Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Dave Willis on July 07, 2014, 08:02:56 pm
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Out collecting tonight. Customer phoned wanting a regular window cleaner couple of months back, agreed the price, spoke to both partners, exchanged details and told them I'd be round every six weeks.
Did the second clean and they refused to pay. Said they only wanted a one off. :o
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Dump em.....
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give them back the dirt via a pump sprayer >:( >:( >:( >:(
Im starting to believe the only way to reduce all this messing about is a "contract" or maybe an email type confirmation pdf.......or something (loosing it now) ;D
feel for you :'(
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it happens!although it was about 5 years ago when it last happened to me(canvassed customer wouldnt answer the door even though i could see her sat in the living room)second clean. >:(
luckily it was only a £10 job but annoying all the same.ended up dumping the lot a few months later(5 jobs).
i never resort to egging the windows or anything but i do warn other window cleaners i know if i get chance! :)
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Funny you should mention that - they got half a pump sprayer of G101 mix over the front windows. Should clean up lovely eventually.
Very unprofessional of course but better than smacking him about the head with one of my ladder limpets - it was a close decision - really exploded.
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Funny you should mention that - they got half a pump sprayer of G101 mix over the front windows. Should clean up lovely eventually.
Very unprofessional of course but better than smacking him about the head with one of my ladder limpets - it was a close decision - really exploded.
;D ;D
Don't get mad, get even 8)
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Don't get mad- just beat the crap out of the A-hole!! ;D
I've just had an enquiry for 6 second floor windows......... Good night Sir!!! ::)roll
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During the winter when the weather was extremely windy a lady asked me to clean her windows etc. We agreed 8 weekly at £20 - 3 bedroom semi plus smallish conservatory (in a very well to do area). All the time while talking I had that nagging feeling that's hard to explain.
Being right next to the coast and on the cliff tops, the windows were plastered in salt and chalk that was so thick you could scrap it off with your fingernails. You actually could not see anything through the glass except vague shapes and colours.
It took me ages to clean it up and with salt that thick plus the chalk, basically you have to do the whole lot twice. To my mind, I thought she'd be more than happy as the difference was startling.
When it came to paying she kept finding fault, the whites weren't as white as she expected, the years old front door which had never previously been cleaned (which I scrubed with G101) still had the odd black mark, and so on.
After walking around the house with her for about 15 minutes she said she didn't think she'll be having me back again because I did such a bad job. Then she says she's only going to pay me a tenner which, as I'd already noticed, she had in her hand when she came out the front door so it was her intention all along.
I was fuming. I told her to shove that tenner right up her .........
While I was sitting back in my van thinking breathe.... relax.... breathe.... relax...... She went out in her car. While I had been cleaning her windows she came out a few times and asked me how long I'd be as she was picking a friend up somewhere in Kent 70 odd miles away.
At a local Sainburys Express type place I bough 2 litres of olive oil and 2 bags of table salt. I mixed those in a 25ltr barrel along with a few litres of virosol to dissolve the oil. I don't know if anyone has tried shaking a nearly full 25 ltr barrel - it took all my strength.
It looked like the salt hadn't dissolved but regardless I put the spray jets on the brush and sprayed the whole lot all over the front windows and the ones at the side of the house from the pavement along with the side of her precious conservatory.
Later on after doing two other jobs, and still fuming, I drove back past this lady's house and what a mess. Suddenly, I felt a whole lot happier.
I have never, ever done anything like that before ever but this lady really took the urine and had a way of talking that was all put downs.
I keep promising myself this but never do, next time I'm going to follow that gut instinct.
It took me a good few hours that evening to clean the hose and barrel out but I have to say it, it was worth every minute.
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During the winter when the weather was extremely windy a lady asked me to clean her windows etc. We agreed 8 weekly at £20 - 3 bedroom semi plus smallish conservatory (in a very well to do area). All the time while talking I had that nagging feeling that's hard to explain.
Being right next to the coast and on the cliff tops, the windows were plastered in salt and chalk that was so thick you could scrap it off with your fingernails. You actually could not see anything through the glass except vague shapes and colours.
It took me ages to clean it up and with salt that thick plus the chalk, basically you have to do the whole lot twice. To my mind, I thought she'd be more than happy as the difference was startling.
When it came to paying she kept finding fault, the whites weren't as white as she expected, the years old front door which had never previously been cleaned (which I scrubed with G101) still had the odd black mark, and so on.
After walking around the house with her for about 15 minutes she said she didn't think she'll be having me back again because I did such a bad job. Then she says she's only going to pay me a tenner which, as I'd already noticed, she had in her hand when she came out the front door so it was her intention all along.
I was fuming. I told her to shove that tenner right up her .........
While I was sitting back in my van thinking breathe.... relax.... breathe.... relax...... She went out in her car. While I had been cleaning her windows she came out a few times and asked me how long I'd be as she was picking a friend up somewhere in Kent 70 odd miles away.
At a local Sainburys Express type place I bough 2 litres of olive oil and 2 bags of table salt. I mixed those in a 25ltr barrel along with a few litres of virosol to dissolve the oil. I don't know if anyone has tried shaking a nearly full 25 ltr barrel - it took all my strength.
It looked like the salt hadn't dissolved but regardless I put the spray jets on the brush and sprayed the whole lot all over the front windows and the ones at the side of the house from the pavement along with the side of her precious conservatory.
Later on after doing two other jobs, and still fuming, I drove back past this lady's house and what a mess. Suddenly, I felt a whole lot happier.
I have never, ever done anything like that before ever but this lady really took the urine and had a way of talking that was all put downs.
I keep promising myself this but never do, next time I'm going to follow that gut instinct.
It took me a good few hours that evening to clean the hose and barrel out but I have to say it, it was worth every minute.
Way too funny that ;D ;D ;D ;D
I had a call over the weekend.
"How much is window cleaning?"
need to pop round to quote.....
"house is small"
Still need to pop round
"well what do your prices start from"
So i got her address, and then put the phone down. Started to think Haaaaaaaaaaaaang on, this is going to be a nightmare customer. So i rang her back and told her i couldn't quote. WOW the abuse i got!!! I need the price today! I need it cleaning for tomorrow as we are moving out!
At the moment i am comfortable with work and i have decided if i get "that" feeling i do a runner now lol........
Good on ya bud for doing what you did!!!!
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During the winter when the weather was extremely windy a lady asked me to clean her windows etc. We agreed 8 weekly at £20 - 3 bedroom semi plus smallish conservatory (in a very well to do area). All the time while talking I had that nagging feeling that's hard to explain.
Being right next to the coast and on the cliff tops, the windows were plastered in salt and chalk that was so thick you could scrap it off with your fingernails. You actually could not see anything through the glass except vague shapes and colours.
It took me ages to clean it up and with salt that thick plus the chalk, basically you have to do the whole lot twice. To my mind, I thought she'd be more than happy as the difference was startling.
When it came to paying she kept finding fault, the whites weren't as white as she expected, the years old front door which had never previously been cleaned (which I scrubed with G101) still had the odd black mark, and so on.
After walking around the house with her for about 15 minutes she said she didn't think she'll be having me back again because I did such a bad job. Then she says she's only going to pay me a tenner which, as I'd already noticed, she had in her hand when she came out the front door so it was her intention all along.
I was fuming. I told her to shove that tenner right up her .........
While I was sitting back in my van thinking breathe.... relax.... breathe.... relax...... She went out in her car. While I had been cleaning her windows she came out a few times and asked me how long I'd be as she was picking a friend up somewhere in Kent 70 odd miles away.
At a local Sainburys Express type place I bough 2 litres of olive oil and 2 bags of table salt. I mixed those in a 25ltr barrel along with a few litres of virosol to dissolve the oil. I don't know if anyone has tried shaking a nearly full 25 ltr barrel - it took all my strength.
It looked like the salt hadn't dissolved but regardless I put the spray jets on the brush and sprayed the whole lot all over the front windows and the ones at the side of the house from the pavement along with the side of her precious conservatory.
Later on after doing two other jobs, and still fuming, I drove back past this lady's house and what a mess. Suddenly, I felt a whole lot happier.
I have never, ever done anything like that before ever but this lady really took the urine and had a way of talking that was all put downs.
I keep promising myself this but never do, next time I'm going to follow that gut instinct.
It took me a good few hours that evening to clean the hose and barrel out but I have to say it, it was worth every minute.
Bobby would be proud.
Beats bamboo.
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During the winter when the weather was extremely windy a lady asked me to clean her windows etc. We agreed 8 weekly at £20 - 3 bedroom semi plus smallish conservatory (in a very well to do area). All the time while talking I had that nagging feeling that's hard to explain.
Being right next to the coast and on the cliff tops, the windows were plastered in salt and chalk that was so thick you could scrap it off with your fingernails. You actually could not see anything through the glass except vague shapes and colours.
It took me ages to clean it up and with salt that thick plus the chalk, basically you have to do the whole lot twice. To my mind, I thought she'd be more than happy as the difference was startling.
When it came to paying she kept finding fault, the whites weren't as white as she expected, the years old front door which had never previously been cleaned (which I scrubed with G101) still had the odd black mark, and so on.
After walking around the house with her for about 15 minutes she said she didn't think she'll be having me back again because I did such a bad job. Then she says she's only going to pay me a tenner which, as I'd already noticed, she had in her hand when she came out the front door so it was her intention all along.
I was fuming. I told her to shove that tenner right up her .........
While I was sitting back in my van thinking breathe.... relax.... breathe.... relax...... She went out in her car. While I had been cleaning her windows she came out a few times and asked me how long I'd be as she was picking a friend up somewhere in Kent 70 odd miles away.
At a local Sainburys Express type place I bough 2 litres of olive oil and 2 bags of table salt. I mixed those in a 25ltr barrel along with a few litres of virosol to dissolve the oil. I don't know if anyone has tried shaking a nearly full 25 ltr barrel - it took all my strength.
It looked like the salt hadn't dissolved but regardless I put the spray jets on the brush and sprayed the whole lot all over the front windows and the ones at the side of the house from the pavement along with the side of her precious conservatory.
Later on after doing two other jobs, and still fuming, I drove back past this lady's house and what a mess. Suddenly, I felt a whole lot happier.
I have never, ever done anything like that before ever but this lady really took the urine and had a way of talking that was all put downs.
I keep promising myself this but never do, next time I'm going to follow that gut instinct.
It took me a good few hours that evening to clean the hose and barrel out but I have to say it, it was worth every minute.
OMG..........YOUR MY HERO :-* :-* :-*
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During the winter when the weather was extremely windy a lady asked me to clean her windows etc. We agreed 8 weekly at £20 - 3 bedroom semi plus smallish conservatory (in a very well to do area). All the time while talking I had that nagging feeling that's hard to explain.
Being right next to the coast and on the cliff tops, the windows were plastered in salt and chalk that was so thick you could scrap it off with your fingernails. You actually could not see anything through the glass except vague shapes and colours.
It took me ages to clean it up and with salt that thick plus the chalk, basically you have to do the whole lot twice. To my mind, I thought she'd be more than happy as the difference was startling.
When it came to paying she kept finding fault, the whites weren't as white as she expected, the years old front door which had never previously been cleaned (which I scrubed with G101) still had the odd black mark, and so on.
After walking around the house with her for about 15 minutes she said she didn't think she'll be having me back again because I did such a bad job. Then she says she's only going to pay me a tenner which, as I'd already noticed, she had in her hand when she came out the front door so it was her intention all along.
I was fuming. I told her to shove that tenner right up her .........
While I was sitting back in my van thinking breathe.... relax.... breathe.... relax...... She went out in her car. While I had been cleaning her windows she came out a few times and asked me how long I'd be as she was picking a friend up somewhere in Kent 70 odd miles away.
At a local Sainburys Express type place I bough 2 litres of olive oil and 2 bags of table salt. I mixed those in a 25ltr barrel along with a few litres of virosol to dissolve the oil. I don't know if anyone has tried shaking a nearly full 25 ltr barrel - it took all my strength.
It looked like the salt hadn't dissolved but regardless I put the spray jets on the brush and sprayed the whole lot all over the front windows and the ones at the side of the house from the pavement along with the side of her precious conservatory.
Later on after doing two other jobs, and still fuming, I drove back past this lady's house and what a mess. Suddenly, I felt a whole lot happier.
I have never, ever done anything like that before ever but this lady really took the urine and had a way of talking that was all put downs.
I keep promising myself this but never do, next time I'm going to follow that gut instinct.
It took me a good few hours that evening to clean the hose and barrel out but I have to say it, it was worth every minute.
Way too funny that ;D ;D ;D ;D
I had a call over the weekend.
"How much is window cleaning?"
need to pop round to quote.....
"house is small"
Still need to pop round
"well what do your prices start from"
So i got her address, and then put the phone down. Started to think Haaaaaaaaaaaaang on, this is going to be a nightmare customer. So i rang her back and told her i couldn't quote. WOW the abuse i got!!! I need the price today! I need it cleaning for tomorrow as we are moving out!
At the moment i am comfortable with work and i have decided if i get "that" feeling i do a runner now lol........
Good on ya bud for doing what you did!!!!
I like :)
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During the winter when the weather was extremely windy a lady asked me to clean her windows etc. We agreed 8 weekly at £20 - 3 bedroom semi plus smallish conservatory (in a very well to do area). All the time while talking I had that nagging feeling that's hard to explain.
Being right next to the coast and on the cliff tops, the windows were plastered in salt and chalk that was so thick you could scrap it off with your fingernails. You actually could not see anything through the glass except vague shapes and colours.
It took me ages to clean it up and with salt that thick plus the chalk, basically you have to do the whole lot twice. To my mind, I thought she'd be more than happy as the difference was startling.
When it came to paying she kept finding fault, the whites weren't as white as she expected, the years old front door which had never previously been cleaned (which I scrubed with G101) still had the odd black mark, and so on.
After walking around the house with her for about 15 minutes she said she didn't think she'll be having me back again because I did such a bad job. Then she says she's only going to pay me a tenner which, as I'd already noticed, she had in her hand when she came out the front door so it was her intention all along.
I was fuming. I told her to shove that tenner right up her .........
While I was sitting back in my van thinking breathe.... relax.... breathe.... relax...... She went out in her car. While I had been cleaning her windows she came out a few times and asked me how long I'd be as she was picking a friend up somewhere in Kent 70 odd miles away.
At a local Sainburys Express type place I bough 2 litres of olive oil and 2 bags of table salt. I mixed those in a 25ltr barrel along with a few litres of virosol to dissolve the oil. I don't know if anyone has tried shaking a nearly full 25 ltr barrel - it took all my strength.
It looked like the salt hadn't dissolved but regardless I put the spray jets on the brush and sprayed the whole lot all over the front windows and the ones at the side of the house from the pavement along with the side of her precious conservatory.
Later on after doing two other jobs, and still fuming, I drove back past this lady's house and what a mess. Suddenly, I felt a whole lot happier.
I have never, ever done anything like that before ever but this lady really took the urine and had a way of talking that was all put downs.
I keep promising myself this but never do, next time I'm going to follow that gut instinct.
It took me a good few hours that evening to clean the hose and barrel out but I have to say it, it was worth every minute.
well done mate ;D
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We'll done Ross. ;D
Sometimes . . . screw professionalism.
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Yeah, sometimes . . . screw professionalism.
Usually I just walk away and most times I've forgotten it after cleaning the next house.
That time though, there was something so insidious and nasty about the whole thing and the way this lady spoke was vile. In terms of words used, she was very polite but she had a way of talking with constant subtle put downs that was very hard to respond to.
She reduced my hard work and experience window cleaning to being something worthless, pathetic and useless and I was some kind of sad individual struggling to earn a worthless penny in my silly white van.
If she'd been a bloke, I do honestly think I would have thumped her, or rather, him.
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Did she get back to you when she came back to find her windows filthy ?
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Did she get back to you when she came back to find her windows filthy ?
The husband did that evening as I'd given her a business card before I cleaned her windows.
He actually sounded ok as a person but very annoyed. He accused me of putting 'muck' all over their windows and doors. I explained that I had not taken payment because I'd done such a bad job just as his wife had said I did and that the mess over the windows was because I was such a bad window cleaner.
He sort of mumbled something about the police and I just said to him to go away and he hung up.
I've cleaned houses near that place since then and I saw her going out in her car once but she never stopped and said anything.
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Brilliant, maybe she will think twice before trying to make a fool out of anybody else.
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This is all too common a tale.. Those that say it never happens to me are delusional..
You try your best to judge people at face value and its ok saying get them to sign a contract... Who is going to enforce it??? and at what cost?? Seriously....
The only way I have found to "weed" these people out is simple... Charge double for the 1st clean (aside from any 1st clean surcharge) and offer to clean their 5th clean free. So in effect they are being charged no more but are committing to a regular service the only serious way possible... Simples!!!
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This is all too common a tale.. Those that say it never happens to me are delusional..
You try your best to judge people at face value and its ok saying get them to sign a contract... Who is going to enforce it??? and at what cost?? Seriously....
The only way I have found to "weed" these people out is simple... Charge double for the 1st clean (aside from any 1st clean surcharge) and offer to clean their 5th clean free. So in effect they are being charged no more but are committing to a regular service the only serious way possible... Simples!!!
Mine's even simpler - just charge double first clean (okay, if I get the right gut feeling, maybe +50%) and don't give 'em a freebie later on!
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This is all too common a tale.. Those that say it never happens to me are delusional..
You try your best to judge people at face value and its ok saying get them to sign a contract... Who is going to enforce it??? and at what cost?? Seriously....
The only way I have found to "weed" these people out is simple... Charge double for the 1st clean (aside from any 1st clean surcharge) and offer to clean their 5th clean free. So in effect they are being charged no more but are committing to a regular service the only serious way possible... Simples!!!
Mine's even simpler - just charge double first clean (okay, if I get the right gut feeling, maybe +50%) and don't give 'em a freebie later on!
Yeah much better :)
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Mine paid the first clean ok but refused the second. Comical really looking back both stood in middle of road with foreheads pressed together. I was willing him to hit me so I could retaliate. Must grow up.
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This is all too common a tale.. Those that say it never happens to me are delusional..
You try your best to judge people at face value and its ok saying get them to sign a contract... Who is going to enforce it??? and at what cost?? Seriously....
The only way I have found to "weed" these people out is simple... Charge double for the 1st clean (aside from any 1st clean surcharge) and offer to clean their 5th clean free. So in effect they are being charged no more but are committing to a regular service the only serious way possible... Simples!!!
Your implication is that you are over charging on the first clean. It is very rare that a first clean doesn't take at least twice as long, even if they appear not too bad.