[A & J Owen Window Cleaning]

We have this customer who approached us last year because her previous window cleaner hadn't turned up. For first few months no problems and then early this year every so often it would be call back tomorrow etc.....
Anyway last week we turned up on Monday - I'm going out she says, come back tomorrow. We are in the area again anyway so say no probs. Turn up and she says sorry forgot we are going to a funeral (!!), can you come back next Monday (now inconvenient because weve finished all the work in that area and told her so)....we come back and you guessed it turned us away again. Pointed out that this is the third time that she's cancelled - no apology. All she has to do is open the gate and pay us - we can do work and loose ourselves out.
I would normally just dump there and then but we do her daughters and sons so its a big hit to potentially lose all of them. You can't ring her before because she never answers the damn phone!
Anyway, have just dropped off a letter (she was out again) to say that we cannot have 'not this times' for no good reason (especially not 3 times in a week), to explain that no business can be profitable this way and say that unless we can book in a fixed date then v sorry but she'll need to find another window cleaner.
The way I see it that at least if she doesn't come back to us then she can't moan at us for not turning up! However, other half wasn't too keen and just didn't want to go back!
What do most people do? Just dump or do a letter/speak to them?

[Pope vader]

i would of just dumped and not even sent a letter

[elite mike]

i think you have been very lenient with her.

i would have said see you next month then,seen as you do relatives as well .

but i would quietly dump her.

[Perfect Windows]

We have this customer who approached us last year because her previous window cleaner hadn't turned up. For first few months no problems and then early this year every so often it would be call back tomorrow etc.....
Anyway last week we turned up on Monday - I'm going out she says, come back tomorrow. We are in the area again anyway so say no probs. Turn up and she says sorry forgot we are going to a funeral (!!), can you come back next Monday (now inconvenient because weve finished all the work in that area and told her so)....we come back and you guessed it turned us away again. Pointed out that this is the third time that she's cancelled - no apology. All she has to do is open the gate and pay us - we can do work and loose ourselves out.
I would normally just dump there and then but we do her daughters and sons so its a big hit to potentially lose all of them. You can't ring her before because she never answers the damn phone!
Anyway, have just dropped off a letter (she was out again) to say that we cannot have 'not this times' for no good reason (especially not 3 times in a week), to explain that no business can be profitable this way and say that unless we can book in a fixed date then v sorry but she'll need to find another window cleaner.
The way I see it that at least if she doesn't come back to us then she can't moan at us for not turning up! However, other half wasn't too keen and just didn't want to go back!
What do most people do? Just dump or do a letter/speak to them?

You're doing the right thing in telling her.  Otherwise you become yet another window cleaner who "just stopped coming".

If you don't want to dump her, why not just say that if you miss me through a "not today" we'll do your windows on our next time in the area, x weeks later.  The minor extra cleaning on her dirtier windows will be worth it for keeping her family's work.

Vin

[AC Window Cleaning]

Just clean what you can access ie if its just the front then only do the front.
Thats all i do

[A & J Owen Window Cleaning]

can't clean any of the windows without her opening the gate otherwise would just do the fronts.
she's a bit of a strange one because she always wanted them done fortnightly and if we were 2 days late she moaned. I'm wondering if it's money issues so gave her the option to go less frequently if that suited.
Probably have been too lenient (the other half thinks I have) but I just didn't want to do a no show and give her the chance to bad mouth us (she's definitely that type).
Let's see if she rings 

[Jackal]

you got way to much patience,i wouldnt put up with that,i just wouldnt turn up and if the son/daughter asked why you stopped turning up tell them,

i had 1 a month ago women saw me at the front of terraced house,i go round do the backs first young girls comes running out can you leave it this time (i had them say this before) so i say its every month or not at all,as im walking away she says can you come back next week,no im not coming back see ya!(there is no access issues so why would i want go back when im not round that area next week,the bloke who lives there is sound and pays me but i told him before to tell his wife i come once a month but she seems to think its ok for me come clean when they dirty its on a main road so i will not do every other month

[mikecam]

I'd make sure she has my number and say you ring me when you want them doing and i'll see what i can or cannot do. That way she fits in or she doesn't and you don't upset the relatives by dumping her 

[Johnny B]

If it were one of my customers I would tell her I would leave it this time, and just turn up and do them next time. I don't usually phone my customers before cleaning, although there is the occasional one that may need to know beforehand.

If it happens twice in successive visits (extremely rare) I just don't go back, unless there is a very good reason. If I knew a customer was the bad mouthing type, I would also get rid.

My thoughts are that you are being very tolerant here.

John 

 
 

[Paul Coleman]

This is one of those rare jobs where I would pull T & Cs out of the woodwork.  Turn the window cleaner away and it costs 50% of the cleaning price (maximum charge of £10) to cover time lost.  Then the ball is in her court.
I wouldn't expect her to cough up but it would either focus her mind on the fact that you run a business rather than something that revolves around at her convenience.  Or she can dump you.  Either way you win.  You either get some money to compensate you for the inconvenience or you lose a customer who isn't worth having anyway.  The beauty of this is that she can't tell her relatives that you dropped her (unless she lies of course).

I'm about to write to one as well.  I've had to mull this over but have decided that it's time to move on.  The customer keeps me waiting a long time for payment before sending a cheque for three cleans at once - just before the fourth clean is due..  I normally have a limit of two.  Then, on a recent visit, the neighbours told me that she had just gone out.  She has started bottom bolting - something that has never happened before.  I've given bank details for electronic transfer so I've tried to make it easy.  They have never been used though.  What niggled me the most recent time too was that she wanted a conservatory roof clean.  I set the time aside and the next job was too far away to bother going to due to the time of day (just the way it worked out).  Therefore, it actually cost me income.  Enough is enough I think.  I will be a pro about this and write to her.

[GB Window Cleaning]

i too think your letting them get away with it! start as you mean to go on with custards ive learnt! 

[AuRavelling79]

It is always more difficult when you've got other family on board isn't it? Unless it's blisteringly good money for the family and unless you are really scratching for work I think a polite firm letter is the answer and if she messes you round again it's dumpedety dump!

[G Griffin]

You might not lose the son and daughters, though. They might be more reasonable or understanding.
I had one years ago; sacked me for something ridiculous; miniscule price increase or something.
Anyway, told me to leave both her sons`, too; they live in the same street. So I did.
Not long after, both sons asked me to clean again and said that they hadn`t agreed to the cancellation.

And is 3 customers that big of a loss anyway? Especially, if it rids you of all that running about after the mother.

[A & J Owen Window Cleaning]

cheers for the replies!
To be honest it's a profitable clean but no good if she messes us about like this. The daughter will just follow what her mom does but I think we'll keep the son (and he's in a run of about 10 houses). Have crossed them out of the rounds for now anyway!
Don't think for a second she'll reply to the letter - she's one of those that really looks down on the window cleaner and think it will be beneath her to pick up the phone!

[alfynokes]

You might not lose the son and daughters, though. They might be more reasonable or understanding.
I had one years ago; sacked me for something ridiculous; miniscule price increase or something.
Anyway, told me to leave both her sons`, too; they live in the same street. So I did.
Not long after, both sons asked me to clean again and said that they hadn`t agreed to the cancellation.

And is 3 customers that big of a loss anyway? Especially, if it rids you of all that running about after the mother.

Spot on

Same here had this problem with daughter, explained to her mother why, the mother even pays me up front now. Sometimes making an example in front of other customers is the best thing you can do.

[A & J Owen Window Cleaning]

if they dont want them doing the day i turn up ,then they wait till the next time ie 2 or 4 week later,cant believe you entertain going back the day after,and as for a week later they would be out of sync with the rest of the road

couldn't agree more. The other half has got way to soft with them  I'm not prepared to take any rubbish or to mess our round about for no good reason!

[A & J Owen Window Cleaning]

Customers husband is now saying his sister died and we were last on his list of priorities (message conveyed by text).....
Strange because if your sister in law had died I don't think you'd 'forget' a funeral which was what she said on Tuesday when you were talking to her on Monday.........in fact we're almost certain the customers husband doesn't have a sister!
They are saying they are going to find a new window cleaner (no explanation given), no wonder their last one (and the one before that didn't show up)!
I think it's pretty low to say something like that when it's not true - shows what some people will sink to.
Anyway, I've replied offering my sincerest condolences for his loss and wished him all the best for the future. Hope he feels good and guilty about lying about something like that  . At least we've been decent and professional about it and he can't criticise us for not showing up!

[Spruce]

I would turn up at the children and do their houses as normal. Also offer my sincere condolences on the passing of their Aunt to each of them.

Had one once who cancelled giving the sob story that he had lost his job and they needed to economise. I later saw his son in the street and asked him if his father had got another job yet. Son said his father was still working in the same job, so I bet he had a laugh at his father's expense for getting caught out.

Spruce

[A & J Owen Window Cleaning]

I would turn up at the children and do their houses as normal. Also offer my sincere condolences on the passing of their Aunt to each of them.

Had one once who cancelled giving the sob story that he had lost his job and they needed to economise. I later saw his son in the street and asked him if his father had got another job yet. Son said his father was still working in the same job, so I bet he had a laugh at his father's expense for getting caught out.

Spruce

that's exactly what we are going to do