[AuRavelling79]

I haven't done a customer interaction story for a while so here is one for you (Must you? Yes, it's therapeutic for me. Oh, OK then.) that happened in lockdown earlier this week.

I do a cul-de-sc where I regularly clean 7 of about 10 small semi detached houses. It was 8 until this time last year but I dumped a customer for persistent slow paying (by cheque).

As the total had come to two cleans for £32.00 total I put a note through asking for payment and stating I wouldn't be cleaning until payment was made.

Nothing was forthcoming until Monday. Here is how it went.

Mr. Williams sees me cleaning and as I am cleaning from one spot and moving my hose to and fro each house he (working at home) has plenty of time to see me doing all the other houses. Eventually he comes over and says "Excuse me Mr. Gold you haven't cleaned our windows for a long time  you just stopped coming!"

Me: "Yes Mr. W, that's because you were persistently slow at paying and you didn't pay the last two cleans which you still owe me."

Mr. W: "I think I'm up to date, I paid you."

Me: "Well, according to my records you haven't."

Mr. W : "Yes I did, I sent a cheque."

Me: "No, you're thinking of the time before when I chased you up and you said you sent it and then came back to tell me it probably got lost in the post and then you "sent another one".

Mr W: "Oh. Sorry, so I owe you what? £32.00?"

Me: "Yes."

Mr W: "Well if I pay you will you start again please."

Me: "I'd rather not as it's not worth my while being messed around for such a small sum of money and I don't really want to be messing around with cheques that "go astray".

Mr W: "Well I'm on on-line banking now so I can pay you that way."

Me: "Ok let me think about it but before I agree to anything I need paying what you owe."

Mr W goes to his house and comes back with the cash and at full stretch and gloved hand gives me £32.00

Me: "Thank you."

Mr W asks if I'll start doing his again.

Me: "Ok but I need some assurances. First that you will pay me on-line within 24 hours of each clean."

Mr W: "OK"

Me: "The prices have gone up. The price is now £18 and the first clean will be £25 as they haven't been done for a year.

Mr W: "Fair enough - can you do them today and I'll pay you straight away."

Me: "OK, I'll be over later."

Mr W: "Thank you I'm sorry about the mix up."

Me: "I'd shake your hand Mr W., but in the circumstances perhaps you will take that as given?"

Mr W: "Thanks very much."

So I go over and finish and am writing the slip when he comes out with the cash in an envelope.

So ... let's see how it pans out.
 

[P @ F]

Nice when that happens isn’t it , as far as you were concerned it was written off money , then bingo , £57 for 1 clean of sorts !
I have not long had a TXT binning me for not turning up for months , she was taken aback when I informed her she was taken off the books ages ago anyway, that was the third time she had been on my books for not paying for long periods .
The only reason I kept taking her back was that I do almost every other house in the street

[Jay Le Huray]

love it,

many years ago I cleaned several house in a row and one day one of the customers said to me "can you leave ours now as I've found another window cleaner that is a £1 cheaper than you" so I replied "fine but don't come running back when they let you down"

about 3 months later I'm cleaning her neighbours either side and she comes out to me and asked if I could take her back on my round as the other guy never came back after the 1st clean.

It came me great pleasure in telling her to get lost

[Pete Thompson]

Once a messer, always a messer.

I wouldn’t even have spent the time talking to him after he’d paid the outstanding.

[Richard Groves]

I was paid by an ex customer once 3 years after I'd stopped cleaning for her due to constant late payment. She owed me £20 and whilst working on her street she saw me and came out to pay me muttering something about it being bad karma 🤔😂

[SB Cleaning]

Once a messer, always a messer.

I wouldn’t even have spent the time talking to him after he’d paid the outstanding.

I agree

My prediction is that he will be ok for a few months paying online, then it will be all down hill from there

[AuRavelling79]

Once a messer, always a messer.

I wouldn’t even have spent the time talking to him after he’d paid the outstanding.

I agree

My prediction is that he will be ok for a few months paying online, then it will be all down hill from there

You could be right!  Maybe all this good will going round has got to me. We shall see.

[dazmond]

i had one yesterday.......ex customer "are you cleaning ours today?".....not cleaned them for 8 months or so after wife texted me "not today" with no reason(8 weekly job).....plus dog muck (usually down the side of house),dodgy gate thats been broke for many years(he puts bricks behind it to stop it blowing open! )...usually very late paying and underpriced!NO THANKS!!

I said "i can t be bothered anymore as your side gates dodgy and theres usually dog muck down the side of your house.......he  said "ok no problem!.....

this is the only thing i hate about very compact estate work.......i only kept him on because i clean virtually every other house on the estate...(90+ houses)......there are at least another 5 houses i dont clean due to them messing me about over the years and it can be a bit awkward when your cleaning next door and they are in their garden.....