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How would you have handled this?

Discussion in 'Residental Window Cleaning' started by Jeff Parks, May 24, 2014.

  1. Jeff Parks

    Jeff Parks Administrator Staff Member Administrator

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    This past Tuesday I power washed and cleaned the exterior windows of a house. She had 82 windows and I charged $4 per window which came to $340.oo. Then she wanted me to hit a few spots with the pressure washer like the sidewalk and steps that sort of the thing. So I said ok and we agreed to $60. Trust me setting up would have taken longer then the actual work. I did the job and she said everything looked good and I got paid. Wednesday night I get a call saying that I missed a few spots window cleaning and pressure washing and she wanted me to come back. Friday morning I made it back and when I got there so showed me the work she wanted me to do. It turned out it was work she didn't originally ask me to complete - pressure washing in the back and some extra windows on the inside. It turned out to be an hour worth of work plus having to fit her into my schedule. I ended up getting her neighbor's house scheduled for next week. Should I have refused to do the work unless she paid me an additional amount? Or I was correct in just doing the work to make her happy?
  2. Dandjob

    Dandjob New Member

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    If it's going to be a repeat customer, you did exactly what I would have done. Seeing as you picked up a neighbors place while dealing with it and it was only about an hour I'd walk away happy from the deal. I would probably tried to work out a deal for more payment up front but then I can't usually get that much per window in the first place. For $4 it's a good deal as is. You gotta just get to where you can feel out the situation. Sometimes people remember the little extra's that you do and it pays out in the long run overall. It goes with the territory though, people will always try to make out on top and save a buck by not being totally truthful. In the end if I feel a customer got more done than they should have I enjoy the fact I don't ever have to deal with them again.

    Had a lady just a couple weeks ago that even after agreeing to my price, which was good at $110 for the outside of her home, she hands me a check for $65. I inquired about the rest of the bill and she told me that is what she pays and closed the door. Took no time at all to cross her off the list of people I will work with, only had cleanings once a year anyway. Some people just don't do the kind of business deals I can tolerate. There are always other jobs out there, even with more cleaners than you'd think this town can support.
  3. SpicAndSpanShawn

    SpicAndSpanShawn Member

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    I've actually been in a similar situation not so long ago and I did the opposite of you, I've requested payment again since I didn't think he was going to be a repeat customer for various reasons that are not important now but what happened was that I actually got more than $100 plus a tip for being nice to him. Not only that but now he became a repeat customer that comes once a month to me.
    Though you have to judge it for yourself because it may not be profitable in the long run if you make the same choice I did since I've had heard many stories of people making the same choice as me but failing to get much out of it like I did.
    Best advice is to judge it for yourself, specifically for your situation I would have made the same choice as you

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