Rudeness

[TolishAPurd]

Story time. I've not encountered a lot of rudeness whilst working but this is one such event that happened a week or two back, be interesting to see how different people on here would have handled it....

I got a phone call from a guy responding to my leaflet drop wanting his windows cleaned regularly. Seemed a nice guy, humble polite etc, and when he told me his address I checked it out on google. Excellent I thought, its a house I've wanted for ages, its on a main drag that I drive past all the time, and its a nice modern building with loads of new huge panes. All seems good at this point. I arrange a visit as its an unusual house that's impossible to quote over the phone.

I turn up and get greeted by a pretty girl that tells me she's the nanny, the man of the house isnt in but shes happy to let me look around to price up. The house was a tradders nightmare at the back, and even a wfper wouldnt get on too well without a backpack. There was glass balconies everywhere, porches, conny, skylights, the lot. I ventured upstairs to check out acces tothe balconies and as I went into one of the rooms there was a woman on the computor. I said hello and went to check out the balcony. Strange I thought, she didnt even look round, maybe shes a lodger or something, as most people want to meet the person that is walking around thier house. So after the awkwardness I ended up asking "hi, are you the homeowner?" ..... "Yes she replied". "Oh ok, I'm just having a look around so I can price up for your window cleaning". "Ok" she said not even looking over her shoulder. .....more silence.... Awkward as ****. So I looked around about 10secs longer and then quickly left thanking the nanny for her time.

Didnt even bother pricing, and didnt bother emailing. As far as I am concerned it was the kind of house that would need all sorts of customer interaction as I need to access all areas, ladder through the house, etc. If someone cant even be bothered to introduce themselves on the first visit, in my mind she was going to be a pain in the hoop forever more. I thought about giving an arsehole tax, but I've got enough work to not bother with the aggro. So what would you have done in this situation?

 

[Diwrnach]

Wouldn't of judged her by that at all to be honest, not all folk are forward, she might of been really shy, really busy, maybe a writer in mid swing? who knows, I would of priced it and left, though it sounds like a house you wouldn't want so if its easier to use her as an excuse go for it!! hehe

 

[steve garwood]

Think of a price, double it. If you don't hear from her, ka Sa ra :smiley:

 

[Adams0211]

I always think it's best to go with your gut feeling whether it's work related or life in general.

Talking about rudeness, I had a customer a month or so back who rang me and asked for a quote. I said I'd pop round on my way out the next morning and have a look and give her a price. She asked me if I could do it without disturbing her and asked me to text her with a price. Bit weird but fair enough.

The following morning I went round and let myself in the back garden, saw what I needed to see and then walked round to the front of the house. As I was stood on the front path looking up at the gutters the front door opened and the husband walked out. He looked confused so I introduced myself and told him what I was doing. He called inside to the wife and told her I was there.

She replied "I told him I'm f**king busy and not to f**king disturb me" Tell him to f**king text me." The husband shrugged his shoulders and I shook my head and walked back to the van.

I got a text from her later in the day asking for a price. I told her that I wouldn't be doing any work for her due to her behaviour that morning and didn't hear back from her again.

Can't be dealing with people like that.

 

[steve garwood]

smiley: Poxy phone

 

[steve garwood]

/emoticons/biggrin.png. AAAAAHHH

 

[steve garwood]

/emoticons/smile.png

 

[TolishAPurd]

Wouldn't of judged her by that at all to be honest, not all folk are forward, she might of been really shy, really busy, maybe a writer in mid swing? who knows, I would of priced it and left, though it sounds like a house you wouldn't want so if its easier to use her as an excuse go for it!! hehe

Figured it would get mixed responses. Even though the house was a challenge, it still would have worked out well. It was just like Adams described, it was a gut feeling, and its hard to get that across in a post. If it was the sort of house where I can let myself in the gate, clean the house, and drop an invoice then it wouldnt have been an issue. But because I was going to need to organise the cleans with her, walk around inside with ladders, I could just tell we were going to have a fall out soon enough. As I was looking around, I noticed that the windows werent too bad, which made me wonder what happened to the last cleaner. It started to make sense to me when I met her, reckon she gave the other windy bother. It was just that gut feeling.

 

[TolishAPurd]

I always think it's best to go with your gut feeling whether it's work related or life in general.
Talking about rudeness, I had a customer a month or so back who rang me and asked for a quote. I said I'd pop round on my way out the next morning and have a look and give her a price. She asked me if I could do it without disturbing her and asked me to text her with a price. Bit weird but fair enough.

The following morning I went round and let myself in the back garden, saw what I needed to see and then walked round to the front of the house. As I was stood on the front path looking up at the gutters the front door opened and the husband walked out. He looked confused so I introduced myself and told him what I was doing. He called inside to the wife and told her I was there.

She replied "I told him I'm f**king busy and not to f**king disturb me" Tell him to f**king text me." The husband shrugged his shoulders and I shook my head and walked back to the van.

I got a text from her later in the day asking for a price. I told her that I wouldn't be doing any work for her due to her behaviour that morning and didn't hear back from her again.

Can't be dealing with people like that.

You definitely did the right thing, no doubt.

 

[mark]

access can be a nightmare.if anything, like me you would dread doing it each month anyway,even if the moneys ok.i have a custie like this got to text night b4,electric gates etc.never a smile or a cuppa or anything.get rid & replace with three

 

[boarcity]

you did right tolish, go with your gut feeling, its rarely wrong . i think we sense trouble from certain people -the air feels charged electrically

 

[Diwrnach]

Funny you say about gut feelings, I did a new clean a couple of weeks back, the windows were really bad, covered in cobwebs etc, also on a new estate with houses still going up so covered in dust as well, could hardly see through them.

I went into back and it was a **** hole covered in dog mess etc, I thought before I even got to the back this feels wrong, o0nce I saw the back I knew it was a bad un.

Put invoice through and got a message left on answer machine asking if she was supposed to pay before the clean as it doesn't look like they have been touched.......

 

[boarcity]

im pretty sure the vibes we get is because they are lookin intently at us [often while our back is turned ] theyre thinking "how can i avoid paying this one"

theyve always got a history of dodging bills ,whether in a restaurant or wherever, its quite common id think 10% of everyday society is a bill dodger

 

[TolishAPurd]

you did right tolish, go with your gut feeling, its rarely wrong . i think we sense trouble from certain people -the air feels charged electrically

Lol, thats one way of describing it. I don't think customers realise that while they are judging us, we are doing the same back. By not introducing herself, even when prompted, she gave me a huge insight has to how low she considers our sort to be.

access can be a nightmare.if anything, like me you would dread doing it each month anyway,even if the moneys ok.i have a custie like this got to text night b4,electric gates etc.never a smile or a cuppa or anything.get rid & replace with three

Yep. If she was polite or friendly it could turn an awkward house into a pleasent transaction.

 

[TolishAPurd]

Funny you say about gut feelings, I did a new clean a couple of weeks back, the windows were really bad, covered in cobwebs etc, also on a new estate with houses still going up so covered in dust as well, could hardly see through them.
I went into back and it was a **** hole covered in dog mess etc, I thought before I even got to the back this feels wrong, o0nce I saw the back I knew it was a bad un.

Put invoice through and got a message left on answer machine asking if she was supposed to pay before the clean as it doesn't look like they have been touched.......

In the same way you wfpers get a bad vibe when you see buttmud lying about, I get bad vibe whenever I see long grass on a first clean. It makes me wonder "if this person is so lazy that they can't be arsed to cut thier grass, why are they interested in having thier windows cleaned. That theory has worked itself out a few times now.

 

[Adams0211]

In the same way you wfpers get a bad vibe when you see buttmud lying about, I get bad vibe whenever I see long grass on a first clean. It makes me wonder "if this person is so lazy that they can't be arsed to cut thier grass, why are they interested in having thier windows cleaned. That theory has worked itself out a few times now.

I know what you mean about the long grass. I've got one customer who I do four weekly and cannot for the life of me understand why she has her windows cleaned. The house is like one of those filthy houses that channel 5 makes programmes about. It is vile, inside and out. There's rubbish bags and recycling all over the front garden. The back garden is overgrown and full of bin bags, old toys and broken bikes. She's told me she's in trouble with the neighbours and the council about all the rubbish, *** butts and noise. Proper ASBO family. The inside of the glass is dirtier than the outside. Normally I'd offer to do the inside but there's no way in hell that I'm stepping foot in that house. There just seems no point her having her windows cleaned. She's a great payer though and never gives me any grief.

 

[Adams0211]

Ha ha. It starred out F A G

 

[TolishAPurd]

Ha ha. It starred out F A G

It don't like **** either. Or ****. And it doesnt even let you say ******, and that's something we all do.

 

[steve garwood]

I know what you mean about the long grass. I've got one customer who I do four weekly and cannot for the life of me understand why she has her windows cleaned. The house is like one of those filthy houses that channel 5 makes programmes about. It is vile, inside and out. There's rubbish bags and recycling all over the front garden. The back garden is overgrown and full of bin bags, old toys and broken bikes. She's told me she's in trouble with the neighbours and the council about all the rubbish, *** butts and noise. Proper ASBO family. The inside of the glass is dirtier than the outside. Normally I'd offer to do the inside but there's no way in hell that I'm stepping foot in that house. There just seems no point her having her windows cleaned. She's a great payer though and never gives me any grief.

Well if you don't like my house I will get another window cleaner!

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

Look at it as it's money you didn't have already so you aren't losing anything.

I concur with the mind set of 'if you don't feel right walk away'

The price would have to be not only worth the clean but also your mental state of mind especially if you feel it's one of them that may cause stress down the road.

 

[TolishAPurd]

Look at it as it's money you didn't have already so you aren't losing anything.
I concur with the mind set of 'if you don't feel right walk away'

The price would have to be not only worth the clean but also your mental state of mind especially if you feel it's one of them that may cause stress down the road.

Exactly. So far my gut feeling has had a 99% success rate, so its definitely not something to be ignored.