[Paul Simpson]

Yesterday had 2 jobs neither of which I booked as the missus took the calls.
First job 10 x 12 wool rug, big house with a sweeping drive in the middle of the countryside, rug just happened to be in the conservatory right beside an outdoor 10m pool, house was immaculate.
Older couple, very polite and seem to take a shine to me because they asked me to quote for just about everything they could think of......carpets, leather suite, patio clean. Job took just over an hour but spent about 2 hours there chatting, etc and came away with the leather clean booked.

Second job in the afternoon, smack bang in the middle town so parking all taken, stopped on double yellows and flicked hazards on to take a look, flat on top of a pizza takeaway, access through a narrow side door with the steepest stairs I've ever had to drag my equipment up. Small empty bedroom, cheap carpet in a minging state with blackcurrant stains. Customer a "jack the lad" type who seem to think of himself as the local hard man, it was:

F***k*** this, and F***k*** that.
Do you want me to get the F***k*** money of the cashpoint before you start? (Sounded like Marcus from Big Brother)
Said I've got no where to park, he looked out the window and and said I'll get the pizza shop to move there van. Asked if he knew them and they'd do it, he said, course they will, they're f**k*** scared of me, followed him down stairs and heard the back end of the conversation, "just get the f***k*** van moved will ya" which they promptly did.
Never walked on a job as yet but was very tempted to here.

Once inside, although everything still started with F**k** he was polite as anyone, helped me up with the gear, gave me a can of cold drink, said don't worry about the stains, not expecting them to come out, just blitz it as best you can, not expecting miracles.
Two completing contrasting customers.
Not a very exciting post but just thought I'd share it.

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

Good post Paul - I get a lot of contrasting clients myself.


I usually find the second custy on your post is the more likely to give a tip.

Steve

[daysdeepclean]

I feel more at ease with people like your second custy for some strange reason.... Mind you, I invent swear words sometimes

[clinton]

Steve is right with the tip on that job

Bet you wont get any come backs eitherfrom your second job

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Variety is the spice of life. It's what makes our job so interesting and gets us out of bed in the morning.

Went to a curry house yesterday slightly with trepidation.

I'd done the carpet 4 years ago and undercharged but insisted I wasn't going to do night time work but i'd come at 7.00am in the morning.

Because of the filth and humidity the carpets weren't completely dry when I returned in the evening for my equipment and to be paid and ended up discounting slightly.

Eight months ago he asked me to come and do it again, My attitude was very much take-it-or-leave-it and still insisted I don't do night time work.

Imagine my surprise when he asked me again to come and do it. Was happy for me to come in the morning and when I returned in the evening the grin upon his face had to be seen to be believed. And he paid me what I asked for without a murmur.

Turns out he'd gone cheap for a night time clean and the "clean" eight months ago had been a disaster. As he said "At least with you I know the job will be done right." Then he said "Can I book you again for 6 months time?"

Funny people customers. There was I worrying about matters which never emerged. But there again it's the ones where you are not expecting problems that can so easily go pear shaped.

All in a days work really-long may it continue.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

A couple of months ago I went to a nice house in a nice area of Rotherham (if there is such a thing) went to clean a carpet square 10 ft x 8 ft, it was quite soiled and I quoted £50, the customer was very happy with the end result and asked if I could clean another, yes I said and asked the size, he said the same size so I said while I'm here I'll do it for £40, the look on the face of this guy!!! I asked if that was okay and the reply was that he thought I'd do it for a tenner!

Shaun

[Joe H]

Well you did it for a tenner Shaun........ a tenner off. 

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Something off

I'd prefer to be without that tenner on the whole it spoils all the hard work in building up my business.

Shaun

[COLIN BRIGHT]

 

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Shaun, you're right. When you can get to the stage that you can be indifferent to people offering you money it becomes so empowering.

They either accept you on your terms or it's no deal.

[richy27]

i have found that for the lower end custys ( not meaning to sound snobby) that its on the whole more of a joy to clean for and they are more apreciative of the effort put in and refer you a lot more. and to be honest apart from eot jobs the carpets are normally in better condition due to fact they prob cant afford to rip there carpets up and replace that often.

to be honest 95 % of the time i really enjoy the company of my custys otherwise i wouldnt want to do what i do.

anyone can advertise and i do but its the referalls that give you confidence in your results. being reffered on results gives me a lot of pleasure and makes the job worth while

[Mike Osbourne]

You get all types of people at all economic levels I've found. The higher up you go though, the less time they have or the more distant, not because they are aloof, just they are busy doing what they do or have someone else to deal with the day to day stuff.

From day one I have tried to carry off the posture of not needing their custom. It's hard when you ain't got a lot on but you always have more over all in the end I reckon.

[robert meldrum]

Interesting comments

What I have found in most cases, is in the upmarket clients homes you rarely see anyone, or they let you in then leave you to get on with the job.

At the other end, you get more " traffic " sometimes trying to be helpful " my husband's put the chairs on top of the settee and put them in the dining room to let you get a clear run " Great ! So I now have to lift two bl**dy heavy chairs instead of pulling out  / pushing back.

In Asian houses in particular, there always seemed to be small kids jumping about the furniture and scattering confectionery around the room and rugs mysteriously appeared from nowhere !

In some houses the thought of uses their cups / mugs to drink from got me into the habit of always carrying bottled water. B****er when your spotter was a similar size / shape !

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I agree with the Asian thing people start coming out of the wood work, the council estates will aid you in moving things but the carpets are usually more challenging and you get orange juice stains etc which are impossible to move, you could identify each and every class but I just deal with customers as I see them if they are prepared to pay.

Shaun