Water fed pole stigma

[Ocahan01]

over the weekend my step father who’s round I took over after 20 yrs working with him called me to say one of my customers had approached him.
She mentioned that she didn’t like the “pole thing” I was using and she preferred the trad method.

I phoned her straight away to ask what the problem was and she said there had been what she described as water marks the past two cleans. I’ve been using wfp on her windows for 3 years and in her own words she was happy up until recently but now all of a sudden there is spotting ?

Her windows are hydrophilic and have no vents or anything that might cause drips or spotting. Obviously I’m very confused as to why all of a sudden her windows aren’t being left perfect and determined to get to the bottom of it.

My guess is she’s just one of these customers who for whatever reason won’t accept change and when seeing my ex boss doing a shop front trad took her opportunity to go behind my back.

I told her on the phone that I stand over all my work and tell all my customers to phone me and I’ll correct any mistakes. Nobody’s ever called me back…

To be fair she was very nice on the phone and claimed she didn’t have a number for me even though she pays me through PayPal and easily could have messaged me there.

I plan to go back clean the windows. Head on with the rest of my round then call back a short time later to check what I think will be inevitably spotless windows. Then I intend to tell her to find someone else who will trad them for her.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Sometimes when a white pvc window is south facing is cleaned a white substance can dry on the glass. I have one and I can clean glass or give the top pvc a good scrub and a longer rinse to clear the stuff. I see it on first cleans.

 

[Pjj]

Is your water 000 could be the resin needs changing just check it to rule that out

 

[Ocahan01]

Definitely not my water. I check it on a daily basis. She’s the only one that had complained. she wants me back to try again so I’ll work out was the issue is then. If there actually is one…

 

[Pjj]

Definitely not my water. I check it on a daily basis. She’s the only one that had complained. she wants me back to try again so I’ll work out was the issue is then. If there actually is one…

Ok that’s good then I would just turn up unannounced and have a look

 

[Ocahan01]

Ok that’s good then I would just turn up unannounced and have a look

She’s said she’s cleaned them since so I’ll never know how they were left. Im she wants me back at the beginning of next week so I’ll do them and call back .

 

[Ocahan01]

Sometimes when a white pvc window is south facing is cleaned a white substance can dry on the glass. I have one and I can clean glass or give the top pvc a good scrub and a longer rinse to clear the stuff. I see it on first cleans.

It’s brown pvc. It is south facing but I’ve never noticed an issue. It’s a very confusing situation to me.

 

[Part Timer]

Usually spots at the top are vents / oxidising UPVC. Spots at the bottom is lack of rinsing.

 

[Ocahan01]

Usually spots at the top are vents / oxidising UPVC. Spots at the bottom is lack of rinsing.

As stated in my post there are no vents and the glass is extremely hydrophilic. No problems for 3 years and now all of a sudden there is spotting. Spotting that I haven’t seen because she said she cleaned them when I offered to come straight over to have a look .

 

[Part Timer]

As stated in my post there are no vents and the glass is extremely hydrophilic. No problems for 3 years and now all of a sudden there is spotting. Spotting that I haven’t seen because she said she cleaned them when I offered to come straight over to have a look .

I'm not saying there are any, all I'm doing is telling any newbie that might read this the different reason for spotting.
Personally, after hearing she doesn't like WFP, I wouldn't bother trying to resolve it, especially if you're dumping her anyway. Seems strange you wanting to prove something to someone that you don't intend to keep.

 

[Marko067]

Having been in the game now for nearly fifty years I can say that you will always find some that will not be happy when you change methods and others who will not be happy when there is a change of window cleaner, even if the new one does a great job. They just liked the previous guy better.

My daughter started working with me at the beginning of the pandemic when her work dried up. I had two or three of my customers tell her that they prefer her doing them as she does a better job of the window ledges. Now I know that whilst she does a great job of the windows she pays less attention to the ledges and frames than I do, however they prefer her doing their windows and that's the reason they give.

I have at least another two that tell me from time to time that they understand why we use poles and are happy for us to do it that way for our safety, but they say "it always leaves marks." However, whenever I have checked them over there is never anything to see or if there is it's on the inside. This is a view they have stubbornly adopted, I believe, purely because they preferred the previous method and don't like water being left on there windows to dry naturally.

At the end of the day, if I check them over and see nothing wrong, and if they remain friendly and pay on time then I don't worry too much about what they say, I'll just crack on. If they become moaners and mess me about with payment then they're gone.

 

[Nosey]

The saying ‘theres nowt so queer as folk’. Rings true in the window cleaning business. It’s hard not to take it personal, especially if you take pride in your work and your customers. It always unsettles me when this happens. But you’ve just got to move on and the real reason may not even be to do with the glass. I sometimes change my barbers. Not because I’m unhappy with my previous trim, sometimes just ready for a change.

 

[Iron Giant]

With some people you just never know, I cleaned a job 11 days ago then a customer messages me yesterday to ask if I still clean the frames and sills as he has had to wipe them down the last few times then he says it's mainly around the front door and didn't mention the sills again, I apologised and told him best course of action is for me to clean them as scheduled and for him to get back to me asap if there are any issues.

What I don't understand about his complaint is why didn't he get in touch a lot sooner

 

[spruce]

She’s said she’s cleaned them since so I’ll never know how they were left. Im she wants me back at the beginning of next week so I’ll do them and call back .

She doesn't like the method you use to clean her windows, or she doesn't like you for whatever reason. She is making an excuse to stop you cleaning her windows, which most likely has its roots with money. As others have said, don't take it personally and move on.

As @Marko067 said, when my wife joined us we got lots of new work from women folk, but when she stopped all that work dried up over time.

We had one old woman customer who hated men, as her husband had left her for another woman. She just tolerated me because her neighbour across the road she visited occasionally was my mother-in-law. But she couldn't stand my son, describing him as rude and opinionated. (He is totally the opposite, he is just non-confrontational.)
We got one job because neither of us has any tattoos. We were told her pervious window cleaner got more and more, which she didn't like.

 

[spruce]

With some people you just never know, I cleaned a job 11 days ago then a customer messages me yesterday to ask if I still clean the frames and sills as he has had to wipe them down the last few times then he says it's mainly around the front door and didn't mention the sills again, I apologised and told him best course of action is for me to clean them as scheduled and for him to get back to me asap if there are any issues.

What I don't understand about his complaint is why didn't he get in touch a lot sooner

Because it's just a load of rubbish. In my experience, these complaints always seem to have a financial aspect linked to them. They need to save money as they are over-extended financially, sometimes through no fault of their own.
How many customers have you had who have blamed your poor cleaning as the reason for dumping you, and then you see their windows becoming filthy over time? Why can't people just be honest.

Sometimes the complaint is justified. I cleaned a block of flats just the other day. I missed the main bay window on the second floor. I cleaned the top openers, but didn't clean the lower window. I must have got distracted with people passing by. I got a text of complaint that evening that the windows hadn't been cleaned, immediately got in the van and sorted the problem out. He was right, but he gave me the opportunity to correct the issue. I apologized, didn't make excuses and when he paid me, gave me an extra tip.

 

[Ocahan01]

I'm not saying there are any, all I'm doing is telling any newbie that might read this the different reason for spotting.
Personally, after hearing she doesn't like WFP, I wouldn't bother trying to resolve it, especially if you're dumping her anyway. Seems strange you wanting to prove something to someone that you don't intend to keep.

It’s more to prove to myself. As i said i never got a chance to inspect the windows that she claimed had marks because she said she cleaned them off. I would say with the windows in question it would be almost impossible to do a bad job so I think something else has happened. I also want ti go back and correct any wrong doing if it is my fault because that’s how I run my business.

 

[Iron Giant]

Because it's just a load of rubbish. In my experience, these complaints always seem to have a financial aspect linked to them. They need to save money as they are over-extended financially, sometimes through no fault of their own.
How many customers have you had who have blamed your poor cleaning as the reason for dumping you, and then you see their windows becoming filthy over time? Why can't people just be honest.

Sometimes the complaint is justified. I cleaned a block of flats just the other day. I missed the main bay window on the second floor. I cleaned the top openers, but didn't clean the lower window. I must have got distracted with people passing by. I got a text of complaint that evening that the windows hadn't been cleaned, immediately got in the van and sorted the problem out. He was right, but he gave me the opportunity to correct the issue. I apologized, didn't make excuses and when he paid me, gave me an extra tip.

Typically, I'd have no reason to doubt anyone more so this customer who has been on my rounds for well over 5 years, but the questionable thing is if the complaint was reason enough to complain then why not bring it up months ago, also to question whether I'm still providing the service I always have and say the sills were dirty I find hard to believe I am very thorough and dry swipe the sills a few times his particular style of house has much wider upper sills and I'll dry swipe those sills until no more water is coming off them

 

[scottish cleaning service]

When I changed over I had a few who used to call me back and weren't happy. Eventually one came round to the fact I wasn't changing and the other died so happy days.

 

[Iron Giant]

It’s more to prove to myself. As i said i never got a chance to inspect the windows that she claimed had marks because she said she cleaned them off. I would say with the windows in question it would be almost impossible to do a bad job so I think something else has happened. I also want ti go back and correct any wrong doing if it is my fault because that’s how I run my business.

I agree, your service and reputation is been called into question and it needs addressing, in my case I know for a fact that firstly his wife is home when I clean them and within an hour or so he returns from work so why on earth don't these complainers bring the alleged issues up asap

 

[Part Timer]

It’s more to prove to myself. As i said i never got a chance to inspect the windows that she claimed had marks because she said she cleaned them off. I would say with the windows in question it would be almost impossible to do a bad job so I think something else has happened. I also want ti go back and correct any wrong doing if it is my fault because that’s how I run my business.

Prove what exactly, that you did a good job and that your technique is good? Surely you know this anyway. She said she doesn't like WFP, she isn't questioning you she's questioning the method and she always will

 

[Ocahan01]

Prove what exactly, that you did a good job and that your technique is good? Surely you know this anyway. She said she doesn't like WFP, she isn't questioning you she's questioning the method and she always will

Why’s everyone on here have an attitude ? She said she was happy until
Recently , she’s now questioning the method not me. I want to understand what has happened not just for me but because you should learn from mistakes and treat every bad experience as a chance to learn and do better. I’m doing this 24 years so I know how to deal with customers in a way that pleases everyone. I want my hard earned reputation upheld regardless of the outcome.
We may part ways but she can still speak of having a positive experience dealing with me.