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Mr grumpy the windowcleaner...

cheapncheerful

Well-known member
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6,486
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sandbach
just had a new job phoned in....had a little chat as you do...and then she said..

.i just phoned this other window cleaner and he was so rude....he went on about how he didn't like time wasters and acted as if he just didn't want to clean my windows..... oh dear mr grumpy window cleaner...i have heard your name...tut tut tut...ahh well cheapncheerful will live up to his name and save the day...mentioned i had gutters to clean....and she says...oh do you do that.....oh dear mr grumpy you're on a loser now..../emoticons/biggrin.png

 
It pays to be courteous in this game. The people like that just make customers appreciate us more when they find us. GJ mate.

 
Its essential to be courteous and nice in this line of work. Once people like and trust you then they will ask you to do extra jobs, recommend you to friends and neighbours....and ply you with cake and tea.

 
Depends how I'm spoken to as works both ways you know. If ppl rub me up the wrong way then I can turn into the incredible smurf and tell them to do one /emoticons/biggrin.png

 
Depends how I'm spoken to as works both ways you know. If ppl rub me up the wrong way then I can turn into the incredible smurf and tell them to do one /emoticons/biggrin.png
Very true.

I had a guy swearing and shouting at me because I was chatting to his gardener. I packed up my kit, reeled in the hose and drove away. £40 job or not, I'm not taking grief from anyone.

His wife however rang me a few weeks later to find out where I was and was disgusted to hear what he had said. After a long conversation I agreed to return them to my round and accepted his apology. /emoticons/biggrin.png

 
Depends how I'm spoken to as works both ways you know. If ppl rub me up the wrong way then I can turn into the incredible smurf and tell them to do one /emoticons/biggrin.png
Like the ones who seem to think they are doing you some massive favour by providing you with work, and treat you like some lower form of life.........they get advised to look elsewhere to get the job done. Don't need customers like that, there are plenty of decent ones out there and if you do a good job they will be with you a long time.....

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My grumpy customer's and his wife tried to explain his behaviour away by telling me he was an Ex Company Sergeant Major and he sometimes forgets he has retired from the Army.

Should have seen his smile drop when I pointed out that I hold a Queen's Commission and had never had a Sarnt Major swear at me before. :rofl:

 
I would have been very tempted to say something like "if you ever sware at me again I will shove your pace stick up where the sun don't shine" but that's just me /emoticons/biggrin.png

 
one thing to remember, apart from mrtaytay and his tea and cakes, is that every customer has numerous other possible leads to jobs in the area from relatives neighbours and friends....in my early days....one such custy just pulled up on a road as i was cleaning and got me my favorite area...in fact she turned out to be one of my favorite custys and she always treated me so well...and them hotpants..oh sorry veering off again...memories...:rolleyes:

 
I am extremely curteous to customers but if they cross that line I have been known to tell them what I think and just walk away

was always taught that manners cost nothing

 
its a fine line between being friendly and being seen as a sucker. iv learnt that on initial contact whether it be by phone or in person on the street its best to listen but then take charge of the conver . an example might be "excuse me, how much do you charge?"

hello , these houses are ten quid and its every 6 weeks , ten pounds every 6 weeks, ten pounds...every 6 weeks

"im not sure if i want them doing every 6 weeks..."

we only do 6 weeks

"mmmmmm..."

tell you what let me give you a card cos weve got to get on , ta raa .

that sort never rings later ,good,pound to a pinch of muck theyd cancel come december

 
hmmm , feel a bit guilty now as i found his website and he looks a really nice family man so maybe she just caught him at a bad moment..../emoticons/sad.png

as usual ...iv e just scrawled a load of new jobs on the paper by the phone and havent a clue where or when i will be doing them...sure it will all figure out....i must get more control like boar says..../emoticons/biggrin.png

 
Maybe he wasn't grumpy. Maybe she asked him a different question to you.

"Hi I'm looking for a window cleaning, can you do it by Friday because we have a party on Saturday"

His reply, "No sorry, I'm really busy. I could do it in a couple of weeks."

Then calls you and tries a different approach. "He was so grumpy and you are a nice man. You'll clean my windows won't you?"

Well maybe not quite like that but you get my drift. I have had loads wanting me to "do it this week" but it will be a one off.

 
yep i will let you know sometime this week when i sort through my list....as long as they dont try and get me at the weekend...on some things i am strong...not a chance....:Dyeh i may yet be able to palm off that job smurfy...hopefully..

 
Like the onis justs who seem to think they are doing you some massive favour by providing you with work, and treat you like some lower form of life.........they get advised to look elsewhere to get the job done. Don't need customers like that, there are plenty of decent ones out there and if you do a good job they will be with you a long time.....

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Any customer who sees me as some kind of simple desperate can go and do one. There is plenty of work out there. Even us windies are human and deserve proper respect. One of my customers makes me smile. He is a retired teacher. He is a nice bloke and means no harm, but thinks, because I am a windowcleaner, I am thick as shite. He takes great care in explaining the simplest of things to me. He delighted, one day, in telling me about the internet and extolled the virtues of of the costco site he had discovered, telling me how cheap things were on there and how he was going to order a job lot from there. I immediately became suspicious, on hearing the silly prices he was quoting and asked him to bring the site up. Once he did, I could see it was totally bogus....a chinese based scam site. I told him he should avoid at all cost and explained how he had come across this site ( a simple misspelling of costco)....he thanked me for my advice but still thinks I am the village simple!.

 
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