[JJay]

Hi lads.
 I've started to getting more serious  on some of my customers and then I've got some surprising results.
Some of them started to being okay, some of them I have to drop, 3 in row which is quite bad but then
I've had one lady who never prepared money for me or gate was always locked or been asking me " oh  I've forgot you coming. Can you come tommorow?" The point is she always want to have windows doing.
Then I decided to explain that I can't work in that way and if you don't want to pay online or leave the cash I can't provide service for you anymore. She text me back with "you have no respect for your customers". I was polite. Trying to explain that I can't coming back for that estate just for her and  I didn't expect that reaction.
I was always nice, always understand but this time I had to say no more messing around.

What's your experiences with dealing bad payers or just bad customers?

[Cookie]

Sounds like you need to implement Go Cardless.

[Spruce]

Hi lads.
 I've started to getting more serious  on some of my customers and then I've got some surprising results.
Some of them started to being okay, some of them I have to drop, 3 in row which is quite bad but then
I've had one lady who never prepared money for me or gate was always locked or been asking me " oh  I've forgot you coming. Can you come tommorow?" The point is she always want to have windows doing.
Then I decided to explain that I can't work in that way and if you don't want to pay online or leave the cash I can't provide service for you anymore. She text me back with "you have no respect for your customers". I was polite. Trying to explain that I can't coming back for that estate just for her and  I didn't expect that reaction.
I was always nice, always understand but this time I had to say no more messing around.

What's your experiences with dealing bad payers or just bad customers?

"I'm sorry that you feel I'm not showing you the respect you deserve as a customer. I assure you that that's not true. The reason why Henry Ford successfully produced the Model T Ford at a price the buying public could afford was because he introduced an assembly line and mass production. In essence we do the same thing as this keeps our prices competitive. We can't afford to come back into an area when we have finished.
But we can offer a personalised window cleaning service where we will clean your windows at your convenience."

When she asks how much, then set your price out say £50 a clean, whatever.

You've lost that customer anyway because she doesn't understand or does want to understand how business works, so see what happens. 

[AuRavelling79]

I had one on an estate of private semis (Mr. W) who would string out payments but always pay just before I was due for the third clean. (8 weekly intervals)

I decided to tighten up and after the next clean I wrote "Prompt payment would be much appreciated, thank you." When no payment was forthcoming I didn't go back for a second clean.

Anyway I have now missed them twice more and their windows are getting dirtier ...

[AuRavelling79]

Another one ...

Mrs W. - a property rich divorcee as in she lives in a big Edwardian three storey semi and owns at least three other houses she rents out. Always plays the "ditzy" card and needs chasing for payment, sometimes twice.

After another round of "Please settle your account" followed by "Ooops silly me!" And then another fortnight's wait I just dropped her and blocked her number.

Unfortunately about two years ago she had a property in another part of Bristol which I gave her the number of another WC for as it was too far for me to bother with.

She chased him and asked him to do her main house and he called me and asked me what the score was. I told him and he's blocked her now.

[nathankaye]

If I text a customer about their gate needing to be unlocked and upon arriving, it's still locked, they get charged 75% ofthe price and yes they pay it. Alternatively if they let me know that they are away, I do what work I can and charge appropriately and again most are fine with this.
If I turn up and it's a good reason why I can't clean, ie having some external work done, then it will simply be skipped until the next visit with no options of me fitting it in the next day.  Yet saying this, I have some very good customers, which I do allow to organise the work. So for instance in an area of my Campsall round, it takes me two days to complete. I will let her know which 2days they are and she will let me know her schedule ie tue morning is ideal before 12.  I can work with that and like I said she is a very good customer. Now if she wasn't, I would not give her the option.
I also have a two strike rule.

So in your case, I would simply apologise that she feels that way and unfortunately I do not offer the service she is looking for and wish her the best in finding one which does.

[dazmond]

i never go back to clean one job unless its exceptional circumstances(say building work)on a 8 weekly job.ill go back the week later if building work is complete instead of the customer having to wait another 8 weeks to have their window cleaned for example....

but if a customer is just messing me about for no good reason i nip it in the bud straight away.....

[JJay]

Of coruse I've apologised to give her that felling. She also accused me to being greedy and no trusty to my customers because all 'I care was a TENNER for window cleaning. ' I wonder is she working only for fun or to for money

I've trying to explain how business works and why I'm texting night before and why I'm giving different options to pay and is not about trust is about stupid gate and money in the back. ( I did not say stupid in message of course )
She text me back.

 "Leaving a gate open and money in garden so anyone could take it never mind all the best".

That's was the third time in this year when she fails to leave gate open, she's skipped twice and I wasted time twice coming back for money.  I was keeping her because I'm working 2 days on that estate that was giving me extra options to collect money but I've change some things to be more productive. I had her for more than 12 months and she's quite nice person but bad customer..
I just wonder is my fault doing something wrong or my fault for having her such long time. I think I might start to drop customers after stupid reasons or weak excuses.

[Spruce]

Of coruse I've apologised to give her that felling. I've trying to explain how business works and why I'm texting night before and why I'm giving different options to pay and she text me back "Leaving a gate open and money in garden so anyone could take it never mind all the best".

That's was the third time in this year when she fails to leave gate open, she's skipped twice and I wasted time twice coming back for money.  I was keeping her because I'm working 2 days on that estate that was giving me extra options to collect money but I've change some things to be more productive. I had her for more than 12 months and she's quite nice person but bad customer..
I just wonder is my fault doing something wrong or my fault for having her such long time. I think I might start to drop customers after stupid reasons or weak excuses.

No, its her fault.

We once had a good clean out and got rid of the messers. We thought we had a good round remaining and we did. But it didn't take long before a small minority of those good remaining customers turned to messers. then over the following year a couple more joined their ranks. So you have to have regular maintenance clean outs.

If she was my customer, I would take the opportunity she has created to get rid of even if you are short of work. "A little yeast soon ferments the whole lump."

[G Griffin]

If I hear about customer respect or that the customer's always right from some pita (or ex pita) I remind them that they are no longer a customer.
Respect works both ways and if they can't give to you why should you work for them?

[nathankaye]

Why are you still sending so many messages about it, especially when it's clear!
To be honest, if she was my customer, once I explained the situation and she was still argumentative or funny back, then she would have been dropped there and then. A simple message saying sorry and she's best finding somone else who can accommodate her. The end off!

[LT carpet cleaning]

Hi lads.
 I've started to getting more serious  on some of my customers and then I've got some surprising results.
Some of them started to being okay, some of them I have to drop, 3 in row which is quite bad but then
I've had one lady who never prepared money for me or gate was always locked or been asking me " oh  I've forgot you coming. Can you come tommorow?" The point is she always want to have windows doing.
Then I decided to explain that I can't work in that way and if you don't want to pay online or leave the cash I can't provide service for you anymore. She text me back with "you have no respect for your customers". I was polite. Trying to explain that I can't coming back for that estate just for her and  I didn't expect that reaction.
I was always nice, always understand but this time I had to say no more messing around.

What's your experiences with dealing bad payers or just bad customers?

"I'm sorry that you feel I'm not showing you the respect you deserve as a customer. I assure you that that's not true. The reason why Henry Ford successfully produced the Model T Ford at a price the buying public could afford was because he introduced an assembly line and mass production. In essence we do the same thing as this keeps our prices competitive. We can't afford to come back into an area when we have finished.
But we can offer a personalised window cleaning service where we will clean your windows at your convenience."

When she asks how much, then set your price out say £50 a clean, whatever.

You've lost that customer anyway because she doesn't understand or does want to understand how business works, so see what happens.

Imagine listening to that poop 

[Slacky]

Why are you ex hanging so many messages about it, especially when it's clear!
To be honest, if she was my customer, once I explained the situation and she was still argumentative or funny back, then she would have been dropped there and then. A simple message saying sorry and she's best finding somone else who can accommodate her. The end off!

This is true.

I wouldnt do it by text though. Thats just stupid. Call her. TELL HER!!

You CANNOT transmit your true feelings via text, its your fault the conversation has gone on so long. One call, a two minute conversation, end of story. Jeez....

[james peters]

I don't even bother telling a customer they are dropped.
if I drop someone, its because they habitualy skip cleans . habitualy pay late or never leave their gate open when they have had a notification text.
if a customer pays late , and need to be reminded on more than 2 occasions . they will know why you have disappeared!
however if a customer calls and asks why I have stopped , I will politely tell them. and I will go back as it normaly solves the problem.

[JJay]

Why are you ex hanging so many messages about it, especially when it's clear!
To be honest, if she was my customer, once I explained the situation and she was still argumentative or funny back, then she would have been dropped there and then. A simple message saying sorry and she's best finding somone else who can accommodate her. The end off!

This is true.

I wouldnt do it by text though. Thats just stupid. Call her. TELL HER!!

You CANNOT transmit your true feelings via text, its your fault the conversation has gone on so long. One call, a two minute conversation, end of story. Jeez....

I couldn't ring her because she was at work. She could only text me back.
Anyway I think with some kind of people you will ended up being accused no matter how polite you will be.