he'll have the pleasure of doing his own windows - without a WFP system it'll take him ages!
Go and find 2 new well priced customers to replace him and don't worry about it.
Andy
PS. It's phone, not fone ;)
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ive said it before and ill say it again.
GETTING RID OF MESSERS AND UNDERPRICED WORK HAS NEVER STOPPED ME FROM BUILDING A MORE PROFITABLE ROUND!!
you dont need customers like that.just move on.there will always be another customer(s) around the corner.price them higher and dont worry about this chap.
very best wishes
dazmond
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i dont go back , on principle, its something i promised myself at the very beginning
id fill his space by making an effort to find new asap
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we've had people like him. I always have a theory...when we see them next either out and about or doing a neighbours windows I am always overly nice and polite. Hi ! How are you ? Its a lovely day. Makes them look like a twat and then they might realize that we don't need them to survive !
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Have a retired custie who lives by the sea who and I've been doing for 5 years. His windows get filthy because of the salt and bird muck. The price was a bit low because I was new when I took him on and I didn't realise at that time just how long they were going to take. I also have to fone the night before to get him to unlock a gate (though I can lift it up a bit and open it - I just call out of courtesy). Oh and he sometimes takes 8 week summer caravanning holidays when he doesn't need a clean. I'm pretty flexible though and it doesn't bother me. Generally though he's been fine.
Annnyyywaay, last month I foned as usual and he says, "Your not coming in this are you!" as it's forecast rain and wind later that week. Now I genuinely can't tell if he's admiring my work ethic or he wants me to leave it that month. My fone doesn't help as it's playing up and crackling like mad. Anyway as we get into the conversation it becomes clear that he doesn't want me to clean his windows that month and he thinks I'm taking the P - he's getting upset. So I say i'll leave it and see him next month. Which is now...
So I call him tonight and he says "Oh, I don't think they need doing - I only did them on Wednesday". At this point I see where this is going, so I say "Right, what shall I do, shall I take you off my list permanently"? "Yes I think so" he says.
On balance I feel a bit relieved as it was underpriced, took loads of water and there was definitely some tension following last months conversation that was going to be difficult to ignore from now on - you know what I mean. And as I do his immediate neighbour I know i'll see him and be able to be nice and friendly "Morning Jim! How's it going!" ;D
Let's see how it goes. If he calms down and let's me explain that I genuinely didn't know if wanted me to cancel that month i'll take him back on but at a higher price. In the meantime he'll have the pleasure of doing his own windows - without a WFP system it'll take him ages! :-\
This post is a joke, right?
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don't bother cleaning them and don't come back: this sounds like talking to a naughty child!! a bit demeaning too lol
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If you're rich and can afford to muck about with custys then see how you go with it.
If you're trying to put food on the table to feed your family then he's already history.