Time Wasting New Customers Who Really Only Want One Offs But Tell You Otherwise!

[Poles Apart]

Had a deluge of timewasters before Xmas and now new year all new Customers, this is a message I had from one I took on 4 Months ago. "Hello Rick, can we leave it now for a couple of Months we don't want to cancel but apart from the weather we have Hospital appointments and the Dog is ill.".

Had this one yesterday, after I asked what day she would be in this week. This was a new clean last month, I gave her a Quote sheet with options, 4 weekly £13, 8 weekly £18 and £18 first clean, she chose 4 weekly. After the first clean we got a text saying there were smudges on the glass we went back especially to remedy it, it was from vents she was chuffed with results.

Hi, "I'll let you know as we have a lot going on at the moment."

This is just 2 examples I think they want one offs but don't tell you, I think they look at the glass and think there still good, they are if she phones me when they are filthy it'll be £40.

 

[Matthew Phillips]

I've been pretty lucky, I've only had this done to me a few times, but I'm sure there will be plenty more in the future. The best way to avoid it, is to not give them the option. Give people options and they will prove to you that they don't respect your time as much as their own and that they don't think about the fact that you need to earn a living. I'm actually the nicest window cleaner any of them have ever had, but I don't make it easy for them to mess me around. I tell them, I'll be with you tomorrow or whatever day it is. And if they want a time, they get a 3 hour bracket. I do get moved about, I do get the odd excuse, but on the whole, my clients don't mess me around, and I don't mess them around. I dropped an easy £50 house just before Christmas because she tried to move me from 8 weeks to 12 weeks and when I told her no, and that I wasn't coming back because of the cheek of it, she was begging me over text to come back for a couple of days. I guess, I'm just that good, hahaha. I miss the house admittedly, but I treat people with respect and I want that returned. Don't go back to those houses. You'll find better clients.

 

[spanish pete]

At the end of the day its part of the job being a window cleaner( and after35 years i think i might know} Up untill 10 years ago i would not touch Houses because of this very reason. For new people reading forums like this most think thats easy i need to earn £500 a week ill get £500 a weeks worth of customers wrong. Its a for ever changing business you lose some you gain some. I love seeing people on here saying if they mess you about dump them. It takes years to build a good round.

 

[Matthew Phillips]

At the end of the day its part of the job being a window cleaner( and after35 years i think i might know} Up untill 10 years ago i would not touch Houses because of this very reason. For new people reading forums like this most think thats easy i need to earn £500 a week ill get £500 a weeks worth of customers wrong. Its a for ever changing business you lose some you gain some. I love seeing people on here saying if they mess you about dump them. It takes years to build a good round.

I know what you are saying, and you are far more experienced than me. But that is my point, I'm trying to build a good round, not a round that I dread for any reason. But admittedly, there are other factors to consider. I live in a city within a city. Lots of people and lots of work, so I guess I can have the easy come, easy go attitude a bit more than some, which I never thought about when replying. Fair play.

 

[Posh]

Charge double for first clean

2nd clean normal price 3rd clean free

 

[Tuffers]

I enjoy reading these type of threads. We all get this kind of :turd:. I took a new one on 8 weeks ago, I used to clean the same house a few years back (different owners). Anyway, the woman calls me up for a price etc, I upped the price by a fiver from the last price I charged. We agreed on 8 weekly, the windows were filthy, stupidly I didn't charge a first clean surcharge. So, last night I text her that I was coming today. At 10pm she texts back saying can we leave it this time and see you next time . I texted back asking if there was a reason as we had agreed 8 weekly and that I only skip cleans if the person has builders in etc. She texts back saying she was unaware of agreeing to 8 weekly, plus she was skint as she just had a baby. I copied and pasted a text from her asking to have them cleaned on an 8 weekly basis and sent it her as proof.

Double charge on first cleans from now on.

DUMPED!

 

[A.K WINDOWS]

as above charge double 1st if there willing to pay they are normally ok,,,also get them straight on DD cuts the messers out.

Takes 10yr to get a decent round in my eyes

 

[adamangler]

You just have to be prepared to take a certain amount of poo. When i get a batch of new custmoer i take it for granted a lot will be messers and jusy a have to take the hit.

Its like someone saying to you, "stand still and open your mouth"

Now in my hand is a pile of dog **** form rabid dogs, in the middle is a diamond

Im now going to throw it in your face, it will taste awfull and you might get a bit ill for a while but you will be ok

You now have one diamond (or good customer if you follow the analogy)

If you want 300 custmomers, accept you will have 1000 faces full of poo.

Its like going to the gym you cant just get the results without having to seat, go through pain and be uncomfortable.

I think many of us starting from scratch dont realise just how hard it is to build a quality round, getting customers isnt that hard but it will take years to be really happy imo.

 

[chris clean]

Yep first clean always double or more if really filthy, I have been going 9 months now and every single customer I have got paid this for first clean never had anyone say no cos of it. I explain it like this "your first clean will cost double the normal price as I spend a lot longer getting your windows frames and sills up to scratch then after that each clean is quicker as its a matter of maintaining that standard". This way if they do cancel after that you aren't so bothered. Other benefit is as you are building business you have a constant flow of higher priced work as you pick up newbies each week

 

[Minty]

Had a deluge of timewasters before Xmas and now new year all new Customers, this is a message I had from one I took on 4 Months ago. "Hello Rick, can we leave it now for a couple of Months we don't want to cancel but apart from the weather we have Hospital appointments and the Dog is ill.".
Had this one yesterday, after I asked what day she would be in this week. This was a new clean last month, I gave her a Quote sheet with options, 4 weekly £13, 8 weekly £18 and £18 first clean, she chose 4 weekly. After the first clean we got a text saying there were smudges on the glass we went back especially to remedy it, it was from vents she was chuffed with results.

Hi, "I'll let you know as we have a lot going on at the moment."

This is just 2 examples I think they want one offs but don't tell you, I think they look at the glass and think there still good, they are if she phones me when they are filthy it'll be £40.

Maybe you should put on the quote sheet questions about

Any impending hospital appointments

Current state of any pets health

 

[Nicky]

It's all part of the game , They can only do it once and once only

 

[Poles Apart]

Maybe you should put on the quote sheet questions aboutAny impending hospital appointments

Current state of any pets health

She's been sort of hinting at this the last time we visited she mentioned something about Starting up February it was the "apart from the weather" comment I was intrigued by as I don't understand it?

 

[Williams Jet Wash]

just keep going and look forward to spring ! we've all heard it all before the dogs dead, i have a headache, are you back again!! Who sent for you !! you did every 8 weeks !!

 

[Poles Apart]

Maybe you should put on the quote sheet questions aboutAny impending hospital appointments

Current state of any pets health

She's been sort of hinting at this the last time we visited she mentioned something about Starting up February it was the "apart from the weather" comment I was intrigued by as I don't understand it?

 

[Williams Jet Wash]

good idea the customer questionaire at least then apart from contact details its clearly stated what has been agreed rather than just the old good will verbal agreement

 

[Poles Apart]

I enjoy reading these type of threads. We all get this kind of :turd:. I took a new one on 8 weeks ago, I used to clean the same house a few years back (different owners). Anyway, the woman calls me up for a price etc, I upped the price by a fiver from the last price I charged. We agreed on 8 weekly, the windows were filthy, stupidly I didn't charge a first clean surcharge. So, last night I text her that I was coming today. At 10pm she texts back saying can we leave it this time and see you next time . I texted back asking if there was a reason as we had agreed 8 weekly and that I only skip cleans if the person has builders in etc. She texts back saying she was unaware of agreeing to 8 weekly, plus she was skint as she just had a baby. I copied and pasted a text from her asking to have them cleaned on an 8 weekly basis and sent it her as proof.
Double charge on first cleans from now on.

DUMPED!

So why didn't she just say she was skint in the first place it's the:turd: that winds me up you've just gotta bracket first clean prices with one offs to stop this.

 

[Tuffers]

I've had 'the cats dead' and 'I've been to the dentist and need to rest' as excuses before now :rofl:

You've got to laugh at the excuses though. We've heard them all before, but Mrs Messer probs thinks she's got an original excuse and you'll believe her /emoticons/biggrin.png

 

[Poles Apart]

It's a valid point regarding charging double I keep saying I'm going to do it but when push comes I can't bring myself to do it but I'm going to be hard now and stand no:turd: I look at it like this now if they want a window cleaner and it's a £15 regular 4 weeker I'm going to charge £30 first clean, when you think about it if they are grubby look at all the 15 quids they haven't had to pay out for window cleaning so why wouldn't anyone want to pay then if they are serious they will stick to it and appreciate you are charging extra for extra work.

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

@Posh @spanish pete , welcome back lads, have you been on holiday together? /emoticons/smile.png)

With regards to new customers the first clean will ALWAYS take longer so charge more.

Double or even triple. EXPLAIN to the customer that the first is a 'restoration' clean whereas ongoing cleans are 'maintanance' cleans and hence cheaper.

If they blow you off then smile and move on weather you got 10 customers or 10000 just realise it's part of the business. Smile and move on, don't let it eat you.

 

[Williams Jet Wash]

It's a valid point regarding charging double I keep saying I'm going to do it but when push comes I can't bring myself to do it but I'm going to be hard now and stand no:turd: I look at it like this now if they want a window cleaner and it's a £15 regular 4 weeker I'm going to charge £30 first clean, when you think about it if they are grubby look at all the 15 quids they haven't had to pay out for window cleaning so why wouldn't anyone want to pay then if they are serious they will stick to it and appreciate you are charging extra for extra work.

i just play it by how i feel each job like new jod tonight 22 windows house i said £30 for the first one and £22 thereafter she said 8 week clean fine this accounted for the initial clean which took me 1 hour 15 mins i have never had a customer say anything about the little extra for first clean it stands to reason when you politely

 

[Williams Jet Wash]

i just play it by how i feel each job like new jod tonight 22 windows house i said £30 for the first one and £22 thereafter she said 8 week clean fine this accounted for the initial clean which took me 1 hour 15 mins i have never had a customer say anything about the little extra for first clean it stands to reason when you politely

when you politely tell customer initial cleans takes little extra blah blah