whats a healthy drop rate ?

[boarcity]

for getting rid of customers . what im getting at is in every industry theres a "sell by date" . hanging on to deadwood is counterproductive . im one of those types who puts up with nuisances far too long. but by hanging on i dont make good any new opportunitys because its in my mind that the rounds full . this has been on my mind for a while

now its the bank holiday iv time to go over the round and iv decided to get rid of 5 % of the list . [nuisance,awkward-ish access, slightly slow payer etc

but is 5% too low a dose ? so if for example youve 1000customers then 50 should go annually as a bare minimum to make the rest healthier . right?

 

[Clisty1989]

I may be wrong, buy surely getting rid of x amount a year means that they need replacing. And they may be worse then the ones you binned. I'd look at it case by case and then as you take on new customers, then look who they can replace, as long as there up to scratch. I'm only 1 year into this so I'm not at 100% capacity yet, but that's how I've been doing it

 

[Taxlossloz]

I am starting to see there's two sorts of customers

1.Them who go for extra services and value me

2.Them who cannot bear to part with any extra cash ( not cos there skint just tight )

 

[Dave B]

I am not quite full up but i still drop awkward/nuisance customers

I had a 50 quid job who messed me about for payment which i posted about previously

She eventually paid me £60 which i thought was great as she did that off her own back

Now she is ignoring texts to say she is due and can she sort access so i have binned her off

No amount of cash is worth being treated like :turd:

@boarcity i think if you feel they need to go to give you an opportunity to build a better round then they're for the chop mate

 

[Chris33]

Bore can't you get someone canvassing for you once a week (short term), and specifically looking to gain easier houses where the customers are at above the price of these houses your gona drop and whom are willing to PayPal/bacs or go cardless you?

Then you could replace them, as you sign new ones up. Motivational formula bud.

May make the drop off feel better, or maybe you've already got other work lined up?

 

[peter rogers]

I recently dropped 23 cause of awful access. Ie they need to be in for me to go thru garages or open unclimbable gates And a few bad payers. But more comes in at

 

[boarcity]

Bore can't you get someone canvassing for you once a week (short term), and specifically looking to gain easier houses where the customers are at above the price of these houses your gona drop and whom are willing to PayPal/bacs or go cardless you?
Then you could replace them, as you sign new ones up. Motivational formula bud.

May make the drop off feel better, or maybe you've already got other work lined up?

iv got the new work rolling in . what im trying to get my head round is sitting down with a figure in mind and wading thru the job list ,say twice a year,striking off [say 5%] - these arent real messers ,[theyve already gone], but theyre jobs that for one reason or another i/or my lads dont enjoy doing.

yesterday i had a lady start messaging me that she had noticed i was using a pole to get at one of her bathroom windows when she was sure i did it with a ladder previously. i decided to reply "we wont come anymore. besides your man and your neybour were rude to my workers so as of now you 2 are off the list "

 

[TolishAPurd]

Good thread this. I've been wondering the same. My round is pretty full now, but I have never reviewed the situation to see if I can drop folk, and I think this is something that is worth doing. Quality vs quantity. I've got a very good well priced round, but I know that I have a fair few awkward ones that I could drop for the easy life.

 

[Damo]

I won't drop any underpriced work now.

I had 4 customers up for sale in one road and everyone is underpriced.

Bagged all 4 this year at increase of just under £30

So by your logic I would have dumped them and then regretted it. So I would have come on here and moaned lol.

A window cleaning round is like a garden. Weeds grow unexpectedly. I have had awesome customers go to poop quite literally because they have simply got a dog /emoticons/sad.png

 

[TolishAPurd]

A window cleaning round is like a garden. Weeds grow unexpectedly. I have had awesome customers go to poop quite literally because they have simply got a dog /emoticons/sad.png

It's so funny how that can happen. I had one customer that I overpriced a bit when I took him on as I figured he wouldn't last long. He turned out to be a gem. He paid late one month, and dropped me a text and a nice tip by way of an apology. After a little while when I had him figured out, I decided to drop his price a little which he appreciated. A few months down the line he stuck a shed which partially covered the downstairs window, and made me stretch and faff to clean that window, but worse than that, it made me put the ladder up twice to reach the window above it, or pole it. All of a sudden the house was a pita. Such a shame when that happens.

 

[boarcity]

this one has made it easy for me ,fallen at my feet so to speak!View attachment 7772

 

[Spartan]

what im trying to get my head round is sitting down with a figure in mind and wading thru the job list ,say twice a year,striking off [say 5%] - these arent real messers ,[theyve already gone], but theyre jobs that for one reason or another i/or my lads dont enjoy doing."

i personally never ditch any work - i simply raise the price. if i still get messed about then it goes up again.

you'll be surprised at how what was once a pain of a job becomes less painful if you're earning REALLY REALLY well on it./emoticons/wink.png

 

[Markyboy 50]

I must be an old softy. I just keep on doing them. I rarely bin anyone off and rarely raise prices. 1 or 2 a year I put up to try n get rid of them and that's it.

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

what im trying to get my head round is sitting down with a figure in mind and wading thru the job list ,say twice a year,striking off [say 5%]

Frankly what the lads enjoy or don't enjoy should not be a factor, they are paid to do the job and part of that is the old rough with the smooth adage.

As for an annual culling, I don't see the point if they are all fairly priced, there are reasons to drop customers:

Bad access

Bad Payer

Dog Mess

Could you just....

Stand alone (a long way from other houses)

Rude customer

And perhaps one or two other reasons I have missed

No need for a cull other than I feel you may be at 'boredom' limit and wanting to inject some fresh blood to the round for a change of scenery - totty /emoticons/smile.png)

If however they are fair prices, prompt payers, accessible, no dog turds then where's the issue?

 

[boarcity]

think i got the idea after a relative [who works for a big plumbers merchant ] was involved in a stocktake where they close the doors to the public . deep down i was jealous,lord know why!!! but ...

i guess i too want an annual stocktake!. nearly every business i know has one,where the place is really swept clean , but as i havnt premises and the vans already spotless so its the customer list thats going to feel the broom

 

[terry2sheds]

I use the traffic light system and mark every customer as follows - Green - nice customer no problems - Amber - ok customer no great buzz but ok - Red grief - fussy/wont pay/ pain - red card them - avoid them they - are not worth the hassle - move on and find a better punter - not easy to do but it will work out better in the long run

 

[Damo]

I use the traffic light system and mark every customer as follows - Green - nice customer no problems - Amber - ok customer no great buzz but ok - Red grief - fussy/wont pay/ pain - red card them - avoid them they - are not worth the hassle - move on and find a better punter - not easy to do but it will work out better in the long run

Good idea that. Think i will try that on my round. I think it may look like the worst traffic jam ever, but hey worth a go lol.