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customers getting too friendly

Danfire

Well-known member
Messages
702
Location
Petersfield
I've got a growing number of customers that all want me to come inside, sit down, eat some sandwiches and cake they've made me, drink tea with them and tell them everything that's gone on since I last visited...lovely as they all are it's really eating into my hourly rate....The slightest hint that I'm in a hurry and not wanting their hospitality their faces look like they've just heard about a death in the family....any suggestions?

 
I've the same problem but have come to the conclusion that chatting is part of the job.

When pricing new jobs I add chatting tax.

Also I'll often work the day without stopping. It's got to be good to take a breather for 5 every couple of hours.

 
Try to always reach their houses at lunch time or break time - or even the last house of the day. Enjoy their hospitality,.. mention repeatedly that you're struggling to keep your schedule, but never turn down a cuppa! /emoticons/smile.png

 
Well luckily for me im not very good at making small talk so they understand from the off this is a business relationship. I really only have 2-3 customers that i chat a bit to and even then its only about the weather or hows it going kind of thing. 50% of my customers are out and the others simply get a knock, "hi im just cleaning your windows" ok no problem thanks. door shuts i get round and onto the next

I suppose ive had the odd one where weve just clicked and talked for ages, but its rare for me to meet someone and be able to talk like i know them, im pretty useless at talking to strangers tbh lol

 
I have the same problem, too much chit chat slowing me down. And like you say, it's hard to pull the plug on it when ots got like that. I'm using a few prepackaged exudes at the moment, obvious one being how it gets dark so early so you have to get a move on.

 
have a long term custy-there both great & like to talk"A LOT"this week it was different.she didn't want the windows cleaning:eek:she looked ill.decided to call back on my way home.husband was in a right state & he said she had been diagnosed with something,didnt like to ask.there both great people.while I was talking i asked my op to get a bunch of flowers.it wasn't going to make her well but it cheered her up a little.moral of the story money isn't everything when your down a one way road.

 
I think its part of the job to have a little chat otherwise you become 'a window cleaner' and not ' their window cleaner'. I've got a customer who has the hump with me because I ignored his friend request on facebook!. Saddo

 
I've got a growing number of customers that all want me to come inside, sit down, eat some sandwiches and cake they've made me, drink tea with them and tell them everything that's gone on since I last visited...lovely as they all are it's really eating into my hourly rate....The slightest hint that I'm in a hurry and not wanting their hospitality their faces look like they've just heard about a death in the family....any suggestions?
Bane of my life Danfire.....and Its not just the customers. There are 2 or 3 gardeners that I regularly see that I try to avoid because they can talk for england. The other day I lost about 20 minutes with one customer over an enforced brew and chat.....then walked round the back of the property only to bump into the builder who was working on the property. He then insisted on telling me his life story! !. A 30 minute clean took me about 90 minutes!

Mind you, I dont mind wasting the whole day if a milf customer wants to give me a cuppa and feed me her best jammy dodgers!

 
Bane of my life Danfire.....and Its not just the customers. There are 2 or 3 gardeners that I regularly see that I try to avoid because they can talk for england. The other day I lost about 20 minutes with one customer over an enforced brew and chat.....then walked round the back of the property only to bump into the builder who was working on the property. He then insisted on telling me his life story! !. A 30 minute clean took me about 90 minutes!Mind you, I dont mind wasting the whole day if a milf customer wants to give me a cuppa and feed me her best jammy dodgers!
 
Easy danfire

Two costas , a greggs pasty for breakfast ... Then while your in nip to there loo and don't flush

They won't ask you again

 
I've the same problem but have come to the conclusion that chatting is part of the job.When pricing new jobs I add chatting tax.

Also I'll often work the day without stopping. It's got to be good to take a breather for 5 every couple of hours.
Ha charting tax! Wish when I was cleaning I has a few offers like that. Can see how it could become a pain in the ass though.

 
I talk to other windies which slows me down..there's a couple i see regular and we chat too much

I even drove past @Adams0211 the other day so stopped to show him my trolley set up

Had a quiet day and ended up giving him a go and i had a go of his slx

Helped him clean a couple of jobs instead of working myself

I didn't think we were supposed to help the competition /emoticons/biggrin.png

Anyway it was nice to have a chat Neil

 
I talk to other windies which slows me down..there's a couple i see regular and we chat too muchI even drove past @Adams0211 the other day so stopped to show him my trolley set up

Had a quiet day and ended up giving him a go and i had a go of his slx

Helped him clean a couple of jobs instead of working myself

I didn't think we were supposed to help the competition /emoticons/biggrin.png

Anyway it was nice to have a chat Neil
It was good to see you mate and I was impressed with the trolley.

I'm terrible for chatting. I've got some customers that I really get on with and can spend ages chatting to. Each month they ask about my kids, how my wife's pregnancy is going, etc. I don't mind though. I like that side of this job.

 
never talk about youself to much , all ways make them feel that there your only customer , try and rember something about what they told you last time and ask them about it on the next visit

this way your they window cleaner and its hard for the door knocks to take them off you ,

it as to be done in less then four minutes , or take your wife like i do , she deals with paper work , wipes sills and door frames , take the money , talks for England to our customers while i am a cleaning merchine carrying on

 

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