[KS Cleaning]

She didn’t have time to open the gate because she was ironing! That in itself would be reason enough to dump straight away.

[james peters]

I like that shrek👍

Thanks everyone.

No not dog 💩 poo

Just junk (clutter nutter).

And bags of recycling with wheelie bins.

If you don’t trip over the hoses get tangled 😡

I tripped over clutter in dec 2016.
I dislocated my shoulder.
I now never clamber over clutter.

[Marc Stock]

Lee.

Dump the customer.

For limescale removal; i charge £35 per pane of glass alone. Best stuff to remove limescale is a ton of  iorn descaler tablets dissolved in a squeezy spray bottle of di water. Do not wet the glass, spray on dry.  Leave for a minute or two and then scrub with with a dry bush. Repeat this till all gone and then wash.

[nathankaye]

A couple of quid from bnq to get some good limescale remover.  Then get some 0000 grade steel wool and it takes no time at all to clean up. But charge for your experience and effort appropriately.

I did one not long back. A customer had a dripping overflow pipe above kitchen window. She couldnt virtually see out the window it was that cloudy.  She asked me to sort it and I refused until she sorted the cause. Several months later she got round to it and so I cleaned the window.  They thought a new pane of glass would be needed. So my price was good but less than a new piece of glass to be fitted and it came up like new. Large kitchen window, took about 5-8 mins to do.

[Walter Mitty]

Just txt her and say due to time restraints, I can no longer clean the back of your house. I have taken on some new customers and I can only see to so many customers a day and the back of your house takes twice as long as someone who gets it done monthly.
I would be happy to carry on cleaning front only for you though, cheers

If you do this, write constraints rather than restraints

[lee_dewing]

Customer sacked👍

Sent one of my bill/business cards, in stamped envelope.

Kept it short.

Mrs Jones.
I can no longer provide my service.

Thank you for your custom.
Best wishes Lee.

I’m also going to write a more polite letter to another 3 customers in that road telling them I don’t offer front only service now.

They will probably drop me but that’s fine.

Gonna have a kull got another few jobs I hate doing for various reasons 🤔

Thanks everyone.

Ps. Thanks for limescale tips guys.

I used ungers hard water remover yesterday.

Customer had been hosing garden, hard water marks😬

Squirted unger on Brush, scrubbed and all clean 👍

[lee_dewing]

Unger rub out

Meant to say

[AuRavelling79]

I clean a fairly large house for Mrs. S. at about £70.00 a pop depending on whether the annexe is done each time. I also clean her daughter's which is a £40.00 a time. I've been doing them for a few months now and with no problems.

So when Mrs S. phones me up on Tuesday on her daughter-in-law's behalf and asks if I can do hers (d-i-l) before the weekend. I ask for a brief description of the property and I estimate in my head that we're talking about an hours work if no hidden surprises. I tell Mrs S. I can swing by early Thursday (today) afternoon give a price and do it straight away if all OK. She assures me that that will be fine.

So I get there and a pleasant young chap answers the door (Mrs. S's son) - he knows nothing about it but understands that his wife and his mother had been talking about window cleaning and I ask if I can have a quick look round and price up. I tell him it'll be £40.00 first clean and £30.00 thereafter every 8 weeks.

He says that sound ok - I'll just phone my wife as she was the one who was interested.

I wait while he talks on the mobile and he says ...

"She says you charged £40.00 in and out last time."

Me: "Not me! I've never been here in my life before."

He repeats that to his wife.

Him: "She says the last guy charged £40.00 in and out, would you match that?"

Me: (Amazed) "Sorry? You're saying that the last window cleaner charged £40.00 in and out? Why have you asked me to call then if you can get a deal like that?" (I've already decided I'm not doing the job now; but I don't want to queer the pitch for the work I do for the Mother and his Sister.)

He repeats what I've said down the phone to his wife.

Him: She says actually it was £36.00 inside and out, but as she has friends visiting she'll let you do it for £40.00.

Me: I think it best you call your previous cleaner.

He repeats that to his wife.

Him: She says he hasn't been back for nearly a year so you can do it for £40.00 if you do both inside and out.

Me: I don't think I'm getting through to your wife, let me explain ... "NO! Have a lovely day, now."

I heard some garbled communication between them but I was out of earshot very quickly.

 

[robbo333]

Lee

I am guessing you've dumped them and fair play to you.

I don't do rudeness. Anyone who says they can't open the gate because they are ironing; that's just rude! They can go and do one!

I had a guy who was a 'lovey' I think he was an actor or something and every time I knocked he would say 'Oh it's you'

That lasted about 2 cleans.

I stopped going and his wife phoned me and apologised for his behaviour and I told her (very politely) to stuff it!

Today, I have been out cleaning and spent 30 mins with Olive. She lost her husband about 3 months ago, he was 100 years old. She's coping quite well and made me a nice cup of tea and we sat down and had a chat. When I left, she was laughing and cheerful.

Funny old job this!

[dazmond]

I clean a fairly large house for Mrs. S. at about £70.00 a pop depending on whether the annexe is done each time. I also clean her daughter's which is a £40.00 a time. I've been doing them for a few months now and with no problems.

So when Mrs S. phones me up on Tuesday on her daughter-in-law's behalf and asks if I can do hers (d-i-l) before the weekend. I ask for a brief description of the property and I estimate in my head that we're talking about an hours work if no hidden surprises. I tell Mrs S. I can swing by early Thursday (today) afternoon give a price and do it straight away if all OK. She assures me that that will be fine.

So I get there and a pleasant young chap answers the door (Mrs. S's son) - he knows nothing about it but understands that his wife and his mother had been talking about window cleaning and I ask if I can have a quick look round and price up. I tell him it'll be £40.00 first clean and £30.00 thereafter every 8 weeks.

He says that sound ok - I'll just phone my wife as she was the one who was interested.

I wait while he talks on the mobile and he says ...

"She says you charged £40.00 in and out last time."

Me: "Not me! I've never been here in my life before."

He repeats that to his wife.

Him: "She says the last guy charged £40.00 in and out, would you match that?"

Me: (Amazed) "Sorry? You're saying that the last window cleaner charged £40.00 in and out? Why have you asked me to call then if you can get a deal like that?" (I've already decided I'm not doing the job now; but I don't want to queer the pitch for the work I do for the Mother and his Sister.)

He repeats what I've said down the phone to his wife.

Him: She says actually it was £36.00 inside and out, but as she has friends visiting she'll let you do it for £40.00.

Me: I think it best you call your previous cleaner.

He repeats that to his wife.

Him: She says he hasn't been back for nearly a year so you can do it for £40.00 if you do both inside and out.

Me: I don't think I'm getting through to your wife, let me explain ... "NO! Have a lovely day, now."

I heard some garbled communication between them but I was out of earshot very quickly.

 

some people always have to compare your price to some  window cleaners price they paid years ago.....had one the other month.....£40 is too expensive,our last cleaner charged £25 in the old house(miles away)and we had lots more windows!

but you live in an upmarket part of cheshire now you stupid bint!(my price wasnt unreasonable for size of house/area).......

[lee_dewing]

AuRavelling79

I hate doing customers sons, daughters 😤 usually t!t5

Hope it didn’t muddy the waters😬

[lee_dewing]

Robbo 333

Yep I got a couple I have a tea with!

it’s nice we get to choose who we have on our rounds🤗

In a previous life I had to suffer some real planks at work 😳

[nathankaye]

I still have a small section of work, where the prices aren't great and they are slowly climbing up.

Did a customer house today who likes to moan at the price increase which bought her house to eight pounds. She always pays, but likes to comment on the increase. Anyway she says hi to her neighbour who steps up to the hedge and so I leave them to it, thinking he wants to talk to her. It turns out he wanted a quote for cleaning his windows too. So I told him I now have a min charge which is £10 every 4 wks or £15 every 8. He opted for four weekly. My customers face was priceless and she said, she ain't gonna moan at the increase again. 
That will probably last till next year when it finally gets increased to a tenner 😂😂  (but that's why I've been building new rounds in different areas, ready for the possibility of loosing ones on the upcoming price increases. If I loose them, it doesn't matter as I'm replacing with much higher prices work but if I keep them then it's win win either way.

[Walter Mitty]

I clean a fairly large house for Mrs. S. at about £70.00 a pop depending on whether the annexe is done each time. I also clean her daughter's which is a £40.00 a time. I've been doing them for a few months now and with no problems.

So when Mrs S. phones me up on Tuesday on her daughter-in-law's behalf and asks if I can do hers (d-i-l) before the weekend. I ask for a brief description of the property and I estimate in my head that we're talking about an hours work if no hidden surprises. I tell Mrs S. I can swing by early Thursday (today) afternoon give a price and do it straight away if all OK. She assures me that that will be fine.

So I get there and a pleasant young chap answers the door (Mrs. S's son) - he knows nothing about it but understands that his wife and his mother had been talking about window cleaning and I ask if I can have a quick look round and price up. I tell him it'll be £40.00 first clean and £30.00 thereafter every 8 weeks.

He says that sound ok - I'll just phone my wife as she was the one who was interested.

I wait while he talks on the mobile and he says ...

"She says you charged £40.00 in and out last time."

Me: "Not me! I've never been here in my life before."

He repeats that to his wife.

Him: "She says the last guy charged £40.00 in and out, would you match that?"

Me: (Amazed) "Sorry? You're saying that the last window cleaner charged £40.00 in and out? Why have you asked me to call then if you can get a deal like that?" (I've already decided I'm not doing the job now; but I don't want to queer the pitch for the work I do for the Mother and his Sister.)

He repeats what I've said down the phone to his wife.

Him: She says actually it was £36.00 inside and out, but as she has friends visiting she'll let you do it for £40.00.

Me: I think it best you call your previous cleaner.

He repeats that to his wife.

Him: She says he hasn't been back for nearly a year so you can do it for £40.00 if you do both inside and out.

Me: I don't think I'm getting through to your wife, let me explain ... "NO! Have a lovely day, now."

I heard some garbled communication between them but I was out of earshot very quickly.

 

In those situations there's always a concern that what you say will be misrepresented to the other relative - and you end up losing that too.  You have to stick to your guns though with a polite refusal.

I quoted a pub recently - in and out, ground floor only every two weeks.  The job looked very fiddly and I didn't have a good feeling about it when the first sentence was about keeping my price low.
It sounds a lot but, in my view, I was giving a fair deal at £90.  I had already established that there had been some kind of falling out with the previous cleaner about work quality, so I priced to ensure I could give a nice job.

It turned out the previous guy was charging £40.  I'm guessing he made an error with the price and was skimping to make up for that.  I simply said that at £40 she should have welcomed him and tolerated the odd glitch because that was a rock-bottom rate.

I know my price is beatable but £40 is ridiculous.  Apart from that, I'm not looking to be the cheapest.

[the king]

i would say due to the backs taking 35minits its going to have to be £15 for the backs from now on unless you have them done every time ,she will either cancle or agree either way your a winner as you sound like you are fed up with being  messed about

[AuRavelling79]

It must be the heat getting to them ... this came from a fairly new 8 weekly (no not him  ) customer.

Received a text late Sunday asking when I would be round next so they can leave the gate open.

I reply this morning that it will be this Wednesday.

I get a reply saying "Actually looking at them they don't need doing this month, we will have them done next time though, thanks (his name)"

My reply "I'm afraid I don't work on that basis as I work for customers who want a regular window cleaner. If that no longer fits with your requirements I'm quite happy  for you to get another window cleaner that doesn't mind having his/her schedule changing."

...

I'll let you know should I get a response. 

[dazmond]

It must be the heat getting to them ... this came from a fairly new 8 weekly (no not him  ) customer.

Received a text late Sunday asking when I would be round next so they can leave the gate open.

I reply this morning that it will be this Wednesday.

I get a reply saying "Actually looking at them they don't need doing this month, we will have them done next time though, thanks (his name)"

My reply "I'm afraid I don't work on that basis as I work for customers who want a regular window cleaner. If that no longer fits with your requirements I'm quite happy  for you to get another window cleaner that doesn't mind having his/her schedule changing."

...

I'll let you know should I get a response. 

an 8 weekly job missing a clean due to them "not needing doing" is an instant dump im afraid malc.....just like any customer who says "we dont want them doing cos its forecast rain later"........

this is a very rare occurrence on my round but when it does i usually never go back.....

[AuRavelling79]

Quite right Dazmond. The only chance they have is to come back with "OK sorry, carry on please."

Highly unlikely they will - pride and all that sort of "I ain't being dictated to by a (...) window cleaner!" stuff that goes through peoples heads.

[Walter Mitty]

It must be the heat getting to them ... this came from a fairly new 8 weekly (no not him  ) customer.

Received a text late Sunday asking when I would be round next so they can leave the gate open.

I reply this morning that it will be this Wednesday.

I get a reply saying "Actually looking at them they don't need doing this month, we will have them done next time though, thanks (his name)"

My reply "I'm afraid I don't work on that basis as I work for customers who want a regular window cleaner. If that no longer fits with your requirements I'm quite happy  for you to get another window cleaner that doesn't mind having his/her schedule changing."

...

I'll let you know should I get a response. 

What they never seem to realise it that, potentially, this is money lost to you forever.
Their £15?  If it happened three times a week that's possibly £2k a year from your takings.

[dazmond]

It must be the heat getting to them ... this came from a fairly new 8 weekly (no not him  ) customer.

Received a text late Sunday asking when I would be round next so they can leave the gate open.

I reply this morning that it will be this Wednesday.

I get a reply saying "Actually looking at them they don't need doing this month, we will have them done next time though, thanks (his name)"

My reply "I'm afraid I don't work on that basis as I work for customers who want a regular window cleaner. If that no longer fits with your requirements I'm quite happy  for you to get another window cleaner that doesn't mind having his/her schedule changing."

...

I'll let you know should I get a response. 

What they never seem to realise it that, potentially, this is money lost to you forever.
Their £15?  If it happened three times a week that's possibly £2k a year from your takings.

i lose money every week due to skipped cleans(holidays or building work being done),not being able to access the rear of properties,etc  BUT i sometimes pick up new work or an add on job or two which covers the lost money so it evens itself out over the course of the year.

its part and parcel of running a window cleaning business IMO........my grandad always used to say DONT COUNT YOUR CHICKENS BEFORE THEY HATCH.......