Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: jay moley on April 16, 2025, 04:14:10 pm
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Took on a new customer last week. Fairly big house, £70 first clean, £45 every 8 weeks.
Text her last week asking if she was happy with the clean. She said very happy but thinks £45 is too expensive, can I do £40.
I've never dropped my price as I'm offering an excellent service and I don't want to be the cheapest out there.
She said her previous window cleaner wasn't calling her back and now I'm wondering whether he did so on purpose as she's a messer. He was charging £30 before her loft conversion.
Do any of you every negotiate?
My gut is to stick to my guns.
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Just stick with your guns. Just ask her if it's the cost or quality of work she's after? She'll probably jump ship anyway once she finds someone a quid cheaper given half the chance.
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Just stick with your guns. Just ask her if it's the cost or quality of work she's after? She'll probably jump ship anyway once she finds someone a quid cheaper given half the chance.
That's my thought. Price shopper.
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Took on a new customer last week. Fairly big house, £70 first clean, £45 every 8 weeks.
Text her last week asking if she was happy with the clean. She said very happy but thinks £45 is too expensive, can I do £40.
I've never dropped my price as I'm offering an excellent service and I don't want to be the cheapest out there.
She said her previous window cleaner wasn't calling her back and now I'm wondering whether he did so on purpose as she's a messer. He was charging £30 before her loft conversion.
Do any of you every negotiate?
My gut is to stick to my guns.
I'm not sure that texting a new customer asking if they are happy with the clean is the right thing to do. A text gives them time to think about an issue before responding. They may feel they need to come up with something to 'complain' about. Personally, I believe this is better left to a face to face meeting at a future time.
Your only solution now is to reject their price reduction request which leaves you as the bad boy.
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Took on a new customer last week. Fairly big house, £70 first clean, £45 every 8 weeks.
Text her last week asking if she was happy with the clean. She said very happy but thinks £45 is too expensive, can I do £40.
I've never dropped my price as I'm offering an excellent service and I don't want to be the cheapest out there.
She said her previous window cleaner wasn't calling her back and now I'm wondering whether he did so on purpose as she's a messer. He was charging £30 before her loft conversion.
Do any of you every negotiate?
My gut is to stick to my guns.
I'm not sure that texting a new customer asking if they are happy with the clean is the right thing to do. A text gives them time to think about an issue before responding. They may feel they need to come up with something to 'complain about. Personally, I believe this is better left to a face to face meeting at a future time.
Your only solution now is to reject their price reduction request which leaves you as the bad boy.
I disagree. It shows you care and it also allows you to address any problems they have if they are dissatisfied and then fix it securing their future business. I cant remember anyone that has ever said they were unhappy. I am very thorough on first cleans. I then follow up with my google review link which pretty much all of my enquiries from google have seen as they mention it. Whatever works for you.
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Very unusual to ask a new customer if they are happy with your work.
Quote - do the job - tell them you've finished and will see them in the future at the agreed schedule time.
I don't think I have ever asked if my work is ok.
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Tell her you would be happy to do the job for £50
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I'd stick to your guns....never ever drop your price.
I also have never texted a customer to ask them if their happy with their clean and never would.
I had a customer today who let me clean their back windows,side ones and when I got round to the front windows had stuck a note on her front door saying 'can you skip my windows today,thank you' ::)roll....dumped!
I've picked her neighbour up so replaced the job already. It's not the first time she's stuck a note on the front door,it's probably happened 5 times in the last 2 years and always if it's a bit of light rain.
You can't lose in this game!😎👍
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Stick to the £45…..but on first cleans instead of being reactive and texting to ask if she was happy with the clean, better being proactive and say at time of clean, if there are any problems please get in touch……I never have anyone getting in touch so this approach works for me👍🏻
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I'd stick to your guns....never ever drop your price.
I also have never texted a customer to ask them if their happy with their clean and never would.
I had a customer today who let me clean their back windows,side ones and when I got round to the front windows had stuck a note on her front door saying 'can you skip my windows today,thank you' ::)roll....dumped!
I've picked her neighbour up so replaced the job already. It's not the first time she's stuck a note on the front door,it's probably happened 5 times in the last 2 years and always if it's a bit of light rain.
You can't lose in this game!😎👍
I had this many years ago from a customer who lived in a block of flats I used to clean, she thought it was a good idea to put a ‘not today’ note on her French doors on a first floor balcony which was accessed by a ladder!😡
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Maybe she thinks you are a tad insecure by asking if she was happy with the clean. So she has came back trying to save a fiver every few months. This reminds me of when I started up 6 years ago. I would worry about new customers continuing with my service. Now I have 100 loyal customers and plenty of handyman stuff I don't really care anymore and have as little contact with my customers as possible bar talking away with them about politics.
If they try to get me to do things cheaper then its time to distance myself from them, I know my worth.
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The worst thing that can happen if you text a customer is them saying they are unhappy. If they are you fix it and retain the customer. I can count on one hand those that have said they were un happy with the clean.
it takes about 5 seconds to send the text and it includes thanking them for their business, why - because the number one reason people stop doing business with companies is because they are indifferent to your service or feel under appreciated. And yes I say thank you even if ive said thank you to them in person on the day of the clean!!
I do a few other things that I bet loads of you think are pointless or a waste of time. You'll be glad to know I'll keep them to myself.
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The worst thing that can happen if you text a customer is them saying they are unhappy. If they are you fix it and retain the customer. I can count on one hand those that have said they were un happy with the clean.
it takes about 5 seconds to send the text and it includes thanking them for their business, why - because the number one reason people stop doing business with companies is because they are indifferent to your service or feel under appreciated. And yes I say thank you even if ive said thank you to them in person on the day of the clean!!
I do a few other things that I bet loads of you think are pointless or a waste of time. You'll be glad to know I'll keep them to myself.
No one has said you shouldn't say thank you.
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The worst thing that can happen if you text a customer is them saying they are unhappy. If they are you fix it and retain the customer. I can count on one hand those that have said they were un happy with the clean.
it takes about 5 seconds to send the text and it includes thanking them for their business, why - because the number one reason people stop doing business with companies is because they are indifferent to your service or feel under appreciated. And yes I say thank you even if ive said thank you to them in person on the day of the clean!!
I do a few other things that I bet loads of you think are pointless or a waste of time. You'll be glad to know I'll keep them to myself.
Why thank someone? You’re not seventeen & desperate for work. They’re not your friends. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement. You want the work & they want their windows cleaned. End of imo.
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In the end its business they are not our friends where we do stuff for free. When you have plenty of customers then your character changes. I have now realised my customers need me more than I need them.
One texted to say they need 2 new 6" slats for their fence and could I replace them? I had already stuck a bit of the roughcast that came off at the last clean so this time I took 2 slats with me. Cleaned her and the neighbours windows and replaced the 2 slats. Cut up the old slats and put them in her bin. Instead of £12 I charged £60 and she was very happy. I was very happy because I was there anyway and took me another 5 minutes so I see it as a win win situation. That's the reason my customers like to hold on to me.
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The worst thing that can happen if you text a customer is them saying they are unhappy. If they are you fix it and retain the customer. I can count on one hand those that have said they were un happy with the clean.
it takes about 5 seconds to send the text and it includes thanking them for their business, why - because the number one reason people stop doing business with companies is because they are indifferent to your service or feel under appreciated. And yes I say thank you even if ive said thank you to them in person on the day of the clean!!
I do a few other things that I bet loads of you think are pointless or a waste of time. You'll be glad to know I'll keep them to myself.
Why thank someone? You’re not seventeen & desperate for work. They’re not your friends. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement. You want the work & they want their windows cleaned. End of imo.
So you only say thank you to your friends and family? Wow.
If a customer talks to you on the day and thanks you for coming you don't say thank you back either?
When someone holds the door open for you in a shop you don't say thank you?
When a driver lets you go in the car you dont say thank you?
I could go on and on.
There is no negative to saying thanks just like theirs no negative for being polite.
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As little contact with the customer as possible, it just gives them an opportunity to mess you about. Texting before you go because of access issues is unavoidable but we all know these are the customers that are likely to mess you about, that in itself should really be enough to teach you that opening unnecessary lines of communication is asking for trouble.
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I'd stick to your guns....never ever drop your price.
I also have never texted a customer to ask them if their happy with their clean and never would.
I had a customer today who let me clean their back windows,side ones and when I got round to the front windows had stuck a note on her front door saying 'can you skip my windows today,thank you' ::)roll....dumped!
I've picked her neighbour up so replaced the job already. It's not the first time she's stuck a note on the front door,it's probably happened 5 times in the last 2 years and always if it's a bit of light rain.
You can't lose in this game!😎👍
I had this many years ago from a customer who lived in a block of flats I used to clean, she thought it was a good idea to put a ‘not today’ note on her French doors on a first floor balcony which was accessed by a ladder!😡
They should only ever catch you once.
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We contact every single customer every single time we clean. Doesn't cause us any issues whatsoever and many (not just a few) of them thank us for letting them know.
In the event someone says "not this time", we book in another customer for the day (because we know now that we have spare time) and we don't even raise an eyebrow, we just get through the round a tad quicker and maybe end up with an extra afternoon off when it all adds up over the round.
We don't check with customers about their first clean but it smacks of caring about your customers. People notice details like that.
Some people on here sound scared of their customers.
As to the original point my response (mercilessly stolen from someone on here years ago) the one time I was asked was "Sure, I can knock some money off. Which windows don't you want me to clean?"
Vin
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As little contact with the customer as possible, it just gives them an opportunity to mess you about. Texting before you go because of access issues is unavoidable but we all know these are the customers that are likely to mess you about, that in itself should really be enough to teach you that opening unnecessary lines of communication is asking for trouble.
That's too far the other way, IMO.
99 out of 100 of my customers are no issue whatsoever.
The one per cent get trained or dumped.
All customers get pleasant civilities including thanks at usual times until my Spidey senses tell me they need training or dumping.
Customer sticks their head out and says 'I've paid you on line' I say thank you.
A new customer says thanks for cleaning the windows. I say thanks for the work.
Simples.
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As little contact with the customer as possible, it just gives them an opportunity to mess you about. Texting before you go because of access issues is unavoidable but we all know these are the customers that are likely to mess you about, that in itself should really be enough to teach you that opening unnecessary lines of communication is asking for trouble.
That's too far the other way, IMO.
99 out of 100 of my customers are no issue whatsoever.
The one per cent get trained or dumped.
All customers get pleasant civilities including thanks at usual times until my Spidey senses tell me they need training or dumping.
Customer sticks their head out and says 'I've paid you on line' I say thank you.
A new customer says thanks for cleaning the windows. I say thanks for the work.
Simples.
I'm quite happy to converse with a customer whilst with them, in fact I do far too much of it these days but before a clean, only contact those I have to, and after a clean, only to reply to any texts telling me they've paid me, thats just courtesy. I get the "training" bit but avoiding the issue in the 1st place by not contacting them unnecessarily just makes life easier.
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Training should be done as you set out your stall to begin with.
Further training when there is a 'strike' issue.
Sometimes it's straight to Strike 3 and dump. Occasionally a Strike one or two reminder.
We all have different nuances.
For example Vin seems to indicate that a 'not this time' skip is a normal occurrence that he is content to tolerate and work with.
I tell customers at the start that I don't accept doorstep cancellations.
When it happens they go on the strike 1/2/3 and re-training radar.
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What I have came to realise is this. My friends and relatives don't believe window cleaning is a real job they believe its a hobby. Same with some of my customers. I have never came across a career like it. I eventually stopped talking about it and just got on with the job. As long as the money keeps coming in them I'm a happy camper the moment it stops then I stop cleaning their windows.
I'm not going to be able to buy a new van unless the money comes in. So I quietly pick up new customers and try and dump the time vampires. In the end all we do is keep it simple and every week we should see our business grow, that's what I have found out. fwiw. 😉
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For example Vin seems to indicate that a 'not this time' skip is a normal occurrence that he is content to tolerate and work with.
I tell customers at the start that I don't accept doorstep cancellations.
I wouldn't accept doorstep cancellations but then I don't get them, because I tell the customer I'm going the evening before so any cancellation means I have time to put in another job.
Vin
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would i negotiate as a rule no, however theres no need to cut off your nose to spite your face sometimes, if it had took me 20 mins to clean it i may just say yes. Depends really
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Never, it's a thing i never, ever do. If I was getting work done and they dropped the price, I'd automatically think they were trying to do me to begin with, as why try charge me higher if they were prepared to do it for less.
I've walked away over a pound before.
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Maybe she thinks you are a tad insecure by asking if she was happy with the clean. So she has came back trying to save a fiver every few months. This reminds me of when I started up 6 years ago. I would worry about new customers continuing with my service. Now I have 100 loyal customers and plenty of handyman stuff I don't really care anymore and have as little contact with my customers as possible bar talking away with them about politics.
If they try to get me to do things cheaper then its time to distance myself from them, I know my worth.
100 loyal customers? What frequency are you cleaning? Four weekly and you're cleaning 6 houses a day ish. You've got to be charging £40 a house to be doing any good.
You will learn that not all of them will be loyal!
I lost a long standing client this week to a 'family member is starting up' I've heard them all. They think we're fecking daft some of them.
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Maybe she thinks you are a tad insecure by asking if she was happy with the clean. So she has came back trying to save a fiver every few months. This reminds me of when I started up 6 years ago. I would worry about new customers continuing with my service. Now I have 100 loyal customers and plenty of handyman stuff I don't really care anymore and have as little contact with my customers as possible bar talking away with them about politics.
If they try to get me to do things cheaper then its time to distance myself from them, I know my worth.
100 loyal customers? What frequency are you cleaning? Four weekly and you're cleaning 6 houses a day ish. You've got to be charging £40 a house to be doing any good.
You will learn that not all of them will be loyal!
I lost a long standing client this week to a 'family member is starting up' I've heard them all. They think we're fecking daft some of them.
Totally agree, my customers can turn on a dime but I undertake other tasks so they don't just lose a window cleaner. 3 of my customers are care homes with plenty of customers in them. I don't have all my eggs in one basket. Next week I go on a one day tower scaffold course for the plumbers I help out. Have a conny clean on Saturday where I need my scaffold which will make it a lot safer and easier to complete.
In the end, we stick cleaning windows or we diversify and do add-ons. Its up to us we get what we put out. I was in the new Crafter the other day and I have focused myself to buy one so I need to work hard and save up.
Like I did with the van system, I saved up for a few months and went down south and got Oliver to fit it. The sense of pride I had when driving back up was great until the next day when I went to use it. The hot water failed to start up and I thought I was back to square one. Didn't get angry and stuck with it and it all came good in the end. When you save up for something then you usually take care of it.
In the end, I have found out if you want to do well in this game then be flexible and add other services like conservatory cleans, solar cleans, SFG cleans because we have the kit in the van. Just a quick spray with hypo and scrub away then rinse with our wfp and job done. It works for me so it will work for anyone else.
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Text her last week asking if she was happy with the clean.
Lol!
Just why.
They accepted your price, you did the job. Stop insecurely pestering them and get on with your life.
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Exactly why would you ask them, clean the windows and if they pay they are happy enough, if they dont cancel after a few cleans thats usually a good indication also.
Maybe by asking them you came across as insecure and hence why subconsciously they thought why not try and lower the price this guy is soft.
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Exactly why would you ask them, clean the windows and if they pay they are happy enough, if they dont cancel after a few cleans thats usually a good indication also.
Maybe by asking them you came across as insecure and hence why subconsciously they thought why not try and lower the price this guy is soft.
This insecure stuff, what nonsense. I have enough work on and I'm gaining more each week as is my goal for this year.
I've text customers for over a year seeing if they are happy. This is the first time someone has asked for a lower price.
I've had maybe 5 people say they were unhappy with something and I've gone back, put it right and retained those customers. They've never been unhappy with the whole clean, I do a good job as my reviews online back up. It takes me 5 seconds to send these texts.
It's called customer service.
Window cleaning is a simple job probably one of the easiest businesses to run. You can get by without a sign written van, uniform, website, but why would you unless you are cheap?
Sounds like some people are forgetting that our customers pay our wages. If customers leave your earnings go down unless you replace them.
I come from a sales background. Keeping the customer happy is no. 1. Doing a good job is paramount but good customer service cements things like referrals.
As I said before I do other things that most of you would think are a waste of time, but they are making me more money rather than just turning up every 4 or 8 weeks.
I'm not going to say anything else on this but I'll leave you with a quote (not mine):
“If you want to be successful in life, simply watch what most people would do in a given situation, and then do the total opposite—nine times out of ten, you'll receive greater rewards.”
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Exactly why would you ask them, clean the windows and if they pay they are happy enough, if they dont cancel after a few cleans thats usually a good indication also.
Maybe by asking them you came across as insecure and hence why subconsciously they thought why not try and lower the price this guy is soft.
This insecure stuff, what nonsense. I have enough work on and I'm gaining more each week as is my goal for this year.
I've text customers for over a year seeing if they are happy. This is the first time someone has asked for a lower price.
I've had maybe 5 people say they were unhappy with something and I've gone back, put it right and retained those customers. They've never been unhappy with the whole clean, I do a good job as my reviews online back up. It takes me 5 seconds to send these texts.
It's called customer service.
Window cleaning is a simple job probably one of the easiest businesses to run. You can get by without a sign written van, uniform, website, but why would you unless you are cheap?
Sounds like some people are forgetting that our customers pay our wages. If customers leave your earnings go down unless you replace them.
I come from a sales background. Keeping the customer happy is no. 1. Doing a good job is paramount but good customer service cements things like referrals.
As I said before I do other things that most of you would think are a waste of time, but they are making me more money rather than just turning up every 4 or 8 weeks.
I'm not going to say anything else on this but I'll leave you with a quote (not mine):
“If you want to be successful in life, simply watch what most people would do in a given situation, and then do the total opposite—nine times out of ten, you'll receive greater rewards.”
That bit in red is a rather supercilious assumption, don't you think?
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This insecure stuff, what nonsense. I have enough work on and I'm gaining more each week as is my goal for this year.
I've text customers for over a year seeing if they are happy. This is the first time someone has asked for a lower price.
I've had maybe 5 people say they were unhappy with something and I've gone back, put it right and retained those customers. They've never been unhappy with the whole clean, I do a good job as my reviews online back up. It takes me 5 seconds to send these texts.
It's called customer service.
Window cleaning is a simple job probably one of the easiest businesses to run. You can get by without a sign written van, uniform, website, but why would you unless you are cheap?
Sounds like some people are forgetting that our customers pay our wages. If customers leave your earnings go down unless you replace them.
I come from a sales background. Keeping the customer happy is no. 1. Doing a good job is paramount but good customer service cements things like referrals.
As I said before I do other things that most of you would think are a waste of time, but they are making me more money rather than just turning up every 4 or 8 weeks.
I'm not going to say anything else on this but I'll leave you with a quote (not mine):
“If you want to be successful in life, simply watch what most people would do in a given situation, and then do the total opposite—nine times out of ten, you'll receive greater rewards.”
I’ve only skim read this thread but if I’m getting this right, did you (in your OP) ask everyones opinion on something you did and then subsequently go off on a rant at everyone when they gave their opinion (that you asked for)?
Did you learnt this technique from your sales background?;D
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That bit in red is a rather supercilious assumption, don't you think?
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Yes, extremely.
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Exactly why would you ask them, clean the windows and if they pay they are happy enough, if they dont cancel after a few cleans thats usually a good indication also.
Maybe by asking them you came across as insecure and hence why subconsciously they thought why not try and lower the price this guy is soft.
This insecure stuff, what nonsense. I have enough work on and I'm gaining more each week as is my goal for this year.
I've text customers for over a year seeing if they are happy. This is the first time someone has asked for a lower price.
I've had maybe 5 people say they were unhappy with something and I've gone back, put it right and retained those customers. They've never been unhappy with the whole clean, I do a good job as my reviews online back up. It takes me 5 seconds to send these texts.
It's called customer service.
Window cleaning is a simple job probably one of the easiest businesses to run. You can get by without a sign written van, uniform, website, but why would you unless you are cheap?
Sounds like some people are forgetting that our customers pay our wages. If customers leave your earnings go down unless you replace them.
I come from a sales background. Keeping the customer happy is no. 1. Doing a good job is paramount but good customer service cements things like referrals.
As I said before I do other things that most of you would think are a waste of time, but they are making me more money rather than just turning up every 4 or 8 weeks.
I'm not going to say anything else on this but I'll leave you with a quote (not mine):
“If you want to be successful in life, simply watch what most people would do in a given situation, and then do the total opposite—nine times out of ten, you'll receive greater rewards.”
Im not saying you are insecure im saying you may have come across that way.
Personally i have better things to be doing than asking customers after a clean if they are happy or not.
I get the customer service thing and after a one off job like a pressure wash you should follow up and ask for a review that makes sense as this isnt repeat work and they will remember that, but not a ten a penny window clean its too much for a simple cheap service. Window cleaning is different we dont have to constantly market ourselves like you would one off services, just be reliable and do a good job is all you need to do. They will soon drop you if they are not happy.
End of the day you asked and she wanted a fiver knocking off, if you hadnt she probably wouldnt :D thats some effective sales right there i will have to start doing this.
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She has paid a lot of money for a Loft conversion,
now she is trying to knock you for a fiver, on an 8 weekly clean ? Her old Windy won't call her back ? I would walk away :o
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I did a conny clean yesterday and she said thanks and gave me the money. Today I did a first clean and refitted a downpipe with the help of 2 screws so it stays there. I thought see was selling but now she wants a monthly clean so winner winner chicken dinner, I thought. An hour later received a text saying payment is in my bank and thanks for the clean. I replied saying happy Easter. I have found, folk like short and sweet answers so I stick to this simple format because it works for me.
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I did a conny clean yesterday and she said thanks and gave me the money. Today I did a first clean and refitted a downpipe with the help of 2 screws so it stays there. I thought see was selling but now she wants a monthly clean so winner winner chicken dinner, I thought. An hour later received a text saying payment is in my bank and thanks for the clean. I replied saying happy Easter. I have found, folk like short and sweet answers so I stick to this simple format because it works for me.
Maybe you should stick to this simple format on the forum😜
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What I find odd about posts of that nature is 'I have found, folk like short and sweet answers'.
How have you found that out?
Have you done a survey of your customers to come to this conclusion or is it just an assumption you make because you just reply with short sentences to your customers and no-one has replied asking you to lengthen your reply or asked you to use more syllables?