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

[Poles Apart]

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

I'm taking the Greens "restoration" view from now on.

 

[Posh]

@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.

No holiday

Just busy

I see you didn't like the idea I put forward but it works for me. I don't agree charging double on first cleans that's just me. If there going to be regular I'm happy to do an extra 10-15 minutes knowing there another customer & not a time waster.

I know I'll get at least 3 cleans off them for £45 (based on a £15 house) then one clean at £30

 

[Posh]

@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.

No holiday

Just busy

I see you didn't like the idea I put forward but it works for me. I don't agree charging double on first cleans that's just me. If there going to be regular I'm happy to do an extra 10-15 minutes knowing there another customer & not a time waster.

I know I'll get at least 3 cleans off them for £45 (based on a £15 house) then one clean at £30

 

[adamangler]

No holidayJust busy

I see you didn't like the idea I put forward but it works for me. I don't agree charging double on first cleans that's just me. If there going to be regular I'm happy to do an extra 10-15 minutes knowing there another customer & not a time waster.

I know I'll get at least 3 cleans off them for £45 (based on a £15 house) then one clean at £30

I don't charge extra either I get too many turn their nose up at it. If i had enquiries coming out of my ears fair enough but not in that position. I don't think an extra 15 mins is going to kill me in the long run if that custy goes on to be a long term custy.

 

[Bucko Jr]

I am still building out round And quite away to go. We brought in first clean charges this year and we will not look back now only had a couple turn there noses up at it the rest have been yes no problem. Also all new customers are signing up to go cardless that is the only payment method they can pay by and we will not do the first clean until they have signed up to go cardless sound ruthless but it's my business and not having no one mess us around anymore. Wish I had done this from the start. Like someone advised me too, Green Pro

[emoji6]

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[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

I don' 'dislike' @Posh but we don't have a 'disagree' button.

My first cleans are seriously thorough to ensure that next cleans are a dodle. I choose to have a first clean charge but that's what works for me.

I am not saying I am right and you are wrong at all, just what I prefer.

 

[Posh]

I don' 'dislike' @Posh but we don't have a 'disagree' button.
My first cleans are seriously thorough to ensure that next cleans are a dodle. I choose to have a first clean charge but that's what works for me.

I am not saying I am right and you are wrong at all, just what I prefer.

A disagree button would be a good idea

That's the good thing

What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another's

 

[Iron Giant]

I am based near Durham in the North East and I typically charge 50% more for first cleans as they can take twice as long some jobs do others don't all depends if the frames have ever been touched and prior GoCardless sign up before the first clean weeds out messers I have not had a messer in a very very longtime .

 

[jayjay76]

Great thread!!! finding it tough building my round, didn't think it would be easy from the start but a bit harder than I thought if I'm honest

In the long term I may as well build it right from early as much as I can, as I don't want to knock loads of it down when fuller, very counter productive imo, think my round will always be evolving as my business grows, because I don't want to stand still when it's full but decisions to take it in a forward progression

Hard to never get a messer it's part of this business but there is methods to minimise messers you get.

first cleans I personally will start to charge more for first cleans, just not sure if double, if they are really dirty then yes, think the good customers will

Understand the first clean price

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[spruce]

Its those ones who are happy to have dirty windows but for some unknown reason want them clean for Christmas.

You have to suspect all potential customers are one off cleans from mid November and treat them all as such.

So either charge them double or offer to do them in January. You will quickly weed out 90% of the one off cleans.

If you know the house is rented then there is the possibility that they are looking for an end of tenancy clean. If you are unaware of that then you will probably do the next clean for free as well because the new tenant probably won't want you.

So in my view, a contact number and name is also a must. Then before the next clean send them a text the advise them you will be coming. If they don't respond then pass them over.

.

 

[spruce]

Great thread!!! finding it tough building my round, didn't think it would be easy from the start but a bit harder than I thought if I'm honest

In the long term I may as well build it right from early as much as I can, as I don't want to knock loads of it down when fuller, very counter productive imo, think my round will always be evolving as my business grows, because I don't want to stand still when it's full but decisions to take it in a forward progression

Hard to never get a messer it's part of this business but there is methods to minimise messers you get.

first cleans I personally will start to charge more for first cleans, just not sure if double, if they are really dirty then yes, think the good customers will

Understand the first clean price

Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

As has been posted, it takes a long time to get a decent round. The majority of the cleans you get could well be other cleaners rejects. On the other forum one of the things that was bantered about for a while was the 3 'C's; canvass, clean, cull.

I fell into the new cleaners trap of putting up with messers as I was also trying to build a round and I needed the work. But in the last 10 years we have got together a pretty good round and the messers have mostly gone.

But that is not the end of it, as circumstances change and good customers can become not so good customers. We have one at the moment. We cleaned them for 5 or 6 years, money into the bank same day - model customer. Then a brand new double horse box is parked on the drive and alarm bells start ringing in my head. The things that fit into those horse boxes are costly.

And sure enough I have to keep sending reminder texts to get payment. A really nice couple, but it looks like the end of a business relationship is on the horizon.

.

 

[Poles Apart]

I use Go Cardless but couldn't possibly put everyone on it not everybody does online Banking.

 

[Bumblebee72]

I'm not interested in 'one offs' - with our system they take too much faffing around, visit to quote then schedule them in with existing work in the same area, could be anything up to 7 weeks in the future.

I deal with them by being perfectly honest: I tell them we can offer a one off or a regular 4 or 8 weekly visit and ask which they require. If they say one off I give them the number of another windy in our area that needs the work.

I've never charged extra for first cleans - after weeding out the one offs I explain that we don't charge extra because we want their regular business so we're prepared to invest the necessary time and effort to achieve a good standard to start with and we then recoup this over successive visits. We very rarely get stung - if you are honest with people they will (generally) be honest with you.

I've been in this business for 50 years and tried all different methods, this one works for us.

As has been said before, it may not work for everyone, you have to find the method that works and that you are happy with.

 

[Iron Giant]

I use Go Cardless but couldn't possibly put everyone on it not everybody does online Banking.

Online banking has nothing to do with GoCardless all they need is a bank account and email address