[supernova77]

I've had this customer for about 8 years... Large 4 bedroom house with a medium sized conservatory in an expensive village... He has a BMW 6 series, she has a Land Rover Sport... £35 every 8 weeks... Always paid on time, no problems at all.

The house proud type.

The husband has recently retired.

I got this email today:

---
Hi Andy

We have decided that we will not need you to clean our windows anymore as my husband is at home more and will be doing it himself.

Thank you
---

I'm tempted to email back saying "wish him luck accessing the 2 windows above the conservatory, and the 3 above the sloped roof at the front of the house!"...

Makes me laugh... Perhaps they've had a cheaper quote or something - Who knows!

On the plus side I picked up 2 new £25 cleans today... You loose some - you win more!

Andy 

[C o z y]

Good attitude mate.

[Arnold Palmer]

Don't let it get to you, these things happen.

Spring next year they'll be on the phone. "I can clean the windows" is easier said than done.

[Stoots]

Husbands at home more, got time on his hands so saving a few quid, sounds legit to me, why not

[Crystal-clear]

8 years u cant grumble

[Pureandclean]

I used to say to the wife .... I'll see you in 3 months then...... it normally takes about that long for them to realise that despite their continual nagging the husband is never going to clean the windows.

[Don Kee]

I had a phone call the other week with a woman almost pleading with me to clean her windows on a oneoff basis.
Had to be before the 16th as the husband was away in italy until then, and he is dead set against having a window cleaner!
Lovely house, decent size (probably a £15ish regular) how set against having clean windows can you be, maybe trying to save on curtains?
Safe to say i charged for the privilege, they were absolutley hanging!!
She was ecstatic with the job, but the it dawned on her that she may have to explain the clean windows...

[SB Cleaning]

I had a cbeque through the post today from a custy with a note saying to cancel all future cleans...

Thing with this one though was he was a crap payer always late (3-4weeks waiting!!) So on the last clean I left a note on invoice saying "can you please ensure payment is made within10 days date of clean" and the cheque arrived late again today..

I think I may of upset him with my note but im not bothered as I was going to dump him anyway 

[dave f]

i have 1 dedicated late payer i keep saying im gonna dump but i do 3 other members of her familys houses.then i may get dumped my self.

[PoleKing]

i have 1 dedicated late payer i keep saying im gonna dump but i do 3 other members of her familys houses.then i may get dumped my self.

I've got a few like that.
If it really gets to you, chuck the bad'un.
The others may understand.
They may not and chuck you. If they do you don't want them anyway.
Best thing? Get 'em all on direct debit.

[Ian101]

I lost one today as there moving nice phone call thanking me for my efforts over last 4 years and a promise to call me when theyre in new address.

Thing is I hated doing the house but its on an estate I do 17 others on so little tricky to dump ... even put price up this year ............ happy to see it go 

[Johnny B]

i have 1 dedicated late payer i keep saying im gonna dump but i do 3 other members of her familys houses.then i may get dumped my self.

I get a lot of new custom through family connections, so it is important to maintain control or risk losing a lot of business quickly. I am flexible with customers' requirements as far as I can reasonably be, but if they give me the runaround for payment they are gone, whether I clean for other family members or not. Rather than cause me to lose more, it has sent out a signal that I will drop them if they do the same.

John 

[p1w1]

well i lost a customer today and didn't get a new one to replace it...must be a CIU first for that to happen 

[SherwoodCleaningSe]

My husband is gonna clean them is normally code for we've had a cheaper offer.  Cheaper often means low quality.  If asked back I'd increase the price and put a first time clean on as well, the reason being that you need to wash away the chemicals that the (husband) he has applied in his efforts to clean the windows.

Simon.

[Carl2009]

Don't let it get to you, these things happen.

Spring next year they'll be on the phone. "I can clean the windows" is easier said than done.

+1

[Ian101]

well i lost a customer today and didn't get a new one to replace it...must be a CIU first for that to happen 

  let the forum down again and yer barred !!

  

[J.D]

I'd take Polekings advice and go direct debit. Gocardless is the best thing ever for the window cleaner and makes late payers and non payers a thing of the past!

[KS Cleaning]

I had a landscape gardiner (no relation to Alex) cancel on wednesday after 2 cleans, the initial clean the windows were mingin. I said to him "that's a pity, I was about to ask you to come round and give me a price for landscaping my back garden". He said "oh well in that case just keep cleaning them then, I will come around on Friday and price it up for you" ................ Told him "not to bother, I will take you off my list and ask someone else to do ma garden". Done this with a carpet fitter as well when he cancelled a while back, told him a needed ma whole house re carpeted..... A didn't, and a didn't need ma garden doin either, but it made me feel better

[ben M]

I had a landscape gardiner (no relation to Alex) cancel on wednesday after 2 cleans, the initial clean the windows were mingin. I said to him "that's a pity, I was about to ask you to come round and give me a price for landscaping my back garden". He said "oh well in that case just keep cleaning them then, I will come around on Friday and price it up for you" ................ Told him "not to bother, I will take you off my list and ask someone else to do ma garden". Done this with a carpet fitter as well when he cancelled a while back, told him a needed ma whole house re carpeted..... A didn't, and a didn't need ma garden doin either, but it made me feel better

[Clever Forum Name]

I had a landscape gardiner (no relation to Alex) cancel on wednesday after 2 cleans, the initial clean the windows were mingin. I said to him "that's a pity, I was about to ask you to come round and give me a price for landscaping my back garden". He said "oh well in that case just keep cleaning them then, I will come around on Friday and price it up for you" ................ Told him "not to bother, I will take you off my list and ask someone else to do ma garden". Done this with a carpet fitter as well when he cancelled a while back, told him a needed ma whole house re carpeted..... A didn't, and a didn't need ma garden doin either, but it made me feel better

Love it lol