[AuRavelling79]

OK - I have a mother and daughter pair of customers in adjoining semi detached 3 bed bay windowed houses. The daughter about two years ago tells me they need a reliable window cleaner and we agreed to every 8 weeks which I have kept to within a day or so. £30 the pair.

Daughter works and is out most of the time and so the mother (pensioner) pays for both. The father on the last two visits has made the odd snide remark about turning up when it's going to rain and alluding to "I suppose you work in bad weather (grey skies actually) so you get your money."

Last time he says he hasn't any cash and I cheerily inform him "no problem because your daughter pays on line if that's the case" and off he goes.

There just seems to be a vibe ...

Anyway today, glorious sunshine, about 8 or 9 degrees. Perfect for the time of year. I pull up and am just getting the hose out when the mother comes out ...

Her "Can you come back another day?"
Me "Oh, is there a problem?"
Her "It's not really convenient, were having lunch."
Me ""
Her "And I've got to go to the dentists later."
Me "Okay ... I'll think about it."

And with the merest hint of a flounce I got in the van and left.

So dear forum members as you can guess my inclination is not to go back. If she tells her daughter I will undoubtedly get a call later. If she doesn't then in about a months time I'll get a "where are you?" call.

I'll keep you posted.

[Arnold Palmer]

Had one today.

Customer hands Scotty £10.
Scotty checks his sheet it's £11.
Scotty goes back for the other £1.
Customer says "you're lucky I'm giving you £10 on a day like this" and closes the door in his face.

Anyone got a Thomas Higgins letter I can use to recover the £1?

[HCS]

Hannibal Lecter eats rude people

[Dave Willis]

I had one today £17 every six weeks - they owed me for two cleans after todays.
Gives me a cheque for £14

"that's right isn't it - two cleans." 

[Ian101]

OK - I have a mother and daughter pair of customers in adjoining semi detached 3 bed bay windowed houses. The daughter about two years ago tells me they need a reliable window cleaner and we agreed to every 8 weeks which I have kept to within a day or so. £30 the pair.

Daughter works and is out most of the time and so the mother (pensioner) pays for both. The father on the last two visits has made the odd snide remark about turning up when it's going to rain and alluding to "I suppose you work in bad weather (grey skies actually) so you get your money."

Last time he says he hasn't any cash and I cheerily inform him "no problem because your daughter pays on line if that's the case" and off he goes.

There just seems to be a vibe ...

Anyway today, glorious sunshine, about 8 or 9 degrees. Perfect for the time of year. I pull up and am just getting the hose out when the mother comes out ...

Her "Can you come back another day?"
Me "Oh, is there a problem?"
Her "It's not really convenient, were having lunch."
Me ""
Her "And I've got to go to the dentists later."
Me "Okay ... I'll think about it."

And with the merest hint of a flounce I got in the van and left.

So dear forum members as you can guess my inclination is not to go back. If she tells her daughter I will undoubtedly get a call later. If she doesn't then in about a months time I'll get a "where are you?" call.

I'll keep you posted.

I would skip it until its next due date of Feb by then windows will be minging  and they will have minging windows for Christmas anyway .... if the daughter (innocent in all this) calls you to see if you will cleaning before Christmas just say sorry "its not convenient" and tell her what happened ( were having lunch FFS !!! )

or even in future just do daughters and bin the old folk ... that will prob annoy them 

[PoleKing]

Clean the daughters first.
Then at Mummy's house say 'I've already done ... and the price is £30 for one or both, upto you...'

[C o z y]

"And with the merest hint of a flounce I got in the van and left." 

You can't expect to run a business without "Flounce" Malc.
 Call back, and when they answer the door, flounce back to the van without any comment!!


Jeeeze, you can't let standards drop like this.

[Tom White]

I'd probably bin 'em.

I had a flounce today from a lady who asked "How much do you charge for a house?"

I said, "Sorry, we're not taking on any new customers till after Christmas!" and she squarely turned to the right, pause-two-three, and marched off.

Lovely it was.

[sunshine windows]

Looks like it's catching.

Had a £25 once every 4 months job (ridiculously under priced, should be £35) today. I get all the equipment out of the van, just about to get the ladder off the roof for access, when out comes hubby (he's never normally there). Oh don't bother today mate, I've given everything a bit of a clean whilst I was putting up the Xmas decorations.  

Now that's fair enough, but Jesus it's £25 every 4 months you tight git. I was going to call to explain I won't be doing them again, but as it's such an old job, I never used to take all details and don't have the phone number. I'll just skip it and see if I ever get a call.

[robbo333]

My favourite dump:
Text him the night before to let him know it's due.
Go round and start cleaning but his side access is locked. (I need this for one window only).
He then texts me in the afternoon to say OK i'll leave it open.
I'm thinking mmmmm!
He thinks i've only just sent the text, got his days mixed up, and thinks i'm cleaning tomorrow (hope you're following).
I leave him a slip for 17 quid (upstairs flat).
He texts me back apologising for his mix up with the date of the texts and how he has not left the gate open.
Then he says that as I haven't cleaned the single window (the one I needed access too) he will deduct a pound and only pay me 16 quid.
DUMPED!!
How thick are people!

[Johnny B]

My favourite dump:
Text him the night before to let him know it's due.
Go round and start cleaning but his side access is locked. (I need this for one window only).
He then texts me in the afternoon to say OK i'll leave it open.
I'm thinking mmmmm!
He thinks i've only just sent the text, got his days mixed up, and thinks i'm cleaning tomorrow (hope you're following).
I leave him a slip for 17 quid (upstairs flat).
He texts me back apologising for his mix up with the date of the texts and how he has not left the gate open.
Then he says that as I haven't cleaned the single window (the one I needed access too) he will deduct a pound and only pay me 16 quid.
DUMPED!!
How thick are people!

Some are a bit thick. I must be as well, 'cos I'd have deducted the £1 myself and simply told him I couldn't get to the single window this time.

John 

[Bungle]

My favourite dump:
Text him the night before to let him know it's due.
Go round and start cleaning but his side access is locked. (I need this for one window only).
He then texts me in the afternoon to say OK i'll leave it open.
I'm thinking mmmmm!
He thinks i've only just sent the text, got his days mixed up, and thinks i'm cleaning tomorrow (hope you're following).
I leave him a slip for 17 quid (upstairs flat).
He texts me back apologising for his mix up with the date of the texts and how he has not left the gate open.
Then he says that as I haven't cleaned the single window (the one I needed access too) he will deduct a pound and only pay me 16 quid.
DUMPED!!
How thick are people!

Some are a bit thick. I must be as well, 'cos I'd have deducted the £1 myself and simply told him I couldn't get to the single window this time.

John 

Agreed

[NWH]

Just say I'll do them before Xmas yeah that's fine but I don't do one offs and call x weekly and if your out I'll leave a ticket but I come on the time that suits my other work in the area,I then tell them that the first clean is twice the price and that obviously you won't get a bill for the next clean when I do them this normally sorts out the poop from the poope

[capn sparkle]

Mr Gold!! Just as I'd thought my flounce was perfect - Now you tell me I need to refine it some more!

'mearest hint of a flounce'

Practice

Practice

Practice

If Santa catches me I'll get no pressies

[David stewart]

Had one the other day who told me not to bother this time as the husband had power washed them down after cleaning the yard and they're still fine 

[Marc Stock]

My favourite dump:
Text him the night before to let him know it's due.
Go round and start cleaning but his side access is locked. (I need this for one window only).
He then texts me in the afternoon to say OK i'll leave it open.
I'm thinking mmmmm!
He thinks i've only just sent the text, got his days mixed up, and thinks i'm cleaning tomorrow (hope you're following).
I leave him a slip for 17 quid (upstairs flat).
He texts me back apologising for his mix up with the date of the texts and how he has not left the gate open.
Then he says that as I haven't cleaned the single window (the one I needed access too) he will deduct a pound and only pay me 16 quid.
DUMPED!!
How thick are people!

I put in CLEAR writing on my bills that its down to the customer to remember to leave access on the due dates, and FULL payment is still due regardless.  They only forget once and that's enough they don't forget again. simple

[C o z y]

Mr Gold!! Just as I'd thought my flounce was perfect - Now you tell me I need to refine it some more!

'mearest hint of a flounce'

Practice

Practice

Practice

If Santa catches me I'll get no pressies

See what damage you've caused GOLD??!!! Disciples of the FLONCE MEISTER are in alarm here! 

[Don Kee]

Only the merest hint of a flounce....

This is just unacceptable...i'm going to have to re-evaluate my whole working life  

[chez]

I have a set pattern which works for me.
If someone says can you leave them this time for a trivial reason (obviously building work etc is acceptable) like some of the ones mentioned above, I always say ok and leave quickly.
Then when I'm around next time I purposely leave them again so now their windows are really dirty as they haven't been cleaned for possibly 18 weeks. When they phone or see me in the road and ask why I haven't been around I say "sorry I didn't think you wanted me to continue as I thought you cancelled me" or " sorry I didn't have time to fit you you in as I've picked up another customer to replace you" ( which generally always happens - you lose one gain two you know ) after they plead with me to continue cleaning their windows they NEVER do it again. Or if I really hate cleaning their windows cos of bad payers etc, it's a good opportunity to dump with a final " sorry I replaced you with another customer.
Works for me!!

[Johnny B]

Had one the other day who told me not to bother this time as the husband had power washed them down after cleaning the yard and they're still fine 

I've had that one as well. I replied with a smile that 'I'm sorry to lose you then', to which she hastily replied 'oh but they'll be in need of a clean the next time you're around'. 'Maybe' was my response ...

John