[ftp]

Just phoned up for access to one of my wealthy loaded clients who lives in the sticks. I started the job on a five week clean then the messing started. In the end i said "when would you like me to come back for the next clean?" So it was booked for tomorrow - her idea. So phoned up and asked for the electric gates to be left open first thing in the morning. " can we leave it untill after Christmas please?". So tempting to explode with these people!

[Rogue Trader]

you need to just tell  her the options,

1. she gets dumped cos you need regular income and cant be messed about after organising work for day etc

2. she commits to a regular clean.

[simon knight]

Lucky you her wanting to leave it until post-Christmas!  With my customers it's: "Can it be before Xmas?"

A 5 week clean?...4, 6, 8 or 12 surely?

[ftp]

She messed me about last year and the reason was she was rushed to hospital with a brain tumour, so you never know the reasons if they don't tell you.

[Ian W]

Very infuriating. 

Somebody asked me to clean their bungalow and I agreed that I would call the day before for access. First time no problem, second time was asked to leave it as they weren't going to be available to unlock the back, third time was told they had cleaned it themselves, fourth time note on door saying to leave it because of bad weather (it was dry). There won't be a fifth time... 

[Central Window Cleaners]

I have just had one who has said she will not pay becasue she did not see the ticket we left after we cleaned.
It makes me so mad. Just told her to check with the next door newighbout who we also clean and she paid on the day.

If she still won't pay she is dumped I don't need customers like that.

[cybersye]

always put ticket through door in an addressed envelope that way they have to open it and they have seen it 

I tend to try and avoid the ones "please ring ahead to arrange access" etc. it just gives them the chance to say "not this time". Upside is you dont have a wasted journey just to be turned away, "electric gate" well maybe its a good earner then, only you can decide whether its worth getting mucked about.

[East coast window cleaning Services]

Wish some of my customers would say that at the moment ive got 10 days worth of work to have done by christmas eve

[scud]

  I had one yesterday, first off she was monthly, then it went to every other.

  Last time she was asking my wife when I would be round, anyway this time I fitted her in at the end of the day, got there and she says, "leave them this time, is that OK?"

 I replied, no it's not bloody OK, you were chasing me up last time, this time I am spot on on time and you want to leave it, now I won't be able to get to another job and will have lost the last hour of my day.
 
 She told me to do them then, I told her to shove it and find another cleaner, then rang all the other cleaners to warn them.

  She saw my wife tonight at the school and told her I had been a bit shirty! My missus put her right.

[mark dew]

I'm not that face to face with customers i've not developed a relationship long enough with, so if i get fobbed off i generally just don't make contact. If they want they can call me. I don't like confrontation, so if i can't be polite to them i will try and bite my lip. And leave them be.

I thought this topic was a bit more confrontational due to the title.
I was at an old ladies house today.
I got a bollocking here last month from the estate painter for cleaning the frames and door that he had painted several days before. (He was still working next door.)
He was very unfriendly and i tried to laugh it off at 1st cos i felt a bit embarassed about it. He kept moaning and eventually I told him he should have put a sign up if he wanted them left. He reckoned i was stupid cos it was obvious they were painted. I then started swearing at him and that stopped things.
But as soon as i had swore i felt ashamed cos i was standing on the doorstep of a lady living alone in the sticks. In her 80's.
I apologised to her today about it but she reckon she didn't hear anything. I did think that might be a job lost.
She was happy though, so it was a relief for me.

[cybersye]

I know its frustrating, but think we all need to take a chill pill once in a while
afterall we are just the window cleaner, does'nt matter how professional you look etc.
if you were'nt a window cleaner or even self employed could you really honestly say you'd give the sort of treatment some of the bad customers mentioned on here do a second thought? hhmmmm 
the only good thing is you are your own boss , you can take it or leave it and there is always another customer just round the next corner.

[scud]

  I do generally not say anything and just don't go back.
 
  Yesterday wound me up as I had worked hard to fit it in, it is on my way home, but was not working that area this week and could have gone and done one of todays bigger places instead. At this time of year I am always under pressue to get round and to make my money.

 Mark Dew - from my experience, painter and decorators are always miserable buggers - something to do with paint fumes I think.

[Chris Galloway]

  I had one yesterday, first off she was monthly, then it went to every other.

  Last time she was asking my wife when I would be round, anyway this time I fitted her in at the end of the day, got there and she says, "leave them this time, is that OK?"

 I replied, no it's not bloody OK, you were chasing me up last time, this time I am spot on on time and you want to leave it, now I won't be able to get to another job and will have lost the last hour of my day.
 
 She told me to do them then, I told her to shove it and find another cleaner, then rang all the other cleaners to warn them.

  She saw my wife tonight at the school and told her I had been a bit shirty! My missus put her right.

Haha, could have tried it the other way around, if your that fed up and prepared to dump them

Wait till she is really despo for them, and arrange a date - later phone her up and say, sorry dont fancy it today maybe next time..

[Paul Coleman]

I have just had one who has said she will not pay becasue she did not see the ticket we left after we cleaned.
It makes me so mad. Just told her to check with the next door newighbout who we also clean and she paid on the day.

If she still won't pay she is dumped I don't need customers like that.

I would dump that one even if she DOES pay.  Her refusal to pay (so far) is implying that you are dishonest.  I won't stand for that.

[Londoner]

A messer is a messer is a messer. They don't change. With some of them its a sort of power thing, its as if they are trying to make out "I'm far too important to just let you clean my windows when YOU want to".

They like to keep you dancing on the end of their string.

I lose interest.

[peter holley]

A messer is a messer is a messer. They don't change. With some of them its a sort of power thing, its as if they are trying to make out "I'm far too important to just let you clean my windows when YOU want to".

They like to keep you dancing on the end of their string.

I lose interest.

my thoughts exactly....i went collecting a few months ago, and custie answers door.... he said "can you come back in 10 mins i'm eating my tea (posh voice)
 
i didnt go back, but i clean all his neighbours , so for the past few months i just miss him out!

today he comes out  and says "i have a cheque waiting for you.... i turned to him and politely told him that he was rood not to pay me when i called and i wont be calling again.... i just have no time for time waisters, snobs andthe like!

if someone does a job for me and they call to my door i have the money ready and i thank them, its just plain curtacy :

[Glen]

Is there a 'spell check' facility on this forum? If not it may well prove to be a useful feature.

[peter holley]

Is there a 'spell check' facility on this forum? If not it may well prove to be a useful feature.

im just a wc  lol, i spelt wasters wrong , and cuertcy cuerticy or cuertsey?? help?

[Glen]

Is there a 'spell check' facility on this forum? If not it may well prove to be a useful feature.

im just a wc  lol, i spelt wasters wrong , and cuertcy cuerticy or cuertsey?? help?

Me too  I would find it helpful too! Glad to see you've got a sense of humour. Oh yes, it's courtesy

[peter holley]

courtsey.... thats what i meant