[zeusjazmin]

i collect my doors on a friday night,if there are not too many customers i dont get i normally leave it till next time and get double,i have done it this way for 20 years.
two weeks ago however i had a bad night and (as i have also done for years) i went back again on the saturday to collect the ones i never got as there were a lot not at home on the friday.
one customer was really offended that i knocked her door on the saturday,i explained that the reason for doing so was that there were very few customers in on the friday and i had to get my money.
i went back today to clean again and what transpired was a blazing row with the customer.
her points were, "it is illegal to collect money on a saturday" "i feel intimidated when you come to collect on a saturday",i explained that all her neighbours and her were out the previous time and that by collecting them on the saturday it would give me the money that i had worked for,i also explained that although each house was not that much money,they were all next door to each other and collectively it was a lot of money and that it was money that i had worked for and needed.
her reply was "well thats not my problem!",she went on to say she doesnt mind which night i collect as long as its not a saturday,i asked if there was a reason for this,and again she said she felt intimidated,i went on to explain that maybe it wasnt much money to her but it was to me,her reply "well i dont care,its not my problem".
where she lives is just 300 yards from me and all the work is compact,again i explained that it is really important that i get my money in.her reply "tough i dont care"
she then went on to say "if i have got visitors on a saturday i dont want to be running around trying to find my purse to pay a window cleaner!
i proceeded to tell her to find another window cleaner!
what i would really like to know is,what would you have done in my shoes?

[alanwilson]

you handled it well mate - illegal to collect on a saturday??  should have asked her if the shops were exempt from this law of hers!!

what a cow!

If it was me I'd have got the wife - she's Northern Irish and half her family have guns that they don't have, they're just looking after them but they found them sort of thing.

[Craig 72]

I would have done exactly what you did.She sounds like a nutjob,I've never heard such nonsense.

[zeusjazmin]

oh and just to add ,anotherv reason she didnt want me knocking on the saturday was....................."i might not be in"

[bobplum]

can you define "saturday morning" what time did you call

[zeusjazmin]

bob,dont know if youre question was for me but if it was i called at 6 on saturday evening

[Johnny B]

How would she feel if you fell behind with your work and happened to go out on a Saturday morning to clean her windows?

If she were my customer, and she spun that line with me, I would simply apologize for making her feel that way, and assure her that I would never bother her again.

She is exactly the kind of customer none of us want.

John

 

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

is she jewish m8?
used to get a lot ov this when i cleaned
a lot ov jewish areas in manchester areas

[bobby p]

i had some woman get stroppy with me ,we started and she ran out telling me she had already cancelled,had spoke to the boss ,raving she was .but im the boss i says,then   i quickly told my lad to carry on soaping up her main window and then we left

[Paul Coleman]

i collect my doors on a friday night,if there are not too many customers i dont get i normally leave it till next time and get double,i have done it this way for 20 years.
two weeks ago however i had a bad night and (as i have also done for years) i went back again on the saturday to collect the ones i never got as there were a lot not at home on the friday.
one customer was really offended that i knocked her door on the saturday,i explained that the reason for doing so was that there were very few customers in on the friday and i had to get my money.
i went back today to clean again and what transpired was a blazing row with the customer.
her points were, "it is illegal to collect money on a saturday" "i feel intimidated when you come to collect on a saturday",i explained that all her neighbours and her were out the previous time and that by collecting them on the saturday it would give me the money that i had worked for,i also explained that although each house was not that much money,they were all next door to each other and collectively it was a lot of money and that it was money that i had worked for and needed.
her reply was "well thats not my problem!",she went on to say she doesnt mind which night i collect as long as its not a saturday,i asked if there was a reason for this,and again she said she felt intimidated,i went on to explain that maybe it wasnt much money to her but it was to me,her reply "well i dont care,its not my problem".
where she lives is just 300 yards from me and all the work is compact,again i explained that it is really important that i get my money in.her reply "tough i dont care"
she then went on to say "if i have got visitors on a saturday i dont want to be running around trying to find my purse to pay a window cleaner!
i proceeded to tell her to find another window cleaner!
what i would really like to know is,what would you have done in my shoes?

I would have said that if she wanted to continue receiving my service, she should send a cheque or pay by bank transfer.  If she was unable or unwilling to do so, then she could find another window cleaner.  Personally, I think you spoil them if you go out and collect - though I realise it's close by.
Intimidated on a Saturday but not on a Friday?  What a load of bull.

[Londoner]

is she jewish m8?
used to get a lot ov this when i cleaned
a lot ov jewish areas in manchester areas

Oh yes about 20% of my customers are Jewish, maybe more because I don't keep tabs on that sort of thing and obviously you respect the Sabbath but in every other way they are perfect customers. I would happily recreuit more of them.

[AuRavelling79]

I never thought about the Jewish Sabbath possibility - nice catch Vince. Strange she didn't say that - perhaps she's a Sixth day adventist? 

[Neil Gornall]

Just checked my bank account and my customers are all paying nicely.... When it suits them.

Might have another cup of tea before I update George.

Collecting!!!!!  no thanks!!!   

[Londoner]

I never thought about the Jewish Sabbath possibility - nice catch Vince. Strange she didn't say that - perhaps she's a Sixth day adventist? 

I could start a really big debate at this point by saying the Sabbath is Saturday no matter whether you are Christian, Jewish or whatever. It was only moved to Sunday because of political reasons in Rome, not religious.

But I am not going going there, if you want to research it Google "sabbath" and fill your boots. It doesn't matter to me I am an athiest. I keep a bible on the same shelf as Harry Potter.

[SunShineCleaning]

I think your problem is thet you knock to collect. Don't waste your time and energy. Get them to send a cheque or do online banking. You devalue your service by going back and 'begging' to be paid.

I would also hate to be answering my door on a weekend evening to pay someone. Weekends are for family, weekdays for work and paying bills.

[Llaaww]

That is a simple one, she doesn't want you there on a saturday as it is her weekly service slot. Nobody likes to be disturbed when they are on the job. She was hostile because she didn't know how to explain herself. She may well have felt intimidated and defensive if that is the case.

 

[john the cleaner]

its not her problem well it is now mate she has lost a good window cleaner bet the next one wont put up with her nonsense you best rid of her move on
























there

[Pole 2 Pole]

I can kinda relate to the weekend "thing". I generally don't work weekends,bank holidays etc out of respect for the family "thing". Only if it's been agreed beforehand. Never ever canvass on a Sunday. But her reaction was wayyyyy OTT. You done well to maintain your dignity. Very very well. I couldnt have.

[cozy]

I think you did well not to lose control mate. You need more custies though, then incidents like this don't matter when you have enough work. Just replace the old trout and forget that there are mongs out there who like to unload their crap on anyone they can find.

When you replace these idiots, always replace with two new custies.

By they way, I enjoy collecting, keeps contact with people and I like to think reduces custy loss. Cheques are like rocking horse poo here, haven't seen one for years. I think only UK or USA seem to use them these days.

[SunShineCleaning]

If she was an orthodox Jew they are not alowed to do business on the sabbath hence the "It's illegal" quote and the fact that you questioned her on it may have made her worried about religious discrimination/abuse.