Text service rejections

Evening all

After you guys opinions

So I offer my customers a txt service to remind them I am coming so access can be left unlocked, however this is leading to the No thanks , not this month replies ,

What do you guys do or would do about this ???

I am new start-up understand the messers need weeding out but early days essentially need keep what I can until growth happens.

Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

Don't text and don't bother with houses with locked access.

good luck!

Customer communication is something I always hear , they never had from previous window cleaners so they kept missing rear windows , didn't know when they was coming to unlock gate etc

So I offer this for that reason

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A lot of my customers mentioned how they prefer the text service I offer as they never knew when their previous window cleaner was going to turn up, plus they do leave gates unlocked for me. However, I haven't got a sizeable customer base at the moment so I'd expect the same issues to crop up soon!

Same here my customer numbers around 75 and im 4 months into the business

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CM Cleaning Services said:

Evening all

After you guys opinions

So I offer my customers a txt service to remind them I am coming so access can be left unlocked, however this is leading to the No thanks , not this month replies ,

What do you guys do or would do about this ???

I am new start-up understand the messers need weeding out but early days essentially need keep what I can until growth happens.

Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

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solarpanelcleaningltd said:

Don't text and don't bother with houses with locked access.

good luck!

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i text every customer the night before. If I dropped everyone who has locked gates hand on heart that would be over 75percent of my accounts gone. The way I have done it though is if a customer has ever said I will miss this one I reply to the effect sorry but I have you signed up as a regular customer so if you don't wish to have it every visit I will need to replace you with a customer that does.Most say ok sorry go for it and ive only lost a few who would be time wasters anyway so no loss. I just don't know how anyone could not take on customers with locked gates as most seem to lock round here. All the major windies round here all text the night before it's just about doing it to suit the running of your business

 Not many locked gates here. Not much point, most gardens back on to fields. 

I'm half and half. I text a full area and they open the gates for me. If they don't then I skip them for a month. Most are ok and text back. 

If they ask me to skip I'll just drop them, new customers can be found and old can be replaced. 

Try weed out all the rubbish and replace them. As I understand you'll spend your full career dropping and replacing customers.

If I get messed about, I offer a higher price next time (dirtier windows) or to move to 2 monthly (higher price - less frequent) then most accept my terms or accept I will be each month and to unlock the gate.
Some times (when it suits me) I offer to split my ladder and go over the gate. They have the reassurance of secure property and I have a regular income.


Sent from my iPhone using Window Cleaning Forums

If you use a prepaid text service like https://www.clickatell.com/  you will have a line at the bottom saying 'do not reply to this text', similar to mobile phone companies when the offer you deals etc. People are used to them and know not to reply. The customer may look for your  umber on an old flyer etc but are less likely to reply. If you start with this method they are unlikely to put your number in the phone memory to begin with. Basically they will think it's easier to unlock the gate than it is to rummage for the number, they'll soon learn. 

BigFoot said:

If you use a prepaid text service like https://www.clickatell.com/  you will have a line at the bottom saying 'do not reply to this text', similar to mobile phone companies when the offer you deals etc. People are used to them and know not to reply. The customer may look for your  umber on an old flyer etc but are less likely to reply. If you start with this method they are unlikely to put your number in the phone memory to begin with. Basically they will think it's easier to unlock the gate than it is to rummage for the number, they'll soon learn. 

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I should clarify the message comes from a server not your phone so they are unable to reply. You can send them from your laptop or any device that connects to the web. You can set up for massages to go out in bulk any time weeks in advance if you wish, very user friendly and low cost.

Very similar to @BigFoot but I send my multiple text through cleaner planner when I set up worksheets each night with one click of a button, Clients can't reply but if they really wanted to contact me they could with a quick google.

I only text those I need to (have locked gates) so as to have access. So far only had no thanks because away on hols. If however I started to get the "no thanks, not this month" would miss the month and if it happened with same customer again, would just drop them!, would not even say I was dropping them........if they got in touch later saying they wanted their windows cleaned, I would tell them I do 4weekly and they do not seem to want that!! then their choice, my way or the highway.

Last night I text 29 customers saying 'window cleaning tomorrow, please ensure access is avaiable where required. Thank you' 

I got 4 replies. 

1: 'Leave it this month not convienent'

This is second month in a row for this one. A messer. Now dropped. 

2: Sorry. Still away on holiday till next week so not home to open gate. Can we re arrange please for next week? 

Fair do. Everyone is entitled to a holiday.

3: Thank you. Gate will be unlocked money will be in BBQ. 

Happy days. 

4: We will not be home as we have a funeral to attend. Can we please leave it till next time? 

No problem.  Been a good custy so far. 

All this texting back with replies about regular service etc etc is pointless IMO. 

It is what is is ans genuine messers will be messers regardless. 

I give everyone a pass. If it becomes more than once every six months or so I drop by and have a chat in person, the ol personal touch goes a long way.   If they are a messer however (and we know who they are) I dont bother. Wipe them off the list and move on.  That's an extra 20 mins free today to knock a few doors. 

It wilm take several months before thr round is truly refined using text service and by then you will know your genuine catomers and the time wasters. 

Some of you newer lads talk of smaller rounds and needing to hold on to as much as possible.  This is s BIG mistake. Cut cancer out immediately. Get rid and spend the time you would have used cleaning them to canvass better quality. 

BigFoot said:

'do not reply to this text'

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This is an interesting approach.

It provides good communication with the customer (something that seems to be an irk with some customers), whilst eliminating the ease of customers just pressing reply and cancelling this month. They have to make the effort to find your number, write a message, and send it.

ChrisM said:

This is an interesting approach.

It provides good communication with the customer (something that seems to be an irk with some customers), whilst eliminating the ease of customers just pressing reply and cancelling this month. They have to make the effort to find your number, write a message, and send it.

Click to expand...

I don't know if I personally would ever use that. Sometimes you have good customers who like green showed us,on holiday or funeral etc and making things harder for them to respond to you is just overcomplicating things. If customers want you to skip, then just drop no need to try trick them.

Been in this game over 20 years and I honestly couldn't imagine running a window cleaning round without having to send some text about gates

Iron Giant said:

Very similar to @BigFoot but I send my multiple text through cleaner planner when I set up worksheets each night with one click of a button, Clients can't reply but if they really wanted to contact me they could with a quick google.

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That's via Text Local right? I am looking into that as I have cleaner planner but hate when I have to sign up to things just to see the pricing, winds me right up and make me not want to use the service. How much are the credits on there? I have about 320 customers a month so what sort of cost am I looking at? Any idea bud?

Texted customers on Sunday night.

1) Can you come later in the week as not available. No worries, probably on holiday.

2) We're away until the end of the month. No problem skip that one.

Texted customers tonight.

1) We have scaffolding up all round the house. This is true as I've spoken to her neighbour earlier.

2) I cleaned them myself over the weekend. I text back asking if I should take her off the round. No no, I had builders doing work and they were really dusty. Lives in same street as number 1) so that's another skipped job.

3) We're away until next week, can we reschedule please. I can split my ladders and get over the gate easily. No lots of burglaries and don't want someone ringing 999. So that one is skipped.

£35 skipped

£45 rescheduled 

£25 8 weekly picked up this morning

2 to quote and possibly clean whilst cleaning others in the road tomorrow 

It's all swings and roundabouts 

1217 said:

That's via Text Local right? I am looking into that as I have cleaner planner but hate when I have to sign up to things just to see the pricing, winds me right up and make me not want to use the service. How much are the credits on there? I have about 320 customers a month so what sort of cost am I looking at? Any idea bud?

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3.9p+vat per credit. Regular texts cost 1 credit. 1.5 credits if you want to customers to be able to reply. 

Gazz said:

I don't know if I personally would ever use that. Sometimes you have good customers who like green showed us,on holiday or funeral etc and making things harder for them to respond to you is just overcomplicating things. If customers want you to skip, then just drop no need to try trick them.

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Trick them? It's a no reply service, I fail to see any trickery. This is an example from my Chiropractor that runs an appointment scheduled, I receive similar messages from my dentist, any buisness that runs multiple customers a day must have a system to maximise efficiency, I also recognise there are a number of ways to achieve efficiencies. But this ain't tricking them!