[Ian101]

Went wfp last year in November and until today had not lost a single customer due to the change to wfp.

Had 1 last year who said unless I squeegeed the bottom windows she was going to cancel so as I like to keep customers happy I said I would even though my gut instince was to tell her to forth and multiply - plus I didnt have a full round so money was another factor if im honest.

Anyways every visit since then theres always been a funny wisecrack along lines of "oh its raining again" or "is it monsoon season again" so was getting to point of not wanting to clean her windows plus as she runs a childminding service from house theres always kids toys, prams, trikes etc which the hose was always getting snagged on ... gets to her this morning and she comes out and says sorry but want to cancel because ... and you will love this one ... wait for it ..... "I DONT LIKE THE NOISE OF THE DRIPPING WATER"  

at least she couldnt find fault with the quality of the work.

however picked up 1 job within an hour to replace her  

The lesson I have learned is not to bend over backwards to please these feckers as with some people u just cant please them .... maybe I should have told her I would use soft water on her windows as its quieter.

[ascjim]

That's one i haven't heard before

[Ian101]

asked her if she had organised a new ladder window cleaner as I know she has fallen out with the only ladder cleaner in area ... said she was getting her husband to do them ... yep and pigs might fly .. so hopefully she will ask me to do them in a few months time when will take great pleasure in telling her sorry but cant fit you in as got too many customers.

[Dave66]

silly cow....ye make sure you dont go back when she comes out in summer "can you do mine today?"   

[G Griffin]

I`d check your tds Ian.
The higher it is, the more noise the water makes when dripping. That`s a fact.
I`d be very surprised if yours is zero.

[bobby p]

 i get pleasure  from  saying "do what love "  as i screw up my face  as if ive just smelled poop ,   when an ex -cust  asks to reinstate my service


 its almost worth paying a hapless bod good money to go offer his cleaning service at cheap price to an ex  and give terrible results so the cust really is desperate for you  later 

[Ste M]

i had one recently that e-mailed, the e-mail was along the lines of thanks for cleaing my windows for the last year and doing a great job but can you please go back to the old way of cleaning with a squeegee (only ever cleaned them once this way). I take complaints as serious as i can so replied straight away asking as to what the issue was and that i can clean them off a ladder no problem. she said it was down to her husband who likes things the old fashioned way, he is about the same age as me 35.

Anyway i agreed and on my next clean i did tem traditional but i missed all the frames and all the cills, i then e-mailed them and said thanks for the business but i will no longer be able to clean them as i dont feel the quality is right or that its safe as they have two bay windows i had to get my ladders over. i then recommended a local lad who cleans off ladders on the same estate and then said they can have the clean for free this time as a thankyou

Lo and behold the e-mail reply i got was from her husband insisting that i do them wfp but thanking me for my efforts, he then insisted on paying and continuing the service with myself.

Just got to let them think their in charge every now and again and that will keep them happy

[richard jagger]

It just freaks me, how all the custies think they know your job and yet they could not do there own windows. I OFTEN LOOK AT THE INSIDE WINDOWS OF THESE MOAN ASSES AND THINK" AND YOU ARE TELLING ME HOW ITS DOWN."

[christopher b]

had a shop cancel as they wanted the insides done same time as out from now on and they were not happy at the thought of me putting all that water over there floor!

I ain't even going to try and explaine...

[Paul Coleman]

Went wfp last year in November and until today had not lost a single customer due to the change to wfp.

Had 1 last year who said unless I squeegeed the bottom windows she was going to cancel so as I like to keep customers happy I said I would even though my gut instince was to tell her to forth and multiply - plus I didnt have a full round so money was another factor if im honest.

Anyways every visit since then theres always been a funny wisecrack along lines of "oh its raining again" or "is it monsoon season again" so was getting to point of not wanting to clean her windows plus as she runs a childminding service from house theres always kids toys, prams, trikes etc which the hose was always getting snagged on ... gets to her this morning and she comes out and says sorry but want to cancel because ... and you will love this one ... wait for it ..... "I DONT LIKE THE NOISE OF THE DRIPPING WATER"  

at least she couldnt find fault with the quality of the work.

however picked up 1 job within an hour to replace her  

The lesson I have learned is not to bend over backwards to please these feckers as with some people u just cant please them .... maybe I should have told her I would use soft water on her windows as its quieter.

So she puts in ear plugs every time it rains?

[the bfg]

poor lady,     must be awful when she runs a bath 

[Steven Shoreditch]

I've got one total idiot who insists that the patio doors are done trad - the rest is wfp.

She is a moron, though.

[dazmond]

i honestly think some of you have a bad attitude to your customers at times!!

why is she a moron because she wants her patio doors done trad?there are a few customers(usually old!)that i trad ground floor or patio doors.i have no problem with it.i have my belt/squeegees round my waist anyway ready to chop and change when it suits me or the customer.

i will not get the ladders out for em though if i can pole them!to be honest i have very few problems in regards to them not liking wfp.

IMO lots of customers dont like wet ground floor window sills or their doors washed down leaving too much water for them to step on.just simply wipe the sills and scrim the doors!its  simple things like this that can make all the difference to their attitude to you and vice versa!

as for the custy not liking the sound of dripping water i would of just laughed and walked off!at the end of the day its the customers choice!!you dont "own " them!!!

dazmond

[Tom White]

Over the years I've had a few different tradesmen do work for me.  I've had a plumber (he installed a combi and nine radiators), I've had an electrician and he checked my wiring and did some working making safe the dodgy DIY that previous occupants had done, I've had a roofer fix bits of my roof, and I've had a plasterer plaster most of my house.

I treat them how I expect to be treated.  I asked for a quote, agreed a price and a work schedule, and then let them get on with it.  When the job was finished, I paid them.

I didn't say, "No, I don't like electric drills; you'll have to use a hand drill", or, "I don't like that modern plaster, it's cheating, I want the horse hair and cow poo plaster you mix in an old bathtub", I just trusted them to get on with the job and do it the best way they see fit.

I don't let my customers dictate to me my working practises; I'm self-employed and they are not my employers.  I'm polite, and on the rare occasion it's been brought up, I let them know that I do the job the best way I see fit.

It's best to get rid of people who mess you about sooner, rather than later.  Bad customers are easily replaced.

[GB Window Cleaning]

listen to tosh by the way his advice is always spot on!

by the way where have you been tosh? ive missed ya!

glad your still on here mate, hope the universe is being good ta ya!

regards, gb

[Ian B]

One day, in all the bad snow that we have had, I gingerly made my way to work in my van. On the way, I passed one of my customers that I was going to. After working for about an hour in the freezing cold the husband of said customer came over the road to me and said "could you leave them this time, I think it's going to snow" and wait for this one "my wife saw you on your way down, and thought that you had done very well to get this far". I was speachless at this one, so didn't say much. I never went back to do their windows, and some four months or so, he asked me if I was doing his windows. I said "what do you think". He went off in a huff.

[johnny_h]

trouble is window cleaning is so easy to get into B & Q ladder bucket and sponge and you off people expect us to work for next to nothing due to the jokers that they have seen and have had before as i was told once window cleaners are 2 a penny in my area he was dumpted and has had 3 window cleaners come and go in a year