Do you really have to tell people that there conservatory roof isn't included?

[ashley1337]

Did a first clean on Friday, normal house with a conservatory on the back.

Just had a message from them saying hi I was on my way out when a white guy came to the house to do the windows but didn't even do these ones. (Sent me a photo of the conservatory roof)...

Explained that it's not a window, and the whole conservatory windows, sills and door where done. (Looked brand new by the time id finished).

Basically sent me a second text saying clearly it's a window, and good luck with my business and ripping customers off ????

No doubt they will cancel the direct debit before it actually comes out. Never before has any of my customers assumed the roof is included?

What do I even do here?

 

[Bwfc]

Say unfortunately it's a roof which takes more time as needs a stepladder. I have had this once before but once I explained they normally okay. They sound like they are trying to get it for free

 

[Iron Giant]

Take it on the chin is all you can do.

Moving forward if you haven't made it clear in your quotes make sure you do make it very clear that the conservatory roof isn't included in the price.

 

[Yogi1872]

I've had to clarify with some as they think it's included. I can see why some can get mixed up thinking that the glass on the roofs included.

 

[Pjj]

Did a first clean on Friday, normal house with a conservatory on the back.

Just had a message from them saying hi I was on my way out when a white guy came to the house to do the windows but didn't even do these ones. (Sent me a photo of the conservatory roof)...

Explained that it's not a window, and the whole conservatory windows, sills and door where done. (Looked brand new by the time id finished).

Basically sent me a second text saying clearly it's a window, and good luck with my business and ripping customers off ????

No doubt they will cancel the direct debit before it actually comes out. Never before has any of my customers assumed the roof is included?

What do I even do here?

I totally agree conservatory roofs aren’t windows but have had exactly the same as you many times so now when quoting I state we clean from the gutter line down not including the roof that’s an extra and would be £xxx amount most have it done once or twice per year , don’t usually have any issues now .

 

[THL4KEL]

I knew a window cleaner and he included the Conny roof in his window cleaning service.. He cleaned just the glass though. Was charging like an extra fiver on top of the window clean price for the Conny roof glass. Messed up the Conny roof cleaning business in the area he served.

 

[Pjj]

I knew a window cleaner and he included the Conny roof in his window cleaning service.. He cleaned just the glass though. Was charging like an extra fiver on top of the window clean price for the Conny roof glass. Messed up the Conny roof cleaning business in the area he served.

Does he want a job I could keep him in full time employment ?????

 

[Marko067]

I've had this happen a handful of times since going over to wfp in 2007. However, I've just apologised for the misunderstanding and explained that as far as our pricing is concerned a conservatory roof, whether glass or plastic is considered a roof and not a window.

When you explain the extra work involved in cleaning a roof compared to windows, and the obvious extra cost involved, they can usually see the sense in what you are saying.

If they continue to argue the point after this I would rather not have their custom as it would be an indicator of further problems down the line.

 

[THL4KEL]

Does he want a job I could keep him in full time employment ?????

He passed away a couple of years ago.

 

[ashley1337]

thanks for the replies, 5 mins after I posted this I sent a message saying I wouldn't normally do this, but I'm on he's street again on Thursday, and if its ok with him Ill call back and do the glass on the roof obviously at no extra cost... This was just to save any hassle and a bad review, but he's said don't bother ill do it myself?

Cant win lol...

 

[THL4KEL]

Something I always mention on the quote for connys clean is - external roof clean. Dont want anyone thinking the internal is included in the price.

 

[Pjj]

He passed away a couple of years ago.

lol probably through exhaustion from over working

 

[Iron Giant]

thanks for the replies, 5 mins after I posted this I sent a message saying I wouldn't normally do this, but I'm on he's street again on Thursday, and if its ok with him Ill call back and do the glass on the roof obviously at no extra cost... This was just to save any hassle and a bad review, but he's said don't bother ill do it myself?

Cant win lol...

I wouldn't have offered anything for free I'd have given him a price, what I didn't like about his first message was when he stated

I was on my way out when a white guy came to the house to do the windows

he should know who it is that he has got to clean his windows and skin colour shouldn't be mentioned, straight off there is something off for me. I hope you get your money and the guy was just having an off day

 

[spruce]

Before you quote @ashley1337 , you always do a walk around. If they have a conservatory, then you have to state that the roof isn't included, it's an extra £35 (whatever your usual charge is).

When they ask for fascias and gutters to be cleaned, then you have to specifically ask what the gutter cleaning entails. Do they just want the outsides done, or do they want the gutter contents removed as well?

Skylights are another thing. We always mention as part of the initial conversation that any velux windows in the roofline aren't included, even if we don't see any. We do clean several extensions at ground level with velux windows, as they can be done off stepladders. We do have a couple of cleans that we only discovered had velux windows on the street side of the buildings when looking on Google Earth.

I've also learnt this the hard way in the beginning. Some customers will try it on in the off chance of getting something for nothing.

 

[ched999uk]

I wouldn't have offered anything for free I'd have given him a price, what I didn't like about his first message was when he stated

he should know who it is that he has got to clean his windows and skin colour shouldn't be mentioned, straight off there is something off for me. I hope you get your money and the guy was just having an off day

Must admit that was the part of the statement that I was surprised at. Skin colour, race, religion, sexuality etc has nothing to do with a persons ability to do a job, no need to mention it at all.

 

[ashley1337]

I wouldn't have offered anything for free I'd have given him a price, what I didn't like about his first message was when he stated

he should know who it is that he has got to clean his windows and skin colour shouldn't be mentioned, straight off there is something off for me. I hope you get your money and the guy was just having an off day

Yeah I thought the same, shown my wife when I got the message and she thought it waste strange for someone to even mention that too. My page photo is literally me cleaning a school sand that's where they found me so it shouldn't be a surprise really.

I know I shouldn't really of offered it for free, but I suppose being new still I'm still trying to please people and work around them rather than my business more than I should... all things I'm slowly getting better at though lol.

 

[ashley1337]

Before you quote @ashley1337 , you always do a walk around. If they have a conservatory, then you have to state that the roof isn't included, it's an extra £35 (whatever your usual charge is).

When they ask for fascias and gutters to be cleaned, then you have to specifically ask what the gutter cleaning entails. Do they just want the outsides done, or do they want the gutter contents removed as well?

Skylights are another thing. We always mention as part of the initial conversation that any velux windows in the roofline aren't included, even if we don't see any. We do clean several extensions at ground level with velux windows, as they can be done off stepladders. We do have a couple of cleans that we only discovered had velux windows on the street side of the buildings when looking on Google Earth.

I've also learnt this the hard way in the beginning. Some customers will try it on in the off chance of getting something for nothing.

I feel like quoting is one of the hardest parts of the job, I've defiantly got better especially with the bigger houses, but these little extras I need to make sure I'm adding in, even if I'm sure they know what's included anyways.

 

[THL4KEL]

Why dont you just view the job and tell them that you will send the quote via email or text later. Then you can have some time to make sure you have covered all bases with the quote you send them. Plus they have it in writing exactly what you plan to do.

 

[adamangler]

Ive had it a couple of times.

Most recently on a 4 bed detached with a massive conny. Its an £18 job and underpiced at that. She messaged to say when would i be doing the roof as the last cleaner did it every visit. I told her it would be £120 for the roof alone. Suprisingly ive not heard back from her on that . People are funny she thought it was a ten minute job i said more like 2 hours plus.

 

[Iron Giant]

Yeah I thought the same, shown my wife when I got the message and she thought it waste strange for someone to even mention that too. My page photo is literally me cleaning a school sand that's where they found me so it shouldn't be a surprise really.

I know I shouldn't really of offered it for free, but I suppose being new still I'm still trying to please people and work around them rather than my business more than I should... all things I'm slowly getting better at though lol.

Defo strange, I once got asked if I was racist, not sure which is worse yours or mine, but in all fairness the customer had a previous bad experience with another cleaner so once she explained and I had put her mind at ease we were all good also one of my nicest customers and pays via bacs before I'm done,

If you aren't in the wrong then you have no reason or obligation to offer something for free, time is money and a conny roof is definitely not something to offer for free maybe cleaning a garage door if you happen to have broken a plant pot or something and the customer isn't bothered about a replacement

 

[spruce]

Why dont you just view the job and tell them that you will send the quote via email or text later. Then you can have some time to make sure you have covered all bases with the quote you send them. Plus they have it in writing exactly what you plan to do.

This is a difficult one. As a salesman in the motor trade, you need to complete the deal before the customer leaves. If he goes away to think about it, a more experienced salesman will clench the deal.
Personally, I would like to get the customer's job while I'm there, even asking if I can do the clean while I'm there. If the customer hesitates, then you have further questions to ask. "What is still concerning you, Mr. Customer?" The most common objection is price related. If you walk away promising to send a quote later, then you have lost the moment. IMHO it's ensuring you have covered all bases with regard to pricing while you are there, but also preparing enough to not exclude anything substantial in your pricing.

That's just my opinion.