[prestige cleaners]

what would you do?

i rang a cust whos payment was 2 weeks late, she said i was waiting for you to call to find out why you missed out 2 windows?

i said, which ones?

she said, the velux ones on the roof

i said, ive never done those, i cant reach them. (you would need at least 40ft pole and standing at the back of the garden, ive got a 23ft one)

she went off on a rant that she'd been paying me for over 2 years for them to be cleaned, and had been ripped off!

i said, i didnt know that was in the deal, (i bought the round and wasnt told about them)

she said well im going to cancel then!

i said, im really sorry i would never do that to you, its the last guys fault,

i also said why have you taken 2 1/2 yrs to tell me?

she said they dont dirty as quick as the others! eh?

btw, she watched me inside the house, to check on me, and didnt bother telling me when i knocked for payment, she wouldnt answer for whatever reason.

she said, well its your company!

i said, what if i knock off half price this time to £10?

that seemed to help a bit

then she said, im going next door to see if youve been ripping them off too!

i said, theres no need for you to cause trouble with them too!

she took offence to this and said well if thats your attitude im cancelling!

i had enough by this time, and said fair enough, because of her rudeness, tone of voice, and unreasonableness.

i was a bit gutted afterwards as she was one of my easiest custs, had 2 together £20 each, and about 20 mins work, then thought i was going to lose the neighbour as well! then realised i had cleaned her neighbours new conservatory for free for 2 years anyway! so if she had a deal for her velux's to be done,  and had a problem with that, i could remind her of that big favour i'd been doing her all these years! (wished i'd remembered that when the cust was threatening to talk to her!) 

the rude cust has paid only £10 for the job, which really was only if she didnt cancel, so i was thinking of letting the chq clear, then pursuing the other half? what would you do in this situation?

cheers guys! btw sorry for the long post. 

[daz1977]

let it go,  she has prob been quoted a cheaper price and is looking for reason to cancel,  i had one cancel as i hadnt done the back of her house after she had blocked the way with a door,  she had been doing work for months in the back, so i assusmed she didnt want any one walking on it the way the door was put, called back and she started moaning

[Tom White]

If it were me in your position, I'd probably just let it annoy me for a bit, maybe lose a little sleep over it; thinking of all sorts of minor 'revenge' I could take on her, such as warning all other window cleaners in the area not to take this dodgy customer on.

But eventually I'd just let it go and not let it bother me.

The lady sounds 'strange'; some people are; and I'd bet money on it that her neighbours think so too.  I have had a dispute over a broken garden gnome with one customer who threatened to get her neighbours to dump me; but none of them did because they all know she's as mad-as-a-hatter.

And maybe this (ex)customer of yours is having some sort of tough time in her own personal life and the only way she can deal with it is by trying to hurt her window cleaner?  If this is the case, I feel sorry for her more than you.  She obviously could do with some 'help'.

Just chalk it down to experience, and try not to let it bother you.

[Steven Shoreditch]

 

[Steven Shoreditch]

 

[weetot]

Maybe you could change your business name from 'Dirty Windows Ltd'.

Some people just dont get it.

But all fairness to ya mate, youve certainly explained yourself well, get rid of her, draw a line and get the hell rid of her, dont even think too much about it, thinkings overrated, Just get her out of your book, and sleep well my friend.

[Steven Shoreditch]

 

[prestige cleaners]

Maybe you could change your business name from 'Dirty Windows Ltd'.

Some people just dont get it.

But all fairness to ya mate, youve certainly explained yourself well, get rid of her, draw a line and get the hell rid of her, dont even think too much about it, thinkings overrated, Just get her out of your book, and sleep well my friend.

"dirty windows ltd" is my name on here!

i wouldnt call myself that! ha ha!

some people just dont get my sense of humour! 

[A & J Owen Window Cleaning]

let her go mate shes a trouble maker had a few like that she wanted a cheaper quote mate give her the two fingers mate get a few more custys

[AuRavelling79]

What Tosh said is what I do but not being as far along the path of spiritual enlightenment as he is I still feel "niggled" when I drive past one custy who "had me over" for about £16 nearly ten years ago! 

As it nears October 31st every year I visualise cycling over donning a ski-mask and egging his house (the Custy's, not Tosh's). But as time goes by I would be content if I heard that he had ended up in a wheelchair!

[elite mike]

What Tosh said is what I do but not being as far along the path of spiritual enlightenment as he is I still feel "niggled" when I drive past one custy who "had me over" for about £16 nearly ten years ago! 

As it nears October 31st every year I visualise cycling over donning a ski-mask and egging his house (the Custy's, not Tosh's). But as time goes by I would be content if I heard that he had ended up in a wheelchair!

must admit to having the same thoughts too

[DaveG]

Try and forget it , she will soon come running back and you can take the great pleasure in telling her that you havent got the time to clean hers (while you still do her (sane) neighbours)!!

ps she is obviously a bit thick anyway .... Velux windows get dirty quicker, because the dirt settles on them  :

[tom2009]

let her go mate shes a trouble maker had a few like that she wanted a cheaper quote mate give her the two fingers mate get a few more custys

There are enough nice, reasonable folks in the world who want their windows cleaned by a fair and friendly WC so drop her like a hot coal. You don't want to be dealing with all that nonsense from the stupid woman, even if she has just had a bad day.

[darragh windows]

reading your origional post you both have a fair point and no-one is in the wrong if you do want to keep the house either get the ladders out and get the veluxs done or reduce her price to suit like you said its one of your best payers and you will be doing the neighbours anyway. sometimes a good dissagreement with a customer can work in your advantage you can say all what you are thinking and set down some conditions for future cleaning

[dmlservices]

as window cleaners , we deal with all sorts of people, so you will come up against people like this, just move on and forget her , get a few more to replace her, have to be thick skinned in this game,
don't let it get to you 


daz

[prestige cleaners]

yeah afterwards i thought oh i should have said this and that, but she was so rude, i think theres no returning.

i could easily go inside to them

i think it might be the fact she noticed i only took 10mins to do her house, and was gutted i was earning so much off her!

btw, the neighbour was a bit funny when i did her con roof once, she asked me to do it next time, which i did, then billed her for it, then when she paid, she wrote on the invoice, Dont ever clean my roof without asking me first!

cant bloody win sometimes!

[formb]

The customer is always right,

Unless you are a window cleaner.

I never take any sort of rudeness from any customer no matter how good the money.

If they are unwilling to listen to reason (you sound like you have been reasonable) there is no point even trying.

It was probably her bad week, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[Martin ccs]

DUMP IT!