[James Bulton]

Sorry this is not e bay so therefore I will not bid. Carry a bottle of ro waste water and spray the glass when you see the new windy has just been.
I had one of these stopped me in the street to come back as the the new fella`s window do not stay clean.Sorry full but if she could wait till some one died I might help her again.

[davids3511]

Hi
Can you continue to clean our windows at ***********  We have been happy with the service you have offered
Can you do us again next time in the area
Thanks
Julia *********- please let me know- thanks

Just received this today. Response?

[roundbuilder]

That house should be £25-30 easy. Stuff them and find another who will respect you and your price.

[PoleKing]

Hi
Can you continue to clean our windows at ***********  We have been happy with the service you have offered
Can you do us again next time in the area
Thanks
Julia *********- please let me know- thanks

Just received this today. Response?

"Of course. All new customers are now taken on a standing order only basis, paid on the 1st of the month. Here are my details. As soon as payment goes in, I will be with you in that month. Kind regards...."

[windiewasher]

Tell them yes and sell the job to another windie,the worst one in your area!

[davids3511]

That house should be £25-30 easy. Stuff them and find another who will respect you and your price.

This is how I feel. I couldn't ever do it for them again even for £40 a clean..

[Johnny B]

I had a similar case recently. It's a detached house that I do 3 or 4 rimes a year, for which I charge 50 euro. I had a phone call saying that another guy who, (although I've never seen him) does the other houses on the estate, and he has quoted £25.

I replied that unfortunately I cannot compete with that or make a living by dropping my price. She said that she would rather have my services, as she was happy with the quality of my work. I said I would give it some thought. I did think about it, then I did nothing.
 
A few weeks later, I had the phone call asking for me to do the windows. This I duly did, for which she unhesitatingly paid me my original price of 50 euro.

John   

[tompoole]

Depends if you need the work....... But if that happened to
Me I would knock and say I wouldn't reduce price , thank them
For previous work and wish them well .....
Replace them with another job.

[trippyboy]

That house minus a conny is £18 all day long

[andyM]

Hi
Can you continue to clean our windows at ***********  We have been happy with the service you have offered
Can you do us again next time in the area
Thanks
Julia *********- please let me know- thanks

Just received this today. Response?

Go back just one last time.
But not to clean the windows........just put a copy of Pete Thompson's letter through the letterbox and walk away smiling.



"Dear customer,

Oh dear.
 
We have an awkward situation here, don't we?  After 2 years of trouble-free service and a what I have always considered a good working relationship, we have this.  And now things will simply never be the same, will they?

I could tell you that I'm insulted by your note, that the insinuation that I didn't charge a fair price in the first place cuts to the bone.

I could tell you that I'm hurt by the way you've now made it clear that only thing that stands between me keeping your custom and losing it, is a Johnny-come-lately whose service you have no experience of, but who is £3 cheaper.

I could tell you that, every day that goes by I am asked to clean someone's windows, but I have to tell them they will be added to my 2-year waiting list.  (That's right, 2 years.  Didn't realise you had it so good, did you?)

I could tell you that most customers never realise that they need me far more than I need them, and that 'competiton' is a concept that good window cleaners like myself find both alien and totally irrelevant.

But honestly, what would be the point?

Even if you unreservedly apologised now, the sad fact is, neither of us would be able to forget this, would we?  The truth is, every time I came to your house I would think of this note, with all of the unspoken but nevertheless painful insinuations.

I think we both know that there really isn't any way forward for us now, is there?  I can't even wish you "all the best" in customary fashion, because it would undoubtedly come across as sarcastic, and if I'm honest that is also how it would be meant.

So all that's left to do now is to say farewell."


Go on it will be worth it.....just for the crack.  

[PoleKing]

Hi
Can you continue to clean our windows at ***********  We have been happy with the service you have offered
Can you do us again next time in the area
Thanks
Julia *********- please let me know- thanks

Just received this today. Response?

Go back just one last time.
But not to clean the windows........just put a copy of Pete Thompson's letter through the letterbox and walk away smiling.



"Dear customer,

Oh dear.
 
We have an awkward situation here, don't we?  After 2 years of trouble-free service and a what I have always considered a good working relationship, we have this.  And now things will simply never be the same, will they?

I could tell you that I'm insulted by your note, that the insinuation that I didn't charge a fair price in the first place cuts to the bone.

I could tell you that I'm hurt by the way you've now made it clear that only thing that stands between me keeping your custom and losing it, is a Johnny-come-lately whose service you have no experience of, but who is £3 cheaper.

I could tell you that, every day that goes by I am asked to clean someone's windows, but I have to tell them they will be added to my 2-year waiting list.  (That's right, 2 years.  Didn't realise you had it so good, did you?)

I could tell you that most customers never realise that they need me far more than I need them, and that 'competiton' is a concept that good window cleaners like myself find both alien and totally irrelevant.

But honestly, what would be the point?

Even if you unreservedly apologised now, the sad fact is, neither of us would be able to forget this, would we?  The truth is, every time I came to your house I would think of this note, with all of the unspoken but nevertheless painful insinuations.

I think we both know that there really isn't any way forward for us now, is there?  I can't even wish you "all the best" in customary fashion, because it would undoubtedly come across as sarcastic, and if I'm honest that is also how it would be meant.

So all that's left to do now is to say farewell."


Go on it will be worth it.....just for the crack.  

I love that. Still makes me chuckle.
How many times have you used it Andy? Go on, don't be shy...

[andyM]

Not used it yet.
But hopefully one day........

[Johnny B]

If she is prepared to pay your asking price, why not keep her on. It looks to me as if she has learned her lesson.

John

[AuRavelling79]

I'd forgotten Pete Thompson's letter - it is so good I'm going to frame it and put it on my wall - it really is the best reply I've ever seen!

Back to "Dr. Going Forward" and his wife Julia who knows how to write politely.

Note she uses her first name while "he" signed "Mr" whatever. Note how he didn't even have the decency to write Dear Sir.

Why not text back Julia (is she middle aged totty going forward? ) and tell her that the question about cutting price came from her husband and that if he wants you back he has to say "please" and he needs to be polite.

Of course he won't but like you say, you wouldn't do his windows for £40 let alone £18.

[pure tech]

They have been customers for 5 years. Started out at £15.00 then went up to £18.00 2 years ago when they put on a large extension at the back. Property similar to this but with three small dormers instead of one large.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-40994912.html/svr/1718

If you have been doing this house for five years with the only price increase being to cover the large addition then the price has not actually increased in five years.
That is crazy, and this may be an appropriate time to remind the greedy doctor of this.

[Dave Mills]

If you want to do it, do it.

If you dont want to do it, be polite.

"Thanks for your note asking me to come back but Ive since replaced you with a customer from my waiting list and I wont be able to clean for you. Thank you for your business in the past"

If you try and make a silly point it will come back to bite you one day.

[Ian101]

Hi
Can you continue to clean our windows at ***********  We have been happy with the service you have offered
Can you do us again next time in the area
Thanks
Julia *********- please let me know- thanks

Just received this today. Response?

depends if its near other work and or part of a compact round ?
are they good payers
do u make decisions with your ego (Im prone to this occasionally)
do you like cleaning this particular house

you could carry on then in a few months time put it up in price if you feel its underpriced

[Mike #1]

Some people are just pure greedy . Had a custy this week dump me via email because i had raised the price by £1.00 been 4 years since i started cleaning windows .

He had got himself another windy probably for a £1.00 as most lads charge a similar price to me , at the end of email he said if he had any problems he may need to contact me again .

Been contemplating my reply for past few days still not sure whether to bother replying and making him beg if he gets messed about buy other windy , Then when he is finished i will just say no .

David if you want to maintain custy make them wait a few days . Mike

[Spruce]

Some people are just pure greedy . Had a custy this week dump me via email because i had raised the price by £1.00 been 4 years since i started cleaning windows .

He had got himself another windy probably for a £1.00 as most lads charge a similar price to me , at the end of email he said if he had any problems he may need to contact me again .

Been contemplating my reply for past few days still not sure whether to bother replying and making him beg if he gets messed about buy other windy , Then when he is finished i will just say no .

David if you want to maintain custy make them wait a few days . Mike

Hi Mke

I wouldn't reply apart from to thank them for their past business. Anything else always seems like retaliation.

You can always greet them in the street, across the fence etc without any stress on your part. I feel it leaves me in control of the situation.

But the time may come that the same thing happens to you as it has David the O/P. It's happened to all of us at some time or another, especially if you have been in business for a while. If they do ask you if you will resume cleaning their windows then you have the opportunity to decide. If you don’t want them as customers (which you could have decided at the time of receiving their email/notification),  then apologise and explain that their slot has been taken by a new customer. As you aren’t taking on any more new customers, you will quite happily put them on the pending list for consideration when you get a cancellation.

If you do decide you could carry on the service, charge for a first clean and put the price up. If they refuse then you haven’t lost anything.

I got dumped by a customer a couple of years ago as I wasn’t regular enough – she wanted every 4 weeks and I only do 6 weeks. She also messed me around when she was having some maintenance work done outside which should have taken a week but ended up taking 4 months. (Whilst that wasn’t her fault I wasted my time driving there 3 times and being turned away.) When they finally finished she expected me to come the next day and clean her windows.

She has never asked me back but she stopped me in the street last month as she had recommended me to some of her friends in the next village. I thanked her so much for her thoughfulness, but I declined the recommendation.

[Soupy]

I don't really see what all the fuss is about. I rarely buy anything without asking if I can get it cheaper (you don't ask, you don't get) and I regularly check my service bills for more competitive prices. I think your customer has been fair enough asking you to match a cheaper quote - most would just have cancelled without explanation.

If you can't match that price don't, (I wouldn't lower my price for an undercutter) but don't ignore them or worse, give them cheek like they are somehow owe you something because you cleaned their windows for a while.

People are free to choose whoever they want to clean their windows - some go for the best price - some reliability - most go for whatever is easiest.

Personally I'd write back with a proper headed letter explaining that no, you can't match that price. If they want to cancel no problem but let you know asap. Explain what they would have to do should there be an issue with the new guy and they want you back and wish them all the best.

It is the only professional thing to do.