Water fed pole stigma

[spruce]

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.

I don't believe any of the comments show an attitude, imho. I'm sorry if you have taken it that way.

We have all been there where a customer questions our clean quality to make what they see as a valid excuse to cancel us. I have called back to a complaint and in nearly all cases the clean was fine. In fact, the second last complaint was dirt on the customer's inside window.

We don't often know and remember each poster. Usually, a new member is a new window cleaner, so we are just saying to not take it personally. But as you have been in the business a long time, that advice, unbeknown to us, is pointless.

At one time, I would try to find out the reason why a customer cancelled us, so we could learn from any mistakes we have made that contributed to their decision. Over time, we have learnt we really get an honest answer. These days I don't ask why, I just thank them for the previous customer and bid them a good day.

A few years ago we got cancelled because the customer gave us a dud cheque. It was my fault because I never cleaned her windows when she was at home. Never gave her reason a second thought.

 

[Yogi1872]

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…

She might be the only one who's complained but that doesn't mean everyone else is happy. The vast majority won't say a word to you if you make a mess of there windows one month.

I go back to when I changed over to wfp, if I ran out of water I used to fill it up with normal water and just do the frames to give me a headstart the next day. You can imagine the mess of the windows after I've washed the frames for the first ever time. The ones who were in transfered me paymeant thinking that was me finished and not 1 complaint.

 

[Markysparky]

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.

When I get asked for a quote for the windows, I always check the uPVC frame first on the south side of the house, by wetting my finger and rubbing it down the frame. If it is a bleeder and you get white residue on your finger I will show the customer and explain that it weathered because of the UV sunlight and we will try to minimise any possible spotting. Forewarning them saves any misunderstanding and downstairs Windows can be squeeged clear if totally necessary. But you just have to add that
to the extra cost of the price quoted ?

 

[Pjj]

When I get asked for a quote for the windows, I always check the uPVC frame first on the south side of the house, by wetting my finger and rubbing it down the frame. If it is a bleeder and you get white residue on your finger I will show the customer and explain that it weathered because of the UV sunlight and we will try to minimise any possible spotting. Forewarning them saves any misunderstanding and downstairs Windows can be squeeged clear if totally necessary. But you just have to add that
to the extra cost of the price quoted ?

If you do a thorough first clean that will remove the milky run off and generally it won’t leave any marks , we have some that bleed every clean but it doesn’t leave any spots on the glass when it dries

 

[tench0771]

I would turn up clean them before lunch eat your lunch then inspect them once dry with ladder if there out and they look fine waight for the call see what she says if she not happy you can at least have peace of mind it’s not your method of cleaning dump and move on

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I would turn up clean them before lunch eat your lunch then inspect them once dry with ladder if there out and they look fine waight for the call see what she says if she not happy you can at least have peace of mind it’s not your method of cleaning dump and move on

I do first cleans 3 times now. First is to get hot pure on them and up the vents, secondly I go round and clean all windows and doors. Thirdly I go round again and clean them like a maintenance clean and it seems to work for me but takes 3 times aslong. ???

 

[spruce]

When I get asked for a quote for the windows, I always check the uPVC frame first on the south side of the house, by wetting my finger and rubbing it down the frame. If it is a bleeder and you get white residue on your finger I will show the customer and explain that it weathered because of the UV sunlight and we will try to minimise any possible spotting. Forewarning them saves any misunderstanding and downstairs Windows can be squeeged clear if totally necessary. But you just have to add that
to the extra cost of the price quoted ?

I like this suggestion. This is being proactive rather than reactive.

We only do the finger test when we have issues after we have cleaned. We are the ones who find the problems on the first clean, not the customer because we inspect our work after the first clean is done.

 

[Deleted member 5762]

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.

@Ocahan01 I've had this once or twice. Earlier this year a customer text me about a month after cleaning the windows and said they were cancelling as there had been marks on a couple windows the last two cleans. She is one of about 10 park homes I clean on a small estate - and not one of the other customers there has ever had a problem and I checked with them. I always say if there's a problem please just let me know. Personally I think there's two types that get like this - one doesn't like the fact you use a different cleaning method and that they know better, and the other doesn't like that you're not running up ans down a ladder for your money. On a local FB group to me the other day someone asked if anyone new a window cleaner that uses water, vinegar and a shammy or sponge to clean the windows ??

 

[Ocahan01]

I would turn up clean them before lunch eat your lunch then inspect them once dry with ladder if there out and they look fine waight for the call see what she says if she not happy you can at least have peace of mind it’s not your method of cleaning dump and move on

Yeah that’s the plan. Dump and move on is what’s happening regardless of the outcome.

 

[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.

Just an update on this story…
I called this morning first thing and cleaned this customers windows again.
Got them all done then told her I’d call back in an hour to check if they were ok and surprise surprise they were all perfect. I then asked her to explain what she has seen the previous time and what she described was two of the windows being really really bad with water marks and smears. The last time I was there painters when inside doing work and I explained that perhaps they had been washing up or something and that’s what’s caused the marks. What she described definitely wasn’t any fault of mine so she’s asked me to continue doing them and thanked me for calling to sort it out.


I know I said I was going to dump her but I think I’ll give it another chance. I told her that she’s free to get a trad window cleaner if that’s what she prefers but she’s assured me that’s she’s happy and wants me to continue.

One of the windows in question had a flower box on so I suggested that perhaps her husband( who’s a gardener) had been watering it and that’s where the mess has come from.
Anyway another drama averted and I can now move on.

 

[Pjj]

Just an update on this story…
I called this morning first thing and cleaned this customers windows again.
Got them all done then told her I’d call back in an hour to check if they were ok and surprise surprise they were all perfect. I then asked her to explain what she has seen the previous time and what she described was two of the windows being really really bad with water marks and smears. The last time I was there painters when inside doing work and I explained that perhaps they had been washing up or something and that’s what’s caused the marks. What she described definitely wasn’t any fault of mine so she’s asked me to continue doing them and thanked me for calling to sort it out.


I know I said I was going to dump her but I think I’ll give it another chance. I told her that she’s free to get a trad window cleaner if that’s what she prefers but she’s assured me that’s she’s happy and wants me to continue.

One of the windows in question had a flower box on so I suggested that perhaps her husband( who’s a gardener) had been watering it and that’s where the mess has come from.
Anyway another drama averted and I can now move on.

You won’t get smears with WFP you might get spots though think someone else was responsible for the issues

 

[Ocahan01]

You won’t get smears with WFP you might get spots though think someone else was responsible for the issues

Yeah exactly, once she explained what they looked like I knew it wasn’t me. It would be virtually impossible to leave it how she described it.