[jeff1]

I wouldn't take a customer back on unless I was really, really  short of work which I'm not, simply because the trust has gone and to take them back on will always leave you in doubt when will they do it to you again. Not only that but word spreads in small villages that it's ok to dump you in favour of a cheaper window cleaner knowing you'll take them back on again at a later date when it suits them if the other w/c doesn't measure up to your standards. Stick to your principles and don't be messed around by customers.

Spot on, you obviously work in small villages

[Clive McDonald]

Customers don't see it that way. They are selfish and just see it their own way. They probably thought that the window cleaner (Jeff) did a good job, but at £30 it was a bit steep.
"How much?" asked shocked and amazed friend.
"Well we can't fault his work, but he's got us over a barrel. He's the only window cleaner round here that's any good and he knows it. So we are forced to pay his extortionate prices, but if ever anyone starts up that's a bit more reasonable........
"He's got you two for mugs"

I'm not saying above is correct, just how they might perceive us.

[macmac]

giving her a second chance jeff doesn't amount to being messed around no, she made a wrong judgment & seems to realise this now. have you ever made a bad judjment jeff? ever?
If she did it for a second time though that would be it, dumped!


tony

[macmac]

Oh, and yes, all my work is rural & small villages.

tony

[jeff1]

Tony, then you should know only to well if you work in a small village, have a read what some of the other guy's say who's work is in the small village community, every summer would be the same, 'we don't need you this time, but when the winter comes and the fair weather brigade have all gone into hibernation we'll have you back'. (until next summer) then we'll bin you again.
If that word got around my whole pricing stucture would go out the window and just to make a living, I would have to reduce my prices and do double the work.

[macmac]

thats fair enough jeff, you know your area & work well, was just adding my oppinion mate. it all depends on the manner in which a customer dumps you too, if she was rude, arrogant & p*ssed me off, then i probably wouldn't give a second chance for that reason, so, i suppose there are a few factors which could change the situation. at the end of the day, you have to do what is best for you & your business.


tony

[Clive McDonald]

Now that  you are WFP chancers can't compete on keeping the frames clean.

Also you are wrong about Villages. There are more dole-ites in urban areas. Also Villagers are massively resistant to someone new or from out of the area.

You need to take an overview. Mine would be that although now you are a partial success,  for nine years you worked like a donkey and have very little to show for it.

If you are talking about business that is.

[geefree]

get shut... you can pick your own when you offer quality, so if you were a plumber and someone was unhappy with your work for whatever reason.... and months down the line they realised you were not so bad after all......after , of course ditching you for a cowboy!..... would you work in their home again? b******s.

[Ian_Giles]

A £30 bungalow?
Now that sounds like a choice account to me.....
You were dumped in favour of someone doing it for half the price, they've proved unreliable and now want you back.

If that were a run of the mill account I would happily smile at them, feel smug and say, "Thanks but no thanks, I'm afraid I'm too busy to fit you in."
I'd also want to get the point across, in a very polite way, that I would be leary about taking them back on, only for them to take the next cut price cowboy.

But if it is a top paying job?.....

Then it gets a little tougher doesn't it...

If the guy who cancelled you had said, 'Sorry mate, thats business'. Then yet again, I would have politely told him ok, I'll come back, but my price has to increase.
Not by a tenner, pound to a penny he'd tell you to take a hike.
If his price increases over the years you had done them had been modest, op perhaps you hadn't put them up for 2 or 3 years, then you could easily justify a £5.00 increase, telling him that loyal, long term customers only had minimal increases, but new work, and as he was no longer on your books that what he now is, has to be charged at your current rates.

It's never easy, there have been the odd time when I've lost a customer like this and have looked forward to them asking me back, it's lovely to smile politely and tell them you are now to busy
But if it's a top account and easy money?..........
There comes a point when you say sod the bloody principle, give me the money!!

Ian

[LWC]

id take em back on and be all smug about it, when they say, "he wasnt regular, he didnt do a good job"

then you can say "well...if you go else where..."

guilt trip em!

come on this i a extra £360 a year  lol

[steve k]

they get the elbow first time and last time...no messing, no worrying, no headaches.
I`ve said it before...if they have done it once, they will again and your relationship will never be the same again...just plain UNCOMFORTABLE...

CUSTOMERS DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOU...
YOU ARE GONE FROM THEIR MINDS THE MINUTE YOU DRIVE AWAY UNTIL YOU ARRIVE FOR THE NEXT CLEAN...

when they start sending payment in the winter to cover lost days earnings or to cover sickness, I might feel diferently about business relations.

Offer your service, offer your price, do the job, drive away.
Get taken for a mug...dump them and then drive away to your next customer.

[pylofm]

Given that I am still building my round I put up with aprox 6 late payers (who just take the urine)....when I am in a better position I will not tolerate their games and for those that dump me to the low pricers...I will take them back if they fit my business at the time but they will be at the 'new customers' price whatever that may be.

Until such times I will contine take the occasional nonsense and late payments as part of learning...I am slowly coming around to thinking that this is a business and not a social care network...all the additionals that I have done as a couple of quid or freebie will stop....nothing for nothing...when it comes to charity I shall look to my self to pick a suitable organisation to donate to...

Have a nice day..all

[AuRavelling79]

This situation is unusual - in that you've received the nod that the other / old  w/c is re-grouping to come back with wfp. So will you find that the ones of his you've gained at a much higher price will go back to him?

As for the £30 bungalow - I've had this - husband dumps, wife wishes he hadn't and eventually persuades him/tells him she wants you back.

I had a situation where a lady started with me eight years ago as well, got me new customers in the road so that it is now an excellent part of my round. Her husband retired last year and when I met him he would do the "can you leave the back the car's in the garage/can you leave it this time" stuff.

Because she is such a good customer and advocate I tolerated it for a while but the next time I met her alone I politely explained the situation that I had my schedule and needed to keep to it etc.

She said "I'll soon sort him (her husband ) out!" And they eat out of my hand now!

But this is unique on my round and generally I have and would dump/run and not take back.

[steve m]

I dont see why your asking the question for, you seem to have made your mind up and now you seem to be arguing with all that would take them back

[Pat Purcell]

We have had a few like this over the years, not domestic as our houses are usually 1-2 times a year but on storefrnts and small commercial, If they cancel for no good reason and want us back at a later time then we explain to them that we are busy and will not be able to fit them in to our regular schedule but sometimes due to weather or cancelations we may have time to take care of their windows
We ask for a double payment for the first clean which will cover the cost of their last clean should they decide tp look elsewhere again and payment at time of service from then on
so we always owe them one cleaning at our convenience and in order to cancel you get plenty of notice

[steve k]

Pat...are you in Cork yet...I`m over there 18th - 25th May

[jeff1]

I dont see why your asking the question for, you seem to have made your mind up and now you seem to be arguing with all that would take them back

Read the title again steve, it says 'what would you have done'
I didn't ask should I take them back or not?
Its a good topiic, one were we all have our own ways of running a business, and in my own mind its good to see how other guy's would have reacted, if someone makes a comment to me, saying take them back, I am just putting my own opinion over, just like you have.

[Kinver_Clean]

We had one a while ago who spotted us from an upstairs window and waited till we had done it then came out and cancelled!!
It was all I could do to stop the lad throwing mud on the front windows.
We dont and wont do her again.

Trevor

[Pat Purcell]

Pat...are you in Cork yet...I`m over there 18th - 25th May

No unfortunately not, anyone want to buy a house in the US
Enjoy yourself its a great place to visit

[Clive McDonald]

This has run it's course, start another topic Jeff.

How are you going on about filling the gaps left by wfp? did you decide on a leaflet, and was it one you liked or one the forum approved of?

I'm trying to find more work- and funnily enough in Villages- I'm doing okay, but not great.