Tips on getting rid of problem customers

[Iron Giant]

You're on here on a Saturday night, it might be happening sooner then you think ?

Sat in his armchair right now with a blanket over his legs going through seed catalogue's ?

 

[steve garwood]

You're on here on a Saturday night, it might be happening sooner then you think ?

Yep. Because you have to have a substantial meal then leave as soon as you’ve finished. Sod that. On these watching football and desperately missing normal pub times ?

 

[Deleted member 84]

Don't just dith them ive been stung dojng this on social media even though I had time off looking after kids on a lock down aswell as them owing £60 they still slated in Facebook. 

I find putting prices up to a silly amount turns out to be a win win.

 

[Iron Giant]

You’ll only be in my contacts when I give up pubs and spend weekends on allotments playing with Brussel sprouts ??

Your pen pal letters say different ?

 

[P4dstar]

Don't just dith them ive been stung dojng this on social media even though I had time off looking after kids on a lock down aswell as them owing £60 they still slated in Facebook. 

I find putting prices up to a silly amount turns out to be a win win.

I've seen that happen to a chap around here too, felt for him really. When I first started out I didn't wanna become known as another windie that just "doesn't turn up". I tried for a long time to have honest conversations with customers. Every time I sent a message like the lads have described above I felt myself cringe, waiting for a kick off, never actually got one but got a lot of no replies. When they go silent its worse, you are waiting for them to pop up slating you on social media or something.

I moved on to lengthy but polite explaining texts, telling customers very nicely that I wouldn't be returning but offering one off cleans at an increased price in the future, just let me know when you want them doing type of thing. I figured this way they weren't losing their window cleaner but as they clearly found me to be a pain in the ar5e they would be happy with that.

As I've got busier I just ain't got the time to have long ar5ed conversations over text. When a customer cancels the night before I just say "No problem, let me know when you next want them done". I would say 95% don't ever get in touch again, the small amount that do get told their new price (Usually £10 more than their usual clean) They either go for it or they don't. If they're good customers and its their first cancellation I'll ask if everything is alright, most of the time they text back with their reasoning. It's easy to see what to do from there, if they're cancelling because of the weather I tell them to let me know when they next want them done. No need for lengthy explanations about not offering fair weather window cleaning, much less confrontational. If they're having building work, on holiday, roads closed etc then I know its just gonna be a one off cancellation.

With regards to dog sh1t, I've taken the backpack a couple of times for some. I find if they have a massive dog sh1t issue they are usually just a massive issue in general and fall into the category above long before I have to deal with the dog sh1t problem. There are some where they just missed a bit in the grass and I walk in it, just a hazard of the job. We've always got a bit of Swarfega on there back of the van.

 

[Skxawng]

When a customer cancels the night before I just say "No problem, let me know when you next want them done". I would say 95% don't ever get in touch again, the small amount that do get told their new price (Usually £10 more than their usual clean). 

Genius! I'm generally as tactful as possible as I have very compact work and don't want disgruntled ex-customers exaggerating to their neighbours and potentially causing problems. 

 

[P4dstar]

Genius! I'm generally as tactful as possible as I have very compact work and don't want disgruntled ex-customers exaggerating to their neighbours and potentially causing problems. 

Thats exactly it mate. I did one yesterday where I have 6 in a row that used to be 7. One old bloke had gone shopping so left his money with the guy who used to be number 7. There are no hard feelings, I even stopped for a chat about Christmas with the bloke. I've seen so many people on here who take it really seriously and given examples of strongly worded texts they send. Must be awkward as f@%k when they bump into that person again. Too much hassle for me, plenty more work out there and plenty of people who want us to come back regularly.

 

[Matt steel 118]

I had a customer try and text me to bring the bins in while I was there I said yeah and charger £6.00  didn't do it again 

 

[steve garwood]

I had a customer try and text me to bring the bins in while I was there I said yeah and charger £6.00  didn't do it again 

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