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Customer Agreement Forms and Timewasters

PJ Bullard

Active member
Messages
379
Location
Watford
Who has these?

I give new customers a form detailing the freq of cleans, the price, payment options, access and about the notification texts i send them before each clean. But I don't call the form anything.

Should I make a 'Customer Agreement Form'.

Only reason I ask is becasue a few who had their second clean due have texted back some BS like 'oh we'll let you know when we need you' - like i do window cleaning for fun.

It is clear in the form I give them when I will be coming back and how often, but maybe wording it as a 'Customer Agreement Form' would show the timewasters that this is a business that I run.

Anyone else had similar problems?

 
You'll always get people who don't want a second clean, that's why I always charge more for the initial clean.

Having an agreement form/ contract won't make any difference to these people other than you might not get the initial clean cause you frighten them off with your forms. As an information sheet I think it's a good idea, but trying to have a binding contract is imo a minefield which if it came you trying to enforce it you would never win.

 
You could always put a few lines in saying that missed cleans without a valid reason will either mean a. Added to your blacklist or b. Would still be charged. I was debating this but of late I haven't had missed cleans apart from deaths in family, in hospital etc

 
Total minefield and headache.

I am at a point where all first cleans are 'one off' then they get reduced to maintanance cleans.

On the one off / first clean they get full PVC clean included. The ones that are serious dont bat an eyelid at a first clean charge, they seem more relieved that youre going to put in the effort to get them to a maintainable situation.

Cant be arsed with agreements.

Messers get one shot. After secomd time they are simply dropped. No note, complaining etc. If they want back in after that I charge first clean again and explain why....they dont usually come back.

 
Yeah Im the same Green, if they mess me about then thats it, Im not coming back and ******* about for them when they click their fingers. Thing is, how do you gauge the right amount to charge for a one off as you say to start with. If you go in too high it might scare them off? For me a one off is like double the price of a reg clean. For my first cleans I normally put an extra £5-10 on top but I dunno about going hard with the one off rate straight out the gate.

Oh course I charge a first clean premium as standard and that is stated on the form. Most custys are as sound as a pound about the cleaning frequency. I just want to weed out the messers somehow. Thing is, its not always easy to tell who will be a messer. Often its the ones you think would never mess about that do.

 
I charge £20 for the first clean. That's front and back. Then the customer needs to say if they want a regular clean otherwise they will never see me again. The first clean price is going up to £25 over the next few month.

 
I had an agreement form, thing is in all fairness if they r gonna mess you about they with if they sign a blooming form so it's just irrelevant.

I canvas myself and I ask the question are you looking for a one off or a regular clean, I explain the price is different and once I have been round to clean I will say see you in X weeks, no misunderstanding that? I do not charge more for my first cleans if they are not one off, I have also done away with the agreement form.

If I used someone else to canvas I would be insistent that a contract left and explained that there is no need to sign but allowing the first clean to go ahead with bind the contract (although legally they must have a cooling off period from things they have purchased at a door).

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I had an agreement form, thing is in all fairness if they r gonna mess you about they with if they sign a blooming form so it's just irrelevant.I canvas myself and I ask the question are you looking for a one off or a regular clean, I explain the price is different and once I have been round to clean I will say see you in X weeks, no misunderstanding that? I do not charge more for my first cleans if they are not one off, I have also done away with the agreement form.

If I used someone else to canvas I would be insistent that a contract left and explained that there is no need to sign but allowing the first clean to go ahead with bind the contract (although legally they must have a cooling off period from things they have purchased at a door).

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Are you related to @peter rogers ?? :rolleyes:

 
We have had terms and conditions on our website and given on the door for years now. Basically it states they they are in a 3 clean contract from when they sign up on gocardless which is their only payment option. As it is controlled through the cleaner planner data base. If they decide they don't want to be on that 3 clean contract we give them a one off price that is normally almost 3x the monthly average. They want a quality one off clean that will take you the same time it takes to clean 3 houses. They pay the same hourly rate. Simple as. Never undervalue your business or yourself. You had to put the investment in to your business. Therefore your price should always show that. If they don't accept. Their not worth having mate.

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I feel you @GleamCleanUK - if you undervalue your services, you under value yourself. I price my work higher nowerdays and like you say if they dont like it, move on. There will always be cowboys out there who clean your windows for stupid prices like £8.50

I mention £8.50 cos there is another WC in my area who I saw the other day advertising on fb to clean a house with under 10 windows for £8.50 and he was a trad windy. But what is the bloody point in being in business with those sort of prices???

As for the forms @Hunty I don't have them sign anything. I just give them the form with the details of the price and clean freq.

 
Isn't all this just part snd parcel of growing a round ? I've had all manner of messers. After a while you can just smell them and as soon as they play up there gone no second chances.

 
Are you related to @peter rogers ?? :rolleyes:
why thats ? i dont get it

I had an agreement form, thing is in all fairness if they r gonna mess you about they with if they sign a blooming form so it's just irrelevant.I canvas myself and I ask the question are you looking for a one off or a regular clean, I explain the price is different and once I have been round to clean I will say see you in X weeks, no misunderstanding that? I do not charge more for my first cleans if they are not one off, I have also done away with the agreement form.

If I used someone else to canvas I would be insistent that a contract left and explained that there is no need to sign but allowing the first clean to go ahead with bind the contract (although legally they must have a cooling off period from things they have purchased at a door).

Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

cooling of period isnt valid if they contact you.... if you canvas also it is not valid if it is under er 50 pounds

 
Yes if you canvas only (and also only at someone's door) but the service is more than £50 potentially if your contract is min 3 cleans eg, my main point was that if they are gonna mess you about they will regardless.

We are not related green just to clear up [emoji1303]

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Yes if you canvas only (and also only at someone's door) but the service is more than £50 potentially if your contract is min 3 cleans eg, my main point was that if they are gonna mess you about they will regardless.
We are not related green just to clear up [emoji1303]

Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

Well it's an ongoing contract mate. Which is not enforceable as it is not in writing.

 
I feel you @GleamCleanUK - if you undervalue your services, you under value yourself. I price my work higher nowerdays and like you say if they dont like it, move on. There will always be cowboys out there who clean your windows for stupid prices like £8.50
I mention £8.50 cos there is another WC in my area who I saw the other day advertising on fb to clean a house with under 10 windows for £8.50 and he was a trad windy. But what is the bloody point in being in business with those sort of prices???

As for the forms @Hunty I don't have them sign anything. I just give them the form with the details of the price and clean freq.
There's quite a few around here that charge about the £8.00 mark. And due to that no-one wants to pay more. You go to their neighbour and they'll say "Next door is paying this much, why should I pay you more". Easy to say walk away but with so many window cleaners around here you can't be as choosy as you like or you take nothing home at the end of the day.

Most people are on min wage here and resent paying someone their hours wage for a job I can do in 15 mins. It's a rock and a hard place. /emoticons/unsure.png

 
I'd have to disagree with you H on that one. Yes there are those that charge peanuts, so let them get on with it. Set your standards, set your prices, set your bench marks and the customers will come. These are different times from 20 years ago. £8.00 will buy you nothing now, and nobody can expect a self employed window cleaner who is running a van, filtering their water to make it pure and all the other costs involved - to run a business with those prices. You want to be aiming for £100 a day easy and £150 on a good day for the self employed otherwise you might aswell go and get a crappy job in tesco and not bother with WC at all.

Those are resonable benchmarks for the self employed. And that goes for all areas of the UK. And by the way, there are affluent areas everywhere and affluent people who LIKE to pay more for there window cleaning. They are not just payiong for the clean, but they are paying for the service and customer quality, professionalism. I bet the £8 window cleaners turn up at jobs with no uniform, a pair of beat up Nikes and rudeboy tracksuit bottoms - basically looking like tramps. Always wear uniform and stell toe cap boots. Image is everything. Imagine if your wealthy and somebody quotes you for window cleaning at £8 - your gonna think ''I bet he is rubbish for those sorts of prices or new or unsure of himself''.

Never be afraid to quote what its worth. And dont think along the lines of your last post.

Sorry to rant but had to!!

 
I'd have to disagree with you H on that one. Yes there are those that charge peanuts, so let them get on with it. Set your standards, set your prices, set your bench marks and the customers will come. These are different times from 20 years ago. £8.00 will buy you nothing now, and nobody can expect a self employed window cleaner who is running a van, filtering their water to make it pure and all the other costs involved - to run a business with those prices. You want to be aiming for £100 a day easy and £150 on a good day for the self employed otherwise you might aswell go and get a crappy job in tesco and not bother with WC at all.
Those are resonable benchmarks for the self employed. And that goes for all areas of the UK. And by the way, there are affluent areas everywhere and affluent people who LIKE to pay more for there window cleaning. They are not just payiong for the clean, but they are paying for the service and customer quality, professionalism. I bet the £8 window cleaners turn up at jobs with no uniform, a pair of beat up Nikes and rudeboy tracksuit bottoms - basically looking like tramps. Always wear uniform and stell toe cap boots. Image is everything. Imagine if your wealthy and somebody quotes you for window cleaning at £8 - your gonna think ''I bet he is rubbish for those sorts of prices or new or unsure of himself''.

Never be afraid to quote what its worth. And dont think along the lines of your last post.

Sorry to rant but had to!!

Your post sounds a bit contradictory mate.

You are saying £8 is peanuts yet say £100-£150 is a good figure to earn.

Well at £8 a house that's about 12-20 houses a day so should be achievable.

It also depends on area, you are talking of 8 quid being cheap but round here 8 quid isn't bad. 3-4 quid is cheap near me. Next door pay 4.50!

 

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