Worried About Losing Customers

hey guys first time poster here,and want some advice.as you well know the weather recently has been awful and I haven't been out working for the last fortnight due to the weather and I'm starting to get worried about losing customers,do you think I should chance it and clean the windows in the rain or ride it out and hope they understand why I haven't been round ? I've never cleaned in the rain as I've always been told that it always leads to hassle,but I'm starting to struggle financially and I have a wife and a wee boy to provide for,any advice would be very much appreciated thanks

hi watty i clean in light rain and so far no complaints maybe il get the odd crank that will moan so what . most reasonable people will understand and know that you have to earn a living to . stay in contact with your customers and you shouldnt loose many and if you loose a few they can be easily replaced by canvassing so take the chance and get back earning good luck anyway

There is a another option you havent thought of.

In these two weeks of not working and 'hoping' your customers understand. you havent contacted them all to give them a chabce to understand.

When I was experiencing trouble getting around my work 2years ago. I printed out a letter for each customer apologising for my absense and providing them with details allowing them to contact me regards what they wanted.

I'd write in a letter for your case that you do have to earn money on a regular basis due to the fact you have a family to provide for. but also that you'll continue to clean the windows in drizzle/light rain but that as a professional you shall not clean windows in an instance where health and safety or quality of work will be compromised.

A full explanation of circumstances and goals of your business ALONG with an explanation of your UNDERSTANDING of your customers wants and needs will put you on good ground with them.

All this is my opinion and not probably what most would do.

I did this and kept all my customers.

Always gonna get customers that will moan at stuff like that,

and others that wont mind so much.

Just be ready to say, well have bills to pay etc...

You know best of what customers wont mind so much, try cleaning them first /emoticons/smile.png

I would chance it, Just done clean there windows in the rain all the time, try to make sure you only do it now and again. That way they dont take much notice. You will soon find out which window you can clean in the rain. If things are as bad as you say then just do it most people are more understanding than you think

People will usually understand, at the end of the day, no one wants to work in rain, at certain times of the year, there's always a bit of dancing between the drops, snatching a few hours here and there, usually you wouldnt expect to do so in the summer, but it's been practically non stop since April. If they don't understand there's something seriously wrong with them

Hey guys thanks for the advice I'll take it on board,well i just got home from doing a few hours and the customers that were home didn't seem to mind.i just explained to them that I hadn't been out due to the weather but Money was getting tight,the ones I spoke to were really understanding,that doesn't mean to say the others will react in the same way,I Guess I'll just have to see how it goes and find out who minds and who doesn't,then avoid moaners on rainy days. This is my first cleaning round as I used to work for companys and didn't have anything to do with customer Side of things so it's all a bit new as I only bought the round a few months ago,any other advice you guys could share would be very much appreciated

Hey guys thanks for the advice I'll take it on board,well i just got home from doing a few hours and the customers that were home didn't seem to mind.i just explained to them that I hadn't been out due to the weather but Money was getting tight,the ones I spoke to were really understanding,that doesn't mean to say the others will react in the same way,I Guess I'll just have to see how it goes and find out who minds and who doesn't,then avoid moaners on rainy days. This is my first cleaning round as I used to work for companys and didn't have anything to do with customer Side of things so it's all a bit new as I only bought the round a few months ago,any other advice you guys could share would be very much appreciated

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How big is your round mate?

about 300 customers mate so it's not a huge round,i'm still getting to know the customers.only done them a few times and the weather wasn't anything like it's been just now,don't want them to think I'm a cowboy or that i'm unreliable

Trust me, most Windys who are full time are falling behind in this, that aside my timing is often sporadic and very very few care.

Thanks for that chip it that eases my mind a bit.i understand that customers probably care more about their milk,post and papers being delivered before they think of the windows,but at the same time I've told them that I'll be round once a month and if I'm not doing that I worry that they'll think I'm a part time chancer and look elsewhere

No one will take your work in this! And you're right, we're w/c at the end of the day, not surgeons, nobody suffers if were not on time

Just us that suffer lol

As others have said mate we're all behind. What I do is try to get all my custies mobile numbers write one tex & send it to them explaining. It takes a while but then you haven't got to send it to them all just the ones you are late for. I get some nice texes back saying we understand. Also if your custies moan or threaten to change you first of all ask em if they realise we have had record rainfall in June but next time your due & it's p@&&£?g down tell them your cleaning them coz you don't want to be late. Also I don't know if yer trad or wfp but as said light drizzle you can work in & to be fair we haven't had solid rain for two weeks. Long as yet getting round yer be ok. Use masons idea it's a gooden or one tex to them all. It does work mate.

Thanks for that chip it that eases my mind a bit.i understand that customers probably care more about their milk,post and papers being delivered before they think of the windows,but at the same time I've told them that I'll be round once a month and if I'm not doing that I worry that they'll think I'm a part time chancer and look elsew

here

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You cannot change the weather. Ask any gardener roofer valeter builder there all behind. I've met some who are pulling there hair out. Have you also thought of maybe taking a lad on. Give him £40 just to help you catch up. I'm doing this at the mo & getting 2 days done in 1. In fact he's so good I'm thinking of keeping him & expanding my round. I have 400 custies.

In Ireland if your self employed and you start to find it hard to bring in money there is something called the Supplementary Welfare Allowance. I hear you about not being able to work too much In this Weather. June was the wettest on record here in Ireland.

There are plenty of supports for the self employed when they hit a rut. The banks won't help out! For my customers I just keep in touch so as to remind them I am ready to do their window when it stops raining. Actually some genuinely feel bad for me and give me good referrals.

Speak to the local welfare office and see if they have something for the self employed to avail of.

Clean in the rain... if their not happy leave them and replace them mate.... a good window cleaning round is the one wer u can turn up and clean in the rain /emoticons/wink.png

I cleaned in the rain this morning . . . this customer is every two months. They were in and watched the window change from dowdy with sticky rain drops to bright and clear with wash water and rain drops running off like a mountain stream. Oh it was so beautiful lol !