[Clean Cloth]

I have had this 50 something customer for 18 months, I have always got the impression that she looks down on me, actually she has been rude to me twice.
I clean there every 28 days and she often would forget I was coming and not leave payment so I started to text her the night before and she would leave payment by the gate in a plastic money bag. I have not seen her since May, so this arrangement suits me.
I sent her text as usual on Sunday and this morning found a reply saying she is isolating so would rather I did not clean the windows.
I am actually quite happy not to go there again but found it funny because we have not seen each other since May 

[Bungle]

I had a 4 weekly big house text me back saying she’s sprained the ligaments in her leg and she got pushed down the stairs and she’s sleeping downstairs too, so can I leave it until she’s better  she said she would give me a text when she’s better. That  was over 4 months ago. She must be still ill or dead 

[AuRavelling79]

In the first lockdown I had a customer (Mr. F) who was always a bit of an "is it that time already?" (8 weekly clean) and who asked me not to clean during covid as they "wanted to do their bit" to "comply with the rules". I personally felt it was more about wanting to save a bit of money, but hey ho.

Fair enough, people were not sure about  what was allowed and what was sensible and so on, but I found that the large majority of my domestics after the first couple of weeks were happy for me to continue. But as regard to Mr F. I was quite happy to not clean and as the months went on I felt I was well shot of him.

Earlier this month he sees me doing his neighbours and comes over to ask if I was doing his and I replied I hadn't planned to as he had stopped me back in March.

"Well that was due to the Covid lockdown" he says.

Me: "I know, so why do you want me back now?"
Him: "Well I thought you'd come back after the lockdown."
Me: "So why do you want me back now?"
Him: "Lockdown's over."
Me: "No, we're in a new one at least until early December."
Him: "Don't you want my business, then?"
Me: "I'm more interested in consistent customers really."
Him: "Well don't bother then!"
 

[jk999]

Cant understand why you have to be like that with customers to be honest ,so what if he stopped you during the covid should have just said to him i have put the prices up over the period because you lost work due to covid if he then still wanted them doing then it would have been a win win situation, no need for the arrogance towards customers

[dazmond]

In the first lockdown I had a customer (Mr. F) who was always a bit of an "is it that time already?" (8 weekly clean) and who asked me not to clean during covid as they "wanted to do their bit" to "comply with the rules". I personally felt it was more about wanting to save a bit of money, but hey ho.

Fair enough, people were not sure about  what was allowed and what was sensible and so on, but I found that the large majority of my domestics after the first couple of weeks were happy for me to continue. But as regard to Mr F. I was quite happy to not clean and as the months went on I felt I was well shot of him.

Earlier this month he sees me doing his neighbours and comes over to ask if I was doing his and I replied I hadn't planned to as he had stopped me back in March.

"Well that was due to the Covid lockdown" he says.

Me: "I know, so why do you want me back now?"
Him: "Well I thought you'd come back after the lockdown."
Me: "So why do you want me back now?"
Him: "Lockdown's over."
Me: "No, we're in a new one at least until early December."
Him: "Don't you want my business, then?"
Me: "I'm more interested in consistent customers really."
Him: "Well don't bother then!"
 

Personally I'd take him back on but charge him extra for the first clean as it's been so long since you last cleaned them.....

[M & C Window Cleaning]

I had a handful that stopped me during the first month of lockdown for similar reasons.  During the second month I picked up more than I'd lost during the first month due to them sitting at home realising what a state the windows and frames had gotten into whilst they were out working.  Now most of the ones I lost at the start have come back on the books realising that they had been panicked into quitting.  I hardly saw any of them anyway as money was either left out or paid into the bank. 

[JandS]

I have two customers been doing for 2 years now and never seen.........and they're prompt payers usually paid same night or next morning........that's Facebook as for you.

[AuRavelling79]

Cant understand why you have to be like that with customers to be honest ,so what if he stopped you during the covid should have just said to him i have put the prices up over the period because you lost work due to covid if he then still wanted them doing then it would have been a win win situation, no need for the arrogance towards customers

Thanks for your observations. I'm not arrogant with customers; I just have decided to not keep inconsistent customers who I believe to have agreed to my terms and then break them.

Had another one today. I broke my usual rule of not notifying customers because he was 80 years old and a "nice old boy" who took his time to get to the door and needed to sometimes get the dog in from the garden would I mind awfully letting him know when I was in the street. So I did. I impressed upon him at the outset it was an 8 weekly service and that I do not accept "on the day" cancellations.

They lasted three cleans. Funnily enough today there was an obvious discussion going on between him and his wife. "Can you come back nearer Christmas" he asked.

"Not really" quoth I "I do you at the same time as your neighbours and they would all (six) would get out of sync."

"Oh, leave it 'til next time then." He says.

"I don't work on that basis Mr. H......, like I said at the start it's an 8 weekly service." (He will now be trained or leave - I don't mind which.)

He comes back with "Well  we'll leave it then old son."

"Thank you. I hope you and Mrs. H. stay safe and have a healthy 2021."

"Umm ... errr... right ... you too. Goodbye"

"'Bye Mr. H."

If you have a little bit too much work you can prune those that don't fit in with your way of doing things. It's wonderful - I have little concern - you know that feeling you used to get when you NEED a customer more than they need you? I don't have it anymore because I have learned from those on here that don't put up with nonsense. Thin end of the wedge and you are dancing to their tune.

[AuRavelling79]

I had a handful that stopped me during the first month of lockdown for similar reasons.  During the second month I picked up more than I'd lost during the first month due to them sitting at home realising what a state the windows and frames had gotten into whilst they were out working.  Now most of the ones I lost at the start have come back on the books realising that they had been panicked into quitting.  I hardly saw any of them anyway as money was either left out or paid into the bank.

I have no problem with those types at all. Genuine often older folk who got frightened. I'm not interested in blokes in their fifties who are going out to work themselves and then tell you not to clean their outside windows like the one I referenced earlier up the thread.

[SB Cleaning]

Cant understand why you have to be like that with customers to be honest ,so what if he stopped you during the covid should have just said to him i have put the prices up over the period because you lost work due to covid if he then still wanted them doing then it would have been a win win situation, no need for the arrogance towards customers

I would of dropped him too , I hate customers who say "is it that time already?" They usually end up messers.

[jk999]

Come on you agreed to the terms wow its a bloody house not a contract ,🤣🤣🤣🤣

[AuRavelling79]

Come on you agreed to the terms wow its a bloody house not a contract ,🤣🤣🤣🤣

Ah, but it is a contract. Otherwise it becomes a dance to their merry tune. And when it's one or two customers  you think it is tolerable but if you allow it to happen more and more it can become a way of life and it blights a good round.

[Mike Burd]

Come on you agreed to the terms wow its a bloody house not a contract ,🤣🤣🤣🤣

Ah, but it is a contract. Otherwise it becomes a dance to their merry tune. And when it's one or two customers  you think it is tolerable but if you allow it to happen more and more it can become a way of life and it blights a good round.

Like being “cheapest In t’town”. 

[G Griffin]

Come on you agreed to the terms wow its a bloody house not a contract ,🤣🤣🤣🤣

The house wasn't the problem; it was the people in it.
Ourselves and the people in them need some terms.