Nasty Customer Or Plain Thick Or Both?

[Tuffers]

I've just got round all of my customers for the first time using the wfp. Last week I cleaned one of my houses and the woman said she weren't happy with the clean last time. She said she had to go round cleaning all the streaks etc after I had gone. I said that this clean would be a lot better as last time I had to clean all the frames etc. I said that if she wasn't happy she could have them done for free this time and I'd go back to trad in the future. Anyway, I went back tonight for my money and there was a note stuck to the door. It said "As you were aware I was not happy at the state you had left my windows in last month. I paid you to clean my windows, so it was unaceptable that I had to re-clean all the stains you had left on them. Regardless of any new machinery you had used that had caused it, I had paid to have clean windows. I therefore no longer require your services any longer."

I can't get over it, I offered a free clean etc.

Now does she not realise the windows should be left wet (I can't remember telling her this but did drop a note explaining the wfp system) or is she being a *****? I've cleaned for her for a couple of years.

I'm starting to lose the will with some of my customers and soon one of them is going to get the end of my tongue!

 

[Kips]

Sounds like you're better off without her, I hate shirty customers..

 

[chip]

Some folk just don't like it mate. End of. Can't do anything about it. Some will forever hold it against you that you went wfp in te first place, as your custy. Some will nag you o go back trad, etc etc. some complaints are justified, some ludicrous.

 

[Gushysfella]

It's an interesting topic this, I started out trad and over the past 6 weeks started wfp granted only trolly but have had mixed responses too. Problem is change, most older people don't like it for one and don't understand!! For some I wfp upper then sqeg top the with a pole, it's dry there happy! Some is still quicker trad. I've even pick up work now wfp. End of the day you keep some happy some of the time but you'll never keep them all happy you got to just take it on the chin and keep lucky!! GF

 

[bluemonkey]

so what, move on and replace, some custy dont like the fact that you have made the job easier, and want you to earn your money, not splash and dash, as they see it, how big was the job and what was charge

 

[Smurf]

The lady in question is probably not thick or nasty but just telling you she no longer requires your services. Simples....

Best to just get over it and move on.... /emoticons/wink.png

 

[Tuffers]

so what, move on and replace, some custy dont like the fact that you have made the job easier, and want you to earn your money, not splash and dash, as they see it, how big was the job and what was charge

£12, 20 minutes to do it. I feel like knocking the door to explain that the windows should be left wet (if that's the reason). But if she gets the other fella who does the estate, then he does them wfp too. Now that would be funny. BTW the windows are clean this time as I checked when I went back for my money.

 

[bluemonkey]

they prob cant afford it and look for reasons to dump, just replace and smile and wave at them when you see them,

 

[Tuffers]

It's an interesting topic this, I started out trad and over the past 6 weeks started wfp granted only trolly but have had mixed responses too. Problem is change, most older people don't like it for one and don't understand!! For some I wfp upper then sqeg top the with a pole, it's dry there happy! Some is still quicker trad. I've even pick up work now wfp. End of the day you keep some happy some of the time but you'll never keep them all happy you got to just take it on the chin and keep lucky!! GF

Yeah I use a trolley too. The ones who don't like it are the old ones. One asked me to back to trad as she didn't like the windows left wet. No problem as it's a bungalow, but when she was talking to me she also asked the gardner to do some quieter work as she was trying to do the crossword. Some people! pmpl

 

[Smurf]

Think in the end you will make a rod for your own back if you don't go fully wfp....

 

[bluemonkey]

go fully wfp, just stop trad and say sorry cant do it any more

 

[harunh]

go fully wfp, just stop trad and say sorry cant do it any more

This lad knows the score he might be a monkey but if i was u id take his advice

 

[Dodger]

Some of us actually enjoy trad chaps have you thought of that, even if I had the readies to go 100% wfp (which I haven't), I actually don't think I would right now to be honest. I know I've not got my sights set on big commercial work like everyone else seems to but I'm happy doing what I'm doing. I've got to be honest, that customer I would have just offered to do it again trad but if she still dropped me I wouldn't hold it against her, it's her choice not mine.

 

[Posh]

Some of us actually enjoy trad chaps have you thought of that, even if I had the readies to go 100% wfp (which I haven't), I actually don't think I would right now to be honest. I know I've not got my sights set on big commercial work like everyone else seems to but I'm happy doing what I'm doing. I've got to be honest, that customer I would have just offered to do it again trad but if she still dropped me I wouldn't hold it against her, it's her choice not mine.

You said it before I did. Exactly my thoughts to. Cannot see any prob just doing that one trad.

 

[GMcleaning]

Some of us actually enjoy trad chaps have you thought of that, even if I had the readies to go 100% wfp (which I haven't), I actually don't think I would right now to be honest. I know I've not got my sights set on big commercial work like everyone else seems to but I'm happy doing what I'm doing. I've got to be honest, that customer I would have just offered to do it again trad but if she still dropped me I wouldn't hold it against her, it's her choice not mine.

agree completely! written better than i could have aswell,lol

 

[Posh]

All for trad & trad for all lol

 

[GMcleaning]

lol, the trad guys are taking over the wfp section now!

/emoticons/ph34r.png-T /emoticons/ph34r.png-T /emoticons/ph34r.png-T /emoticons/ph34r.png -T ......... ---------[{

 

[Joe]

Could this have been avoided by not leaving the job until it was perfect? Not being shirty but you took payment & the job was not perfect. Isnt it better to spend an extra 10 minutes to keep the customer happy than having to spend possibly hours trying to replace?

 

[spruce]

Sounds like you're better off without her, I hate shirty customers..

Tuffers has gained a little experience from this customer, so its not all bad.

Firstly, learn from each experience. Whilst customers do react differently to change, work as though you are going to expect trouble. In our experience of converting a new aquired round from trad to wfp and having no wfp experience ourselves prior to this, we found the best way was to do a full frames and glass scrub and good rinse, and then leave all the windows to totally dry off. We did this to 5 or 6 houses in the street and then went back and cleaned each house again - glass only. You have to look at the long term with WFP. When converting your daily income will drop considerably, but the payback will start in a few cleans time. Hopefully by then the customer will have warmed to the idea.

Secondly, never take what the customer says personally. As has been stated, they probably can't afford you and this was an ideal opportunity to cancel you.

It's too late to prove if the clean was acceptable or not 4 weeks later. They should have spoken up earlier if they had issues. But then you should also have ensured that each window was clean after they had dried down completely, and then once satisfied taken payment. It's only on later cleans that you will have the confidence to clean, take payment and walk away knowing that the windows will dry right.

You also have to look at this from a customers point of view. They have no idea the costs and processes involved in producing water and delivering it to the glass to clean the windows. Most don't understand it even if you spend time explaining it to them. To most water is taken for granted, just open a tap. Here you come along with a new gadget and wash the windows with freely available water, a floor brush (£3.99 plus a long handle) and ask £12.00 for a 20 minute job.

They usually compare what they are earning per hour, ie. miniumum wage (excluding any top up benifits they may be receiving)and what you are perceived to be earning ie £36.00 per hour. And you are the lowest of the low, just a window cleaner. That generally makes them rather annoyed.

Move on; If you see them in the street talk to them, ask them how they are doing, but let them bring up the subject of window cleaning - if they don't then leave it.

 

[spruce]

Could this have been avoided by not leaving the job until it was perfect? Not being shirty but you took payment & the job was not perfect. Isnt it better to spend an extra 10 minutes to keep the customer happy than having to spend possibly hours trying to replace?

Joe

the point you make is a valid one - we must be sure the job is right before we accept payment, especially in the initial phases of changing the customer from trad to wfp to ensure we are satisfied that if something like this does happen, then we have our bases covered.

I have only had 1 customer cancel our services because she was skint. All the others justify their cancelling by blaming us doing a poor job. Funnily enough, we had a couple ask us to start cleaning again a year of so later, so I then have used to opportunity to clear the situation that the reason for them cancelling wasn't because of poor cleaning after all - if it was they wouldn't have asked me back. Most turned out to be messers and I don't clean them anymore as I have dumped them. What goes around, come around.

 

[bluemonkey]

most people wont admit they cant afford £10 a month, as it embrassing, so they cancel and blame poor workmanship, or they hope you drop price like bt would, i had one cancel the other day been doing since i started, just said ok, and walked away,