[Paul Coleman]

Why can't all customers have a concience, pay on time, open their gates when requested and just let me get on with providing a service every five weeks or whatever instead of - not today or - phone me back in two weeks time. How do you guys manage to keep it up for twenty five years or more?

I don't.
If someone isn't prepared to allow me decent access or insists on messing me about, they become an ex-customer (as in I no longer clean their windows rather than go around assassinating them)      .
Very recently I got a taste of how someone else's round works - things like irregular intervals, endless phone calls for access etc - all the things that do my head in.  It made me glad that I've allowed my business to grow more slowly but relatively hassle-free.

[Paul Coleman]

Dont talk to me about customers, can this day get any worse (shouldnt say that)
god I would love to work in macdonalds frying chips right now.

I am having a mare of a day started at 8pm last night and aint stoppped since,
A customer I cleaned 3 weeks ago phones tonight saying there is a smear on the window and as she quoted "not happy" no phone number only a road that I clean 9 houses on, I guarentee my cleaning for 48 hours, three weeks shes is off her head, I know from voice who she is. GOD I AM SO SO ANNOYED.
I think today is throw everything at Ian day and see if he cracks, well I am getting that way right now, blood has been boiling at top of head all day, one more call and I swear I will blow, i'm sticking the answer machine on as I have had a gut full in the last 24 hours, if you do need to call me be nice on the message and I may pick up.

this is the downside of running a company 

Tomorrow is another day and it will be brighter 

OK.  I can take a subtle hint.  I won't phone you then   

[xxmattyxx]

Dont talk to me about customers, can this day get any worse (shouldnt say that)
god I would love to work in macdonalds frying chips right now.

I am having a mare of a day started at 8pm last night and aint stoppped since,
A customer I cleaned 3 weeks ago phones tonight saying there is a smear on the window and as she quoted "not happy" no phone number only a road that I clean 9 houses on, I guarentee my cleaning for 48 hours, three weeks shes is off her head, I know from voice who she is. GOD I AM SO SO ANNOYED.
I think today is throw everything at Ian day and see if he cracks, well I am getting that way right now, blood has been boiling at top of head all day, one more call and I swear I will blow, i'm sticking the answer machine on as I have had a gut full in the last 24 hours, if you do need to call me be nice on the message and I may pick up.

this is the downside of running a company 

Tomorrow is another day and it will be brighter 

I get the impression, from reading a good few of your posts, that your always overrun with work, mostly windows, but also web-design: we all love being self-employed, but sometimes its time to take a chill-pill.

My heads been a dangerous place to be today, ever get a head that feels like The Bronx? I get dogged down with meeting my self-imposed targets, and not being kind to myself.

Sounds like your in the same space. When I came on here this morning the last post on here was yours posted at 2.30am at night and then your planning on kipping and going to work after?

You're mad, bonkers, loopy, give yourself a f***!n break.

[windowwashers]

Only wish I could, christmas is in a few weeks get a day off then  .

I did get a couple of hours sleep yesterday better that none the day before


Shiner, your welcome to call anytime.

Just having a bad day, to many negatives from to many people today and problems with system have made me start thinking this way today, as I say tomorrow is a different day 

[Captain Scarlet]

What problems are you having windowwashers? Luke

[windowwashers]

What problems are you having windowwashers? Luke

The list today goes on and on and on and on again.
Started last night really that got to me. Really started on moday morning with van not starting, then snowballed till tonight.
last night ro hose spilt, battery died again, then water would not flow, then battery died again, then tds went through the roof virus attempts, customers pushing me to far, ect etc etc oh and to top that the bank I am with are complete idiots, one person says one thing that cost me £100 and the other said another which then cost me another £100 and both got me the same result no futher forward than I needed to be.

[Captain Scarlet]

Don't worry in a few days all will be well and you will be out earning money! We have spares for most things now and glue/tape/spanners/torches/screwdrivers/etc etc so we can fix things if they break while working. We even had to change the fuel filter on the side of the road the other day but we had a spare!!! we didnt even have hastle priming it!!! Bad stuff does happen sometimes, Luke

[windowwashers]

Don't worry in a few days all will be well and you will be out earning money! We have spares for most things now and glue/tape/spanners/torches/screwdrivers/etc etc so we can fix things if they break while working. We even had to change the fuel filter on the side of the road the other day but we had a spare!!! we didnt even have hastle priming it!!! Bad stuff does happen sometimes, Luke

I know Luke just noramlly dont all happen in one day, I know tomorrow will be better (well it better be)

[Davew]

I lost half a tank of water today, poxy friggin Hozelock connector started spurting whilst i was sat indoors. Time for brass connectors me thinks. I'm not a fan of anything marked "Hozelock"

[tonyoliver]

 window washers 
be cool it is easy to say that when you have heard someone else is getting it in the neck.....
it may be my turn tommorow and i will promise you
it will all be vaugely amuseing in six months time as the past is always alittle bit rose tinted
be a sponge not a rock

[windowwashers]

window washers 
be cool it is easy to say that when you have heard someone else is getting it in the neck.....
it may be my turn tommorow and i will promise you
it will all be vaugely amuseing in six months time as the past is always alittle bit rose tinted
be a sponge not a rock

Normally dont let get things get to me, if you read my posts you will see this, I have to have a bad day now and again to make me have alot more good days, just today is not a good day at all, amusing  it is now

[elite mike]

What problems are you having windowwashers? Luke

The list today goes on and on and on and on again.
Started last night really that got to me. Really started on moday morning with van not starting, then snowballed till tonight.
last night ro hose spilt, battery died again, then water would not flow, then battery died again, then tds went through the roof virus attempts, customers pushing me to far, ect etc etc oh and to top that the bank I am with are complete idiots, one person says one thing that cost me £100 and the other said another which then cost me another £100 and both got me the same result no futher forward than I needed to be.

     

think i will stay trad after reading this  best of luck    mike

[M & C Window Cleaning]

I'm not a fan of anything marked "Hozelock"

Must admit I'm not iether. Bought a 'one to two adapter' with a built in tap to split the wter supply in my garden when I first got my WFP stuff together. Connected it up and turned on the water and the thing exploded. When I looked at the pieces it's a miracle any of them stay together. I use mainly 'Wilkinsons' connectors now. So far so good!

[windowwashers]

What problems are you having windowwashers? Luke

The list today goes on and on and on and on again.
Started last night really that got to me. Really started on moday morning with van not starting, then snowballed till tonight.
last night ro hose spilt, battery died again, then water would not flow, then battery died again, then tds went through the roof virus attempts, customers pushing me to far, ect etc etc oh and to top that the bank I am with are complete idiots, one person says one thing that cost me £100 and the other said another which then cost me another £100 and both got me the same result no futher forward than I needed to be.

     

think i will stay trad after reading this  best of luck    mike

Mike dont let me put you off of wfp. I was having a bad day yesterday, and today I have had my best day since I started widonw cleaning 

[elite mike]

 ime having my worst??
thanks
mike

[Scrimble]

i run my window cleaning business completely stress free, how hard can it be?

[dai]

i run my window cleaning business completely stress free, how hard can it be?

I try to too, Had a complaint yesterday about invading  someones air space.
Can you believe that?
Some rich old bag moaned about my brush sticking out her side of the fence.
I had put the big pole against my customers fence, and some of it was protruding over her side. [she's not a customer].
I was about to give her a mouthfull, luckily my brain engaged first, I thought what a very sad person.
I was just finishing for the day, and was looking forward to coming home to the Mrs and kids. I just realised how much more happy I was than her, and counted my blessings.
I have a philophosy, that  is if someone has a problem with me, then the problem is theirs, and I want no part in it. I am happy with who I am, and have nothing to prove.
Now if that sounds big headed, so be it, but it's a great recipe for a stress free existence. Dai

[Paul Coleman]

i run my window cleaning business completely stress free, how hard can it be?

I try to too, Had a complaint yesterday about invading  someones air space.
Can you believe that?
Some rich old bag moaned about my brush sticking out her side of the fence.
I had put the big pole against my customers fence, and some of it was protruding over her side. [she's not a customer].
I was about to give her a mouthfull, luckily my brain engaged first, I thought what a very sad person.
I was just finishing for the day, and was looking forward to coming home to the Mrs and kids. I just realised how much more happy I was than her, and counted my blessings.
I have a philophosy, that  is if someone has a problem with me, then the problem is theirs, and I want no part in it. I am happy with who I am, and have nothing to prove.
Now if that sounds big headed, so be it, but it's a great recipe for a stress free existence. Dai

I wonder if the same rules apply as with overhanging trees i.e. that she is allowed to cut the end off your pole so long as she throws it back to you over the fence   

[Londoner]

The beauty of our job is that you don't have to take the s**t if you don't want to.

When I was working for Kodak the customer was always right, even when they clearly weren't. They used to have me jumping through hoops and then complained to my boss and he would always take their side. At times it could be hell, espescially if it was a particularly big customer.

Now I have the final right of veto. I don't dump customers often but you are always going to get a few that need to be culled. When you take on a new customer you don't know their history.

I have said this loads of times before, when you canvass an area and get loads of people saying "no thanks we already have a window cleaner" but right in the middle is one house that hasn't got one, don't you wonder why?

[Ian W]

I have a philophosy, that is if someone has a problem with me, then the problem is theirs, and I want no part in it. I am happy with who I am, and have nothing to prove.
Now if that sounds big headed, so be it, but it's a great recipe for a stress free existence. Dai

It sounds a pretty good philosophy to me. There are more important things than miserable people in this world.