What time will be be coming round?

[AW Services]

I agree but in my case, it's not the elderly that are asking me what time will I be calling over.  It's the younger folks mostly.  Those that are either at home with babies or those that are working from home.

I have a 30 year old customer, owns his own home, flash BMW etc and he insists that I only go round when he's in.  So I arranged a time, called over, and I could see him on the inside following my progress and inspecting my work window to window.

It's customers like that that will soon get dumped.  Not the elderly who are set in their way and simply want to be ready to greet me on arrival.

Ditch him. Sounds like a sad over qualified graduate with a job in accountancy and has a small willy to go with the flash beemer he got on HP 

 

[Pjj]

I agree but in my case, it's not the elderly that are asking me what time will I be calling over.  It's the younger folks mostly.  Those that are either at home with babies or those that are working from home.

I have a 30 year old customer, owns his own home, flash BMW etc and he insists that I only go round when he's in.  So I arranged a time, called over, and I could see him on the inside following my progress and inspecting my work window to window.

It's customers like that that will soon get dumped.  Not the elderly who are set in their way and simply want to be ready to greet me on arrival.

This guy would be an instant dump as far as Ime concerned, Ime more than happy to keep the customer happy and any complaints we always go back if it’s local work and sort it out any issues but 9 times out of 10 what they are saying about marks on the windows are on the inside  , when this is pointed out they are highly embarrassed and apologise , if it’s a complaint from work up country and it’s not practical to go back I apologise  , and say we will give them a free Clean next time , if I feel they are trying it on I will give them the benefit of the doubt but if it happens again I ask for photos of the issue , never had anyone do that they usually back down and say don’t worry about it . 

 

[NewGuy]

This guy would be an instant dump as far as Ime concerned, Ime more than happy to keep the customer happy and any complaints we always go back if it’s local work and sort it out any issues but 9 times out of 10 what they are saying about marks on the windows are on the inside  , when this is pointed out they are highly embarrassed and apologise , if it’s a complaint from work up country and it’s not practical to go back I apologise  , and say we will give them a free Clean next time , if I feel they are trying it on I will give them the benefit of the doubt but if it happens again I ask for photos of the issue , never had anyone do that they usually back down and say don’t worry about it . 

Yeah, but I haven't had any complaints yet!  I just feel as if I'm under scrutiny - which he has every right to do!  

 

[Iron Giant]

I have 2 jobs that initially wanted to know when I would be calling job one has now been on my rounds for years she is always the last job of the day after 3pm which she is happy with as she doesn't like leaving the gate open all day and is always in after 2pm anyway,

second job an old couple wanted to know an eta as they wanted to be home when I called and didn't want to leave the money out I gave her no promises when I quoted after two cleans and a decent chat they were no longer bothered about the gate and I said I was happy for them to owe double, I have only cleaned the windows a few times and they are very happy with the service. They both get a standardised text the night before and are happy with that.

 One more job that only needs to know that I will be calling on a specific day but only during the school holidays as the kids play out in the garden and the driveway gates need to be open so I can drive straight in and get parked, I always make this my first job before 9am, I'm more than happy to accommodate as they are really nice people and I make it en route to other work. 

 

[steve garwood]

When I text the evening before, I put ‘due around tomorrow’ I then put either morning/lunchtime/afternoon. This gives them some indication when you will be arriving.

If ever they do ask a specific time, I’ll explain how it’s impossible as I don’t know who will forget to do the gate, who will ask to do the conservatory this time etc. They don’t ask that question again ??‍?

 

[brianbadonde]

It hacks me off. Of course they have the right to ask, but I feel I have the right to say “I’m not sure what time”.  I will give a rough idea if I can but I will usually say I don’t know. Lots of small jobs ie £10-£15 means it is difficult to compartmentalise each one in to a time slot. 

If you had to give every customer a time it would make life very difficult.

 

[Pjj]

Yeah, but I haven't had any complaints yet!  I just feel as if I'm under scrutiny - which he has every right to do!  

Then what are you complaining about then !!!!!

 

[cleaniac]

If a customer asks me what sort of time I will be there, I give them an estimate, either Early Morning, Morning, Mid Morning, Late Morning, Noon, Early afternoon, Mid afternoon, Late afternoon. 

I don't give them a time, I give them a date on the next clean bill and stick to that; but times? no... If they become difficult and start being silly about it, I just take them off the round. Have not got the time to play silly b with these idiots anymore. 

As for the post with the guy who has a flash BMW, trust me these people are a complete utter drain on your business. The worst customers are the ones that are mortgaged up to the hilt, HP'd/Leased to the MAX as every penny is spent on monthly payments, i doubt they even have £300 left by the time all those direct debits go out to buy food, petrol, etc.. I know this because one of my ex-customers who had to own up to me and be honest that he couldn't afford the £45 i was charging for a quarterly service had a brand new Merc, just bought the house for £700k and when you saw him he was always dressed in very expensive clothes etc..at least he was honest that he was far too stretched out.

One way you can tell if someone is living over their means/struggling, is when you are at the petrol station check to see how much they spend in fuel in one go. Because with fuel it doesn't cost any more or any less depending on how much you fill the car up, the cost is the cost. So if they have a brand new MERC or flashy BMW, and can only stick 10 quid of fuel in it...then you know they are probably living beyond their means. 

 

[NewGuy]

Does anyone else get annoyed by this question?

We are unable to be specific about timing due to many variables.  However, surely customers do have a right to know this as they are paying for a service and can dictate as they wish...to a degree.

Or is it simply a case do it my way or the highway?!

The customer that prompted this has been dumped ?

I sent a notification yesterday saying I would be calling over today.  This morning he asked me to leave it until next week and said today wasn't "ideal". He can bugger off!

 

[mike007]

Thanks - as I suspected, it isn't unreasonable for customers to ask approx times of arrival.

I guess "annoyed" was the wrong terminology - "frustrated" was probably the better word but this should be directed at me and not the customers.  

I don't have a fixed schedule as such because I have to be very flexible in my work due to child care arrangements.  I do plan my work on a weekly basis and tend to just go out and do the jobs without having to think about times of arrival.  I suppose it doesn't do any harm to plan an approximate plan for each day too.  It just means devoting a little more time to organising my work - for the benefit of my customers.

If they do not ask do not give a time, if you text  you maybe could put am or pm if you want put I prefer to just text that I am doing the custies windows next day if convenient for them.And lots of them I do not text at all and just turn up on or as close to the alloted day as I can,