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Pure Glass

  • Posts: 384
guilt-how do you deal with it??
« on: June 22, 2011, 05:21:52 pm »
Dear Dierdrie

First clean, older couple-£15 inc conny.

First window over conny done-reducing pole which catches on the finial of the con, knocking it flying, bounces down the roof and onto the floor into around 22 pieces.

Oh poop me thinks!! She then asks if I'd like a cuppa. "Er, yes please" I says sheepishly whilst thinking should I say something.

Oh whata lovely job, take £20 for your trouble.

How do I live with the guilt? I'm feeling like a complete wotsit for mugging her off big style

Please help

bobby p

Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
« Reply #1 on: June 22, 2011, 05:27:18 pm »
get repairing it .  i keep a variety of glues in my van , clear silicone being the one i use the most   

also i have a stash of rubber bands ,to hold the repair in place ,while its all setting

LWC

  • Posts: 6824
Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2011, 05:30:59 pm »
The £5 top woulda covered the guilt

steve rix

  • Posts: 816
Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2011, 05:40:51 pm »
Any damage to customers property HAS to be reported to customer, or if not in to me so I can deal with it. Would sack anyone who tried to hide damage. Accidents happen and people are ok with it if told and damage repaired properly

Helen

Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2011, 06:11:21 pm »
get repairing it .  i keep a variety of glues in my van , clear silicone being the one i use the most   

also i have a stash of rubber bands ,to hold the repair in place ,while its all setting

glue 22 pieces back together?

Blackbushe Windows

  • Posts: 349
Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
« Reply #5 on: June 22, 2011, 06:12:39 pm »
Yes, you will always feel better by owning up. We all have the occasional mishaps.
Blackbushe Windows.
Est. 1983
www.blackbushewindows.co.uk

bobby p

Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
« Reply #6 on: June 22, 2011, 06:20:53 pm »
get repairing it .  i keep a variety of glues in my van , clear silicone being the one i use the most   

also i have a stash of rubber bands ,to hold the repair in place ,while its all setting

glue 22 pieces back together?
mmm,yes a bit of an evening challenge,AFTER the kids have gone to bed !

Johnny B

  • Posts: 2385
Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
« Reply #7 on: June 22, 2011, 06:59:24 pm »
Definitely pays to own up.

If you do, you will probably find that the customer will tell you not to worry about it. If you don't tell them, they will probably think you did the damage and will be disappointed in you for not coming clean.

Be straight with them, they'll respect you more for it.

John.
Being diplomatic is being able to tell someone to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip.

supernova77

  • Posts: 3547
Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
« Reply #8 on: June 22, 2011, 07:11:49 pm »
Quote
First window over conny done-reducing pole which catches on the finial of the con, knocking it flying, bounces down the roof and onto the floor into around 22 pieces.

Will the customer not notice it missing?

Andy

Ian101

  • Posts: 7887
Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
« Reply #9 on: June 22, 2011, 08:07:45 pm »
Im afraid u gotta do the right thing .... happened to me when I did a customer for the first time and ripped her driveway gate from the walll with the side of my van ..... fixed it and told her after I fixed it ... was well happy and since then she recommended me to her daughter and another neighbour "cos he was so honest"


Ian101

  • Posts: 7887
Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
« Reply #10 on: June 22, 2011, 08:13:11 pm »
Im afraid u gotta do the right thing .... happened to me when I did a customer for the first time and ripped her driveway gate from the walll with the side of my van ..... fixed it and told her after I fixed it ... was well happy and since then she recommended me to her daughter and another neighbour "cos he was so honest"


"cos he was clumsy but so honest"  ;D



crap driver too  :D

alanwilson

  • Posts: 1885
Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
« Reply #11 on: June 22, 2011, 10:07:59 pm »
yeah just let them know that you broke it but were too embarrassed at the time to own up - offer to have it fixed or replaced (its your fault after all).

do this and I'm pretty sure they will be so impressed by your honesty that they'll be recommending you.

I have a habit of knocking doorbells off!!

Replaced 3 in one week!
I've never been to bed with an ugly bird but I've woken up with loads!

Tom White

Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
« Reply #12 on: June 22, 2011, 10:19:58 pm »
I have a habit of knocking doorbells off!!

Replaced 3 in one week!

Clumsy twot!  ;D

I'm frightened to say it, but I've broken nowt in ages!

(You just know what's going to happen tomorrow!)

alanwilson

  • Posts: 1885
Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
« Reply #13 on: June 22, 2011, 10:26:00 pm »
yeah just watch out you don't trip on a hose/drop the pole on a car etc.

anything else doesn't really matter
I've never been to bed with an ugly bird but I've woken up with loads!

the bfg

Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
« Reply #14 on: June 23, 2011, 06:34:09 am »
Dear Dierdrie

First clean, older couple-£15 inc conny.

First window over conny done-reducing pole which catches on the finial of the con, knocking it flying, bounces down the roof and onto the floor into around 22 pieces.

Oh poop me thinks!! She then asks if I'd like a cuppa. "Er, yes please" I says sheepishly whilst thinking should I say something.

Oh whata lovely job, take £20 for your trouble.

How do I live with the guilt? I'm feeling like a complete wotsit for mugging her off big style

Please help

















just go back and tell the customer what happened and get your PL to sort it out,  aftyer all thats what we take PL out for.



but your absolutely right,  by not saying anything you have well and truely MUGGED them  and that gives us all a bad name.

AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 25403
Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
« Reply #15 on: June 23, 2011, 07:32:01 am »
My best clumsy story (or worst).

Nice bungy with conny plus two lovely Burmese style fancy flowerpot/planters each side of the door each on a little stand.

I had just gone wfp and was having "great fun" with hose control etc and I pulled one over and it broke in several bits and deposited potting compost and flowers on the patio.

I ring door bell - custy is good about it and says he has a spare in the shed and I offer the clean (£20) for free and carry on.

No sooner had he gone in and shut the door but I pulled the other planter over and did the same again! Custy has that "shocked" emoticon look and it was going to go either way but he burst out laughing at the absurdity of it all and got another two free cleans out of it!

£60 in work that cost me - never had a "clumsy" like that since - except when I stepped back into a fishpond up to my thigh but thankfully didn't fall over or break anything!  ;D
It's a game of three halves!

H S and Son

Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
« Reply #16 on: June 23, 2011, 08:14:36 am »
by not saying anything you have well and truely MUGGED them  and that gives us all a bad name.

And yourself by the sounds of things if you can't live with the guilt. Thats why the word sorry was invented  ;)

phil espezido

  • Posts: 31
Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
« Reply #17 on: June 23, 2011, 04:29:53 pm »
you should always seize these moments as great opportunities to show how 'good' you are. Its a great customer relationship/service moment. accidents happen to all of us, we are people. you will be measured by your ability to deal in the right manner with such an event. when we break things we buy flowers, offer free services, do the clean for free. 9 times out of ten we either get MORE work from the client or a very strong Referral. i actually get excited when we break things because we always turn it into a win for us and the customer, so much so you could almost intend to break things then come in with an excellent customer service.

if you want to get a feel for what im saying, consider your credibility when that customer discovers for HERSELF the damage that you have caused! shes gonna hate you and bad news travels faster than good.

just my limited opinion

poleman

  • Posts: 2854
Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
« Reply #18 on: June 23, 2011, 04:51:42 pm »
WELL honest is the best policy!

Sadly putting the  finial back on top of the conny is a pain in the ass if you conny roof cant be walked on! your going to have to higher a conny roof ladder to get up there and even get a matching finial...best of luck your going to need it....

Paul Coleman

Re: guilt-how do you deal with it??
« Reply #19 on: June 23, 2011, 07:11:29 pm »
get repairing it .  i keep a variety of glues in my van , clear silicone being the one i use the most   

also i have a stash of rubber bands ,to hold the repair in place ,while its all setting

glue 22 pieces back together?

It could be an episode on The Krypton Factor.