[kirky]

Got a call late yesterday evening ...

'helo, is that the window cleaner'

'yes' I replied

'I don't care about this 24 hour guarantee thing, I know it is outside but these windows are terrible, they look like they haven't been cleaned in months'

'Who are you' I managed to get in sideways

'No 115, and its my daughters bedroom (how she though I would know which room was her daughters I don't know)'

'What's the problem' I ask

'There is a big streak of black down the middle of the window'

'ok, wil will be around tomorrow, what time is good for you,

'Any time'.

'Ok, see you tomorrow'


So this morning about 10am I arrive and have a look. Sure enough there is a couple of runs down the middle of the window. I cannot figure it out, you always know when a run looks out of place and doesn't seem possible on that type of window. I knock on door and guess what (anytime tomorrow, remember), nobody home.

I give the top window a wash again anyway, can't really tell if it has made any difference or not and head home.

I called back about 2pm and the run was still there. I knocked on door and this time she was home. I explained that I had washed the mark again and it was still there so I didn't believe it was something I was doing wrong. Come in and have a look she said.

Up I went to the bedroom and had a look. She said 'I tried to get it off from the inside but it wouldn't come so it must be on the outside. I liked one finger and rubbed and guess what, it came off.

What really irratated me was not her arsey attitude on the phone last night, not that it wasn't anything to do with me in the first place but that she continued with the bad attitude as if it didn't matter that she was wrong and didn't even dream of apologising.

I would have been mortified!

ditch the cow

[kirky]

What a brilliantly worded letter....100% go to the top of the class 

Dave.

seconded

[elite mike]

What a brilliantly worded letter....100% go to the top of the class 

Dave.

seconded

yeh i love that letter, drinks are on me    

[Paul Coleman]

Some people show a complete lack of respect
for me that would be strike one

Dean

For me that would be first AND last strike.

[Paul Coleman]

How about writing her a letter:

Dear Mrs. Nevarrong,

On Friday last you contacted me to tell me I had left streaks on one of your windows; being concerned I agreed to call the next day (you said you'd be in all day) I called by on Saturday morning to put the matter right.

You were not home as you said you would be; and so I called again at 2pm whereupon it was ascertained that the problem lay with you inasmuch as the marks were on the inside.

I could see no concern whatsoever in your demeanour that you had called me out in error and that I had taken part of my weekend attending (twice) what was your mistake.

Although I said nothing to you at the time, I reflected upon the situation and checked through my accounts records. Imagine my further concern when I found that my instincts that you were not a prompt payer proved true - indeed you seem to regularly take over two months to pay a modest bill of £XX.

I am a very busy person who runs a successful window cleaning business and I have decided that you do not fit the profile of the kind of customer I wish to maintain on my books.

Therefore please consider this letter as termination of our window cleaning agreement and please accept my best wishes for the future.

Y/S




ETC

Nice letter but I think it's really important to "forget" to stick a stamp on it - or even better, to stick an ordinary stamp on it with an oversize envelope.  Makes it look more accidental that way.

[Paul Coleman]

That's all very well David Slater, but if you turn up, get called back (twice), find nothing wrong, wait two months for payment too often then it makes no business sense whatsoever.

How much did the o/p get paid (two months later) for that little scenario? And will it happen again?

Kerrrching is as kerrrching does!!

Also, is it really worth having a customer who can be disruptive to maintaining peace of mind?  I've had jobs in the past where I've dreaded going there for several days in advance.  I don't have any of those now.  In fact, there was even one job that was on a main route of mine and it got to the point where I would only stop to clean the windows if her car wasn't about.

[Simon_King]

I had a similar thing happen a few years back. But with a better result. New customer and went back for my money.
I asked she was happy with the job and was gobsmacked when she said no! {cos I'm ace}
So I asked her to show me.
She took me into the lounge and showed me the streaky,smeary mess that was her leaded bay window. I took one look and could see it was inside and so did the finger test on the window. The look of horror on her face! She couldnt stop appologising and continued appologising all the way out the house as I left and every time I cleaned the windows for about 3 months!
Best thing was her husband was in when I called back and he knew the streaks where on the inside .....he just wanted her to show herself up. Nice . They are still married and are top customers.

[xxmattyxx]

{cos I'm ace}

 

[davids3511]

How about writing her a letter:

Dear Mrs. Nevarrong,

On Friday last you contacted me to tell me I had left streaks on one of your windows; being concerned I agreed to call the next day (you said you'd be in all day) I called by on Saturday morning to put the matter right.

You were not home as you said you would be; and so I called again at 2pm whereupon it was ascertained that the problem lay with you inasmuch as the marks were on the inside.

I could see no concern whatsoever in your demeanour that you had called me out in error and that I had taken part of my weekend attending (twice) what was your mistake.

Although I said nothing to you at the time, I reflected upon the situation and checked through my accounts records. Imagine my further concern when I found that my instincts that you were not a prompt payer proved true - indeed you seem to regularly take over two months to pay a modest bill of £XX.

I am a very busy person who runs a successful window cleaning business and I have decided that you do not fit the profile of the kind of customer I wish to maintain on my books.

Therefore please consider this letter as termination of our window cleaning agreement and please accept my best wishes for the future.

Y/S




ETC

I need the work really and I will give it one more go. However, any more hassle and it is in the bin. I think she is just one of those constantly angry people.

[Neil Williams]

you get to see in our occupation just how arrogant people actually are..

We've had a few and namely one:
My bedroom window is all scratched from your cleaners
Went around there to find the shape of a bird that had flown into it sometime after cleaning. No scratches just the double wing flat splat mark.
Phoned up and left message on ansa machine explaining above.
No return phonecall to say thanks/sorry etc so on the back of constant late payments and numerous other worthless complaints got dropped.

After several phone calls to ask us to start again I went around re-priced (higher) and told them in no uncertain terms why they were dropped.
In the last 6 months, no complaints and prompt payments

[rugby]

just bin and forget, i know i would

[Sanity]

How about writing her a letter:

Dear Mrs. Nevarrong,

On Friday last you contacted me to tell me I had left streaks on one of your windows; being concerned I agreed to call the next day (you said you'd be in all day) I called by on Saturday morning to put the matter right.

You were not home as you said you would be; and so I called again at 2pm whereupon it was ascertained that the problem lay with you inasmuch as the marks were on the inside.

I could see no concern whatsoever in your demeanour that you had called me out in error and that I had taken part of my weekend attending (twice) what was your mistake.

Although I said nothing to you at the time, I reflected upon the situation and checked through my accounts records. Imagine my further concern when I found that my instincts that you were not a prompt payer proved true - indeed you seem to regularly take over two months to pay a modest bill of £XX.

I am a very busy person who runs a successful window cleaning business and I have decided that you do not fit the profile of the kind of customer I wish to maintain on my books.

Therefore please consider this letter as termination of our window cleaning agreement and please accept my best wishes for the future.

Y/S




ETC

Fantasticly worded letter.  If you don't mind I would like to use it at some point

[mr D]

go trad.

[kirky]

go trad.

thats a bit drastic 

[Helen]

Theres very few woman that can admit/except they are wrong just be greatfull you won that one 

Careful now............

[Dave Turley]

just bin her and don't waste another seond thinking about it.

bad custy's only ever get WORSE!

[Window Cleaning Services]

It's understandable when you say that you must keep her as a customer because you need the work. However, just divide her price by 4 to give the amount that you will actually be losing each week then ask yourself the question "is it worth dreading doing her house every month, hate doing it when the time comes and worrying about it afterwards for £x per week". and don't forget you have to pay the tax man out of that for the privilege of doing it.Hope you make the right decision. Syd

[RPCCS]

Malc's letter could be shortened to . Dear Mrs Nevvawrong, I'm not coming back to do your windows, you are a waste of my time goodbye.