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How many customers secretly want to cancel?

adamangler

Wakefield Window Warrior
Messages
4,263
Location
Wakefield
What just happened to me got me thinking

I just text a customer with a payment reminder, this guy has always paid promptly and never needed a reminder before so it was unusual.

So he texts back, "i paid already, also would like to cancel as we are cutting back at the moment"

The kicker was he had already paid! so ive just lost custy there for no reason lol

Now if i hadnt have text him i reckon he wouldnt have had the nerve to cancel me when i turned up on the next clean.

I would bet that theres quite a few of our customers that would like to cancel us but cant pluck up the nerve to say so, at least not to our face, most of them will start not unlocking gates, been slow with payment etc and hope we get the idea.

Its like when i text ahead it always gets the odd one who sees the opportunity to skip but ive only ever once been turned away to my face on the day. A few times ive turned up to custys and sensed they are thinking oh ffs not you again.

 
My new hypothesis is the ones that won't sign up online are the ones that are not fussy for the service or in a position to always pay when we choose to debit it.

 
Agree with this. In this day and age it's far too easy to text what you need to say rather than say it to someone's face. Now you'll always think "if only I didn't say anything!".

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Its not coincidence though that those that start to become messers soon end up cancelling altogether, miss payments, skip cleans, go from 4 to 8 weekly, excuse after excuse lol. Why cant people just say, its kind of awkward cleaning someones house when you can sense they dont really want you there.

 
I'm going to add a note on my first clean tickets to this effect. We are inundated with work so if at anytime you wish to cancel please feel free to,we would rather that than non payments etc..something to that affect but a bit more diplomatic

 
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What just happened to me got me thinking
I just text a customer with a payment reminder, this guy has always paid promptly and never needed a reminder before so it was unusual.

So he texts back, "i paid already, also would like to cancel as we are cutting back at the moment"

The kicker was he had already paid! so ive just lost custy there for no reason lol

Now if i hadnt have text him i reckon he wouldnt have had the nerve to cancel me when i turned up on the next clean.

I would bet that theres quite a few of our customers that would like to cancel us but cant pluck up the nerve to say so, at least not to our face, most of them will start not unlocking gates, been slow with payment etc and hope we get the idea.

Its like when i text ahead it always gets the odd one who sees the opportunity to skip but ive only ever once been turned away to my face on the day. A few times ive turned up to custys and sensed they are thinking oh ffs not you again.
I try not to dwell on things like this if I did I'd personally be very depressed. Life is stressful for me atm so I need to keep my chin up especially re work as it adds anxiety to my day too if not.

I sometimes have had a hunch someone wants to cancel but until they do that or get awkward then I just carry on.

 
I disagree - why would anyone want to cancel having their windows cleaned by the best window cleaners ever - it's all about the quality of the service and the love you provide to whatever you do....

Ok they may cancel if times are hard but not just on a whim because it's saves a few quid.

Positive thinking required [emoji6]

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I think everyone has some customers who want to cancel & let's face it we also have the odd customer who we want to drop but haven't got around to it yet for whatever reason. Putting prices up will sort the 'sheep from the goats' since it'll give them a reason to cancel. In that way you can fill their slot with a better & more appreciative customer. Win, win all round /emoticons/wink.png.

 
When I go full time as an exterior cleaner I will only be offering window cleaning as a one off service only and will be charging a very nice premium for it too! I have done the research in my area anyway and I think I'm onto a winner with it! I will book them in to suit me and they can book my service whenever they want!

 
When I go full time as an exterior cleaner I will only be offering window cleaning as a one off service only and will be charging a very nice premium for it too! I have done the research in my area anyway and I think I'm onto a winner with it! I will book them in to suit me and they can book my service whenever they want!
Lol sounds good until you get busy, then you've got yourself a round full of people YOU'VE actually trained to be in charge.... I hope that's a big premium [emoji85]

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Sounds an awfull idea that @Cristian

Imagine when you are getting phone calls from far and wide all wanting it done at certain times and on the same day. You'll be running around like a headless chicken. Plus you'll never know where you are from one day to the next constantly waiting for the phone to ring and having to advertise none stop to fill your days.

I reckon you'll soon change your tune when reality hits but by all means try it out you never know lol

 
When I go full time as an exterior cleaner I will only be offering window cleaning as a one off service only and will be charging a very nice premium for it too! I have done the research in my area anyway and I think I'm onto a winner with it! I will book them in to suit me and they can book my service whenever they want!
Cant see you being busy full time with first cleans. This industry doesn't work like that unless you're prepared to travel the length and breadth of the whole country

 
@Cristian As Steve said, it dont work like that and being someone who makes my living from the industry, reading what you said angers me a bit to be honest. Its like you are dipping your feet in to the industry but not willing to follow through. You should leave it to people who want to do a regular service for customers and stop nicking work from others. Thats just my opinion

'One off service' only? :turd::turd::turd:

 
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Yep I had a customer, a lottery winner apparently. Biggest house in the road, 20 solar panels on the rear roof. Started in August this year, get to November clean, bear in mind windows were monthly, text from him, "I know solar are due leave them this month as we don't get much sun this time of year and do them again in March," fair enough I say OK so I tell him we can reduce the frequency of solar, he says fine come and do the windows this month then I will see you again in March.

Guess what had a text today can you do the full clean March then Windows only next month.

My reply, sorry blah blah, as you cancelled me in November to make up the shortfall in my money I had to go out canvassing to get more customers, now I am fully booked so can't fit you in.

He said OK then after a while sent me a text saying that I agreed to it, no I said OK to the solar panels not windows.

So I told him I don't live in a cardboard box at the side of the road, I have bills to pay like everyone else, I need regular customers and regular money.

He could see it was no good so text back OK thanks.

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I'm going to add a note on my first clean tickets to this effect. We are inundated with work so if at anytime you wish to cancel please feel free to,we would rather that than non payments etc..something to that affect but a bit more diplomatic

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO its all money , Just turn down the new enquires you don't want i must have turned away a countless amount this past year .

 
@Cristian As Steve said, it dont work like that and being someone who makes my living from the industry, reading what you said angers me a bit to be honest. Its like you are dipping your feet in to the industry but not willing to follow through. You should leave it to people who want to do a regular service for customers and stop nicking work from others. Thats just my opinion
'One off service' only? :turd::turd::turd:
PJ it takes a certain kind of person to succeed in business more so in our business time will tell mate don't be bugged by simple words

 
Hit a nerve with some of you,:rolleyes: you lot do windows full time, I have total respect for that! The one off cleans is only an idea I had as I will be going into soft washing, gutter clearing and cleaning, conservatory valets etc full bore and thought offering window cleaning as a one off service would be beneficial.

Lots of you guys do other cleaning services as add ons so don't see why I'm doing anything wrong! I have all my kit for pure WFP and will have to clean down folks windows after softwashing etc and will be using pure on conservatories so to me it's a no brainer!

 
I tell new customers they can cancel at anytime soon as they sign up, I find that actually makes them want to stay.

 
Why would you want to plant that seed in their head? :confused:
I find its the same principle as when you're deciding to buy something, you tend to prefer the shop that has the better returns policy.

People tend to prefer a service they're not bound to if it's not for them. I don't want resentful customers who don't want me. But hey, horses for courses!

 
Hit a nerve with some of you,:rolleyes: you lot do windows full time, I have total respect for that! The one off cleans is only an idea I had as I will be going into soft washing, gutter clearing and cleaning, conservatory valets etc full bore and thought offering window cleaning as a one off service would be beneficial.
Lots of you guys do other cleaning services as add ons so don't see why I'm doing anything wrong! I have all my kit for pure WFP and will have to clean down folks windows after softwashing etc and will be using pure on conservatories so to me it's a no brainer!
Yes good point and I wish you luck, i class my self a business man and not a window cleaner, I haven't cleaned a window in 4 months. Remember, we do it in that order as the windows are the 'bread and butter' with the add on's all more expensive but less frequent... careful making the expensive (less frequent) your 'bread and butter' and the cheap (more frequent) your add on... I'm priced high but a bargain for the service I offer and my vans turn over a lot and when I get more vans there will be vans dedicated for each service but careful at the beginning... I hope it works like that... good luck.. live the dream [emoji1316] I didn't jump straight into commercial as I would have gone broke.. I hit the houses and got my self as close to a constant monthly normal wage as soon as I could, then I built. Harder with one offs.

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