Walked off a job yesterday

[Spudly]

So I got a big house ask for a quote.

(No pic Im afraid however it could easily of been something of grand design)

I quoted £35 pound.

Rocking up to do the job yesterday. Custy was in gained access to the balcony. Started tradding the big panes, their was plenty of glass on the outside to wfp.

10 min into the job, I thought to myself this is not worth it (price should of been more around the £80 to £100 the price I quoted)

Packed tools away, rang the doorbell again and the custy came out.

Expalined to her, I am not continuing (was very polite about it) she was not happy and a little shocked tbh.

She onv knew I was underpricing and was losing money and time.

Was abit angry in myself, pretty unprofessional however I knew I messed up.

Lesson learnt.

 

[adamangler]

I've done it.

Once quoted a glass roofed conny inside and out at £100.

The house was best part of a million pound property. I was fairly new and thought it was a good price.

3 hours later struggling at horrible angles to get a the roof up clean I made my excuses and buggered off.

You were more professional than me though. I didn't have the bottle to tell her the truth so told her I was nipping to the shop lol.

 

[Spartan]

You were more professional than me though. I didn't have the bottle to tell her the truth so told her I was nipping to the shop lol.

Now that's funny /emoticons/biggrin.png

 

[Adams0211]

Now that's funny /emoticons/biggrin.png

I'm not sure I'd have had the bottle. I'd always be worrying about bumping into them weeks or months down the line.

 

[Spartan]

Me either. The luck I've got I'd DEFINITELY bump into them.

I've underpriced in the past & just had to suck it up.

I've explained upon completion that I've underpriced it and the new price is £xxx, sometimes they agree to it, other times they decline which I also don't mind.

Do not want a heavily underpriced job on my books

 

[StorminNorman]

So today I came home earlier just because I walked away from a job I quoted over the phone. Should have been twice as much plus there were those dodgy house power lines (the old school ones) that would make gfs job very dangerous because they were too close to guttering..

 

[adamangler]

I've done a few drive bys before.

Work that I've had canvassed for me got there took one look and kept going, usually because of poor access.

Oh one I did a few weeks ago was good, I text her to clean it the next day. No problem she says but I've got a dog in the back garden and I can't bring it in as it lives outside permanentky its harmless. Gets there, knocked on door told her I was going to clean the wimdows. Went to the side gate to open it and a great big pit bull type thing runs up barking. I reeled in took a look around, jumped back in the van and drove off. I heard my phone going, turned it off lol and went home. Read the texts later lol she was like wtf is going on are you crazy haha.

 

[Adams0211]

I've done a few drive bys before.
Work that I've had canvassed for me got there took one look and kept going, usually because of poor access.

Oh one I did a few weeks ago was good, I text her to clean it the next day. No problem she says but I've got a dog in the back garden and I can't bring it in as it lives outside permanentky its harmless. Gets there, knocked on door told her I was going to clean the wimdows. Went to the side gate to open it and a great big pit bull type thing runs up barking. I reeled in took a look around, jumped back in the van and drove off. I heard my phone going, turned it off lol and went home. Read the texts later lol she was like wtf is going on are you crazy haha.

Surely the best thing to do would have been knock the door and ask her to get the dog out the way for a few mins while you did the back?:think:

I regularly ask customers to get their dogs out of my way. I'm not that keen on them anyway but the last thing I want is something round my feet while I'm working. I normally tell them it's for health and safety reasons.

 

[adamangler]

Surely the best thing to do would have been knock the door and ask her to get the dog out the way for a few mins while you did the back?:think:
I regularly ask customers to get their dogs out of my way. I'm not that keen on them anyway but the last thing I want is something round my feet while I'm working. I normally tell them it's for health and safety reasons.

She'd already stated she wouldn't bring the dog in as it lives outside.

I wasn't really thinking about the current clean I was thinking about future cleans, not dealing with that thing every clean. I wouldn't mind if it was a small dog but I'm not messing with owt that can rip a leg off.

I didn't say owt because if she'd have said no I can't bring it in then I would have had to say sorry cant do it then and I'm not very good in those situations. I tend to run away from any kind of awkwardness.

 

[Adams0211]

I'm not very good in those situations. I tend to run away from any kind of awkwardness.

Me and my mrs we're talking about this sort of thing yesterday. She's a hairdresser and works from home and also does home visits. She'll often have clients turn up for an appointment at our house with their kid in tow without prior arrangement. My mrs hasn't got it in here to turn them away or spell out to them that they're not to bring their kid. Another example is when she comes home from an appointment absolutely reeking of cigarette smoke and says that a client sat chain smoking throughout their appointment. She can't bring herself to tell them that she doesn't want them smoking near her. I'm trying to help her to get a bit more assertive.

 

[luca]

So I got a big house ask for a quote.(No pic Im afraid however it could easily of been something of grand design)

I quoted £35 pound.

Rocking up to do the job yesterday. Custy was in gained access to the balcony. Started tradding the big panes, their was plenty of glass on the outside to wfp.

10 min into the job, I thought to myself this is not worth it (price should of been more around the £80 to £100 the price I quoted)

Packed tools away, rang the doorbell again and the custy came out.

Expalined to her, I am not continuing (was very polite about it) she was not happy and a little shocked tbh.

She onv knew I was underpricing and was losing money and time.

Was abit angry in myself, pretty unprofessional however I knew I messed up.

Lesson learnt.

Why didn't you at least try and explain your mistake?! She may well have agreed. When I'm unsure of pricing I always throw in what did the last guy cost... half the time it's more then I would have lol.. so I just say 'let's leave it at that for now' makes them really happy... if it's a **** price then I say the price I'd quote and that there's a reason he probably isn't doing it anymore he was afraid of being honest with custy and having a conversation about re-pricing..... I also bottle it sometimes so feel your pain but swallow it then remove them if need be...

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[Cghwindowcleaning]

We have all been there and underpriced a job and nothing helps you learn quicker than slaving away at a job for next to nothing it helps you to price properly and never make the same mistake.

But walking away half way through is not good in my opinion it makes you look like an amateur.

Times are changing and I know a lot of the new start ups are building rounds through social media Facebook etc a negative review of "He walked off half way in and never finished the job" will stand out miles on your pages and profiles and have massive negative effect on your business so it"s always something to think about.

And if you get a job thats to big to handle pass it on to some one that can handle large jobs it's a lot better than quitting half way in with no money and wasted time.

 

[Tuffers]

I've done a few drive bys before.
Work that I've had canvassed for me got there took one look and kept going, usually because of poor access.

Oh one I did a few weeks ago was good, I text her to clean it the next day. No problem she says but I've got a dog in the back garden and I can't bring it in as it lives outside permanentky its harmless. Gets there, knocked on door told her I was going to clean the wimdows. Went to the side gate to open it and a great big pit bull type thing runs up barking. I reeled in took a look around, jumped back in the van and drove off. I heard my phone going, turned it off lol and went home. Read the texts later lol she was like wtf is going on are you crazy haha.

That last sentence made me lol /emoticons/biggrin.png

 

[Tuffers]

I've done a few drive bys before.
Work that I've had canvassed for me got there took one look and kept going, usually because of poor access.

Oh one I did a few weeks ago was good, I text her to clean it the next day. No problem she says but I've got a dog in the back garden and I can't bring it in as it lives outside permanentky its harmless. Gets there, knocked on door told her I was going to clean the wimdows. Went to the side gate to open it and a great big pit bull type thing runs up barking. I reeled in took a look around, jumped back in the van and drove off. I heard my phone going, turned it off lol and went home. Read the texts later lol she was like wtf is going on are you crazy haha.

That last sentence made me lol /emoticons/biggrin.png

 

[AD window cleaning]

I've done it.
Once quoted a glass roofed conny inside and out at £100.

The house was best part of a million pound property. I was fairly new and thought it was a good price.

3 hours later struggling at horrible angles to get a the roof up clean I made my excuses and buggered off.

You were more professional than me though. I didn't have the bottle to tell her the truth so told her I was nipping to the shop lol.

[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] brilliant

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[adamangler]

Me and my mrs we're talking about this sort of thing yesterday. She's a hairdresser and works from home and also does home visits. She'll often have clients turn up for an appointment at our house with their kid in tow without prior arrangement. My mrs hasn't got it in here to turn them away or spell out to them that they're not to bring their kid. Another example is when she comes home from an appointment absolutely reeking of cigarette smoke and says that a client sat chain smoking throughout their appointment. She can't bring herself to tell them that she doesn't want them smoking near her. I'm trying to help her to get a bit more assertive.

yeah im kind of like that i get myself in predicaments that i dont really want to be in, then i panic and do something daft like leg it, i have a history of anxiety etc . i have panic attacks on planes and going to the dentist stuff like that lol. I am aware its not normal behaviour, it is quite funny though sometimes i laugh to myself and the daft stuff i do.

I was on the phone yesterday, another one of those unwanted call about an accident i was apparently in..I played along with it for ages, like 20 mins then she asked "so would you say it was your neck, back that was most affected" no i said. what would you say was the most affected? she asks again. I think it was my penis i said. Whhat ? pardon ? she says. At this point i burst out in laughter and hung up, i was rolling around the floor laughing. R lass came in and i told her the story, she just tutted and walked off. Not normal at all.

 

[A.K WINDOWS]

Should have finished it got paid and then said I've under quoted this job next time round it would be x amount of pounds.

I know how u feel but got to suck it up at times.

 

[C Rose Cleaning Services]

I always always honour my quote price even if it's my mistake. I would rather finish it and lose the money. Followed by explaining that next time it would be £X amount more. I wouldn't ever walk away mid job. Doesn't bode well for future business especially if they're friends or neighbours of other houses you go to. Most people are aware when you're there longer than they expected. Happened to me last year and the job took four hours rather than three. The lady said to me "we've paid you £40 more than you said because you've been here half the day!" (Which made it £180 rather than the £140 I priced it as). Going back there on Saturday to do it again, but for £180 this time.

Think the moral here is that it's better to slightly over price if you're unsure and not get the business, than to underprice and struggle.

 

[Elliot]

I'm usually pretty good at pricing Windows . But last year started doing gutter clears and fsg jobs . I defo under priced a few . This year I've priced a few up , thought of the price in my head , then added another 50% on . Got 3 out of 7 jobs . Been a lot happier doing em . Where last year I think I got every job . But some underpriced and not happy .

 

[SPCleaning]

I once quoted £250 for a job and like the OP soon realised I had under priced. Later I was chatting with the housekeeper and she said that my price was very low compared to the last guys. Later she showed me a ledger book with the last guys payment of £500.

I was gutted, but kept going, and when I was almost done (it took two days) the owner appeared with her cheque book and started writing the cheque. I explained that I had under priced and future cleans would be £450, but I'll take the £250 today as we agreed. She said she would rather pay the proper price from the off and gave me the full amount. I kept that job for three years, then they moved to USA.

 

[crystal vision]

Turn up do the job at hand and learn by your mistakes we all get caught out from time to time being on the isle of Wight most work comes from referrals as it's a close nit island (all related) IV been in the game 30 years and still coc up but always complete work how ever much it hurts

And who was that plonker yesterday banging on wfp and undercutting went to show my Mrs but thread disappeared way an ass hope the twits ladder slips away then he will see why wfp is important the trouble is old timers hate change as I was one of them but ten years in IV warmed up to water fed still don't think it's the best way however 30 years in knees are starting to go so wfp is definitely the way forward the problem I find is alot of users run system and skrimp on ressin that leaves spotting or silly things like building work next door and dust sticks after clean . Got my goat up last night sorry to moan peeps

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