Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Sir Squeaky on February 19, 2008, 08:32:08 pm
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Yet another annoying new job today.
I was working in a nice village when a yummy mummy pulls up in her Range Rover Vogue.
Asks me to come and do her windows.
Great I thought, lots of money, should be a nice job... ;)
I get there and it's a large bungalow.
I price it at £20 (could have been higher for some of you, but a good price for me.)
I take about 45 minutes on it, and there's some really dirty frames to scrub.
I also squeegeed off a few big panes to avoid mucky runs and save making a bad impression, but tell her I won't need to in future.
When I've done she say "less than an hour?!!"
"Some of them are still wet!"
I explain the system again.
She said her last window cleaner dried them and she doesn't like paying £20 for wet windows.
At that she decides on every other month (yet another one ::))
I wipe a few more panes off to try and please her (she hadn't yet paid me).
Then she inspects every one again.
I've now been over an hour, so much for the £20 being a good price.
If she does have them done again (which I doubt) they'll only take 30-35 minutes.
That will definately lose me it. >:(
Sick of my luck. :(
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They never do but if they did comment on it being done quick i would say that`s why i`ve invested in this way of working because it`s quicker for me,the benefit for you the customer is that doing it this way you get your frames cleaned every time i visit,if you get a traditional WC the chances are he wont do the frames and if he does he will want more money for doing it.You could always say to customers like that that you could always find another WC but every WC round here now are mainly WFP,she wont know that and probobly wont be bothered enough to find out either if they come up good after a couple of cleans she`ll leave you alone and just pay you.
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Its not your bad luck mate, some people are fussy and don't like wfp its out of your hands, chin up theres bigger fish to fry!
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You should have just them all wet and not bothered squeeging off the windows and told her that due to the way the windows where clean they need to dry naturally.
Thats what i tell any new one's that say you have left them wet.
And where she said about her last window cleaner dried them i would have said that you do not clean traditionally and are using purified water which does not need drying off
I think this one only wanted a one off clean anyway.
Paul
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annoying isnt it buddy!
have you had this yet? cleaned them, go to get money and they come out with cloths drying them ::)
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LOL
Old dears for this one - OY!!!!!!!!
Rob ;D
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They never do but if they did comment on it being done quick i would say that`s why i`ve invested in this way of working because it`s quicker for me,the benefit for you the customer is that doing it this way you get your frames cleaned every time i visit,if you get a traditional WC the chances are he wont do the frames and if he does he will want more money for doing it.You could always say to customers like that that you could always find another WC but every WC round here now are mainly WFP,she wont know that and probobly wont be bothered enough to find out either if they come up good after a couple of cleans she`ll leave you alone and just pay you.
I did say all of that.
Some people just don't like it it seems.
I said to her "You've got my number, if there's anything wrong, let me know, as I'm in the village tomorrow"
Whether she will, I don't know.
May depend what the husband's like...
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To be honest i know certain custs can be arses, I only wfp tops and do bungalows trad, it saves stupid comments and keeps everyone happy, i don't mind trad.
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have you had this yet? cleaned them, go to get money and they come out with cloths drying them ::)
You've gotta be kidding?! Cant they at least wait and see what it dries like?! Some just arent worth the bother eh...
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No offense MJ but doing tops only is no quicker than all WFP,it`s being dictated to by the customer and having no confidence in the system doing tops only.
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Funny old game, i picked up a new one yesterday £12 house, used to have a cleaner but he doesn't come anymore. Whilst i was there, next door asked for a quote so i said £12, WHAT! they said we pay £20 with our cleaner (trad) Don't want you now because they have just been done, but we will have you next time. So now not only have i underpriced myself, i've poached someones work (something i don't want to do) it also turns out they share the same cleaner, so alarm bells have started ringing. :-\
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NWH- No offence i have never been dictacted to by customers i have dropped far too many in my time! I find wfp a tad boring, i like a little variation, im on a water meter now so i try and optimise water usage as i use a fair amount already each week ;)
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I also canvassed a whacking great house the other day would have been a mega payer. Then it got to the stage of pricing and she asked what method i used. When i explained it was cheerio we've had that rubbish before - took all the paint off the frames! :o
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Funny old game, i picked up a new one yesterday £12 house, used to have a cleaner but he doesn't come anymore. Whilst i was there, next door asked for a quote so i said £12, WHAT! they said we pay £20 with our cleaner (trad) Don't want you now because they have just been done, but we will have you next time. So now not only have i underpriced myself, i've poached someones work (something i don't want to do) it also turns out they share the same cleaner, so alarm bells have started ringing. :-\
if you are happy with price it aint under and if customers want to change their window cleaner they are entitled to,not your problem
I also canvassed a whacking great house the other day would have been a mega payer. Then it got to the stage of pricing and she asked what method i used. When i explained it was cheerio we've had that rubbish before - took all the paint off the frames! :o
only if the paints crap,and if it is that bad you dont want it anyway ;)
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have you had this yet? cleaned them, go to get money and they come out with cloths drying them ::)
You've gotta be kidding?! Cant they at least wait and see what it dries like?! Some just arent worth the bother eh...
no kidding!
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Yet another annoying new job today.
I was working in a nice village when a yummy mummy pulls up in her Range Rover Vogue.
Asks me to come and do her windows.
Great I thought, lots of money, should be a nice job... ;)
I get there and it's a large bungalow.
I price it at £20 (could have been higher for some of you, but a good price for me.)
I take about 45 minutes on it, and there's some really dirty frames to scrub.
I also squeegeed off a few big panes to avoid mucky runs and save making a bad impression, but tell her I won't need to in future.
When I've done she say "less than an hour?!!"
"Some of them are still wet!"
I explain the system again.
She said her last window cleaner dried them and she doesn't like paying £20 for wet windows.
At that she decides on every other month (yet another one ::))
I wipe a few more panes off to try and please her (she hadn't yet paid me).
Then she inspects every one again.
I've now been over an hour, so much for the £20 being a good price.
If she does have them done again (which I doubt) they'll only take 30-35 minutes.
That will definately lose me it. >:(
Sick of my luck. :(
Someone once said to me "That was quick". I replied "Yes. I'm getting pretty good at this."
Someone complained recently that I earned too much money and that I got through the work too quickly. Makes me feel like asking them if I'm supposed to go more slowly or whether I should stop and read the paper half way through.
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Funny old game, i picked up a new one yesterday £12 house, used to have a cleaner but he doesn't come anymore. Whilst i was there, next door asked for a quote so i said £12, WHAT! they said we pay £20 with our cleaner (trad) Don't want you now because they have just been done, but we will have you next time. So now not only have i underpriced myself, i've poached someones work (something i don't want to do) it also turns out they share the same cleaner, so alarm bells have started ringing. :-\
if you are happy with price it aint under and if customers want to change their window cleaner they are entitled to,not your problem
Yes but i could have quoted eighteen and still undercut.
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The system is not perfect all of the time and it will never work on every house - because of this you need to admit when you get it wrong and not charge.
If they aren't happy we don't accept payment - then at least they cannot slag you off to everyone because it hasn't cost them anything.
Rob ;D
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have you had this yet? cleaned them, go to get money and they come out with cloths drying them ::)
You've gotta be kidding?! Cant they at least wait and see what it dries like?! Some just arent worth the bother eh...
no kidding!
yep same here ::) came out with a tea towel after she had paid and i was doing next door,had to tell her to stop it ;D fine after first time tho
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To be honest i know certain custs can be arses, I only wfp tops and do bungalows trad, it saves stupid comments and keeps everyone happy, i don't mind trad.
Although this is a bungalow, most of the windows are about 9 feet high, and out of reach.
Otherwise I may have squeegeed it instead.
I thought I was doing a good thing though, as she mentioned the dirty frames. ::)
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Fair comment squeaky, if its better for you to do it that way then play, i have wfp bungalows before all my work varies slightly ;)
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Some customers tell me I'm quick on the job (window cleaning that is), I reply: "yep, I'm paid by the job, not the hour", lol
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Couldnt you of just show her some of the window were its dried??
thats what i have done with the ones that come out say arnt you going to dry them off?? then saying is it magic water ??? i just show them on the bottoms were parts of the windows have started to dry. they seem ok with that then
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Roger - don't let them intimidate you mate - this is how it should go:-
Yummy Mummy turns up etc. -
You go round and from your clipboard you hand her a typed up sheet explaining the system and how you leave it wet "to dry naturally to a clear finish". As she reads this you price it up and say:-
"Your windows haven't been cleaned for a while Mrs. X so my rate will have to reflect that" you point to your table of rates which show different rates depending on heaviness of soilage.
e.g £20 shows £30 for first clean/£40 for heavily soiled.
You tell her that for monthly cleans you will charge (say) £30 for first and then £20 monthly or £25 every other month - which would she prefer?
Then when she moans you have taken less than an hour for your £30 you say as Shiner etc above have responded. If she's really awkward then take her money and tell her that upon reflection she does not fit the profile of customer that you require and good day!
I don't fancy you Rog ;D but you're a good looking guy with presence - use it and walk tall and act confident. Believe in yourself - you're a v. good w/c and it pains me to see you selling yourself short.
Sermon over! ;D
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I have had all the above, you can't please everyone! I tried the "doing down's" with traditional method's to stop the bleating!...I say don't bother! If people don't like the pole system you will loose them anyway!
Paint can come of wooden frames... but it would have to be loose anyway!
As for water on the meter, us a pump/filters and DI resin and use the rain water it's free and there's no waste! (when you compare TDS readings 330/tap water to 30/rain it makes sense!)
Regards Steve
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Couldnt you of just show her some of the window were its dried??
thats what i have done with the ones that come out say arnt you going to dry them off?? then saying is it magic water ??? i just show them on the bottoms were parts of the windows have started to dry. they seem ok with that then
Yep, did that too.
Next...? ;D
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I'm not trying to be funny, but when I quote any new job, I clearly ask how often they would like them cleaned before I give them a price which reflects the duration. Also if the windows & frames are disgustingly dirty I tell them up front that I will charge 1&1/2 to 2 times the value of the quote as an initial price to reflect the extra time spent cleaning. That way, if the customer decides to cancel after the initial wash I haven't spent the extra time & effort trying to refresh their disgustingly dirty window frames up to scratch and sold myself short on my regular earnings.
I also explain that I use the waterfed pole method, not the traditional method for cleaning windows when I quote their price so they know what they are letting themselves in for and can expect the windows to be left wet to 'air dry'.
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i've only had 1 customer say i was very quick and i agreed with her. Smiling broadly while i held my hand out. ;D
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She said her last window cleaner dried them and she doesn't like paying £20 for wet windows.
At that she decides on every other month (yet another one )
what do you mean squeaks.... thats good innit.
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Rodger if you take cheques then just give them the option of sending one in an SAE when the windows have dried. if you trust the system then so will they.
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Yet another annoying new job today.
I was working in a nice village when a yummy mummy pulls up in her Range Rover Vogue.
Asks me to come and do her windows.
Great I thought, lots of money, should be a nice job... ;)
I get there and it's a large bungalow.
I price it at £20 (could have been higher for some of you, but a good price for me.)
I take about 45 minutes on it, and there's some really dirty frames to scrub.
I also squeegeed off a few big panes to avoid mucky runs and save making a bad impression, but tell her I won't need to in future.
When I've done she say "less than an hour?!!"
"Some of them are still wet!"
I explain the system again.
She said her last window cleaner dried them and she doesn't like paying £20 for wet windows.
At that she decides on every other month (yet another one ::))
I wipe a few more panes off to try and please her (she hadn't yet paid me).
Then she inspects every one again.
I've now been over an hour, so much for the £20 being a good price.
If she does have them done again (which I doubt) they'll only take 30-35 minutes.
That will definately lose me it. >:(
Sick of my luck. :(
Someone once said to me "That was quick". I replied "Yes. I'm getting pretty good at this."
Someone complained recently that I earned too much money and that I got through the work too quickly. Makes me feel like asking them if I'm supposed to go more slowly or whether I should stop and read the paper half way through.
Its always from the ones with 6 Mercs, a fleet of BMWs and an Aston sitting on the drive isnt it? You feel like turning round to them and saying... "well I think YOU earn too much money" :P
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I don't seem to get this problem, I don't even bother explaining about wfp with them most of the time, I find a bit of harmless flirting works wonders, Some of us have it and some don't I guess!! 8)
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I don't seem to get this problem, I don't even bother explaining about wfp with them most of the time, I find a bit of harmless flirting works wonders, Some of us have it and some don't I guess!! 8)
Like it ;D
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Roger. You seem to be operating things the way that I used to years ago. I used to offer them too many choices. You can't let customers bully you into getting their own way all the time with price/frequency/method or you will eventually end up with no business or one that isn't worth having. These days I offer a 6 weekly service across the board apart from £50+ jobs where I am prepared to discuss 12 weekly (N.B. this is for domestics. I treat commercial a bit differently). Furthermore, if there is an access problem, I get this resolved to my satisfaction either before starting, or at worst, before commencing the second clean (sometimes there isn't enough warning for a customer to get a spare gate/padlock key prior to my first visit). I just tell them that if they make things reasonably easy for me by paying within a reasonable time, allowing good access, and paying me a decent rate, they need never again enter the treadmill of having to seek out another window cleaner. I also go in with a positive attitude (mostly) even if I'm feeling a bit down on the inside. I know you've had some personal problems recently that can pull you down and I know it can be difficult doing a "heads up" in such circumstances (been there myself) but it's important to try and separate your business from this. People can sense when someone is a bit down on their luck and some of them will metaphorically kick a person who is giving off negative vibes (for want of a better word).
DON'T ASK WHAT THEY WANT. TELL THEM WHAT YOU OFFER.
I once had some guy trying to beat my rate down. When I wouldn't budge, he accused me of having a "take it or leave it attitude". I informed him that he had a "something for nothing" attitude. It wasn't my finest hour but it needed saying. :)
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Yummy Mummy + Range Rover + Big Bungalow in the country. Any sign of green wellies?
Sounds like you found a difficult customer, thats all. That sort usually are.
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Yummy Mummy + Range Rover + Big Bungalow
I would have said: Don't worry about the wet windows, any chance of some sex before the old man gets home?
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And I can guess what she would have said.
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And I can guess what she would have said.
She's probably gagging for a bit of rough.
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Yeah, but not that rough.
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;D ;D ;D
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My best custy is a yummy mummy.
Good arse too ;D
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Yeah, but not that rough.
Oi! ;D
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The best way to deflect the 'your quick' comment is say 'well i'm a pro who has been doing this day in day out, with xxx many years of experience, i know what i'm doing. That helps.'
There will be no answer to that. They'll just agree.
Make sure you've done a good though.. ;D
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hi squeaky, did you ask what happened to her last window cleaner?
i always try to find out whats happened because more often than not they say he just stopped coming. i say to that he was'ent charging enough and could not make it pay. this leads them to expect you may be dearer before the price has been mentioned.
sorry your having a crap run
tony
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hi squeaky, did you ask what happened to her last window cleaner?
i always try to find out whats happened because more often than not they say he just stopped coming. i say to that he was'ent charging enough and could not make it pay. this leads them to expect you may be dearer before the price has been mentioned.
sorry your having a crap run
tony
She's only just moved in, I'm the first one.
The best way to deflect the 'your quick' comment is say 'well i'm a pro who has been doing this day in day out, with xxx many years of experience, i know what i'm doing. That helps.'
I'll bear that in mind for "other occasions" ;D
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I thought the old window cleaner dried the windows, but your the first one ???
If she was that much of a yummy mummy you should have put a real good price in, got your steps out and trad'd the windows whilst admiring her through them. ;D
If you think they will dry ok give her a ring tomorrow and listen to her admit that they look good.
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Yet another annoying new job today.
I was working in a nice village when a yummy mummy pulls up in her Range Rover Vogue.
Asks me to come and do her windows.
Great I thought, lots of money, should be a nice job... ;)
I get there and it's a large bungalow.
I price it at £20 (could have been higher for some of you, but a good price for me.)
I take about 45 minutes on it, and there's some really dirty frames to scrub.
I also squeegeed off a few big panes to avoid mucky runs and save making a bad impression, but tell her I won't need to in future.
When I've done she say "less than an hour?!!"
"Some of them are still wet!"
I explain the system again.
She said her last window cleaner dried them and she doesn't like paying £20 for wet windows.
At that she decides on every other month (yet another one ::))
I wipe a few more panes off to try and please her (she hadn't yet paid me).
Then she inspects every one again.
I've now been over an hour, so much for the £20 being a good price.
If she does have them done again (which I doubt) they'll only take 30-35 minutes.
That will definately lose me it. >:(
Sick of my luck. :(
Rog,
It's not your luck, you're just too nice.
You're a decent bloke, but you really need to be firmer; you also need a bit more self confidence.
When you give a quote be clear, REALLY CLEAR, about what you do, the frequency and the cost: BEFORE YOU START CLEANING. Don't even mention 'wet windows'; just do your job.
I honestly think you're a decent bloke; and some of your customers take advantage.
Personally, I wont start a job without clear terms and conditions; none of this, 'I'll phone you when I want you' stuff; I always make it crystal clear when I turn up. I've lost a good few jobs because of this; but it's not really a loss.
I don't know what makes me crosser; you being too nice; or your toss-pot customers?
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There you go - anti-sceptic, apply all over.