[supernova77]

I've been cleaning windows for just over a year now... I've never had any complaints so far, but got a snotty note through the post this morning with a cheque.

I've attached the note below... But just to set the scene:

Me and my cousin turned up to this house a few weeks ago at about 1pm, it was a new customer - first clean - the windows were filthy. I had only met the guy who lives there when I quoted for the job. Anyway, I knock on the door just to let them know we are there and about to start... I can see the women in the living room, but she doesn't answer the door for some strange reason.

We start cleaning, all windows are newish leaded windows, and there is a massive conservatory type thing added onto the kitchen which is also newish lead.

I do all the tops with WFP, he does all the bottoms with spray. We decide to leave the big conservatory bit until last, which I did with WFP.

Whilst I was cleaning this large conservatory bit the woman walks into the kitchen and then disappears again!

We finish the job, the windows are gleaming!

I knock on the door so that I can explain to her that the windows will dry off clean etc... and to collect payment - But again no answer! So I leave a SAE and a "your windows have been cleaned" note.

I went back about 2 hours later to double check that the windows had dried fine, and they were all still gleaming, no runs or spots!

This morning (3 weeks later)... This is what I get in the post!



I can only imagine that she thinks we missed some windows because I would have left the ones I did with WFP wet, but the ones done with spray would have been dry.

I'm going the cash the cheque and then write a letter back to them.

Andy

[007 or what]

there is no letter

[supernova77]

You should be able to see it now?

Andy

[jeff1]

Were not dryed with a leather, she's still living in george formbys day's,

I think the fault may have layed in were you did some wfp and some trad, I can see why this may have confused her, also an explaination letter would have been ideal in this case, just to let them know we now live in a world were we are governed by the HSE.

How rood she never bothered answering the door, if she was a little scared or shy, she could have a least spoke to you from the safety of a window.

Best rid of in my mind.

[007 or what]

sorry its here now . snotty so and so she should have answered the door. I've had this too. they came home when the windows were wet i'd finished and gone home said they didnt like them wet,

[Paul Coleman]

I've been cleaning windows for just over a year now... I've never had any complaints so far, but got a snotty note through the post this morning with a cheque.

I've attached the note below... But just to set the scene:

Me and my cousin turned up to this house a few weeks ago at about 1pm, it was a new customer - first clean - the windows were filthy. I had only met the guy who lives there when I quoted for the job. Anyway, I knock on the door just to let them know we are there and about to start... I can see the women in the living room, but she doesn't answer the door for some strange reason.

We start cleaning, all windows are newish leaded windows, and there is a massive conservatory type thing added onto the kitchen which is also newish lead.

I do all the tops with WFP, he does all the bottoms with spray. We decide to leave the big conservatory bit until last, which I did with WFP.

Whilst I was cleaning this large conservatory bit the woman walks into the kitchen and then disappears again!

We finish the job, the windows are gleaming!

I knock on the door so that I can explain to her that the windows will dry off clean etc... and to collect payment - But again no answer! So I leave a SAE and a "your windows have been cleaned" note.

I went back about 2 hours later to double check that the windows had dried fine, and they were all still gleaming, no runs or spots!

This morning (3 weeks later)... This is what I get in the post!



I can only imagine that she thinks we missed some windows because I would have left the ones I did with WFP wet, but the ones done with spray would have been dry.

I'm going the cash the cheque and then write a letter back to them.

Andy

You're from Farnham then?  I wondered where that old bat of a customer had moved to  

Yes it may well have been you using two different methods on the same house that confused them.  However, you are charging for the finish - not for the method used.  Of course you may also have been in the crossfire of a struggling relationship (e.g. he gets you to clean the windows without telling her.  she is unhappy with him anyway and having a go at the window cleaner is her way of having a dig at him).  All sorts of permutations really,  People can be complicated.

[supernova77]

I think the fault may have layed in were you did some wfp and some trad

I agree, but thats why I tried knocking to say that some would still be wet and others were done with spray.

I'm not actually that bothered about loosing the job... It just annoys me that she waited 3 weeks!

She could have phoned me the same day, or day after and we could have sorted it all out!

Andy

[Clive McDonald]

I had something similar. About 3rd clean, but first WFP and I had cleaned cons/got green off roof in with the price on previous visits. Didn't think she was in, then suddenly halfway through popped up other side of kitchen window appearing very busy just as I was doing it.
Go round front downstairs to finish, and am thinking that there are an awfull lot of cobwebs and dirt on the inside of these windows and they can't have been cleaned at all in over a year internally.(when I got the job last october she told me they'd just moved in).
Then, just when I'm thinking this she appears the other side of the glass and starts scrubbing. I think, that's a coincidence, not done for a year, then when I'm doing it. It occurs to me that she might be embarrassed.
Finish, ring for payment. Cheque in hand ready written; out we're finding things a bit tight and having to cut back so don't require you anymore. When I thought about it afterwards she seemed more angry than embarrassed.
When people have got a bee in their bonnet and you don't know what it is there isn't a lot you can do.

[pjulk]

Andy

I reckon she just wanted a one off clean in the first place and never intended on continuing the service.

Paul

[pylofm]

Just sounds like a messer....ignore it, move on, she does sound like a one-off merchant....nothing you can do....I now charge a 1st clean price as I been been caught a few times....so if they have me over at least my time is covered.

Cheers
Dave.

[crystal.clear]

andy i work alot in farnham and to be hoenst there is quite a few snotty ppl there.

[Tosh]

Normally I would suggest 'eggs', but I'm considering becomming a vegan.

Can you not sneak up and spray veggie oil on their windows?

I bet that's a pain to get off.

[supernova77]

crystal.clear,

Whereabouts in Fleet do you live? I do a lot of work in Fleet.

Andy

[macmac]

ignorant bitch!!
i'd cash the cheque then send another bill for late payment & never bother going back. if she contacts you just tell her to go & f*** herself!!
as you can probably tell, i hate these kind of people

[Andy@w.c.s]

I would suggest that the fitters have covered over these makes with something
and over the period that you have been cleaning them the pure water has slowly taken this off

Relax and explain this to her place the blame back on them
 

[cybersye]

Personally, I would'nt have even started cleaning them if she was in, could see you and did'nt even have the courtesy to answer the door! alarm bells may have started ringing then. Most my customers are'nt really bothered whether I use trad or wfp but I do like to aquaint myself with a new customer and explain my working method. She's the sort you could well do without, lesson learnt

[EasyClean]

If I turn up to 'initially clean' a new customer's house, ring the doorbell and the new customer doesn't have the decency to answer the door after a couple of minutes even though they are aware of my prescence I would stop working and wait until they answer the door because alarm bells would be ringing in my head that the customer is on the 'dodgy' side and just after a 'one off' clean!!!!! 99% of the time I get this gut feeling when I'm right so I try to avoid customers like this at all costs. I always charge one and a half times the price on initial cleans if they're reasonably dirty just to cover my extra time as a way of covering myself should the customer pull the wool over my eyes!!!

[williamx]

Andy

Do you charge more for the 1st clean? if not then you should consider doing so, a lot of new customers only want a clean then they don't want you back until they really dirty again so if you charge at least double for a 1st clean this normally stops them sacking you.

[Paul Coleman]

Andy

Do you charge more for the 1st clean? if not then you should consider doing so, a lot of new customers only want a clean then they don't want you back until they really dirty again so if you charge at least double for a 1st clean this normally stops them sacking you.

I usually (though not always) charge 50% more for a first clean.  For this, I go around the job twice.  First time to do frames + glass.  Second time for glass only (and to catch any muck that's come down from the top.  The 50% doesn't completely cover the extra time taken but at least I know that I have been mostly compensated if it turns into a one off.  The first time around doing the full clean isn't so bad as I do tops then bottoms on each side (less hose movement).  It doesn't matter about dripping down onto the lower windows because I will be doing a second pass anyway where I usually do all the tops and back around to do all the bottoms.  Generally, it can take me 75% longer to do a first clean or maybe double if they are in a mess.

[supernova77]

You may remember this post from last week?

I waited for the cheque to clear, and have sent them the following letter...

Andy

---
I write in reply to a note that I received with regards to our window cleaning services carried out on your property on 25th January 2007.

In your note you stated the following 2 points:

1.    That your windows were not cleaned to the required standard.
2.    That we cleaned them in a hurry, left them wet, and missed some windows out altogether.

In response to point 1… When we arrived to clean the windows they were very dirty… In fact I had been informed previously by you that they had not been cleaned for a long time!

Once we had cleaned the windows including the frames and sills they did look much much cleaner. In your note you fail to state exactly what was wrong with the actual cleaning results?

In response to point 2… The windows were not cleaned in a hurry, we always take our time to make sure the job is done properly.

Yes, they were left wet – But this is because all of the top windows and some of the bottom windows were cleaned with a pure water system… We clean all top windows with this method in accordance with new health and safety guidelines which limit the use of ladders. Because this system uses pure water the windows are left wet but do dry clean… Some of your bottom windows were also cleaned using this method.

We cleaned ALL of the windows on your property… We did not miss any out! Some bottom windows were cleaned by my business partner by hand using some cleaning spray and a scrim… These windows would not have been left wet, so perhaps that is why you thought that they were missed out?

When we arrived at your property to clean the windows I knocked on your door 3 times but no one answered, even though I knew someone was in. Why was this?

When we finished cleaning your windows, I again knocked on your door to explain that we had used the pure water system, and that some windows were still wet etc… and to collect payment but again there was no answer… Why?

The issues you raised in your note could have been addressed on the spot if you had answered the door!

If you had phoned me within a day or two of us cleaning your windows with legitimate reasons as to why you were not happy with our service I would have offered a completely free re-clean.

Instead you waited 3 weeks until sending payment and writing your note?

With regards to us “not bothering in the future” and to you “trying elsewhere” – That is fine!

We will just continue offering our services to our many satisfied and courteous customers who actually bother to open their door to us when we arrive to clean their windows!
---