Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Stoots on July 28, 2021, 06:36:47 pm
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So cleaned a first clean today, it was raining at the time....
Heres the message i have just recieved
"Hi don’t bother doing my windows and doors again thanks. I was in and you didn’t do them properly and coming in the rain is ridiculous.
Will leave it at that just 2 minutes of your life wasted so no great loss! I wont leave a bad review just a lesson learnt! Just call it quits!"
>:(
I take it by "call it quits" she means she will not be paying lol
So do i
A/ offer to rectify, if she refuses take her to small claims court purely for the hell of it
B/ take it on the chin, be thankfull the scum has been culled and moved on
it was only a £12 clean and to be fair only took 10 mins but there is principle at play here
or other option ?
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I personally wouldn't take it to heart,you have a customer that doesn't understand wfd and thinks you should be there an hour for £12 ,don't bother replying remove from your round and find another one,
When you get a new customer explain wfd ie Windows will be left wet,we wash all glass,frames and doors,no ladders against your property also I work from the ground so your privacy is respected,that's always worked for me
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She'll find a new window cleaner who uses the same method takes a similar amount of time to do the job then realise she's an arse as that's how the job is done.
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You could waste time asking whether the windows were clean but she probably just doesn't want to pay, and if you poke at the situation she'll just leave a bad review out of spite.
I'd just say 'Sorry to hear that, I do my best to do a good job and have done this for x years without a complaint, rain makes difference otherwise I wouldn't clean in the rain, all the best'
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I would say it's cleaning them in the rain was the main issue - personally we don't unless it's commercial
I think made worse by being a first clean as well - so many think it's like trad and can't be cleaned while raining
Just move on not even worth a second thought
Darran
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thanks, i guess i will just leave it.
I always clean in the rain, honestly reckon ive had more complaints on hot days with spotting than ive ever had in the rain.
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I never clean domestic customers in pouring rain it’s raining they have water on them you clean them WFP they have water on them,have in mind that most customers don’t understand the concept of the clean.
If it’s raining hard most people even if they don’t say anything to you won’t approve just because they are having you clean their windows if you did this on a regular basis you’d probably get moans,if I do a domestic and it’s rained at some point when I do the next clean I try to make sure I’m doing it in better weather for that particular job.
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I never clean domestic customers in pouring rain it’s raining they have water on them you clean them WFP they have water on them,have in mind that most customers don’t understand the concept of the clean.
If it’s raining hard most people even if they don’t say anything to you won’t approve just because they are having you clean their windows if you did this on a regular basis you’d probably get moans,if I do a domestic and it’s rained at some point when I do the next clean I try to make sure I’m doing it in better weather for that particular job.
Yeh but i always clean in rain, almost every week it rains to some extent. Cleaned loads in torrential rain as well, probably had a few complaints but far offset by the money ive earned. Guess i wont let one customer spoil that and just crack on ;D
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Yeah that’s fine m8 it all depends on what you’re cleaning if I was paying 12 quid I’d suffer the odd clean in the rain,you can’t keep cleaning good paying jobs in pouring rain and losing lots of them because of this you may think again you may not.
I generally look at the weather at the weekend and plan my week the old cleaner planner doesn’t do this does it,a computer program doesn’t say to you that job for 100 quid you cleaned last time on a dodgy day is due Tuesday when it’s raining stair rods again I use common sense,if you keep cleaning the same jobs in the rain it’s inevitable you will lose some.
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You could waste time asking whether the windows were clean but she probably just doesn't want to pay, and if you poke at the situation she'll just leave a bad review out of spite.
I'd just say 'Sorry to hear that, I do my best to do a good job and have done this for x years without a complaint, rain makes difference otherwise I wouldn't clean in the rain, all the best'
I think this is closest to the best response. I think I’d be tempted to add, please just take a look at the windows tomorrow and assess if they’re clean or dirty. And then ask her if she can text you how they look, if she’s still dissatisfied I’d be tempted to tell her you’ll pop round so she can show you, call her out. Just because she’s taking the pi55 I’d want to call her out. Look her in the eye. I like that. Make her lie to your face for the sake of saving herself 12 quid.
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Your customers will also appreciate that you don’t clean when it’s actually raining I clean obviously before and after bad weather an occasionally get caught in it but I’d never actually pull up when it’s raining lol,I’m not saying they don’t dry clean when you work in the rain but you try telling that to the majority of customers.
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Go back round and say you’ll do than by hand cut a 1/4” square out of a squeegee blade and crack on when you’ve finished she’ll have zig zags galore lol,sorry madam I tried my best 🤣🤣
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You could waste time asking whether the windows were clean but she probably just doesn't want to pay, and if you poke at the situation she'll just leave a bad review out of spite.
I'd just say 'Sorry to hear that, I do my best to do a good job and have done this for x years without a complaint, rain makes difference otherwise I wouldn't clean in the rain, all the best'
I think this is closest to the best response. I think I’d be tempted to add, please just take a look at the windows tomorrow and assess if they’re clean or dirty. And then ask her if she can text you how they look, if she’s still dissatisfied I’d be tempted to tell her you’ll pop round so she can show you, call her out. Just because she’s taking the pi55 I’d want to call her out. Look her in the eye. I like that. Make her lie to your face for the sake of saving herself 12 quid.
while I agree, and the majority feel like this - you need to think about how much time your going to waste trying to convince someone who is not going to change their mind - spend the time earning or doing something more enjoyable
Darran
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Some people don’t from the start want a regular clean they say initially they do but they never do this will be a problem imo in the next 10-15 years,a lot of home owners in their 40s and 50s want them doing when they feel they need cleaning I can see monthly cleans something we only talk about that used to happen in the near future.
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Block and delete, nothing good will come of trying to get payment. I personally don’t do first cleans in the rain but she’s probably a scammer that would have found another reason not to pay anyway.
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So cleaned a first clean today, it was raining at the time....
Heres the message i have just recieved
"Hi don’t bother doing my windows and doors again thanks. I was in and you didn’t do them properly and coming in the rain is ridiculous.
Will leave it at that just 2 minutes of your life wasted so no great loss! I wont leave a bad review just a lesson learnt! Just call it quits!"
>:(
I take it by "call it quits" she means she will not be paying lol
So do i
A/ offer to rectify, if she refuses take her to small claims court purely for the hell of it
B/ take it on the chin, be thankfull the scum has been culled and moved on
it was only a £12 clean and to be fair only took 10 mins but there is principle at play here
or other option ?
id turn up tomorrow and knock on her door and check out the windows...if they are clean id insist she paid me and explain the system and how it works....no messing about....id probably wave my card machine in her face at the same time... ;D
i can honestly say ive never had a customer thats so rude and dumb as this one adam!
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Block and delete, nothing good will come of trying to get payment. I personally don’t do first cleans in the rain but she’s probably a scammer that would have found another reason not to pay anyway.
no way would i do this....id be knocking on her door first thing tomorrow....
i can honestly say ive never NOT been paid for a first clean in 28 years of window cleaning..... :)
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Rained every day this week for me.
Would you have sat at home counting your notes NWH and smudger? 🤷♂️
Working in the rain is no problem at all. Offer a rain guarantee and that’s all you need.
You’ve just stumbled across an oddball. Just crack on and forget about her. As above put a polite message back then just block her.
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Block and delete, nothing good will come of trying to get payment. I personally don’t do first cleans in the rain but she’s probably a scammer that would have found another reason not to pay anyway.
no way would i do this....id be knocking on her door first thing tomorrow....
i can honestly say ive never NOT been paid for a first clean in 28 years of window cleaning..... :)
I can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve been ‘had’. It happens, I’d not want to waste another second of my time on it.
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10 minutes and it was raining is why she's phed off.
OP says he was getting more complaints from spotting in the hot weather. You shouldn't be getting so many complaints. Are you not being thorough?
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Rained every day this week for me.
Would you have sat at home counting your notes NWH and smudger? 🤷♂️
Working in the rain is no problem at all. Offer a rain guarantee and that’s all you need.
You’ve just stumbled across an oddball. Just crack on and forget about her. As above put a polite message back then just block her.
Was that not what I said ?
as regards to working in the rain - no we don't - I think the worst run in 11 years of doing windows was 3 days where it rained all day - had one full week when we had the beast from the east
perfection of the wider public is that cleaning windows in the rain is wrong ( altho the opposite is true ) they compare it to washing the car etc...
when taking on new customers I would say the second question asked what if its raining ?
I say light rain or showers have no effect on the quality of clean - heavy rain doesn't effect the quality either but we just don't like working in it so we will catch you up the next working day..
Darran
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10 minutes and it was raining is why she's phed off.
OP says he was getting more complaints from spotting in the hot weather. You shouldn't be getting so many complaints. Are you not being thorough?
first clean in 10mins?
I bet it wasn't a good quality finish, no wonder she moaning.
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10 minutes and it was raining is why she's phed off.
OP says he was getting more complaints from spotting in the hot weather. You shouldn't be getting so many complaints. Are you not being thorough?
Yes I know that's what's annoyed her. But most of my work is 10 mins a house and quite often in the rain.
I said I've had more complaints in hot weather with spotting than I've had from rain. That's not to imply I get loads of complaints just that it's more likely to happen on sunny days. If you've never had a complaint you are not cleaning fast enough.
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10 minutes and it was raining is why she's phed off.
OP says he was getting more complaints from spotting in the hot weather. You shouldn't be getting so many complaints. Are you not being thorough?
first clean in 10mins?
I bet it wasn't a good quality finish, no wonder she moaning.
I've asked her what the issue was and she hasn't mentioned anything apart from it was chucking it down.
There was 2 of us cleaning i... 3 windows and a door each.
Anyway it's done now I will just put it down to her being a scumbag and move on. Guarantee if she wasn't in she would have coughed up and been non the wiser some people just don't like to see you earn money so fast, should take it as a compliment.
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Sounds as though she just doesn’t like that fact that it only took you X amount of minutes and she believes it should have taken longer.
I always work in the rain and very few customers even comment on it anymore. Those that don’t accept it get a warning, then get dropped.
I agree with smudger, consider how much and energy you will waste to chase up this £12.00. It’s really not worth it. Life’s too short.
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So there were two of you. Twenty minute job for one at £36an hour.
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Just reply ok I'll return and put that dirt back on next time I'm passing, squirt brush with fairy give front windows a good frothing, jobs a good en
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10 minutes and it was raining is why she's phed off.
OP says he was getting more complaints from spotting in the hot weather. You shouldn't be getting so many complaints. Are you not being thorough?
first clean in 10mins?
I bet it wasn't a good quality finish, no wonder she moaning.
I've asked her what the issue was and she hasn't mentioned anything apart from it was chucking it down.
There was 2 of us cleaning i... 3 windows and a door each.
Anyway it's done now I will just put it down to her being a scumbag and move on. Guarantee if she wasn't in she would have coughed up and been non the wiser some people just don't like to see you earn money so fast, should take it as a compliment.
I think that's harsh - why a scumbag - just because they disagree with you ? Have you never complained ?
There's simply a difference of opinion and we are just a service industry, a service that your customer (for whatever reason) didn't like - perhaps take a more pragmatic approach and examine your service rather than slag her off - its obviously bothered you having to make a thread about it
Darran
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So there were two of you. Twenty minute job for one at £36an hour.
Yeh that's about right
It's a first clean though, would normally take one man 10 mins not 20. I don't charge extra for first cleans I just take the hit. Literally on this occasion :D
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10 minutes and it was raining is why she's phed off.
OP says he was getting more complaints from spotting in the hot weather. You shouldn't be getting so many complaints. Are you not being thorough?
first clean in 10mins?
I bet it wasn't a good quality finish, no wonder she moaning.
I've asked her what the issue was and she hasn't mentioned anything apart from it was chucking it down.
There was 2 of us cleaning i... 3 windows and a door each.
Anyway it's done now I will just put it down to her being a scumbag and move on. Guarantee if she wasn't in she would have coughed up and been non the wiser some people just don't like to see you earn money so fast, should take it as a compliment.
I think that's harsh - why a scumbag - just because they disagree with you ? Have you never complained ?
There's simply a difference of opinion and we are just a service industry, a service that your customer (for whatever reason) didn't like - perhaps take a more pragmatic approach and examine your service rather than slag her off - its obviously bothered you having to make a thread about it
Darran
Because she didn't just complain she flat out refused to pay or offer me the chance to rectify.
I carried out the service as we agreed on the day we agreed. I tried my best to do a good job.
A decent person would message more politely and ask for it to be rectified surely not flat out refuse to pay.
I told her I would be happy to call back and sort any issues she said just leave it.
So she doesn't want to pay or want me to sort it out.
She is a scumbag in my eyes, she just wants a free clean. Of course it upset me, why wouldn't it I've gone out of way to do a job wasted my time and costs to get a response like that. I felt like ringing her neck.
But I can't do anything can I without getting into trouble so have to just suck it up and move on.
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First impressions and all that...
Darran
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I would just leave it and move on over time you can learn to suss people out on the doorstep.
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I would just leave it and move on over time you can learn to suss people out on the doorstep.
Very true.
Sometimes it’s possible to suss people out on an Internet forum and there’s no need to bother with the doorstep.
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Yeah and that
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Rained every day this week for me.
Would you have sat at home counting your notes NWH and smudger? 🤷♂️
Working in the rain is no problem at all. Offer a rain guarantee and that’s all you need.
You’ve just stumbled across an oddball. Just crack on and forget about her. As above put a polite message back then just block her.
Was that not what I said ?
as regards to working in the rain - no we don't - I think the worst run in 11 years of doing windows was 3 days where it rained all day - had one full week when we had the beast from the east
perfection of the wider public is that cleaning windows in the rain is wrong ( altho the opposite is true ) they compare it to washing the car etc...
when taking on new customers I would say the second question asked what if its raining ?
I say light rain or showers have no effect on the quality of clean - heavy rain doesn't effect the quality either but we just don't like working in it so we will catch you up the next working day..
Darran
You said you thought cleaning in the rain was the main problem. I just addressed that. 🤷♂️
Your other advise was spot on though.
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I said customer see it as a problem
I’d clean it the rain but I don’t like getting wet - so I don’t
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It’s not a question of if we like cleaning in the rain or not that’s irrelevant,you can’t come to any conclusions unless you always put yourself in the customers position do they like you turning up and cleaning in the rain if the answers no you will always have problems.
I have a number of customers who aren’t hardly ever in they are holiday homes,I have work where I can dive inside for a few hours every now and then I leave wet days for these,it’s common sense I’d rather wait it out for a day or so before I do these jobs why lose a job worth 1000-1500 a year because “you” want to clean it,you are working for them not the other way round if you keep cleaning in the rain when they don’t really like it at all if you lose it who’s to blame.
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Those small jobs are either an absolute piece of pee or they are nothing but hassle.
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Wibble as per usual
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This is the way i would be looking at it.
The job takes 10 mins for £12. On a good day thats a nice hourly rate.
Youve wasted probably 10 mins just on this forum debating what if not longer and your not getting paid for that. If you go back and see her try and reason with her then maybe offer a reclean thats probably another 20 mins wasted plus 10 mins driving there. When all said and done you might waste 1 hour+ for the sake of earning £12 for a customer who sounds like an absolute nightmare from the get go.
I have learned to go with my gut feeling and let the universe speak to me. If a customer looks really problematic from the start, do i want to waste my time and self respect to try and convince them of my worth, or am i better off to just use my time to make more money for other customers out there who will respect the value in my service.
I used to get so upset with non paying customers or complainers. Now i just dont care. Bin them off, onto the next one. Always be polite though and if anything apologise. Do this purely so that they dont leave you a bad review. I couldnt care less about there feelings i just dont want a bad review online from a psycho karen type customer.......
I've had the same issue as you in the past so i can totally get how you are feeling ive had it myself many times in the past.
If you are a man of principle then take her to the small claims court. I am no longer a man of principle. I dont care if customers dont pay me, i just want an easy stress free life that doesn't involve threatening to take customers to court for the sake of £10 lol.
Dont need the stress, im happy to bury my pride and principles for the sake of an easy life and easy money ;D
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Wibble as per usual
You could always tell us what they are like you’ve probably got plenty of em 🤣🤣
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Modded
Possibly a slight over-reaction.
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Just let it go.
If you don't, you'll end up with a bad review saying you turned up in pouring rain and took just five minutes to do a crap job.
Then you will have a problem!
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we clean all weather. first cleans, one off cleans, regular cleans, domestic cleans, commercial cleans... have done since we started.
never really an issue.
a few of our reviews even mentions what a great job we did cleaning in rain
how can you be reliable if you stop cleaning in certain weathers?
i would always call this customer and talk it through with them and explain to them. its just the professional way to handle it in my opinion.
saying that if i was a one man band i might not bother either cleaning in the the rain or bothering with people like this. i;d just charge more and ignore them
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People that try to justify cleaning in bad weather have multiple employees I hear it all the time the reason you see a hose out going down the road in the pouring rain is because more often than not they are working for someone,why would you want to clean windows in the wind and rain or just rain alone it’s because the work “needs” to be done to pay the wages and pay for the vehicles etc that’s the real reason.
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That depends on your set up "some need" some don't some clean in the rain others do some customers complain others don't
Some people have red as their favorite colour others prefer blue...
Darran