[matt]

here goes a funny story

a while back ( must be 2 years now ) i lost a customer, a nice lady in her early 60's, i was well put out about it, as i kept her happy, i unblocked the downpipe a few times, cleaned the porch gutter out twice, fitted a mesh downpipe gaurd, altered the downpipe so it emptied onto the garden instead of a useless soakaway that didnt work, All for FREE

a few weeks before christmas she asked me to come early as she was having family around for a pre-christmas meal ( her family were then going away for the festives ), even though it was out of my way, i did it, afterall it would keep her happy, i was in the area next in 3 weeks ( she didnt want them done then )

when i next returned after the chrsitmas break, i was 2 weeks late because of time off, so it was 9 weeks for my normal customers, 12 weeks for her ( 9 + 3 = 12 )

she went mental, saying i was late, i explained why, christmas off, 3 weeks early clean for her etc etc, she says " ive got some1 who will come 4 weekly "

anyways, she cancelled me

Now i do the whole road apart from hers now, she tried to get others to dump me in favour of her new guys, only 1 did ( and she was a pain in the backside, no loss )

she wouldnt even speak to me then, i would say " good morning " to be blanked

so her new guy isnt that good, he arrives, take 8 mins to do the house and conserv and is away

so i heard from next door that she is looking for me, i dont really care

she comes and explains that the bloke isnt that good and can i take her back on

i explain i will have to re-price the job,

no need she says, its £17

i explain that was my old price when i took over the work, new prices are a little more as i only need good priced work now

Oh, ok she says

i tell her my new price is £25

she huff and puff and complains about the £8 increase and says " i will have to go and think about it "

i explain my books are allmost full, i have a spare slot in my book for the area

2 hours pass

she comes up to me and says " can you do it for £22

nope was the reply

Oh ok then, £25

I say " sorry, whilst you were thinking, ive had a call and taken on a £10 new house "

Well mine is £ 25 she says

once again, sorry, but i have to think of my regular customers and people who dont mess me about

she storms off in a huff

[need a cleaner]

 ;Dnice on you mate

[mark dew]

Since i started wc, my experience has been that it's a fine line between doing customers a favour who are grateful and doing favours where they forget the favour and expect it and much more as the norm. They also moan the most when the price gets increased in line with inflation.
I got trod on a bit by a handful of ex customers in the 1st 2 years i and take great joy in reading these types of posts.

[matt]

Oh she taught me that im not going to do any more freebies ( i still do the odd favour , like change a light bulb for a OAP etc etc )

since her, ive allways charged the same rate i earn doing windows for all little jobs, afterall, she showed me that she was quick enough to drop me even with the jbs i had done for her

[brett walker]

Good on you matt 

just goes to show you can bend over backwards to help customers and they give you no loyalty

Brett

[Mr.G]

nice one Matt!  its always the ones you least expect that drop you, aint it.

[cat9921]

here goes a funny story

a while back ( must be 2 years now ) i lost a customer, a nice lady in her early 60's, i was well put out about it, as i kept her happy, i unblocked the downpipe a few times, cleaned the porch gutter out twice, fitted a mesh downpipe gaurd, altered the downpipe so it emptied onto the garden instead of a useless soakaway that didnt work, All for FREE

a few weeks before christmas she asked me to come early as she was having family around for a pre-christmas meal ( her family were then going away for the festives ), even though it was out of my way, i did it, afterall it would keep her happy, i was in the area next in 3 weeks ( she didnt want them done then )

when i next returned after the chrsitmas break, i was 2 weeks late because of time off, so it was 9 weeks for my normal customers, 12 weeks for her ( 9 + 3 = 12 )

she went mental, saying i was late, i explained why, christmas off, 3 weeks early clean for her etc etc, she says " ive got some1 who will come 4 weekly "

anyways, she cancelled me

Now i do the whole road apart from hers now, she tried to get others to dump me in favour of her new guys, only 1 did ( and she was a pain in the backside, no loss )

she wouldnt even speak to me then, i would say " good morning " to be blanked

so her new guy isnt that good, he arrives, take 8 mins to do the house and conserv and is away

so i heard from next door that she is looking for me, i dont really care

she comes and explains that the bloke isnt that good and can i take her back on

i explain i will have to re-price the job,

no need she says, its £17

i explain that was my old price when i took over the work, new prices are a little more as i only need good priced work now

Oh, ok she says

i tell her my new price is £25

she huff and puff and complains about the £8 increase and says " i will have to go and think about it "

i explain my books are allmost full, i have a spare slot in my book for the area

2 hours pass

she comes up to me and says " can you do it for £22

nope was the reply

Oh ok then, £25

I say " sorry, whilst you were thinking, ive had a call and taken on a £10 new house "

Well mine is £ 25 she says

once again, sorry, but i have to think of my regular customers and people who dont mess me about

she storms off in a huff

Yes its a good story matt,

But if you do the lot in the street why not take her back, Any way it does feel good when they come begging

[Ian W]

Why not take her back Matt?
I think that the fact the customer realised you weren't there to be messed around would have been enough for me. She would think twice the next time. lol

[AuRavelling79]

Sweet!

[elite mike]

thats the way

[johnny_h]

nope never take them back!

[Ian W]

nope never take them back!

Why not? If you take them back on your terms then everyone is a winner. If they muck you around again, then I would agree that you drop them.

[Paul Coleman]

I don't mind doing the odd small favour (such as posting letters for an elderly disabled lady) but I've found (mostly) that the more you do for some customers, the more they want.  Doing unpaid favours has never made one jot of difference as to whether I kept a job or not.

[Feen]

Only been in this job for a year or so, but I can see where I'm getting rewarded from. One lady today gave me a £5 tip for Xmas. I do her monthly for £5, but sometimes do her inside kitchen window for nothing. Next door gave the same tip. I broke a concrete sill of his and got it mended. Got a tip. These folk will get preferential service from me.

[matt]

Why not take her back Matt?
I think that the fact the customer realised you weren't there to be messed around would have been enough for me. She would think twice the next time. lol

if she has been polite to me and spoken to me when i did the houses around her and not blanked me, i might have considered it, but rudeness really winds me up

she has messed me around once, so she it the type to do it again

[Ian W]

Fair enough then.

[dai]

You know her Matt, I don't. I have learned to trust my instinct. If I go against it, I nearly always come unstuck. Dai