Anyone for a mug?

[MrBump]

Feel like I'm getting mugged off lately. Two jobs booked in for today, told them both when quoting I don't do one-offs, but said they would decide how often they wanted it when I came back to do the job, did the jobs then both said at the end 'we will call you'. Call me?! I can't be arsed with one-offs, I just want regular. And I priced it as a regular. Told the second how it is and they said ok monthly, great, but the first one the bloke was on the phone and his wife didn't know so had no choice but to leave and hope he calls. I know I'm good so its not that, I'm more thorough than a premier league medical and way more thorough than a tour de france drug test /emoticons/biggrin.png Only get this from about 1 in 10 customers, but 2 today. So annoying! From now on I'm not doing another job until it is agreed how often BEFORE I even get my pole out. Giggity.

How often does this happen to you and what do you do to stop it?

 

[Diwrnach]

The way I am going now is you pay double for first clean, get third clean for free.

 

[MrBump]

Might have to do something like that myself. Do people try it on alot with you then? Hint or say regular, then on the day say "we'll let you know when we next need you" or "we'll call you"?

 

[Diwrnach]

Its not something I get a lot to be honest, but have had it a couple of times and find it incredibly annoying.

 

[cheapncheerful]

yep cheapie only do double for first cleans now...

so maybe not get the job but he doesnt want it anyway...as tik tik says..

feck em all...:rofl:

 

[Alien Human]

I treat first cleans & one offs the same price wise - that way I'm covered regardless of what the customers decides to do next /emoticons/smile.png

 

[cheapncheerful]

I always put how much cheaper it is next time ../emoticons/biggrin.png

 

[MrBump]

Hmmm seems the consensus is to charge extra for the first clean... I've been to worried about losing the job if I charged higher for the first clean, but now I know I'd rather lose the job than waste my time doing a one-off and then have them mug me off and say they'll call me, I'd rather be out canvassing for a real customer instead!

 

[matt18]

This will never happen again I will ask for double if it does, or they get the glass soaped up, new firm policy.

 

[lou]

double up on first cleans, even more for a one off! :laugh:

 

[Eclipse]

I always charge double and explain why, if they want it as a one off then fine, I've made money and they've paid over the odds for my service. I nearly always softwash on the first clean so it only takes the same amount of time as a normal clean.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

 

[Alien Human]

This will never happen again I will ask for double if it does, or they get the glass soaped up, new firm policy.

Why would you soap up windows Matt? Just trying to understand the context.....

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

Since going pretty much full time WFP as opposed to traditional I have started doing more one offs.

When I talk to the customer to sign them up there is no wishy washy answers like 'let's see' or 'I'll let you know' it is very clear that I am a monthly service.

If they want a one off that's fine, I have a minimum £25 charge for one off cleans or 2 .5 times the months value so if it's a £20 job it is going to cost £50 and so on.

We all want the regular jobs but the one offs when totted up over the year soon add up, and then there's always the chance of a call to do the gutters or other earners from them.

 

[MrBump]

Well that's settled it, any new customers from now on will be told upfront its double for a first clean and then normal prices from second clean onwards. I've not lost a customer over price yet, even though I'm not cheap at all I don't think, have a £15 minimum charge for reference, but still I hope I don't lose any from this either. I guess if they do moan I can always save the day with Diwarnch's idea and tell them their 3rd clean will be free then to balance it out.

The problem is with getting people to sign up for a regular before you do the work is they want to see you work, see how it turns out and if your any good etc. And we don't want to get mugged off. I think you guys are right, it has to be double first clean so they can decide after they have seen them cleaned and you don't risk doing all that work for a regular price like ol' muggin's here.

 

[cheapncheerful]

I always charge double and explain why, Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

AND that is a good point eclipse....EXPLAIN WHY....I do a first cleans leaflet which goes through the door and explains why it is double..

I have slaved for years cleaning em spotless and losing a lot of money NOT ANY MORE../emoticons/biggrin.png

 

[matt18]

Why would you soap up windows Matt? Just trying to understand the context.....

i would soap up the glass if i am being had over or stole off. do you think it is fair for a customer to say to you "yes ill have it monthly" for you to give a monthly price, then you do it once for a fraction of the true price.

There is not much to understand really.

It is just simple mathematics were your worse off

 

[SolarPanelCleaning]

It's always going to happen.

Don't stress about it.

 

[MrBump]

What's always going to happen? Really annoying when someone hints or says regular and then after you've done their windows for a regular price, which takes twice as long on a first clean, says "we'll call you", well screw that, they can pay extra then or go regular, they have an upfront choice, but they are trying to be sly about it.

 

[SolarPanelCleaning]

Some people will always try and pull a fast one.

What you gonna lose over a year? A few hours?

Next time, just smile to yourself and waltz on to a nicely priced job.

 

[Alien Human]

i would soap up the glass if i am being had over or stole off. do you think it is fair for a customer to say to you "yes ill have it monthly" for you to give a monthly price, then you do it once for a fraction of the true price.
There is not much to understand really.

It is just simple mathematics were your worse off

So your saying that you would soap someone's windows who said they wanted a monthly clean (so you priced accordingly) but they then change their minds for whatever reason?

 

[MrBump]

The other day was a £30 job, so I've lost a potential £180-360 a year so I priced the job according to the gross years earnings for the job. Either way I always spend longer on first cleans to make my life easier on the next ones, remove most marks, frame stains etc, really go to town on it, if they said they wanted a one-off, firstly I'd say I'm too busy call someone else, but if they insisted I'd charge more as I spend the time doing it well. 2hrs instead of 1hr once a week adds up to 50 extra unpaid hours a year which is an extra weeks work / wage..