Bad payers/slow payers.

[Pickingpaul]

And annoyed

 

[TolishAPurd]

...and skint!/emoticons/biggrin.png

 

[Dave B]

What would you do if you just got this message?

Not even raining now and the ground is nearly dry

I reckon she may be a problem in future

"Hiya it's just poured down and the weather forecast is awful for the rest of the week and as it's our first time using you I'd actually like to see your work so can we cancel this week please and start next week"

What she mean see my work??

I suppose the rain will make the windows really dirty will it?

 

[Jimroot]

Maybe she'd hand you a diet coke and get her mates round ? /emoticons/biggrin.png

I'd send back 'hi. I work in all but the worst weather and have to keep to my schedule. I assure you, The clean works as well in mild rain and dry conditions. Will assume it's ok to proceed, dave'

 

[peter rogers]

worst thing bout northern ireland

debt collectors arent allowed to call to peoples houses or enforce any bills its **** lol

heres another question > HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU GUYS WRITE OFF PER ANNUM ?

 

[MrBump]

I can see her point daveyboy, if it rains in between you cleaning them and it raining, from her point of view she won't know how clean you left it before it rains etc. (obviously we know rain won't make much difference but she won't). Like she said its only the first time.

I had someone say this to me today myself, I said its fine in the rain but if you still wanna rearrange it will have to be later next week and she ok fine tomorrow then lol. I don't like doing first cleans in the rain really though, I want the sun to be out and when they get back to see them in all their newly polished glory! /emoticons/biggrin.png

But sometimes it can't be helped if you have a busy schedule. Use your windie charm on her, I'm sure she'll come around :thumbsup:

P.s. I write off £0 as I won't work for free! I would make an exception if someone died though, but I won't rack up any debt, don't pay then don't get cleaned the next visit. Although touch wood everyones been ok so far, no major troubles

 

[Dave B]

It's funny as i was talking to a good customer about this while cleaning his windows in the pouring rain this afternoon and he was chuckling about it

They all know the results are always good whatever the weather

I suppose she just needs educating

 

[MrBump]

That's cool you have someone who understands. As long as they come up clean then its all good, you can always come back if needed. I would say 100% of my custies say "but it's raining" and I have to educate them all lol. Fortunately you only have to do it once (although i am expecting to have to do it a second time for a certain custie tomorrow lol). My problem is all my custies think the rain cleans the windies so I'm not actually needed doh!

 

[cheapncheerful]

if they are late payers...Im late cleaning them..basically I will leave em if they mess me about..

but will turn up one day when I have time and its dodgy weather...if there not in...I check first to check some one hasnt cleaned em and then I will do them...

I have several in mind like that ...one at least hasnt been done for six months..but ..I will turn up one day honest.../emoticons/biggrin.png

 

[matt18]

worst thing bout northern ireland

debt collectors arent allowed to call to peoples houses or enforce any bills its **** lol

heres another question > HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU GUYS WRITE OFF PER ANNUM ?

I try to write off £0, a debt is a debt.

Green made a thread not too long ago with a link to claim back debts owed with great success.

All Costs get added on to there bill, I believe it was £25 to make a claim and they owed green £12 lol, and he got the £25 and the £12.

This is route I am going to be taking in the future.

I Don't get up early to clean peoples windows for the fun of it.

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

What she mean see my work??I suppose the rain will make the windows really dirty will it

I think she has a weakly valid point, I think you also need to explain what a schedule is and explain exactly how the system is going to work moving forward. Only once you have had this chat with her will you have a clarified idea as to her future worth on your round.

I Don't get up early to clean peoples windows for the fun of it

Once you learn to get up early to clean windows for the fun of it the rest of it will suddenly become a doddle.

The money is only a bi-product of what you do, once you start to do what you do with pride and diligence and more importantly do it for the love of what you do the money will take care of itself.

 

[matt18]

I think she has a weakly valid point, I think you also need to explain what a schedule is and explain exactly how the system is going to work moving forward. Only once you have had this chat with her will you have a clarified idea as to her future worth on your round.


Once you learn to get up early to clean windows for the fun of it the rest of it will suddenly become a doddle.

The money is only a bi-product of what you do, once you start to do what you do with pride and diligence and more importantly do it for the love of what you do the money will take care of itself.

yes I agree green, I really do enjoy my job, but I would not order a taxi and walk off when I have been dropped off, or go into to the barbers and tell him ill pay you 2 weeks later.

I had a customer who had a Chinese take away and she kept delaying payment for weeks. she probably would have gone spastic if I went in to the take away and just walked out the door with my food, and say ill pay you when its convenient or when I have cash.

If you continuously get messed about with money from customers it is a lack of respect for you and your business.

so why should you have respect back?

Give what you get I say.

 

[Dave B]

@Green said

"Once you learn to get up early to clean windows for the fun of it the rest of it will suddenly become a doddle"

I thought i was the only one who did this job for enjoyment

Strange lot ain't we?

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

If you continuously get messed about with money from customers it is a lack of respect for you and your business.so why should you have respect back?

Give what you get I say.

With business as in all aspects of life, lead by example Matt.

As I have mentioned in a previous thread, a former employee, Ben was a master at talking calmly to customers, he simply explained that we provide a service, and they pay for that service in a prompt and timely fashion, if they did not want that service then that was not a problem just to let us know so that we could stop wasting our time and replace them with one of the many people that were waiting for a spot on our window cleaning round.

He always did it in a calm and respectful fashion and they always sorted themselves out.

One or two did not and we simply dropped them, they aren't worth worrying about.

You talk of respect as everyone seems to do these days as if respect is the be all and end all, how you choose to view and think of your clients is your choice, how they perceive you you have no control over, but once you have spoken with them on a level as an equal without losing cool or temper even if you do have to drop them they will respect you as a tradesman that cant be messed about, should they sort themselves out then they will pay promptly moving forward and respect you as an equal for talking to them on the level.

One thing I can say with absolute certainty is that if you can not respect yourself and your business then you cant expect others to respect them either.

It has taken me a long time to get my business running as it does today and perhaps I am fortunate in the aspect that I have already passed some of the hurdles that others on here are just starting to experience so please do not think I condescend I simply try to pass on lessons already learnt.

 

[Jake]

I can think of few more enjoyable things than window cleaning!

 

[Jimbo]

Bedfordshire? I used to work with a bloke from there that was proud of never paying for anything. Hells Angels for ya.

 

[Pickingpaul]

You know sometimes u will hate a customers u have cleaned for years, try and not over react when u have a little disagreement as next month u will likely be friends again

 

[Damo]

I think it's because I am just full now.

I can take a few more customers on. Maybe another 20-30 and then that's about 550 I clean.

Up until this year I had small gaps here and there. So made sense to clean em otherwise I would be at home finished for the day.

Some are new customers and give it all the "yeah we wil pay story" lol

BUT yesterday. TWO

new customers on the estate I want to dump em on. One on one side and one on the other. So that is a 100% fate. One is £2 more. Then other is a £1 more /emoticons/smile.png

 

[peter rogers]

do you not have 3 van on the road??

 

[Damo]

I am now a sole trader. Only me.

 

[peter rogers]

ah right i thought u had 3 vans on road now

thats some graft all the same one person