[Mike #1]

Spruce you have made some valid points i have a similar approach and view to such situations as yourself 9/10 times .

He was good custy and paid online the day i cleaned them every time , But i wont take him back  no way no how as my instinct tells me he probably dropped me for the sake of saving a £1.00 every 4 weeks .

I think Spruce & Soupy have probably covered it the right way . Mike

[MATT BATEMAN (OWC)]

Hi
Can you continue to clean our windows at ***********  We have been happy with the service you have offered
Can you do us again next time in the area
Thanks
Julia *********- please let me know- thanks

Just received this today. Response?

Go back just one last time.
But not to clean the windows........just put a copy of Pete Thompson's letter through the letterbox and walk away smiling.



"Dear customer,

Oh dear.
 
We have an awkward situation here, don't we?  After 2 years of trouble-free service and a what I have always considered a good working relationship, we have this.  And now things will simply never be the same, will they?

I could tell you that I'm insulted by your note, that the insinuation that I didn't charge a fair price in the first place cuts to the bone.

I could tell you that I'm hurt by the way you've now made it clear that only thing that stands between me keeping your custom and losing it, is a Johnny-come-lately whose service you have no experience of, but who is £3 cheaper.

I could tell you that, every day that goes by I am asked to clean someone's windows, but I have to tell them they will be added to my 2-year waiting list.  (That's right, 2 years.  Didn't realise you had it so good, did you?)

I could tell you that most customers never realise that they need me far more than I need them, and that 'competiton' is a concept that good window cleaners like myself find both alien and totally irrelevant.

But honestly, what would be the point?

Even if you unreservedly apologised now, the sad fact is, neither of us would be able to forget this, would we?  The truth is, every time I came to your house I would think of this note, with all of the unspoken but nevertheless painful insinuations.

I think we both know that there really isn't any way forward for us now, is there?  I can't even wish you "all the best" in customary fashion, because it would undoubtedly come across as sarcastic, and if I'm honest that is also how it would be meant.

So all that's left to do now is to say farewell."


Go on it will be worth it.....just for the crack.  

I have one whose details are currently in the hands of Thomas Higgins. She hadn't paid after seven weeks, it was only when I invoiced her for a second time that she complained about the standard of clean.

I'll be forwarding an amended version of that to her once things are resolved.

[David stewart]

Had this before, my reply was "well what happens if I drop my price to match his and another comes along and says he'll do them for x amount of £££'s cheaper again, do we keep dropping the price till I'm doing them for free?".
Felt quite satisfying 

It's always the well to do ones who come off with this rubbish too, your honest working class people are never a problem in my experience.

[davids3511]

Hi
Can you continue to clean our windows at ***********  We have been happy with the service you have offered
Can you do us again next time in the area
Thanks
Julia *********- please let me know- thanks

Just received this today. Response?

depends if its near other work and or part of a compact round ?Yes, do either side
are they good payers Yep, always on time
do u make decisions with your ego (Im prone to this occasionally) Yeah, unfortunately
do you like cleaning this particular house I used to but now will feel an arse doing it (stupid I know but it's how I feel)

you could carry on then in a few months time put it up in price if you feel its underpriced Despite what everyone is saying, it's about right. It only takes about 25 mins for £18.00

[davids3511]

I think I need to clarify why I am resentful of this customer. He is a consultant paediatrician (hence the Mr and not Dr on his little note) she is a GP. They must be pulling in minimum 200k so the £3.00 thing wasn't a 'we need to tighten our belts' thing, it was a let's see if we can play these idiot window cleaners off against each other thing. A power thing IMHO.

I know I'm an idiot for thinking like this. I am also thinking it's £18 and I should suck it up and take his money. I also don't want to let another company is there between my other regulars.

[Ian101]

I think I need to clarify why I am resentful of this customer. He is a consultant paediatrician (hence the Mr and not Dr on his little note) she is a GP. They must be pulling in minimum 200k so the £3.00 thing wasn't a 'we need to tighten our belts' thing, it was a let's see if we can play these idiot window cleaners off against each other thing. A power thing IMHO.

I know I'm an idiot for thinking like this. I am also thinking it's £18 and I should suck it up and take his money. I also don't want to let another company is there between my other regulars.

Didnt go the way they thought it would so u have scored a goal there plus as u say u dont want anyone else cleaning it in case u loose others either side .......... another thing to consider is they prob play the audi dealers off against themselves over a set of mudflaps .... maybe a tenious example but u get my drift that its not personal also consider that they prob spent 0.000001 % of their day thinking about this issue where as its a bigger issue for you .............  personally i would keep on taking their money so long as they stay in line

[Soupy]

I seriously doubt whether the consultant doctor and his general practitioner wife imagine for one second that they are in a power struggle with their window cleaner.

You will never get the respect you desire from people like that, you are taking this far too personally. They don't care about you. They wanted £3 off their bill. It didn't work. I really don't understand why you let this get to you.

I have had guys work for me who hated to tell people "I am a window cleaner". They had similar issues with customers, it had a lot more to do with them and their insecurities than it did  with the customer.

Doff your cap, say 'thank you muchly kind sir' and get on with it. No one give a toss but you. I don't mean to sound harsh but that is how I see it.

[TomCrowther]

Yeah, and quit your whingeing too! 

[davids3511]

Yeah, and quit your whingeing too! 

I'm working on it Tom, don't want you to block my number now do I

[windiewasher]

Just like to ask have you made a decision how to reply as this post was started about 7 or 8 weeks ago???