Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Ian101 on November 28, 2014, 04:02:48 pm
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Doing an EOT for a mate today right next door to a messer I dropped about a year ago ... dropped due to slow payments and dog crap in garden plus the reason detailed below ... bit of a hard ass control freak business woman you know the type always wants you to be grateful for her £12.
anyways just finishing mates house and out she pops
"not seen you for a while ... you doing mine next?"
NO
"why"
cos I took you off the round ...... be about a year ago now.
"whys that then - don't you want to earn money ?"
well have to get paid to be earned don't I
" I DID PAY YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
hmmmmm yes after a lot of hassle but to be honest real reason is remember when I had to come to your house to get it and you kept me waiting on doorstep for about 20 minutes cos you couldn't find your cheque book .... well actually I could see you sitting at kitchen table and every now and again you would look up and shout "still cant find it !!" .... your telly on wall was pointing just at the right angle ........ so no I wont be cleaning yours today !!! ... oh and your garden is full of dog sh1 te
8) 8)
whilst this was going on my phone rang a few times so got in van drove around corner and called the missed call.
spoke in a Mrs Bucket type voice
"This is Mrs Jones of 117 someroadoranother avenue ... I would like you to be here on Monday 8th December at 11.30am to clean my windows inside and out .... the chap who did them last year charged me £14 but I cant get hold of him .................................
:o :o :o wont bore you with my response but needless to say she aint a customer ::)roll
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You gotta laugh mate. Shows what a bad customer she was if she hadn't noticed that her windows had not been cleaned for a whole year!! Thanks for sharing
Chez
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I cleaned a house just over a year ago, woman was a pain in the behind, then wanted to have the glass on her kitchen cupbourds don't in with the origional price, then left me waiting for some time while she nattered on the phone saying she was looking for her purse, about 6 months later she called again, now back access was a problem so we nailed on a price day and time, of course she was not in.
About every three or so months she calls now.
Hi this is balh form number 20 blah can you clean my windows?
sure, when?
the of the at whatever time.
Three times she has called to arange now and not once have I gone, i tell her I will be there, I just don't an it keeps we all warm and snugglie inside :D
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i have a few for the drop they think its ok to say ive no money can you come back tomorrow then they aint in.a holes some think its noting just the window cleaner he can wait >:(dose my tiits in.rant over ;D
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I cleaned a house just over a year ago, woman was a pain in the behind, then wanted to have the glass on her kitchen cupbourds don't in with the origional price, then left me waiting for some time while she nattered on the phone saying she was looking for her purse, about 6 months later she called again, now back access was a problem so we nailed on a price day and time, of course she was not in.
About every three or so months she calls now.
Hi this is balh form number 20 blah can you clean my windows?
sure, when?
the of the at whatever time.
Three times she has called to arange now and not once have I gone, i tell her I will be there, I just don't an it keeps we all warm and snugglie inside :D
I've about 50 similar crackpots on my blocked phone numbers list.
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Had an experience with a horrible woman this evening.
Text last night to say I was calling (I know I know don't text but there's always a few who insist on it) and drove out of my way this evening to make sure I got there in good time before daylight hours ran out.
Got to the door on which there was a note taped to it saying "don't clean windows, ring me!". Why she couldn't have rang or text to tell me not to bother calling all the way up to hers really peeved me off.
I could see the light on and she was in the kitchen so knocked the door a number of times but no answer. Anyway drove off pretty pee'ed off and decided to ring to see what the issue was.
Answered and told me she wouldn't be needing them cleaned as she wasn't happy that I don't put detergent in the water. I explained that the system in my van cost alot of money and the process purifies the water so it doesn't need chemicals. But to no avail and she finished the rather unpleasant exchange by saying "the parties over (cheeky bint), I don't want a window cleaner anymore" >:(
I remember checking them after the last clean which was a first clean and they were spotless so I'm guessing another liberty taker who agreed on a regular service when really it was only because they were holding a family get together of some sort.
Double charging will have to be implemented ::)roll
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Had an experience with a horrible woman this evening.
Text last night to say I was calling (I know I know don't text but there's always a few who insist on it) and drove out of my way this evening to make sure I got there in good time before daylight hours ran out.
Got to the door on which there was a note taped to it saying "don't clean windows, ring me!". Why she couldn't have rang or text to tell me not to bother calling all the way up to hers really peeved me off.
I could see the light on and she was in the kitchen so knocked the door a number of times but no answer. Anyway drove off pretty pee'ed off and decided to ring to see what the issue was.
Answered and told me she wouldn't be needing them cleaned as she wasn't happy that I don't put detergent in the water. I explained that the system in my van cost alot of money and the process purifies the water so it doesn't need chemicals. But to no avail and she finished the rather unpleasant exchange by saying "the parties over (cheeky bint), I don't want a window cleaner anymore" >:(
I remember checking them after the last clean which was a first clean and they were spotless so I'm guessing another liberty taker who agreed on a regular service when really it was only because they were holding a family get together of some sort.
Double charging will have to be implemented ::)roll
Feel your pain bro, plenty of em out there!
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Had an experience with a horrible woman this evening.
Text last night to say I was calling (I know I know don't text but there's always a few who insist on it) and drove out of my way this evening to make sure I got there in good time before daylight hours ran out.
Got to the door on which there was a note taped to it saying "don't clean windows, ring me!". Why she couldn't have rang or text to tell me not to bother calling all the way up to hers really peeved me off.
I could see the light on and she was in the kitchen so knocked the door a number of times but no answer. Anyway drove off pretty pee'ed off and decided to ring to see what the issue was.
Answered and told me she wouldn't be needing them cleaned as she wasn't happy that I don't put detergent in the water. I explained that the system in my van cost alot of money and the process purifies the water so it doesn't need chemicals. But to no avail and she finished the rather unpleasant exchange by saying "the parties over (cheeky bint), I don't want a window cleaner anymore" >:(
I remember checking them after the last clean which was a first clean and they were spotless so I'm guessing another liberty taker who agreed on a regular service when really it was only because they were holding a family get together of some sort.
Double charging will have to be implemented ::)roll
I had the same note this week. I thought it was hilarious. Just got yo crack on and weed out the messers.
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Had an experience with a horrible woman this evening.
Text last night to say I was calling (I know I know don't text but there's always a few who insist on it) and drove out of my way this evening to make sure I got there in good time before daylight hours ran out.
Got to the door on which there was a note taped to it saying "don't clean windows, ring me!". Why she couldn't have rang or text to tell me not to bother calling all the way up to hers really peeved me off.
I could see the light on and she was in the kitchen so knocked the door a number of times but no answer. Anyway drove off pretty pee'ed off and decided to ring to see what the issue was.
Answered and told me she wouldn't be needing them cleaned as she wasn't happy that I don't put detergent in the water. I explained that the system in my van cost alot of money and the process purifies the water so it doesn't need chemicals. But to no avail and she finished the rather unpleasant exchange by saying "the parties over (cheeky bint), I don't want a window cleaner anymore" >:(
I remember checking them after the last clean which was a first clean and they were spotless so I'm guessing another liberty taker who agreed on a regular service when really it was only because they were holding a family get together of some sort.
Double charging will have to be implemented ::)roll
Did you charge x2 or x3 for the first clean? Do so in the future, it saves the annoyance when this kind of stuff happens.
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No deege but will be doing so from the next customer onwards, some people seem to reckon we do this for the fun of it ::)roll
Yea caleb, all there seem to be is weeds though haha ;D
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i also had one to day did all of the house onley to find a not tucked in corner dont clean windows.after i had cleaned them just bottom window to do. i was raging. called round on my way collecting .was she cancelling i asked ho no just dident want them doing.strike 1.
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Had an experience with a horrible woman this evening.
Text last night to say I was calling (I know I know don't text but there's always a few who insist on it) and drove out of my way this evening to make sure I got there in good time before daylight hours ran out.
Got to the door on which there was a note taped to it saying "don't clean windows, ring me!". Why she couldn't have rang or text to tell me not to bother calling all the way up to hers really peeved me off.
I could see the light on and she was in the kitchen so knocked the door a number of times but no answer. Anyway drove off pretty pee'ed off and decided to ring to see what the issue was.
Answered and told me she wouldn't be needing them cleaned as she wasn't happy that I don't put detergent in the water. I explained that the system in my van cost alot of money and the process purifies the water so it doesn't need chemicals. But to no avail and she finished the rather unpleasant exchange by saying "the parties over (cheeky bint), I don't want a window cleaner anymore" >:(
I remember checking them after the last clean which was a first clean and they were spotless so I'm guessing another liberty taker who agreed on a regular service when really it was only because they were holding a family get together of some sort.
Double charging will have to be implemented ::)roll
maybe she's my customers sister ;D
think urs worse than mine
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Had one messer yesturday we turned up and she was on her way out she shouts you cant park there and I don't want them done today so I ask whys that then as you've turned us away a few times now and we've just traveled 10 mins out our way to come to you "well I didnt turn you away last time and I just don't think they need doing this time" I said well I'm sorry but you signed up to a regular service and I cant afford to come out here on the off chance I'm more than happy to move the van and let you out but we'll have to do them. she wasn't best pleased but said ok...so we clean them normal job as always and on the bill I even rub it in and write do have a lovely Christmas and we look forward to seeing you in the new year ;D
1 hour after we have done them there is a voice mail left on machine "oh hello its mrs blah from...your guys have just done my windows I've only been out half a hour and they're already gone so It was a very rushed job for them to be that quick(no mention of turning us away!) and they've left the windows all wet and droplets everywhere so now they're going to dry all funny as they haven't scraped them off so I'll send this cheque but I wont be needing your services anymore can you please call back and explain why they rushed the job" I called back and said whats the problem "well they're left wet" that's how we've cleaned them for the last 3 years ;D gotta just laugh I suppose! :D
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Had one messer yesturday we turned up and she was on her way out she shouts you cant park there and I don't want them done today so I ask whys that then as you've turned us away a few times now and we've just traveled 10 mins out our way to come to you "well I didnt turn you away last time and I just don't think they need doing this time" I said well I'm sorry but you signed up to a regular service and I cant afford to come out here on the off chance I'm more than happy to move the van and let you out but we'll have to do them. she wasn't best pleased but said ok...so we clean them normal job as always and on the bill I even rub it in and write do have a lovely Christmas and we look forward to seeing you in the new year ;D
1 hour after we have done them there is a voice mail left on machine "oh hello its mrs blah from...your guys have just done my windows I've only been out half a hour and they're already gone so It was a very rushed job for them to be that quick(no mention of turning us away!) and they've left the windows all wet and droplets everywhere so now they're going to dry all funny as they haven't scraped them off so I'll send this cheque but I wont be needing your services anymore can you please call back and explain why they rushed the job" I called back and said whats the problem "well they're left wet" that's how we've cleaned them for the last 3 years ;D gotta just laugh I suppose! :D
These stories are making me feel a bit less isolated in having had a few nutcases haha! The old "leaving the windows wet" is definitely the when all else fails excuse try this isn't it? ::)roll
Ian it's the husbands I pity, we had a lucky escape! Those poor sods are left in a life of misery dealing with them ;D
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Had one messer yesturday we turned up and she was on her way out she shouts you cant park there and I don't want them done today so I ask whys that then as you've turned us away a few times now and we've just traveled 10 mins out our way to come to you "well I didnt turn you away last time and I just don't think they need doing this time" I said well I'm sorry but you signed up to a regular service and I cant afford to come out here on the off chance I'm more than happy to move the van and let you out but we'll have to do them. she wasn't best pleased but said ok...so we clean them normal job as always and on the bill I even rub it in and write do have a lovely Christmas and we look forward to seeing you in the new year ;D
1 hour after we have done them there is a voice mail left on machine "oh hello its mrs blah from...your guys have just done my windows I've only been out half a hour and they're already gone so It was a very rushed job for them to be that quick(no mention of turning us away!) and they've left the windows all wet and droplets everywhere so now they're going to dry all funny as they haven't scraped them off so I'll send this cheque but I wont be needing your services anymore can you please call back and explain why they rushed the job" I called back and said whats the problem "well they're left wet" that's how we've cleaned them for the last 3 years ;D gotta just laugh I suppose! :D
These stories are making me feel a bit less isolated in having had a few nutcases haha! The old "leaving the windows wet" is definitely the when all else fails excuse try this isn't it? ::)roll
Ian it's the husbands I pity, we had a lucky escape! Those poor sods are left in a life of misery dealing with them ;D
Me Too! sometimes you can take it a bit personally but then I just think how many satisfied customers we have and remember posts like these and move on! They're definitely clutching at straws with the they're left wet line she even said I never remember you leaving them wet last time! hmm probably because it was summer and most were nearly dry in 30oc Heat!! haha
Your right there!!
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Why the hell do we all seem to get these people that seem to get fed up with our services? Is it that they think we are doing half a job by leaving the glass wet and also that we are turning up too soon and the windows are still clean? I think that some of them think we should be spending half a day cleaning and buffing their glass. It ain't the way it's done nowadays and they're gonna have to get used to it!
I've got a house where she's had carpenters working inside for nearly 3 months. She asked me not to clean in October because of the dust but to resume again in November. I cleaned them the other week and when I went round for my money, she says leave them next time because of all the dust. I'm thinking, well if they're dusty, they'll need friggin cleaning, plus the dust will be inside. Oh, and she asked me to clean insides back in the summer. I said it will be half as much again as the outside. The outsides are £12 and she tried to give me £6 on top for doing the insides ;D. It should have come to £30 in total but I ended up letting her off and agreeing to £24.
I think she's heading for the highway come the new year. I really have to get firm with them in the new year, that's my resolution.
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Ive had a week FULL of them mate
at first it was funny but by today i had really had enough
First idiot was demanding i use ladders again next year for no good reason
Another put gates on her house which is fine but when i called and they were in made up some excuse about how theyve cleaned them themselves so could i call next month but only do it if theyre in so said id call the night before but sounds like theyre gonna be a nightmare now
then i went to clean a restaurant , pakistanis, i do every fortnight
They haggled me down to £15 every fortnight when i strated 3-4 month ago and have been great to be fair , but then the jumped up manager 20 yr old who likes to talk to me like i work for him ie have u done that window , will you clean that mirror ... they had a new wall of glass put up to partition the whole building so it wants cleaning both sides, said it will be £20 and he said theyd get someone cheaper , i just laughed and said good luck
Finally today went collecting some overdue work , one owed £39 , moved out ! Got new householder as a customer but im a bit peed off at the woman , got her email so gonna chase it now ....
Some weeks this job is hard work .. need a canvass spree to feel better again :)
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I have had a few move after owing me two cleans recently. What it forces you to do is run your business more like a business. New year's resolutions maximum one clean owing no matter who the customer. I always charge x2 for first cleans but might increase to x3.
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[and
Ian it's the husbands I pity, we had a lucky escape! Those poor sods are left in a life of misery dealing with them ;D
very true
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Had one messer yesturday we turned up and she was on her way out she shouts you cant park there and I don't want them done today so I ask whys that then as you've turned us away a few times now and we've just traveled 10 mins out our way to come to you "well I didnt turn you away last time and I just don't think they need doing this time" I said well I'm sorry but you signed up to a regular service and I cant afford to come out here on the off chance I'm more than happy to move the van and let you out but we'll have to do them. she wasn't best pleased but said ok...so we clean them normal job as always and on the bill I even rub it in and write do have a lovely Christmas and we look forward to seeing you in the new year ;D
1 hour after we have done them there is a voice mail left on machine "oh hello its mrs blah from...your guys have just done my windows I've only been out half a hour and they're already gone so It was a very rushed job for them to be that quick(no mention of turning us away!) and they've left the windows all wet and droplets everywhere so now they're going to dry all funny as they haven't scraped them off so I'll send this cheque but I wont be needing your services anymore can you please call back and explain why they rushed the job" I called back and said whats the problem "well they're left wet" that's how we've cleaned them for the last 3 years ;D gotta just laugh I suppose! :D
These stories are making me feel a bit less isolated in having had a few nutcases haha! The old "leaving the windows wet" is definitely the when all else fails excuse try this isn't it? ::)roll
Ian it's the husbands I pity, we had a lucky escape! Those poor sods are left in a life of misery dealing with them ;D
Yes they are prisoned for life ;D ;D ;D
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Few years ago customer asks me to quote for a friend. had a look and gave a price went back on agreed day did windows which were a right mess took ages to do. went back on my collecting night sign out front TO LET and bungalow empty really p****d off.Couple of months later money was waiting for me at original customers think I will have to charge extra if windows in a mess first clean
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Perhaps someone should start a "window cleaning war stories" topic where everyone can post their rants about bad customers etc all in one spot...
I have to say i enjoy reading these :P
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I have had a few move after owing me two cleans recently. What it forces you to do is run your business more like a business. New year's resolutions maximum one clean owing no matter who the customer. I always charge x2 for first cleans but might increase to x3.
Thank god at last someone seeing the light (no offence tom) i have always had a one clean one payment policy and i keep my debts to 5% of my turn over, as for some of the other stories i really cant believe you keep them as customers..........actually thats the point they are not customers they are problems, they are an inefficiency in your business, get rid of inefficiency and you will create more time and improve your profit margin, i would rather have 100 "customers " on my books than 150 of which 50 are a problem
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really true that mate , amen ;D
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So many of you on this thread must have rocks in your heads.
Why O why O why do you put up with the utter rubbish customers you have posted about on here?
All these things should go into room 101 immediately.
Doing a first clean for the same price as a regular clean.
Collecting money from any customer.
Texting beforehand to arrange/tell 'em when you are going.
Accepting a cancellation from a regular customer. (unless the scaffolding is up or summat)
Going up a ladder.
Blading off wfp water.
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So many of you on this thread must have rocks in your heads.
Why O why O why do you put up with the utter rubbish customers you have posted about on here?
All these things should go into room 101 immediately.
Doing a first clean for the same price as a regular clean.
Collecting money from any customer.
Texting beforehand to arrange/tell 'em when you are going.
Accepting a cancellation from a regular customer. (unless the scaffolding is up or summat)
Going up a ladder.
Blading off wfp water.
+1 except for texting.
I have to text about 50 a month.
I'd prefer not to, yes, but in the grand scheme...I can live with it.
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So many of you on this thread must have rocks in your heads.
Why O why O why do you put up with the utter rubbish customers you have posted about on here?
All these things should go into room 101 immediately.
Doing a first clean for the same price as a regular clean.
Collecting money from any customer.
Texting beforehand to arrange/tell 'em when you are going.
Accepting a cancellation from a regular customer. (unless the scaffolding is up or summat)
Going up a ladder.
Blading off wfp water.
+1 and I never squeegee drops that's just silly!!
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So many of you on this thread must have rocks in your heads.
Why O why O why do you put up with the utter rubbish customers you have posted about on here?
All these things should go into room 101 immediately.
Doing a first clean for the same price as a regular clean.
Collecting money from any customer.
Texting beforehand to arrange/tell 'em when you are going.
Accepting a cancellation from a regular customer. (unless the scaffolding is up or summat)
Going up a ladder.
Blading off wfp water.
Texting with CP isn't anywhere near the issue it used to be.
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So many of you on this thread must have rocks in your heads.
Why O why O why do you put up with the utter rubbish customers you have posted about on here?
All these things should go into room 101 immediately.
Doing a first clean for the same price as a regular clean.
Collecting money from any customer.
Texting beforehand to arrange/tell 'em when you are going.
Accepting a cancellation from a regular customer. (unless the scaffolding is up or summat)
Going up a ladder.
Blading off wfp water.
I do two of the things on your list but only sometimes.
First cleans I often charge more - but not always. It depends on the windows' condition, how much I want/need the job and my gut feeling about the customer's future intention regarding a regular service.
Text the evening before: For years I only had maybe three or four jobs where I did this. I had found it to be a hassle - not so much the texting but the relying on the customer to leave access. I even used to turn work down if pre-notification was involved. These days I do have rather more than three or four. Apart from two of them who are fine, the rest are a pain and will be dropped as soon as I feel able. I got drawn into an unsavoury argument recently with a (ex) customer who often didn't leave the padlock unlocked. I shouldn't have bitten but no-one's perfect. It's not just about "no access". It can easily mean that the workload is short that day because it's too late to arrange another job - unless another is due in that area or on the way home where no pre-arranging is needed. Also, pre-arranging due to access problems leaves the workload short at peak holiday times (customers away) and it balso gives the less committed customers a chance to reduce the cleaning frequency. Once I've upped my workload, I will be dropping many of the pre-arranged jobs.