Welcome to the UK Window Cleaning Forums

Starting or own a window cleaning business? We're a network of window cleaners sharing advice, tips & experience. Rounds for sale & more. Join us today!

"not this time please"

WW2015

Member
Messages
66
Location
godalming
Really ****** off today. I always text my notifications through letting people know I'm coming the night before. Its time to do a newly canvassed round, worth around £120 or so (OR SO I THOUGHT!!!). When I wake up in the morning I see, "sorry but I wont be there"............"Hello, could you leave your business card as not needed tomorrow"......"thanks but wont be needing a clean tomorrow".

These people were all made aware they were signing up to a monthly round and I feel like I'm being completely ****** around. I take things to heart and I worked bloody hard to make sure they got an excellent job the previous month (the first cleans)....im tempted to drop them all and tell them to sod off if they try to call me.

I wouldnt react like this if I got 1 messer but 3 in a day takes the biscuit.

 
Could Make them all a two monthly round. But sounds like they took advantage of a one off clean so you'll know if you offer a firm two monthly deal if that's the case

 
Ring ring, ring ring.

Hello?

Good morning Mrs Newcusty, this is happy the window cleaner.

Oh, hello.

Hi, I was just wondering, I sent you a text last night regarding the window cleaning and you've replied with 'not this time' obviously it's my fault as I did not explain clearly when I spoke to you that it is a monthly service I provide and build my business out of regular and reliable customers that have their windows done monthly. Was it not a monthly clean you were looking for?

_______________________________

Now you are into options,

Custy: Yes but I am not home tomorrow -- You: no problem you dont need to be home, just ensure the gate is on the latch so I can get around the property to do the job, I will leave a receipt and catch you later for payment.

Custy: Actually I cant afford that much I was after a clean every three months -- You: no problem, happy to do it, it is £5 per clean extra for 3 monthly as obviously they take more work to keep clean when do less regular.

Custy: Told my husband and he says we cant have a window cleaner -- You: No problem, sorry to hear you married a t**t, have a nice time.

Custy: I just changed my mind, it's not that important to me to have clean windows -- You: No problem madam, if you change your mind in the future just let me know.

Whichever way it goes it is sooooo not worth winding yourself up over, if this sort of thing gets to you then you really are in the wrong industry. Not worth getting upset over a few time wasters.

Good luck.

 
It does get to me at the moment, I canvass 4 days a week (which I'm sure you know is fairly soul destroying) and getting responses like the ones above feel like a kick in the teeth and another step back! Generally it wouldn't bother me, my regular customers are usually good as gold.

 
this is the reason i dont text phone anyone, after four weeks your right into maintaince cleans the windows are not minging

i personally dont give them a chance to cancel.Idont knock doors first, just get torn into the graft i,m looking after number one as you said you worked hard on the first clean , its not right eh

 
I canvassed the area last month, did the first cleans a week later and texted everyone last night as they were due for the next clean today. to clear things up for you green. I always give prices based on a monthly, bi monthly and one off clean when I canvassed so they don't have an excuse really

 
This happened to me once , as i pulled up . Took Them Out of the schedule for good . They wasted my time despite we had a clear deal . (Not even new ones )

 
I canvassed the area last month, did the first cleans a week later and texted everyone last night as they were due for the next clean today. to clear things up for you green. I always give prices based on a monthly, bi monthly and one off clean when I canvassed so they don't have an excuse really
You're cleaning them on a Sunday? Could this be the reason for cancellations?

 
I never text and never knock that's crazy

Sorry but if I had to text all my customers which on average is 30-40 a day then I've got to much time on my hands

I just say I clean every 4 week when take them on then stick ticket through door

 
I dont think so Tuffers, I used to clean windows almost exclusively on weekends when I first started out. It was never a problem in the past and actually helped me grow the business to a point where I could go out full time as neighbours would always be in and ask me to do theirs also.

@Eviestevie I dont clean 30-40 a day...I pretty much only clean 3-4-5 bed houses and could never manage anywhere near that quantity in a day. Texting people the night before takes me about 15 minutes each evening and has been a courtesy that has been appreciated by my customers until this point. I think I've just been unlucky and had my weeks worth of messers in one day.

 
Never text. Never knock. Pull up and crack on. Simples.
Thats ok for some, but how would you address the locked gates, dogs need to be in, etc.

All mine get a automated text the evening before and its rare I get a cry off, if I do then its mostly from ones recently added to my books, I only allow it once then I just drop them, the customers you really want are ones that are happy to know your coming and actually like to be notified there getting cleaned the next day.

The only ones that dont get reminders from me are commercial & a few old dears that dont have a mobile phone and have a agreement with me that I turn up once 4 weekly and money is in a set place each time for me.

 
I've been in this game long time and I just don't see what texting customers achieves really??

This is only my point though

I see it as a easy excuse to people to say don't bother this month etc

 
I canvassed the area last month, did the first cleans a week later and texted everyone last night as they were due for the next clean today. to clear things up for you green. I always give prices based on a monthly, bi monthly and one off clean when I canvassed so they don't have an excuse really
When canvassing you have to realise that you are going to pick up messers that other window cleaners have dumped. That's a fact of life. You will also pick up a couple of genuine customers as well. Unfortunately you only find out who the messers are after you have done the first, or second clean.

The moto at one time on another forum while growing your round was the 3 C's - canvass, clean and cull. This is the process you have to go through to build a good customer base.

So the solution is to be quite happy about offering once only cleans at premium price. You have to presume that each new clean is a one off and treat it as one no matter what they agree to. If you would normally charge £10 for a monthly regular maintenance clean, you would charge £20 for the first clean. Then you will charge £10 thereafter. If they turn out to be messers then they will not have cost you money doing the first clean.

So you will offer a regularly monthly (4 weekly) clean for £10, a 2 monthly (8 weekly) clean for £15 and the initial clean will be £20. This also helps you. If they cancel the second clean then you advise them you will move them onto an 8 week clean at £15. If there is any hesitation then leave it in their court to contact you when they are ready, but don't go back and do them unless you have had contact with them on the day to ensure you will get paid. "Are you able to pay me once the job is done today?" If not then forget them.

If they want you to do another clean in a few months time, then the price is £20 for an as and when clean. You will eventually get to the point where you get to busy to worry about the messers and you just dump them.

Another twist we have also experienced is tenants who want their windows cleaned before moving out. They will agree to anything as they don't care what happens next month. They will never tell you that they moving. All they want is a once only clean and will lie to achieve that. This is another reason to charge a first clean premium.

As you said, you are taking this personally. You mustn't. Just make changes that help you to be good within yourself no matter what they throw at you. You aren't the only one it happened to. We have all been there.

-

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I've been in this game long time and I just don't see what texting customers achieves really??This is only my point though

I see it as a easy excuse to people to say don't bother this month etc
People can text easily with out face to face so cancelling in person is much harder

Trouble today no personal interaction which I have with all my custys

 
People can text easily with out face to face so cancelling in person is much harderTrouble today no personal interaction which I have with all my custys
That's the trouble with texting them, they're happy to text and stop u. Turn up and crack on and they won't say a word

 
Back
Top