[Feen]

I clean a cul de sac that all have good windows. They are all semis and I charge £5. I'm happy with the charge. There is one awkward customer. The last time I cleaned them trad I explained that I was going wfp and gave them an explanation letter. The first time I did them wfp the lady in question said I would drip on the downstairs. I explained that I would let the dripping stop before I did the downstairs. She was very abrupt. Next month I asked her if she wanted them done. She said yes. I said I'd squeegee off her living room and kitchen window "simply to make them look better". After I was done, she complained that I had missed a window. It's a tiny one off the kitchen. I'd cleaned it, but hadn't squeegeed it off. I told her that I was only squeegeeing off the living room and kitchen, but I'd do it if she wanted. Today I'm back with a helper. I thought I may as well get him to trad the bottoms and we'll carry on like this from now on. I  warned him about her. He managed to miss the little side one off the kitchen. Out she comes and I quote " Come here you, yes you." with the finger going. He looks, apologises and does it. She also says he hasn't cleaned the back door properly. She was right here, he did miss the window, but she was rude, very rude. All this for £5 My own feeling is that next month I'll just miss her out. If she comes out to ask why, I'll tell her she is too rude. What do you think/what would you do?

[m.b.s.]

defo leaver here out from now on if you do the rest of the culde sac she will feel the odd one out and when she comes out and ask why jus explane why this is what i told one of mune only last week about the wfp as i have only been doing it for 3 weeks now i said if i was up the ladder and i came off the ladder and landed on your new car my insurance wouldent pay out .why he said because the working at highth act says if ther is an alternative way of doing the job then yu must do it so if i was up the ladder and i fall my insurance company would ask why was i up the ladder when there is an alternative way of doing it safly without using the ladder and it is wfp so my insurance becomes nil and void and straight away he understood touch wood this is the only one that has complained yet and nearly done full round

[squeejay]

just do the one house trad or get the lad to do it while you carry on.

[xxmattyxx]

I think one reasonable way to go about it is to explain that NO-ONE else in the road has objected in the way she has, she'll therefore hopefully feel left out/the odd one out/ rejected; might make her think twice before she opens her fat trap again (whoops, did I say that, oh well).

Gives her the chance to see if she wants to be the odd one out.

Matt

[Feen]

mbs you're spot on. Squeejay are you serious?

[mark dew]

Feen, you have already bent over backwards, sideways and forwards to her.
No wonder she thinks she can boss you about.
Why squeegee? why tell her ok, you will do it?
Who is the window cleaner?
Do you tell her the right way to get her cash out her purse??
I get the impression you are asking for cash when the windows are wet? Why don't you leave them until they dry before collecting. You will only have to do this once and she will then notice that they will dry mark free.
If she doesn't want the service you provide it is up to her.
If i threw a fiver at you each month and slagged you all over this forum you would rightly be peed off and blank me.
What is the difference?
You need to break this habit of hers and fast. Go back for payment when they are dry. You can bet your life she will be examining every inch of the windows while you are gone. Some people can't be told. She needs to be shown. You will reap the benefits forever after if you do.
Good luck.

[L.J.Thorpe]

feen all said and done its a fiver i have custs who range from just about civil to alarmingly friendly but after 3 yrs of this i no longer have any RUDE custs they are all gone she wont be happy whatever you do tell her to **** off there will be another one along in a minute

[SherwoodCleaningSe]

Drop her and explain why.  She might come back to you in a few months at a new price and be well behaved.  To just stop with no explanation and you'll always be waiting for her to come out and have a go.

Simon.

[M & C Window Cleaning]

I wouldn't be rude in return.

One window cleaner in my area got a reputation for being rude when he was challenged over mistakes he'd made and word got round. It caused a few of his other customers to seek me out instead.

I'd just tell her that if I've made a mistake then I'll put my hands up to it, apollogise and rectify the problem. However, I would also tell her that there's no need to be rude and I won't stand for it.

As for the WFP issue, I'd tell her "It's not my intention to come here to wind you up, but my safety is paramount and this method is far safer. However, I appreciate that it's not to everyone's liking and that if that's the case with you then I won't call anymore." Then leave the ball in her court.

[L.J.Thorpe]

serious tho do agree that you should always tell them why you are dropping them hard the first time but man does it get easier have actually enjoyed it a couple of times plenty of nice custs to replace  the numptys so dont sweat it  

[L.J.Thorpe]

sorry m&c but i would be rude in return nearly all my custs are spot on lovely and i am very considerate in return and have done the odd freebie  job (check gutter etc) in return or accomadated their quirks but i am no skivvy and will not tolerate rudeness or worst of all being sworn at by people who are not my wife/dad/brother/child 

[Jon-scwindows]

i have a sevenpounder... 4 weekly lady-

she didnt particularly like the wfp method... she said ' wel il give you another go next time but do it properly next time with ladders and squeegee it off, and il see which way i prefer next time'

this took me about 40 minutes... i done a good job.. i wfp up and down and then squeegeed off downstairs just to make her happy... shes still not happy...

i might try to find someone else for this one...
ive had a few £6 jobs, but i didnt price these the previous guy did- so i dropped them, as they were quite big houses average - and they would take 30-40 minutes each!
i try to aim for £8 cheapest... i dont like any lower than that, otherwise its not really worth doing, unless its a small bungalow for £5 that takes 10-15 mins

[Feen]

Thanks all for your comments. Simon, I appreciate what you're saying about telling her why she's dropped, rather than just missing her out. I won't stand rudeness and in return I won't be rude. I am proud of my reputation for being polite, friendly & reliable. I won't risk that for a few swearies. Although I'd love to with her

[AuRavelling79]

Hi Feen - the problem from my viewpoint is that you've "made a rod for your own back" by agreeing to blade stuff off.

Also you agreed to do the little window off the kitchen and your helper didn't do the back door properly.

I would pay attention to doing her house properly as agreed and if she is rude after that you can choose to drop her on your terms.

How about in the new year put all the prices in the cul-de-sac up by £1 and give yourself a pay rise to cover dropping her?

[windowwashers]

I clean a cul de sac that all have good windows. They are all semis and I charge £5. I'm happy with the charge. There is one awkward customer. The last time I cleaned them trad I explained that I was going wfp and gave them an explanation letter. The first time I did them wfp the lady (bitch) in question said I would drip on the downstairs. I explained that I would let the dripping stop before I did the downstairs. She was very abrupt. Next month I asked her if she wanted them done. She said yes. I said I'd squeegee off her living room and kitchen window "simply to make them look better". After I was done, she complained that I had missed a window. It's a tiny one off the kitchen. I'd cleaned it, but hadn't squeegeed it off. I told her that I was only squeegeeing off the living room and kitchen, but I'd do it if she wanted. Today I'm back with a helper. I thought I may as well get him to trad the bottoms and we'll carry on like this from now on. I  warned him about her. He managed to miss the little side one off the kitchen. Out she comes and I quote " Come here you, yes you." with the finger going. He looks, apologises and does it. She also says he hasn't cleaned the back door properly. She was right here, he did miss the window, but she was rude, very rude. All this for £5 My own feeling is that next month I'll just miss her out. If she comes out to ask why, I'll tell her she is too rude. What do you think/what would you do?

I would not come straight out with saying she is to rude even though you have every right to. I would say you upset my staff member by being vey rude to him it is not fair for him to be given verbal abuse this is why your windows are not being cleaned, if she says sry I would take her back and lay down what will and will not be done and that you will not be sqeegee'ing the windows down stairs any more if you would like me to do that it will be an extra £2 then see what she says. If she starts to be rude say guess you are not sry and will not change good bye and thank you for your past custom and walk away.

[rugby]

i used to stress out over idiot customers like this,but not any more,if a custy annoys me for any reason at all, i dont argue or debate with them, when i get home at the end of the day i just deleat them off george and forget about them,plenty more work out their,window cleaning should be a fairly stress free job and these days i try to keep it that way.

[mark dew]

I would not come straight out with saying she is to rude even though you have every right to.

i lost a £40 job for telling the customers wife she was rude. I knew i would but i had to say it anyway.

[Mr T]

dont skip windows, problem solved.............

[Feen]

Thanks again for your replies. Tags, read the post please. It has nothing to do with him missing the window. She had every right to pull him/us up about that, it was the way she did it.

[Small but perfectley formed]

keep cleaning she may get another WC then you got competition, maybe under cut you and get the lot