Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: dazmond on January 26, 2016, 01:31:39 pm
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8 weekly stand alone job.easy access.usually late payers(but pay after about a month after several text reminders).miserable ignorant snotty customers though.
the woman has never said 2 words to me in a year of cleaning them til today.
i turn up(its NOT raining by the way,a bit windy but not gale force).she hangs out of the window "not today as its going to rain later!last time you came,2 days later they were filthy again after heavy rain!"
so i said "when do you want me to do them then?"she said "you could try next week".i then said "what if its forecast heavy rain?"
"oh er!the week after that then!"
i then said "im not coming back!i cant run a business like that!" and did a proper GOLD flounce!! >:( ;D
you cant lose in this game though as the other week i picked up an 8 weekly commercial job (£60) so im not losing out! :)
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nce one out with the junk and in with the new ;D
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8 weekly stand alone job.easy access.usually late payers(but pay after about a month after several text reminders).miserable ignorant snotty customers though.
the woman has never said 2 words to me in a year of cleaning them til today.
i turn up(its NOT raining by the way,a bit windy but not gale force).she hangs out of the window "not today as its going to rain later!last time you came,2 days later they were filthy again after heavy rain!"
so i said "when do you want me to do them then?"she said "you could try next week".i then said "what if its forecast heavy rain?"
"oh er!the week after that then!"
i then said "im not coming back!i cant run a business like that!" and did a proper GOLD flounce!! >:( ;D
you cant lose in this game though as the other week i picked up an 8 weekly commercial job (£60) so im not losing out! :)
There was a time when I might have believed you were beiung excessive.
Not now though! I've had my share over the years and quite simply,. I can't afford difficult customers. They are a drag on my business.
If I have gaps in my work, they may get away with it for a while - but it's only a matter of time.
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I got rid of a customer as if have to go collecting from them 3-4 times a month as they never had money ( they rang ME for a monthly service)
Anyway, asked him if he wants to pay online, he agreed and gave me his number, txt him my details, rang him loads, still no payment!!
In the end, I thought it's just not worth it, I can't be assed with people like that on my round- so dumped them
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I off loaded £1280 of work this week.
I flogged mine ;D
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8 weekly stand alone job.easy access.usually late payers(but pay after about a month after several text reminders).miserable ignorant snotty customers though.
the woman has never said 2 words to me in a year of cleaning them til today.
i turn up(its NOT raining by the way,a bit windy but not gale force).she hangs out of the window "not today as its going to rain later!last time you came,2 days later they were filthy again after heavy rain!"
so i said "when do you want me to do them then?"she said "you could try next week".i then said "what if its forecast heavy rain?"
"oh er!the week after that then!"
i then said "im not coming back!i cant run a business like that!" and did a proper GOLD flounce!! >:( ;D
you cant lose in this game though as the other week i picked up an 8 weekly commercial job (£60) so im not losing out! :)
That's the spirit Daz!
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the thing is the way the weather has been going i reckon were heading more and more into stormy weather year on year.it could be hammering it down 2 days after a clean at ANY time of year.you just cant win with some customers.
i didnt like cleaning the job.not because the pay was low.it was well priced.i just felt a "bad vibe" from both of them from day one.just not friendly and totally humourless.lovely house and BMW X5 on the drive.shame about the owners! ;D
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Anyway I've dumped a £70 job earlier this month (a commercial quarterly). UBER-FLOUNCE!
Shall I tell you what happened? Must you? Yes. Okay then.
I got a purchase order for four cleans specifying July/October/January/April and that I need to go in early to cone off half the car park. Therefore I email them a few days before saying when I plan on coming.
Earlier this month I did just that and back comes an email from my contact saying her manager says it's not worth it in the rain and to leave it until March. I fire back an email politely but candidly pointing out that I have a purchase order specifying January and April and I would be happy to negotiate a change for next years purchase order but expected this one to be honoured.
Got a reply from my contact to the effect of "Oops sorry forgot about that, manager's not in let me speak to him and come back to you."
Two days later she comes back and says they'll cancel the original order and replace it with a new one specifying March and July.
They're dumped. They don't know it yet because they don't expect me until March and when they chase me up they'll get the following:-
Dear YYYY,
In 30 years of sales and running my own business I have always believed a purchase order to be a guarantee of an agreement between two companies or organisations. If one party wishes to change an agreement then they ask if that is possible.
As your manager has, with little notice arbitrarily cancelled my visit in January and sought to replace it with one which is advantageous to him I realise that any written communication, including purchase orders from "XXXXX" company is not worth the pixels it has been produced with.
Therefore please find someone to clean your windows who does not mind having their schedule messed about on the whim of some low level supervisor.
Yours flouncingly,
GOLD
;D
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while were at it ive earmarked another 6 or 7 jobs that are for the chop for various reasons,persistent delay in getting paid,dog muck in their gardens and skipping cleans for no good reason.some all 3!
theres one due tomorrow and im really hoping he says "can you leave it this time" then im never going back ever! ;D
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Anyway I've dumped a £70 job earlier this month (a commercial quarterly). UBER-FLOUNCE!
Shall I tell you what happened? Must you? Yes. Okay then.
I got a purchase order for four cleans specifying July/October/January/April and that I need to go in early to cone off half the car park. Therefore I email them a few days before saying when I plan on coming.
Earlier this month I did just that and back comes an email from my contact saying her manager says it's not worth it in the rain and to leave it until March. I fire back an email politely but candidly pointing out that I have a purchase order specifying January and April and I would be happy to negotiate a change for next years purchase order but expected this one to be honoured.
Got a reply from my contact to the effect of "Oops sorry forgot about that, manager's not in let me speak to him and come back to you."
Two days later she comes back and says they'll cancel the original order and replace it with a new one specifying March and July.
They're dumped. They don't know it yet because they don't expect me until March and when they chase me up they'll get the following:-
Dear YYYY,
In 30 years of sales and running my own business I have always believed a purchase order to be a guarantee of an agreement between two companies or organisations. If one party wishes to change an agreement then they ask if that is possible.
As your manager has, with little notice arbitrarily cancelled my visit in January and sought to replace it with one which is advantageous to him I realise that any written communication, including purchase orders from "XXXXX" company is not worth the pixels it has been produced with.
Therefore please find someone to clean your windows who does not mind having their schedule messed about on the whim of some low level supervisor.
Yours flouncingly,
GOLD
;D
thats brilliant as always malc! ;D ;D
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Blimey Dazmond, you got over that Ebola pretty quick! I hope you're going to donate your body for medical research.
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Blimey Dazmond, you got over that Ebola pretty quick! I hope you're going to donate your body for medical research.
i still feel a bit rough mate.im just left with a hacking cough now! :( ;D
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I had the old "Lose one, gain two" last week.
Lost a contract for car showrooms and picked up two houses.
Somehow it aint balanced out :D :D
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Tata?
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8 weekly stand alone job.easy access.usually late payers(but pay after about a month after several text reminders).miserable ignorant snotty customers though.
the woman has never said 2 words to me in a year of cleaning them til today.
i turn up(its NOT raining by the way,a bit windy but not gale force).she hangs out of the window "not today as its going to rain later!last time you came,2 days later they were filthy again after heavy rain!"
so i said "when do you want me to do them then?"she said "you could try next week".i then said "what if its forecast heavy rain?"
"oh er!the week after that then!"
i then said "im not coming back!i cant run a business like that!" and did a proper GOLD flounce!! >:( ;D
you cant lose in this game though as the other week i picked up an 8 weekly commercial job (£60) so im not losing out! :)
Ruthless! ;D
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I thought I was being a bit grumpy recently. lol
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There is nothing like a good flounce now and again for sure ;D
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I thought I was being a bit grumpy recently. lol
im usually cool as cucumber mate!but i nearly told her to f off!im defo not 100% fit yet.
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Tata?
Yeah, bye
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Had a big clear out.
All the rubbish and bad payers gone
All £10 jobs moved from 7 weeks to 6.
Might lose some of those but not bothered.
All new work is now £15 or above.
Mind you my diary on George is looking a bit empty ha ha.
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Whenever the weather comes up in conversation i always say gotta crack on the bills don't stop coz of the weather,they'll think about that in the future when they try and say not today thanks not that I have any.1 strike and there out with the weather card.
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I did have quiet a good job a few months ago say can we leave it until the spring I said you keep me going for a couple of cleans in the winter and I'll keep your Windows clean all summer,she laughed and said just ignore me they still look clean in the winter lol.
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Today I booked in a new yearly conny roof deep clean for April as the customer said the weather is too bad now.
I had to laugh at the roof is self cleaning glass ;D
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In my experience, self cleaning glass left to itself turns grey. The dirt seems to break down, but doesn't wash off as it's supposed to in the rain, so it just builds up. It does seem to make windows easier to clean with wfp though. ;D ;D
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There is no such thing as self cleaning glass, its just big companies with big marketing budgets and putting their own spin on it, just look at other big companies like reckitt benckiser who produce the cillit bang range of cleaning products, their marketing spin is bang and the dirt gone. Ya right.
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as soon as a customer says "dont do them today cos its forecast rain tomorrow/later in the week "etc get dumped there and then.
i must admit this is the first job ive dumped for years because of this reason.
i remember the last time.it was 4 or 5 years ago and it was a nice,bright sunny day but the weather forecast was not looking good for the next day.it was a small £8 job.i just said i wont be coming back.she looked shocked!how on earth did she think i was gonna make any money if i didnt clean hers on a dry day with just the THREAT of rain the next day?
of course they dont think at all or try and use it as a feeble excuse cos their skint instead of being up front and honest.
99% of my customers are great.good solid customers.the other 1% are getting dropped as from today.
every year i have a cull and put a few prices up. :)
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It's been a while since I've been on here - rubbish weather has temporarily stopped me from working...
Thought I'd share this letter I sent to a serial late-paying customer after he had the cheek to dump me with a note saying they were fed up with being asked to pay their bills and why don't I come back in the evening to collect:
Dear xxxxxx,
Window Cleaning Service
Thank you for your payments that have now brought your account up to date.
I acknowledge your wish to terminate the window cleaning service, although I must emphasize that the feeling is mutual.
You state in your covering letter that the number of prompts and tone of letters requesting payment has become tiresome. At no time have I been anything other than professional and courteous in my communications with you or your wife.
Communicating with your household via landline (I do not have mobile numbers for you or your wife) has proved quite difficult as often the phone isn’t answered but instead goes to a message that says that a message cannot be left!
When I managed to speak to Mrs xxxxxxx in August so as to remind her that that the bill from June was outstanding, she promised a cheque would be sent prior to you going on holiday. I was not surprised when it did not arrive. Nonetheless, I patiently waited until 3rd September until my next visit. Remarkably, whilst I was cleaning the windows to the rear of the house, xxxxxxx got into her car and drove away without acknowledging me or even apologising for the delayed payment. This was not the first time this has happened. In the circumstances I believe I was even more patient and courteous in carefully writing out the compliment slip requesting the two cheques. Another 10 days passed without receipt of payment. So another reminder letter had to be sent. I do not believe that is excessive.
On several occasions in the past when Mrs xxxxxxx was in when I have come to clean the windows she has not been able to pay me as the cheque book was with yourself but was given assurances that it would sent in the “next few days”. This never happened without having to chase for payment.
For the first couple of years I always left a stamped addressed envelope for your convenience with the bill. Because it proved to be a waste of money for the stamps I decided to stop stamping the envelopes but still left an addressed envelope.
For your information I have tabulated below the cleaning and payment-received record for xxxxxxxx
Date of Clean Date of Payment Days to Pay
03 Sep 15 25 Sep 15 22
26 Jun 15 25 Sep 15 91
01 May 15 01 May 15 0
06 Mar 15 01 May 15 57
07 Jan 15 04 Feb 15 28
06 Nov 14 04 Feb 15 90
11 Sep 14 01 Oct 14 20
23 Jun 14 05 Sep 14 74
28 Apr 14 05 Sep 14 130
04 Mar 14 09 Apr 14 36
27 Dec 13 09 Apr 14 103
29 Oct 13 21 Nov 13 23
02 Sep 13 21 Nov 13 81
26 Jun 13 03 Aug 13 38
01 May 13 01 May 13 0
05 Mar 13 02 Apr 13 28
08 Jan 13 02 Apr 13 84
13 Nov 12 08 Jan 13 101
12 Sep 12 03 Oct 12 21
19 Jun 12 19 Jul 12 30
24 Apr 12 24 Apr 12 0
24 Feb 12 24 Apr 12 59
25 Jan 12 04 Feb 12 10
The average time it has taken for a window cleaning bill to get paid at xxxxxxxx is 49 days or 7 weeks. My payment terms are clearly stated on every bill as 7 days – certainly not 7 weeks! The odd late payment is always to be expected; holidays, sickness, mislaying the bill etc. But over the 3½ years and 23 visits to xxxxxx I have been paid on time on only three occasions.
I have over 300 regular window cleaning customers varying between 4 and 8 weekly clean schedules. During each year I also have dozens of “one-off” cleans for conservatories, gutters, patios and driveways.
With such a busy schedule I neither have the time nor inclination to re-visit customers in the evening to collect payment. Instead, I make it as easy as possible for customers to pay their bills either by cheque (self-addressed envelope for their convenience), by bank transfer or by debit/credit card via PayPal. Therefore, “tiresome” as you say, is exactly the word that I would use to describe the on-going situation of having to wait weeks and weeks and to repeatedly chase for payment. Other words would be “frustrating”, “embarrassing” or “soul-destroying”.
Those customers who respect the professional service I provide all manage to pay their bills in a timely fashion. Should you decide to employ the services of another window cleaner in the future I hope you will show more respect for his service than you have done for mine.
Therefore, and I make no apologies for using your phraseology, please take this letter as notice that I do not want to continue cleaning your windows and, yes, we are (indeed at last) square!
Yours sincerely,
I know it took me an hour to compose the letter - but I felt so good after!!
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Brilliant mate. Good on you :)
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wow!thats a brilliant letter but i couldnt be bothered going to them lengths.i tell em face to face or over the phone the reason why im not continuing.
well done!clear,concise and straight to the point. :)
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I'm sorry guys but there's nothing brilliant about that letter other than to make the sender look as if he's been wounded
deeply by the fact that the customer cancelled.
The only thing missing would be a violin playing a sad tune in the background while its being read out.
If a decent customer cancels and its not because of a problem with you then thank them for their custom and move on.
If a messer cancels then good riddance to bad rubbish is all they need to hear or better still don't even reply.
Sorry if this sounds harsh.
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I'm sorry guys but there's nothing brilliant about that letter other than to make the sender look as if he's been wounded
deeply by the fact that the customer cancelled.
The only thing missing would be a violin playing a sad tune in the background while its being read out.
If a decent customer cancels and its not because of a problem with you then thank them for their custom and move on.
If a messer cancels then good riddance to bad rubbish is all they need to hear or better still don't even reply.
Sorry if this sounds harsh.
I wasn't wounded deeply at all - he was a messer and I was glad to see him go. However, I wasn't going to let him have the last word and get away with an attitude that came across as he was the aggrieved party. Whether he actually read my letter or not, I don't really care - I just don't think people should be disrespectful without good cause...
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It's been a while since I've been on here - rubbish weather has temporarily stopped me from working...
Thought I'd share this letter I sent to a serial late-paying customer after he had the cheek to dump me with a note saying they were fed up with being asked to pay their bills and why don't I come back in the evening to collect:
Dear xxxxxx,
Window Cleaning Service
Thank you for your payments that have now brought your account up to date.
I acknowledge your wish to terminate the window cleaning service, although I must emphasize that the feeling is mutual.
You state in your covering letter that the number of prompts and tone of letters requesting payment has become tiresome. At no time have I been anything other than professional and courteous in my communications with you or your wife.
Communicating with your household via landline (I do not have mobile numbers for you or your wife) has proved quite difficult as often the phone isn’t answered but instead goes to a message that says that a message cannot be left!
When I managed to speak to Mrs xxxxxxx in August so as to remind her that that the bill from June was outstanding, she promised a cheque would be sent prior to you going on holiday. I was not surprised when it did not arrive. Nonetheless, I patiently waited until 3rd September until my next visit. Remarkably, whilst I was cleaning the windows to the rear of the house, xxxxxxx got into her car and drove away without acknowledging me or even apologising for the delayed payment. This was not the first time this has happened. In the circumstances I believe I was even more patient and courteous in carefully writing out the compliment slip requesting the two cheques. Another 10 days passed without receipt of payment. So another reminder letter had to be sent. I do not believe that is excessive.
On several occasions in the past when Mrs xxxxxxx was in when I have come to clean the windows she has not been able to pay me as the cheque book was with yourself but was given assurances that it would sent in the “next few days”. This never happened without having to chase for payment.
For the first couple of years I always left a stamped addressed envelope for your convenience with the bill. Because it proved to be a waste of money for the stamps I decided to stop stamping the envelopes but still left an addressed envelope.
For your information I have tabulated below the cleaning and payment-received record for xxxxxxxx
Date of Clean Date of Payment Days to Pay
03 Sep 15 25 Sep 15 22
26 Jun 15 25 Sep 15 91
01 May 15 01 May 15 0
06 Mar 15 01 May 15 57
07 Jan 15 04 Feb 15 28
06 Nov 14 04 Feb 15 90
11 Sep 14 01 Oct 14 20
23 Jun 14 05 Sep 14 74
28 Apr 14 05 Sep 14 130
04 Mar 14 09 Apr 14 36
27 Dec 13 09 Apr 14 103
29 Oct 13 21 Nov 13 23
02 Sep 13 21 Nov 13 81
26 Jun 13 03 Aug 13 38
01 May 13 01 May 13 0
05 Mar 13 02 Apr 13 28
08 Jan 13 02 Apr 13 84
13 Nov 12 08 Jan 13 101
12 Sep 12 03 Oct 12 21
19 Jun 12 19 Jul 12 30
24 Apr 12 24 Apr 12 0
24 Feb 12 24 Apr 12 59
25 Jan 12 04 Feb 12 10
The average time it has taken for a window cleaning bill to get paid at xxxxxxxx is 49 days or 7 weeks. My payment terms are clearly stated on every bill as 7 days – certainly not 7 weeks! The odd late payment is always to be expected; holidays, sickness, mislaying the bill etc. But over the 3½ years and 23 visits to xxxxxx I have been paid on time on only three occasions.
I have over 300 regular window cleaning customers varying between 4 and 8 weekly clean schedules. During each year I also have dozens of “one-off” cleans for conservatories, gutters, patios and driveways.
With such a busy schedule I neither have the time nor inclination to re-visit customers in the evening to collect payment. Instead, I make it as easy as possible for customers to pay their bills either by cheque (self-addressed envelope for their convenience), by bank transfer or by debit/credit card via PayPal. Therefore, “tiresome” as you say, is exactly the word that I would use to describe the on-going situation of having to wait weeks and weeks and to repeatedly chase for payment. Other words would be “frustrating”, “embarrassing” or “soul-destroying”.
Those customers who respect the professional service I provide all manage to pay their bills in a timely fashion. Should you decide to employ the services of another window cleaner in the future I hope you will show more respect for his service than you have done for mine.
Therefore, and I make no apologies for using your phraseology, please take this letter as notice that I do not want to continue cleaning your windows and, yes, we are (indeed at last) square!
Yours sincerely,
I know it took me an hour to compose the letter - but I felt so good after!!
No one in their right mind would read that waffle.
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I'm sorry guys but there's nothing brilliant about that letter other than to make the sender look as if he's been wounded
deeply by the fact that the customer cancelled.
The only thing missing would be a violin playing a sad tune in the background while its being read out.
If a decent customer cancels and its not because of a problem with you then thank them for their custom and move on.
If a messer cancels then good riddance to bad rubbish is all they need to hear or better still don't even reply.
Sorry if this sounds harsh.
We all like to have a moan Sean. You more than anyone else.
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i will not tell them im not doing them anymore, let them think why you are doing everyone elses but not theirs, this gives me great satisfaction knowing i have no one to answer to ,ive been cleaning a house wfp for 1 year now, its the first time the cust. has been home while ive been cleaning them. they all dry perfect as i usually check new customers windows after cleaning to make sure no spotting or drip lines from seals, anyway she decides she dosent like them left wet, after 1 year of doing them this way.
she asked me to dry them, grittinh my teeth after explaining wfp to her, still wants me to dry them. i squeegeed them off, never do them again. i can clean whoever s windows i like, and get rid of who ever i like.
dump before she says ive got someone else to do them, sorry. TOO LATE YOUR DUMPED :D :D :D ;) ;) ;D
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MOST OF THE TIME A CUSTOMER WHO ISNT HAPPY WITH THE WAY YOU CLEAN WILL JUST GET A TRAD GUY TO DO THEM, dont give them the satisfaction to think you are dispersable, one upmanship. i have certain areas where i actually like working now, out of town, new builds easy to clean , customers who apreciate what you do. and who always pay, well sometimes on time. not worth loosing for someone to move in ;)
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I'm sorry guys but there's nothing brilliant about that letter other than to make the sender look as if he's been wounded
deeply by the fact that the customer cancelled.
The only thing missing would be a violin playing a sad tune in the background while its being read out.
If a decent customer cancels and its not because of a problem with you then thank them for their custom and move on.
If a messer cancels then good riddance to bad rubbish is all they need to hear or better still don't even reply.
Sorry if this sounds harsh.
I wasn't wounded deeply at all - he was a messer and I was glad to see him go. However, I wasn't going to let him have the last word and get away with an attitude that came across as he was the aggrieved party. Whether he actually read my letter or not, I don't really care - I just don't think people should be disrespectful without good cause...
Sorry Pro but they were disrespectful of you from the start, the way to show respect to a person doing work for you is to
pay them as quick as possible to the agreed time.
They know they are bad payers and you pointing this out wont do anything more than give them the satisfaction of knowing
that you are annoyed enough to go to the trouble of writing the letter.
I do know where your coming from but the best way to treat scum like this is to ignore them and let them know they don't matter, plus in future make sure you dump somebody with as bad a payment record as they had long before they do it to you,
they should have been dumped after the second clean. :)
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No one in their right mind would read that waffle.
You did!!! :D
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Pro-Smart can I ask what was the price of each clean?
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Pro-Smart can I ask what was the price of each clean?
Sure - £25, why?
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If I had allowed it to go that far (unlikely), I would have been a lot briefer with the letter.
The cleaning and payment dates are a nice touch as it shows that you are a pro who keeps proper records, rather than some fly-by-night. However, the rest of the letter is just casting pearls before swine and is more than they deserved.
Maybe:
Just a thank you for notifying me of the cancellation of your window cleaning service. Below is the record of cleaning and payment dates. You will see that the terms of engagement regarding payment times have been breached on multiple occasions, often by a considerable margin. Like all businesses, mine requires a reasonable cash flow in order to continue trading. If all my customers took so long in paying, my business would have gone under.
Even that is probably more than they deserve.
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Pro-Smart can I ask what was the price of each clean?
Sure - £25, why?
Thanks, just wondered as was a lot of grief you went through for 3.5 years trying to get paid on time that's all.
You seem to have a lot more patience than most as I'm sure many would have binned that bad paying customer and replaced within the first year.
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Pro-Smart can I ask what was the price of each clean?
Sure - £25, why?
Thanks, just wondered as was a lot of grief you went through for 3.5 years trying to get paid on time that's all.
You seem to have a lot more patience than most as I'm sure many would have binned that bad paying customer and replaced within the first year.
It took him 59 days to get paid for the second clean 99.9% would have ended it there. :o
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No one in their right mind would read that waffle.
You did!!! :D
I really didn't. The length and lots of numbers meant I cba. Same as your customer I assume.
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No one in their right mind would read that waffle.
You did!!! :D
Ha ha! So true.
So did I actually and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Keep posting.
The responses in this thread have made me analyse why I sometimes type up these kind of letters and send them. I think that if someone can string a few words together and enjoys doing so then our line of work is a bit limited as to where you can use that skill.
Also there is sometimes a bit of reverse-snobbishness going on in the back ground because I believe that some customers look down on my line of work and I can take it personally and I want to show "how clever" I am. So I may come across as a bit of a numpty by writing a carefully worded letter that "puts them in their place".
Other times I feel more secure about myself and either walk away and don't respond until they ask if I am going to do their windows (which isn't the most professional way but from which I derive some level of "flouncy" satisfaction when I refuse.).
I have to say I would not let that amount of debt build up (pro-smart's) and never clean after two cleans are done and I have not been paid.
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No one in their right mind would read that waffle.
You did!!! :D
Ha ha! So true.
So did I actually and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Keep posting.
The responses in this thread have made me analyse why I sometimes type up these kind of letters and send them. I think that if someone can string a few words together and enjoys doing so then our line of work is a bit limited as to where you can use that skill.
Also there is sometimes a bit of reverse-snobbishness going on in the back ground because I believe that some customers look down on my line of work and I can take it personally and I want to show "how clever" I am. So I may come across as a bit of a numpty by writing a carefully worded letter that "puts them in their place".
Other times I feel more secure about myself and either walk away and don't respond until they ask if I am going to do their windows (which isn't the most professional way but from which I derive some level of "flouncy" satisfaction when I refuse.).
I have to say I would not let that amount of debt build up (pro-smart's) and never clean after two cleans are done and I have not been paid.
I doubt any customer feels "put in their place" after receiving a letter full of waffle and bs.
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No one in their right mind would read that waffle.
You did!!! :D
Ha ha! So true.
So did I actually and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Keep posting.
The responses in this thread have made me analyse why I sometimes type up these kind of letters and send them. I think that if someone can string a few words together and enjoys doing so then our line of work is a bit limited as to where you can use that skill.
Also there is sometimes a bit of reverse-snobbishness going on in the back ground because I believe that some customers look down on my line of work and I can take it personally and I want to show "how clever" I am. So I may come across as a bit of a numpty by writing a carefully worded letter that "puts them in their place".
Other times I feel more secure about myself and either walk away and don't respond until they ask if I am going to do their windows (which isn't the most professional way but from which I derive some level of "flouncy" satisfaction when I refuse.).
I have to say I would not let that amount of debt build up (pro-smart's) and never clean after two cleans are done and I have not been paid.
I doubt any customer feels "put in their place" after receiving a letter full of waffle and bs.
No, but I suspect many would feel "outgunned" on the intellect front. He is in South Bristol. ;D
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I don't bother with writing letters to customers I have dropped. If they want to use my services again, I tell them why I stopped calling, politely but in a way that they know I'm no longer their fool.
I've mentioned many times before on here of an ongoing situation where I cleaned a small semi in May 2012, for which to this day I am owed 12 euros. It was a first clean as well! She has approached me on numerous occasions recently (even calling across the road in the town centre from her car) saying she wants me to clean her windows again.
I agree that I will ... when she pays me what she owes plus the fresh clean in advance. Still no money (doesn't worry me), so still no clean. Her windows will be minging by now!
John
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I'm sorry guys but there's nothing brilliant about that letter other than to make the sender look as if he's been wounded
deeply by the fact that the customer cancelled.
The only thing missing would be a violin playing a sad tune in the background while its being read out.
If a decent customer cancels and its not because of a problem with you then thank them for their custom and move on.
If a messer cancels then good riddance to bad rubbish is all they need to hear or better still don't even reply.
Sorry if this sounds harsh.
I agree with you SeanK
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Dazmond said,
''as soon as a customer says "dont do them today cos its forecast rain tomorrow/later in the week "etc get dumped there and then''
I agree. I don't give them a second chance anymore.
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@Hummer
Quite so - that's why I put speech marks around it.
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Anyway I've dumped a £70 job earlier this month (a commercial quarterly). UBER-FLOUNCE!
Shall I tell you what happened? Must you? Yes. Okay then.
I got a purchase order for four cleans specifying July/October/January/April and that I need to go in early to cone off half the car park. Therefore I email them a few days before saying when I plan on coming.
Earlier this month I did just that and back comes an email from my contact saying her manager says it's not worth it in the rain and to leave it until March. I fire back an email politely but candidly pointing out that I have a purchase order specifying January and April and I would be happy to negotiate a change for next years purchase order but expected this one to be honoured.
Got a reply from my contact to the effect of "Oops sorry forgot about that, manager's not in let me speak to him and come back to you."
Two days later she comes back and says they'll cancel the original order and replace it with a new one specifying March and July.
They're dumped. They don't know it yet because they don't expect me until March and when they chase me up they'll get the following:-
Dear YYYY,
In 30 years of sales and running my own business I have always believed a purchase order to be a guarantee of an agreement between two companies or organisations. If one party wishes to change an agreement then they ask if that is possible.
As your manager has, with little notice arbitrarily cancelled my visit in January and sought to replace it with one which is advantageous to him I realise that any written communication, including purchase orders from "XXXXX" company is not worth the pixels it has been produced with.
Therefore please find someone to clean your windows who does not mind having their schedule messed about on the whim of some low level supervisor.
Yours flouncingly,
GOLD
;D
That bit in red ... they've just emailed me with a new purchase order for March asking me to contact them to arrange a visit.
;D
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Anyway I've dumped a £70 job earlier this month (a commercial quarterly). UBER-FLOUNCE!
Shall I tell you what happened? Must you? Yes. Okay then.
I got a purchase order for four cleans specifying July/October/January/April and that I need to go in early to cone off half the car park. Therefore I email them a few days before saying when I plan on coming.
Earlier this month I did just that and back comes an email from my contact saying her manager says it's not worth it in the rain and to leave it until March. I fire back an email politely but candidly pointing out that I have a purchase order specifying January and April and I would be happy to negotiate a change for next years purchase order but expected this one to be honoured.
Got a reply from my contact to the effect of "Oops sorry forgot about that, manager's not in let me speak to him and come back to you."
Two days later she comes back and says they'll cancel the original order and replace it with a new one specifying March and July.
They're dumped. They don't know it yet because they don't expect me until March and when they chase me up they'll get the following:-
Dear YYYY,
In 30 years of sales and running my own business I have always believed a purchase order to be a guarantee of an agreement between two companies or organisations. If one party wishes to change an agreement then they ask if that is possible.
As your manager has, with little notice arbitrarily cancelled my visit in January and sought to replace it with one which is advantageous to him I realise that any written communication, including purchase orders from "XXXXX" company is not worth the pixels it has been produced with.
Therefore please find someone to clean your windows who does not mind having their schedule messed about on the whim of some low level supervisor.
Yours flouncingly,
GOLD
;D
That bit in red ... they've just emailed me with a new purchase order for March asking me to contact them to arrange a visit.
;D
I await to see your reply ........... instead of dismissing out of hand u maybe want to charge extra £££££ as "due to their poor condition from not being cleaned thru winter" ;D
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Ian; that is excellent advice - and having cooled down since January I had started to draft just such a letter last night. But now the sun is streaming through their dirt laden windows as I write I'll let them await my reply to the email - maybe send it late tomorrow afternoon or early Monday morning.
I'll think about the wording while I'm out today.
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I just say when I quote if your not in you will get a ticket in the box you can pay me cash if your in or online if your not,I clean all year round and as long as it's not raining stair rods I will clean them are you ok with that. There initial reaction is enough to let me know where I stand,if I was deaf as a post and I handed them a leaflet saying all that the reaction would show me enough about them to know whether it's worth taking on.
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Well I took Ian 101's advice and wrote back (more long winded and politely) that the windows were so messy, 5 months had elapsed and the price would be £100 not £70.
A week later they replied to say they agreed and sent me a new order through.
I'm quite happy with that.
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Well I took Ian 101's advice and wrote back (more long winded and politely) that the windows were so messy, 5 months had elapsed and the price would be £100 not £70.
A week later they replied to say they agreed and sent me a new order through.
I'm quite happy with that.
Mercenary! ;D
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Lol well done