[GWCS]

I have cleaned this house for over 6 years

about 2 years ago, they had a conserv built with a glass roof

i cleaned them all the time every 6 weeks

they then decided it was too much so went, conserv glass roof every 3rd clean, conserv every other clean and the house all the time

i get a phone call today, she says : you cleaned the lot last time, it was 32 quid

yes i say

well my husband jet washed the conserv and roof the weekend before, so it was clean

i reply, i could tell you had the hosepipe on the go, as the water marks were fairly bad

well i will send you a cheque for the house and thats it

me : but i spent ages getting all the hard water marks off

her : well they were cleaned, so i am not paying

she hangs up

Matt you had no idea it was cleaned by them (weather it looked clean or not) you were only going as per your agreement with them. Therefore, i would actually tell them, your no longer prepared to do any further work work for them.

They should have told you they did not want the conservatory roof cleaned they broke the agreement. If that's they way they are going to treat you, tell them you are not prepared to be treated like that and they can find themselves someone else to take advantage of.

Dont just not turn up. Tell them.

[andyatkinson]

its so annoying when customers go like this, i had one i cleaned for coincidentally 6 years and my wife worked with me over one summer, any way this lady and hubby made us tea every time chatted about everythin then my wife forgot to shut the gate and she said f off and dont come again! it always makes me wonder with weired stuff like this are people that pathetic that they might be skint and rather have a fall out with someone then just have the balls to explain and ask you to call again or wait for cash.
Jusdt think matt you could of been at home watchin your favourite kids tv shows instead ;)sad times

[matt]

its so annoying when customers go like this, i had one i cleaned for coincidentally 6 years and my wife worked with me over one summer, any way this lady and hubby made us tea every time chatted about everythin then my wife forgot to shut the gate and she said f off and dont come again! it always makes me wonder with weired stuff like this are people that pathetic that they might be skint and rather have a fall out with someone then just have the balls to explain and ask you to call again or wait for cash.
Jusdt think matt you could of been at home watchin your favourite kids tv shows instead ;)sad times

i do wonder sometimes aswell, i did think it coul dhave been money, here hubby is a builder and we know they are now finding it a little harder

just all seems a little silly, if they couldnt afford it, just pay me what i am owed and tell me i am not required anymore

it might be the hubby though, as he has issues with the money i earn for the time i am at the house,a few years ago, he asked if i could reduce the price as it only takes me 45 mins, i said i couldnt, that was when they reduced the freq of the cleaning of the roof etc

Was the conserv roof due to be cleaned that time?

yes, it was all due a clean

[Tosh]

Nothing surprises me about some people. 

I started my round off from scratch, and anyone whose done this knows they end up with a lot of 'customer rejects' from previous window cleaners; so I suspect I've had most of this sort of rubbish over the years.

It's difficult, but I try and just forget about it now; and not lie awake in bed planning confrontations or revenge.  Normally, when someone says, 'It's not the money, it's the principle', it normally is the money!

But when you're a window cleaner and you feel someone's taking the mick out of you, it very much is the principle.

I'd just drop them.  Maybe they're hacked off because Matt's always on holiday in Disneyland Florida?

 

[matt]

.

I'd just drop them.  Maybe they're hacked off because Matt's always on holiday in Disneyland Florida?

 

funny you should mention that, as she was 1 of my customers who got the hump because i was going away again last oct, she said and i qoute " if you didnt charge us so much then you wouldnt be able to afford all these holidays " a few said that, some in jest, some i thought " what a nasty spitefull thing to say "

[mark dew]

Do tv licensing give a discount because she doesn't have a tv on all the time? No!
You should go the small claims route out of principle that you have done what she told you and not what she secretly wanted. 
My most heard frequent comment is that i am very quick. I smile and agree. 

[Tosh]

I don't tell my customers much about my personal life; not that I'm 'rolling in it' mind.

I know what some of them are like. 

The ones who think they do a 'technical job'; especially those working class lads who've strived to get an 'education'; would hate to think that their window cleaner works less hours, suffers less stress, and could possibly earn more money than them!

My big brother is the maintenance and contracts manger for Vickers in Newcastle.  It's a large heavy-engineering plant that has been going for at least 100 years; he's degree educated; twice over; runs a large team of lads who works for him; receives bottles of whiskey and free tickets in posh boxes for Newcastle football matches from contractors; yet works extremely long hours, his marraige has suffered because of it; on top of constant studying and unhealthy doses of stress (which to be fair, he copes with very well), but I don't think his wage reflects his input.

But I know for a fact, he'd get a 'bee in his bonnet' if he thought his window cleaner earned more than him, for less hours and less stress.

Fact!

Don't tell your customers too much.

[ftp]

I'm such a good windowcleaner that nobody deserves me. I turn everyone away.

[SteveAllan]

Some people expect the earth, i had a call today from a women who rents out property. She said she has a tenant moving out and wants a one off clean (3 bed new build) ready for the new person coming in. I say £15 she says thats very expensive i was expecting you to say £5 or £6 , I says cya try someone else. She then pipes up dont worry mate the rest of the street dont have a wc so theres plenty of business for you to pick up while your there, i then says thanks for that i'll be round to see the neighbours this evening, just been picked up 6 Still not doing hers though

[AuRavelling79]

Sounds like money and envy to me (on your custies part).

Ditch. And yes I would return the cheque with this letter:-

Dear Mrs Stinkypants,

Please find enclosed your cheque for £X.

You are fully cognisant that our agreement was for a clean every third time for the whole conservatory. The fact that your husband decided to clean it (using a pressure washer which left "hard" water marks all over it) and not have the decency to inform me before I arrived to carry out the work previously agreed simply underlines the reason that I shall never have you as a customer again.

I return your cheque because you have underpaid me for the work I have done and I consider the debt for £32.00 fully outstanding.

I refuse to work for people who take delight in "diddling" others and I hope you feel proud of your actions. Perhaps I was fortunate enough to have an upbringing that taught me to be considerate of others.

Yours sincerely,

[Tosh]

Malc,

Spot on.


 

[AuRavelling79]

Malc,

Spot on.


 

I thank you Sir! BTW - that fence of yours still standing or has a whirlwind taken it off your hands and dumped it in the Severn?

[Oakley Windows]

Gosh thats an unfortunate surname, Stinkypants, no wonder shes got a chip on her shoulder

 

[martinsadie]

Malc 

[mark dew]

Great letter. 
But i prefer to put less effort into dropping a troublesome customer.
I do get the hump sometimes and have before wanted to write out a contradiction or previous misdemeanour, but i try to remind myself that life is too short and i generally just drift away. And let them spend their time on it if they want.

[cozy]

Some people expect the earth, i had a call today from a women who rents out property. She said she has a tenant moving out and wants a one off clean (3 bed new build) ready for the new person coming in. I say £15 she says thats very expensive i was expecting you to say £5 or £6 , I says cya try someone else. She then pipes up dont worry mate the rest of the street dont have a wc so theres plenty of business for you to pick up while your there, i then says thanks for that i'll be round to see the neighbours this evening, just been picked up 6 Still not doing hers though

Classic, I recon some people are still expecting Stan Ogden to tip up and do the windows with an old T shirt. A bit like Stan The Man

[AuRavelling79]

Great letter. 
But i prefer to put less effort into dropping a troublesome customer.
I do get the hump sometimes and have before wanted to write out a contradiction or previous misdemeanour, but i try to remind myself that life is too short and i generally just drift away. And let them spend their time on it if they want.

There's a lot of sense in what you say, Mark.

[leapstallbuildings]

.

I'd just drop them.  Maybe they're hacked off because Matt's always on holiday in Disneyland Florida?

 

funny you should mention that, as she was 1 of my customers who got the hump because i was going away again last oct, she said and i qoute " if you didnt charge us so much then you wouldnt be able to afford all these holidays " a few said that, some in jest, some i thought " what a nasty spitefull thing to say "

I've had bits of my personal life thrown back in my face before by a customer too.
Due to that, I'm a much more closed book to my customers than I used to be.  I can have a reasonably friendly manner but still keep the boundaries in place.  These days, I do keep quite strict boundaries.  It feels better that way.

[Chameleon]

Sounds like money and envy to me (on your custies part).

Ditch. And yes I would return the cheque with this letter:-

Dear Mrs Stinkypants,

Please find enclosed your cheque for £X.

You are fully cognisant that our agreement was for a clean every third time for the whole conservatory. The fact that your husband decided to clean it (using a pressure washer which left "hard" water marks all over it) and not have the decency to inform me before I arrived to carry out the work previously agreed simply underlines the reason that I shall never have you as a customer again.

I return your cheque because you have underpaid me for the work I have done and I consider the debt for £32.00 fully outstanding.

I refuse to work for people who take delight in "diddling" others and I hope you feel proud of your actions. Perhaps I was fortunate enough to have an upbringing that taught me to be considerate of others.

Yours sincerely,

I would be more inclined to write...

Dear Mrs ....,

Please find enclosed your cheque for £X.

You are aware of our agreement
A clean every third time for the whole conservatory.
The fact that your husband decided to clean it (using a pressure washer which left "hard" water marks all over it) is immaterial!
You did not inform me and I carried out the work previously agreed!

I return your cheque because you have underpaid me for the work I have done and I consider myself to be an honest worker and worthy of my full wages.
I believe the debt of £32.00 is now outstanding!

I understand you may disagree and indeed have by offering this cheque (returned).

If you decide not to honour our previous agreement I will have no alternative but to discontinue my cleaning service!

I would like to thank you for your custom over these many years and hope we can sort this out amicably,


Yours sincerely,

I know this may not have the punch, but it offers the hand of friendship and opens the way forward.  After all you don't want bad feelings every month when you go by!
They may well talk to their nieghbours, (liked or un-liked)
And you may lose more! (as someone else has already stated!)

Unfortunatly in this line of business it happens