Customers hey!! ?

[AllGleam]

Hi, hope all is well and good for all,

Today i was happily cleaning away a custys house when a lady shouts from across the road, "Excuse me, how much do you charge" it would depend on the size of house condition of windows and if any connys or extensions 'i replied', the house was the same size as the one i was cleaning which i charge £10 monthly clean "i said it would be £10 per monthly clean" it is a semi detached 2x small bay windows on each floor and double patio doors on back and +6 windows medium sized plus a front door she then said thats quite expensive i really wanted to just say was what price would you like pay some people want something for nothing honestly couldn't believe my ears cheeky skinflint

 

[Shinyboy]

I had a job today I qouted at £20. They replied back saying that's expensive, they was expecting it to be £2. I wouldn't even get out of bed for that

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Problem we have is the old windies are throwing in their due to cost of towel now due to cost of living. Folk then try and get another cleaner and are shocked by the real price and try and hunt down the cheap guy. They soon realise there is no cheap guy left and have to bite the bullet and accept higher reliable cleaners.

 

[Declan09]

Hi, hope all is well and good for all,

Today i was happily cleaning away a custys house when a lady shouts from across the road, "Excuse me, how much do you charge" it would depend on the size of house condition of windows and if any connys or extensions 'i replied', the house was the same size as the one i was cleaning which i charge £10 monthly clean "i said it would be £10 per monthly clean" it is a semi detached 2x small bay windows on each floor and double patio doors on back and +6 windows medium sized plus a front door she then said thats quite expensive i really wanted to just say was what price would you like pay some people want something for nothing honestly couldn't believe my ears cheeky skinflint

 

[Declan09]

You are too cheap I charge £15.00 for that size of house windows,frames and doors walk away from customers like that and I charge plus 50% for first cleans

 

[Pjj]

I had a job today I qouted at £20. They replied back saying that's expensive, they was expecting it to be £2. I wouldn't even get out of bed for that

Lol I cannot believe anyone would do any windows for ??that price

 

[Chris34]

Lol I cannot believe anyone would do any windows for ??that price

My parents estate, 3 bed 1930's semi's with bay windows at the front, 2 side windows and 3 windows and kitchen door with window at the back. Traditional window cleaner has done the estate for years and charges £3.50 per house.

I've seen him work though, he doesn't touch the glass, just goes up the ladder, looks at it and then comes back down. He does roughly 2 panes of glass on the front of the house (out of about 10 panes), who knows what he does at the back.

 

[Edgar King]

Lol I cannot believe anyone would do any windows for ??that price

Not residential, but I once had someone say they'd allow me to do their storefront for like 2 pounds because the last guy did it at that price. I told him my price, and he said it was too high. Unfortunately, the last guy doesn't clean that area anymore probably because the prices he had were probably too low to continue doing that. Bless him, wherever he is.

 

[Dave B]

I won’t quote any job under £15 nowadays
Even a 2 front 2 back ground floor flat

 

[AllGleam]

Think she was expecting me to drop the price tbh, i gave her a business card with £10 pm i dont expect to hear anything

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I won’t quote any job under £15 nowadays
Even a 2 front 2 back ground floor flat

Good when you have enough customers and don't need the money. I'm beginning to head down that route and look for the cream.

 

[Pjj]

My parents estate, 3 bed 1930's semi's with bay windows at the front, 2 side windows and 3 windows and kitchen door with window at the back. Traditional window cleaner has done the estate for years and charges £3.50 per house.

I've seen him work though, he doesn't touch the glass, just goes up the ladder, looks at it and then comes back down. He does roughly 2 panes of glass on the front of the house (out of about 10 panes), who knows what he does at the back.

Why do people have him ?? Don’t understand how he has any customers, and from his point of view he would be better off stacking shelves in Tesco at that price

 

[Chris34]

Why do people have him ?? Don’t understand how he has any customers, and from his point of view he would be better off stacking shelves in Tesco at that price

I really don't know the wider scope of opinion on him, but I know 2 of my parents neighbours who have him and one is elderly so she's tight with money but I think is also oblivious to the fact they're not getting cleaned. The other neighbour I think just has him because they've had him for years at the super cheap price and probably think I'm ripping people off.

To give you an idea of how far off it is, my price on the same houses around the corner is £25 every 4 or £30 every 8 weeks, but for that they get all the panes of glass cleaned, the frames cleaned, the sills cleaned, the doors cleaned, a text the day before telling them I'm coming and direct debit payment ? Now when you look at it like that, my price is a bargain compared to his ?

 

[Chris34]

I won’t quote any job under £15 nowadays
Even a 2 front 2 back ground floor flat

I find it a hassle just having them, like it's a hassle getting the money off loads of people compared to getting money off just a few at a higher price. It's all the managing it all on the computer and remembering everyone, texting the evening before etc it's all added time and the lower paid ones aren't really worth it anymore, they're just hassle.

I've got one customer who is a bit of a nightmare, hers is on £15 and she likes to regularly remind me of that price because she thinks it's high. I smile with gritted teeth though trying not to laugh because £15 is f all compared to the other work, the hassle she gives me... I'm putting up her price to £20 soon and it's the only one I'm looking forward to telling as I hope she'll say 'I'm not paying that' to which I'll reply 'ok thanks for your custom all the best have a nice Christmas...' ?

 

[cleaniac]

Some people do not change. Just the other day I had an online form filled in for a quote. Looked familiar, went to go and see the property, yep quoted it back in 2005; 2014; 2018 and just this week 2021. Windows minging, all green and mouldy upvc frames. Same woman, i think she has not got a clue she has asked me to quote before..my quote was £245 for half-days work. Needed full BIO digest..the lot..

So i guess she will be back in touch 2027? I have already worked out the price for that so as soon as she sends in another reqeust for quote I am already one step ahead. at 18 percent inflation £780.44

 

[spruce]

My parents estate, 3 bed 1930's semi's with bay windows at the front, 2 side windows and 3 windows and kitchen door with window at the back. Traditional window cleaner has done the estate for years and charges £3.50 per house.

I've seen him work though, he doesn't touch the glass, just goes up the ladder, looks at it and then comes back down. He does roughly 2 panes of glass on the front of the house (out of about 10 panes), who knows what he does at the back.

When the impact of the gas and electric bills start, they will probably cancel the £3.50 per clean as it's too expensive

 

[AndyD]

I find it a hassle just having them, like it's a hassle getting the money off loads of people compared to getting money off just a few at a higher price. It's all the managing it all on the computer and remembering everyone, texting the evening before etc it's all added time and the lower paid ones aren't really worth it anymore, they're just hassle.

I've got one customer who is a bit of a nightmare, hers is on £15 and she likes to regularly remind me of that price because she thinks it's high. I smile with gritted teeth though trying not to laugh because £15 is f all compared to the other work, the hassle she gives me... I'm putting up her price to £20 soon and it's the only one I'm looking forward to telling as I hope she'll say 'I'm not paying that' to which I'll reply 'ok thanks for your custom all the best have a nice Christmas...' ?

If someone kept reminding me that they think the price is high I would seriously say that if they’re not happy with the price then it’s best they look elsewhere. I really can’t be dealing with people like that.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

If someone kept reminding me that they think the price is high I would seriously say that if they’re not happy with the price then it’s best they look elsewhere. I really can’t be dealing with people like that.

Exactly, I think it was Green Pro who first came up with the solution about vetting customers. At the time thought he was a bit arrogant but not any more, he was spot on. If a potential customer doesn't like the price then move on, don't hang about trying to justify your service because one is wasting your time. Even if they do become a customer then it usually spells trouble. Better to have one great customer than a few messers I'm beginning to notice but that is only due to experience. ?

 

[spruce]

If someone kept reminding me that they think the price is high I would seriously say that if they’re not happy with the price then it’s best they look elsewhere. I really can’t be dealing with people like that.

I expect we will get a lot more of this when the gas and electric prices rises kick in this winter.

Sometimes things may not be as they seem. In 2006 we took on an old girl in a 3 bedroom semi. We did that job until October 2007. What a lovely old lady; one of our nicest customers. The summer of 2006 was hot and she always had a glass of cold orange juice poured out when we arrived. But the subject always turned to the high window cleaning price and if we could reduce it a little, as she was an old age pensioner. How did the government expect pensioners to live on their pension and afford to live? My response was that I could come every second month for a slightly higher price, but she would save money over the year. No, she wanted her windows cleaned every month.
Each time we arrived to clean the windows, the conversation ended up the same.

Anyway, we arrived to clean her windows in Oct 2007 and the family was clearing out the house. It was her son I spoke to in the front garden and yes, his mother passed away in her sleep. I expressed my sincere condolences, saying how she was such a lovely person and I look forward to meeting up with her again in the resurrection.

Her son looked a bit annoyed, so I asked him if everything was OK. He then informed me that deep down this lovely person was a con artist. She got them to take her shopping, sometimes paying for it as she pleaded poverty. They sometimes paid her gas and electric bill because she convinced them she had nothing. They took her with them on holiday. Then he told me that this poor old pensioner pleading poverty had £254,000 in her bank account. They had no idea where she got the money from.

I just burst out laughing; "Yes, she conned us all. She did the same to us. But that doesn't change my opinion of her." At least I left him smiling. I often wonder if the story was told at her funeral service, but leaving out her bank balance details.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I expect we will get a lot more of this when the gas and electric prices rises kick in this winter.

Sometimes things may not be as they seem. In 2006 we took on an old girl in a 3 bedroom semi. We did that job until October 2007. What a lovely old lady; one of our nicest customers. The summer of 2006 was hot and she always had a glass of cold orange juice poured out when we arrived. But the subject always turned to the high window cleaning price and if we could reduce it a little, as she was an old age pensioner. How did the government expect pensioners to live on their pension and afford to live? My response was that I could come every second month for a slightly higher price, but she would save money over the year. No, she wanted her windows cleaned every month.
Each time we arrived to clean the windows, the conversation ended up the same.

Anyway, we arrived to clean her windows in Oct 2007 and the family was clearing out the house. It was her son I spoke to in the front garden and yes, his mother passed away in her sleep. I expressed my sincere condolences, saying how she was such a lovely person and I look forward to meeting up with her again in the resurrection.

Her son looked a bit annoyed, so I asked him if everything was OK. He then informed me that deep down this lovely person was a con artist. She got them to take her shopping, sometimes paying for it as she pleaded poverty. They sometimes paid her gas and electric bill because she convinced them she had nothing. They took her with them on holiday. Then he told me that this poor old pensioner pleading poverty had £254,000 in her bank account. They had no idea where she got the money from.

I just burst out laughing; "Yes, she conned us all. She did the same to us. But that doesn't change my opinion of her." At least I left him smiling. I often wonder if the story was told at her funeral service, but leaving out her bank balance details.

You get plenty of folk with strange idiosyncrasies but something usually gives it away. One guy had a nearly new Porsche on drive and I did next door who I knew was a millionaire but drove a Fiesta. Anyway the Porsche disappeared and a BMW was in his drive. It was December and he came out asking for a one off and I said £50 and he said that's very expensive. I said I charge your neighbour £15 a month so its like 3 cleans. I asked where the Porsche was and he said the engine blew up so I got my money back. I realised this guy was all show and went round the back door and his fence was still lying on the ground after storms 3 months ago. I try not to look at him now and wouldn't clean his windows at any price now. You can do this when one is established. I was told this by a mechanic " Only 2 times in life you are glad you have a Porsche, the day you buy it and the day you sell it" because all it does is cost you money. ?

 

[cleaniac]

I had a customer, fairly big house, bit of a show off. As I give all my customers next clean dates, he knows when I am back to clean. Anyway he has this old blue 412 Ferrari saloon car, admittedly it's a stunner very nice for it's age. Whenever I was there to clean the windows he would park it in the most (for what he seemed) awkward position and would make a fuss of offering to move the car if it was in the way. "No no problem" I would say and just work around it with the poles..clearly looking for me to start a conversation about his overpriced fiat to which I didn't even give him the pleasure of glancing at it.

Next door was on a quarterly round, and when go there, I can see the Fiat is away and the Honda is out, parked sensibly as I look over the fence.

So I come to clean the windows again, Fiat back in another awkward place, he comes out...hold on I'll just move it..

So say to him, you know I clean next doors windows (he didn't know this) on a quarterly clean and your Fiat (actually said that) is never out or in the way. You know, if your that worried about the car being in the way don't park it there and out the Honda there instead. He laughed nervously..Yeah sure i guess I could do that.

Wasn't long after that he passed away sadly from cancer. That was sad left 2 little girls behind and a wife who was like this little sparrow of a person..sad.