[pjulk]

I had some woman ring me up today and she said.

I have a window cleaner but i think he is to expensive and want a cheap quote.

I charge more than most window cleaners in my area so i said.

You have come to the wrong person then as i am probably dearer than your window cleaner.

She then said you dont know what im paying.

So i said i don't want to know as you have a window cleaner call back when you don't have a window cleaner.

She then said i still want a quote.

So i said no you have made two mistakes as far as i am concerned telling me you have a window cleaner and telling me you want a cheap quote.
Im not in the business of taking work from others.

I didn't give her a quote as i won't give quotes to anyone who has a window cleaner.
And i won't give cheap quotes.

Do you think this was a bit harse.
And what would you have done.

Paul

[P @ F]

Hi Paul , you did right , cheeky mare , you should have stitched her up , give her a low price and dont turn up , and tell her window cleaner too , if you know who it is !
Its people like her who will put a guys bussiness in danger for the sake of a quid !

  Rich   P @ F

[brett walker]

This woman wanting a cheap quote, definately a no no

She'll want it done cheap  

She'll want a 100% job done for pennies  :

She'll pull you up on any little mistake  :

She'll probably say give me a miss this month  

She'll go with someone else that comes along 50p cheaper

Ive got a word for customers like this  " F  users "  

I think you did the right thing  

Brett.

[24-7 S C Services]

Good evening everyone,

i would give her a cheap quote, probably 50% more than I would normally charge too, just to shock her.

I am the most expensive window cleaner in my area and if they moan at the price when i quote, i refer them to another window cleaner down the road from me.

Many Thanks

Andrew

[Grafters Cleaning Services]

well done that man

you did the right thing as she's not being very loyal to her current W/C
Jay

[Ian_Giles]

Mmm,
Not sure, I have no qualms about taking work of window cleaners I don't know, I would have found out who the window cleaner was first.
If it was a local one I knew I would politely refuse.
If it was a stranger to me then I would certainly have gone along and had a look at the job.
I would have wanted to know what her current window cleaner was charging, and I would also have wanted to see what sort of a job he was doing.
If he was doing a top job, washing all the frames down and leaving her windows spotless I'd have probably said sorry, the price is fair for the service you are receiving.
If the price was way over the top and they were doing a crap job, and providing the job was not out of my way I would have given her a price, I wouldn't be remotely interested in giving a cheap price though.

I would certainly not have bluntly brushed her off though, her request may well have been entirely justified.

Ian

[P @ F]

Im glad i dont work around you Ian , POACHER !   

         Rich P @ F   

[pjulk]

I would certainly not have bluntly brushed her off though, her request may well have been entirely justified

It may well had been entirely justified thats what i was thinking after putting the phone down.
Thats why i asked this question.

One part of me is saying i did the right thing another part of me is unsure.

Paul

[steve k]

Unbelievable!!
That is almost word for word the call I had from a woman on an upmarket estate I clean on.

I said I do not take another cleaners work and I would not undercut.
She said: " how can it be undercutting...you don`t know what he charges"

I said: " you are looking for someone to do the job your present cleaner is doing for a cheaper price...it is not very loyal to him and you could be doing the same to me next month"

"well if you don`t want the work..."

"no thanks...you need to have word with your window cleaner if you are not happy...and also bear in mind, I would charge double what he charges as I know who cleans your house and what his average price is"

She hung up!!

if she is on the lookout for a cheaper price, she will always be ready to drop you when someone cheaper comes along.
By the way, her reason for wanting a price off me was he was quite quick and expensive...it wasn`t the quality of his work.

[PFreeman]

I am so glad I found this forum - to find out that there are so many window cleaners out there with morals and principles.  Or does it just happen to be the ones with principles use this forum?

Thanks everyone for keeping ny faith in WCs!

[windows_chepstow]

Hi Paul , you did right , cheeky mare , you should have stitched her up , give her a low price and dont turn up ,   Rich   P @ F

Rich,

I was thinking exactly the same, but look at it from a customer's point of view.

These days you can switch electricity, gas, telephone, mobile phone tarrifs, car insurance, life insurance; in fact you can shop round for almost anything.

Of course window cleaning is different, but the customer may not think so; especially if they're a bit on the thick side.

Still I'd have probably asked her how many windows she's got, etc, going through a charade and give a cheap price.

I'd also tell her I'll be round in about three weeks (to give her enough time to get rid of her current window cleaner); then don't turn up.

Then when she phones to complain, I'd explain that you get what you pay for and I'll get there when I can be bothered.

But don't!

I've got two customers who've been dumped by their previous window cleaner and have been, so far, exemplary customers.

They learn in the end!

[stevef]

Most of my domestic clients are realy nice and I enjoy working for them. My point is this, would any of you be happy working for a wreched specimen like this I wouldn't. She would drop you as quick at that!  Lets hope she gets the WC she deserves

[steve k]

read something on an American site about a family of window cleaners who had been around for several generations.
When the boss quotes for a job he says the customer can have a choice of 3 things:

LOW PRICE
EXCELLENT QUALITY
EXCELLENT SERVICE

they can have 2 of those things but it is impossible to deliver the 3.

One of his potential customers who was taken aback by his higher than the rest quote said:

"I`ll have price and quality please"

"no problems, I`ll halve the quote and promise you excellent quality...but we wont turn up"

"I`ll have price and service then"

"no problems, half the price and we`ll turn up every month at the appointed time on the appointed day...but we will promise to do an awful job"

"what does that leave me with then..."

"an excellent service of excellent quality....but we will not quote a low price...we are too good to do that"

 

[Morph]

I had some woman ring me up today and she said.

I have a window cleaner but i think he is to expensive and want a cheap quote.

Sorry to ask, Paul, but, Did she really say she wanted a "cheap quote"?

If I had an inquiry asking for a cheap quote, then I think the conversation would be short!

If the caller said that her window cleaner is too expensive, I would have to ask her a few sensible direct questions:

1) How long have you had your windowcleaner?

The answer to that question is important.

2) What has made you decide that he is too expensive now?

3) Have you discussed the matter with him?

4) Have you told him you are getting a new window cleaner?


If the account is only worth £5 a month I wouldn't bother.  But if it is sizeable, then it would at least be interesting to know her replies, even if I decided at the end of the conversation not to pursue it.  However, if her answers were sound, I would then arrange a visit to discuss it further.


It all becomes clearer when you see the property and meet the owner face to face.

[craig b]

how do yous no that the woman is not paying an  over the top price.. you should have gave her a price.. waited for a reaction then you could really judge her.. and then  give her a peace of your mind...

[dish]

I agree and I don't.

If a potential customer wanted a quote because they wanted a different window cleaner I would go and quote.  Never mind all this poaching talk.  A customer may have a valid reason for wanting to swap.  I once had to change my coalman because the original guy really gave me the creeps and made me feel unsafe. 

What I wouldn't do is go and give a cheaper quote.  As has already been said by some others - I am not the cheapest window cleaner in my area.  I charge what I feel is appropriate for the job and the work that I have to do to get it done.  I certainly don't go out and undercut people.