Am I right to get rid of this customer?

[Matt1112]

Hi guys,

I hope you’re all well.


I have a particular customer who has been with me for nearly 4 years, they’ve been with me pretty much since the start. I’ve bent over backwards for this customer numerous times with regards to her conservatory. This includes going back on a different day to my usual round to do it. She lives a good 20 minute drive away.

I had sent her a message saying i was unable to get to her windows as I’d picked up a lot of new work, so politely asked if I could move her back a month. She then sends me a snotty message, saying “Hi to be honest I’m a bit annoyed. You last came in April! We were one of your first customers and supported you. Feel let down but it’s fine we can get someone else.”

I immediately apologised as I should have messaged to say I was running late with the weather being ****. Please see attached image of messages.

After her saying she will get someone else and then sending me the last message, nearly 3 1/2 weeks after receiving my last one. Am i in the right for wanting to get rid of her or am i being the arsehole?

Sorry for the long thread, I’m still pretty new to this and want to know taht I’m doing the right thing.

Cheers guys,

Matt

 

[ched999uk]

I wouldn't dump as they did sound disappointed with communication not your service. It's always tricky at the start as you take on customers in areas or schedules that you would not now you are more established.
You might have caught her on a bad day, hence the first reply, you seemed to calm things down a bit.
When taking on new customers I try and fit them in to my schedule asap, within the same or next week as best as I can. I then use my 2 weeks off at Christmas to try and reorganise to make things as efficient as possible and shuffle people around. It's not ideal but it's the best method I have found so far.

The main thing is, do you need the customer i.e. are they close to other work and do they pay easily?

 

[Deleted member 7446]

Hi guys,

I hope you’re all well.


I have a particular customer who has been with me for nearly 4 years, they’ve been with me pretty much since the start. I’ve bent over backwards for this customer numerous times with regards to her conservatory. This includes going back on a different day to my usual round to do it. She lives a good 20 minute drive away.

I had sent her a message saying i was unable to get to her windows as I’d picked up a lot of new work, so politely asked if I could move her back a month. She then sends me a snotty message, saying “Hi to be honest I’m a bit annoyed. You last came in April! We were one of your first customers and supported you. Feel let down but it’s fine we can get someone else.”

I immediately apologised as I should have messaged to say I was running late with the weather being ****. Please see attached image of messages.

After her saying she will get someone else and then sending me the last message, nearly 3 1/2 weeks after receiving my last one. Am i in the right for wanting to get rid of her or am i being the arsehole?

Sorry for the long thread, I’m still pretty new to this and want to know taht I’m doing the right thing.

Cheers guys,

Matt

Be careful posting actual messages... its up to you on what you do next. It's your livelihood and income

 

[Part Timer]

Your business, your call. No one knows what you have or haven't done for her in the past. I will add, after 4 years you're not a newbie and even you have admitted in text messages that you have failed to properly communicate with the customer.

 

[WindyinNorfolk]

Never ever tell a customer your running late/moving them because of new customers !
yes I would keep as this is a problem of your own making.

wait until the xmas break and shuffle her across to where you want her - they will know different

 

[Scrubsy]

@Matt1112 was it a bit forgetful of you to not message them - yes. Are they loyal - yes. Are they pushy - yes. If you have been very accommodating before some people take advantage of this and "it's only the window cleaner" sort of attitude. They have no fathom of your time at all. Then over 3 weeks to reply even though they said they'd look elsewhere? Only my opinion but if it's either not well paid, or you don't have much other work nearby I wouldn't go back.

 

[Iron Giant]

I go through this a bit every now and then, because it's my own fault I'd take on isolated jobs in the past out of the way of my other work, to say your communication was lacking I don't think it was, happens

I'd politely dump her telling her that a 40 minute round trip for one job is no longer practical or manageable due to you taking on more jobs close to home, thank them for their past custom and move on, they may not like it but that's how things go.

 

[Iron Giant]

When taking on new customers I try and fit them in to my schedule asap, within the same or next week as best as I can.

I'm a bit against this to a point, I had one the other day windows were filthy probably not been cleaned for a year I told her 4-weeks wait time I should have asked if she wanted a regular clean but I couldn't be chewed, on the same day I had another one ask her husband had done them with the pw the week before so they were clean so I did them ASAP

Although I did have a decent chat with her about her previous cleaner who had sold up and had been doing a poor job also it had been 8 weeks or so since they had been cleaned hence her husband with the pw

 

[mattwillhill]

Hi guys,

I hope you’re all well.


I have a particular customer who has been with me for nearly 4 years, they’ve been with me pretty much since the start. I’ve bent over backwards for this customer numerous times with regards to her conservatory. This includes going back on a different day to my usual round to do it. She lives a good 20 minute drive away.

I had sent her a message saying i was unable to get to her windows as I’d picked up a lot of new work, so politely asked if I could move her back a month. She then sends me a snotty message, saying “Hi to be honest I’m a bit annoyed. You last came in April! We were one of your first customers and supported you. Feel let down but it’s fine we can get someone else.”

I immediately apologised as I should have messaged to say I was running late with the weather being ****. Please see attached image of messages.

After her saying she will get someone else and then sending me the last message, nearly 3 1/2 weeks after receiving my last one. Am i in the right for wanting to get rid of her or am i being the arsehole?

Sorry for the long thread, I’m still pretty new to this and want to know taht I’m doing the right thing.

Cheers guys,

Matt

I wouldn’t, get her sorted and schedule her to her satisfaction & in accordance best with a scheduled round. You have to make an extra effort at times, I always leave a couple of “off round” days a month to do paperwork and sort out customers. If you think she’s bad then wait til you get a real nasty piece of work!

 

[Yogi1872]

I wouldn't dump as they did sound disappointed with communication not your service. It's always tricky at the start as you take on customers in areas or schedules that you would not now you are more established.
You might have caught her on a bad day, hence the first reply, you seemed to calm things down a bit.
When taking on new customers I try and fit them in to my schedule asap, within the same or next week as best as I can. I then use my 2 weeks off at Christmas to try and reorganise to make things as efficient as possible and shuffle people around. It's not ideal but it's the best method I have found so far.

The main thing is, do you need the customer i.e. are they close to other work and do they pay easily?

I used to be like that woth new customers, I'd do them quickly in fear of them going somewhere else if I told them to wait until I'm there next.

Don't do it now though, they get told roughly how many weeks I am away from them and get told that's when I can next get them done. 99% of them say that's fine. If people are wanting them done ASAP you usually find they don't want maintained clean windows. There wanting clean windows for something specific that's happening and that's it.

 

[chad]

Hi guys,

I hope you’re all well.


I have a particular customer who has been with me for nearly 4 years, they’ve been with me pretty much since the start. I’ve bent over backwards for this customer numerous times with regards to her conservatory. This includes going back on a different day to my usual round to do it. She lives a good 20 minute drive away.

I had sent her a message saying i was unable to get to her windows as I’d picked up a lot of new work, so politely asked if I could move her back a month. She then sends me a snotty message, saying “Hi to be honest I’m a bit annoyed. You last came in April! We were one of your first customers and supported you. Feel let down but it’s fine we can get someone else.”

I immediately apologised as I should have messaged to say I was running late with the weather being ****. Please see attached image of messages.

After her saying she will get someone else and then sending me the last message, nearly 3 1/2 weeks after receiving my last one. Am i in the right for wanting to get rid of her or am i being the arsehole?

Sorry for the long thread, I’m still pretty new to this and want to know taht I’m doing the right thing.

Cheers guys,

Matt

Customers come and customers go mate. Personally I wouldn't lose much sleep over it. Your self employed to be your own boss, not for anyone to be the boss of you. You were polite in your response,so just move on with your regulars.

 

[Beeejayteee]

Hi guys, is it just me or do I have very relaxed customers or is it that I started as I meant to carry on. I have over 650 customers that my son and I work. When I sold my work in Kendal ( where I grew up but now live at Barrow in Furness) my cycle was about every four weeks but I continually picked up work and it is more like six week cycles, none of my customers complain they're just glad to see me, sympathise with the weather, which is horrendous in the northwest and know I'll turn up again when they're due whenever the weather lets me.
I constantly read about window cleaners stressing about being a few days late or keeping to a rigid cycle are customers really that demanding? If so then I think myself fortunately to have understanding customers who think I'm worth the wait.
Just whiling the hours away in Tenerife, hope the weather's not too bad for you at home.
Brian

 

[Gerry Scrimshaw]

Hi guys, is it just me or do I have very relaxed customers or is it that I started as I meant to carry on. I have over 650 customers that my son and I work. When I sold my work in Kendal ( where I grew up but now live at Barrow in Furness) my cycle was about every four weeks but I continually picked up work and it is more like six week cycles, none of my customers complain they're just glad to see me, sympathise with the weather, which is horrendous in the northwest and know I'll turn up again when they're due whenever the weather lets me.
I constantly read about window cleaners stressing about being a few days late or keeping to a rigid cycle are customers really that demanding? If so then I think myself fortunately to have understanding customers who think I'm worth the wait.
Just whiling the hours away in Tenerife, hope the weather's not too bad for you at home.
Brian

 

[Gerry Scrimshaw]

Same as you Brian. None of my customers get stressed if I’m a bit late. Been doing some of them for over 20 years, they know I’ll be along even if it’s a bit late. Always blame the weather or a cold.
Gerry

 

[Extremecleansussex]

Hi guys, is it just me or do I have very relaxed customers or is it that I started as I meant to carry on. I have over 650 customers that my son and I work. When I sold my work in Kendal ( where I grew up but now live at Barrow in Furness) my cycle was about every four weeks but I continually picked up work and it is more like six week cycles, none of my customers complain they're just glad to see me, sympathise with the weather, which is horrendous in the northwest and know I'll turn up again when they're due whenever the weather lets me.
I constantly read about window cleaners stressing about being a few days late or keeping to a rigid cycle are customers really that demanding? If so then I think myself fortunately to have understanding customers who think I'm worth the wait.
Just whiling the hours away in Tenerife, hope the weather's not too bad for you at home.
Brian

Just across the water from you mate in a lovely All Inclusive in Lanzarote!

I don’t stress about losing customers any more, even the long standing ones can go weird. I dropped one this week who wasn’t happy paying the agreed price for a gutter clean because I was too quick.

An out of the way eight weekly clean who haven’t had a price increase in ten years ( my fault I know), I’ve dd used I can do without them.