It's Always a Good Idea To...

...make a note of combination padlock gate codes. Because I have a slight messer on my round who I think was wanting to cancel today. I've cleaned the house 3 times, I text the night before to let them know I'm coming and to leave the gate unlocked. Every time I've cleaned payment has been late with me having to send text reminders to BACS payment over. I got a vibe after the first clean, so when I went into the rear garden I added the code of the padlock to their phone info on my phone. Well... today I get a call mid morning saying they'd forgotten to unlock the gate. Ha I thought. I replied with not to worry I know the code and I'll be able to open the gate no problem. He replied 'oh have you?.' Yes, I make a note of all combination codes so that if a customer forgets to unlock the gate I'm still able to get in. 'Oh right, carry on then.' Kinda think next month they'll cancel or change the code because there's been lots of 'burglaries' recently ?. Feck em hahaha.

Nice one Tuffers.

County Durham Lad

I do mainly big gaffs with double electric gates. I won’t add the customer to my round unless I’m given the code now 

I always find a smile, a thank you and a five minute chat always helps when workin with customers and as much positive contact the better. I know this is hard for the gocardless guys and is probs the only downfall. At the end of the day if you treat your customers as a name and number in your books then I wouldn’t expect much back.


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Dave Shaw said:

I always find a smile, a thank you and a five minute chat always helps when workin with customers and as much positive contact the better. I know this is hard for the gocardless guys and is probs the only downfall. At the end of the day if you treat your customers as a name and number in your books then I wouldn’t expect much back.


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A smile and a thankyou is a given. A 5 minute chat with each customer could be an hour a day lost. 

My ideal round would be no one ever in all gates unlocked and all on go cardless. Lovely 

adamangler said:

A smile and a thankyou is a given. A 5 minute chat with each customer could be an hour a day lost. 

My ideal round would be no one ever in all gates unlocked and all on go cardless. Lovely 

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You can't get all 3 all of the time unfortunately. Would be the dream round though. Sometimes I clean customers houses on certain days because I know they won't be in to avoid the wasted time chatting. Lol.

Gazz said:

You can't get all 3 all of the time unfortunately. Would be the dream round though. Sometimes I clean customers houses on certain days because I know they won't be in to avoid the wasted time chatting. Lol.

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Ive organised a few jobs before to an order where i know they are most likely to be out. For example "oh im in on a tuesday" well ill make sure i dont call on a tuesday then. Ive driven past jobs before and came back later when theyve buggerred off out.

Its not a major issue but i always feel like letting out a sigh when i see a car on a drive. I just like to work in peace

Gazz said:

You can't get all 3 all of the time unfortunately. Would be the dream round though. Sometimes I clean customers houses on certain days because I know they won't be in to avoid the wasted time chatting. Lol.

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I love talking to customers 

Always manage to get them recommending friends

I can earn well enough without needing all my custys to be out

Although some I  am gratefull are out lol

Don't get me wrong I love chatting. It's something I'm really good lol. But I'm the sort of person who will chat all day just to be nice. Even though in my head I'm thinking I'm losing money. Like you said though @Dave B I have gained lots of work from chatting. It's the best way to get known in these small communities.

But I agree with @adamangler really just want to get the work done. If I stop it's hard to restart lol.

No issues with GC clients I have a solid client base it's about the service provided, I will always make a effort to have a quick chat with clients i rarely see or have never even seen before in years. I have clients who are in now and then but never pop their head out of the door swings and roundabouts. 

I'm rubbish at chatting that's why I avoid it.

After I've said hello and how are you I'm stumped for words lol.

I've always been terrible at making conversation it always baffles me when you get these chatty types how they can think of what to say.

Im only that way with people I've just met, with friends and family I never shut up but with strangers I don't have words to say even if I wanted to.

Tuffers said:

...make a note of combination padlock gate codes. Because I have a slight messer on my round who I think was wanting to cancel today. I've cleaned the house 3 times, I text the night before to let them know I'm coming and to leave the gate unlocked. Every time I've cleaned payment has been late with me having to send text reminders to BACS payment over. I got a vibe after the first clean, so when I went into the rear garden I added the code of the padlock to their phone info on my phone. Well... today I get a call mid morning saying they'd forgotten to unlock the gate. Ha I thought. I replied with not to worry I know the code and I'll be able to open the gate no problem. He replied 'oh have you?.' Yes, I make a note of all combination codes so that if a customer forgets to unlock the gate I'm still able to get in. 'Oh right, carry on then.' Kinda think next month they'll cancel or change the code because there's been lots of 'burglaries' recently ?. Feck em hahaha.

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All I do is carry 2 small hatch ladders and climb over the gate, old fire brigade trick. Then the gate stays locked. Never once have I missed a back door and no one has every said anything. :1f603:

Gazz said:

Don't get me wrong I love chatting. It's something I'm really good lol. But I'm the sort of person who will chat all day just to be nice. Even though in my head I'm thinking I'm losing money. Like you said though @Dave B I have gained lots of work from chatting. It's the best way to get known in these small communities.

But I agree with @adamangler really just want to get the work done. If I stop it's hard to restart lol.

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I prefer just to get on with it but I find it so hard to get away sometimes. Yesterday I was cleaning this guy's windows and told him sorry I'm late coz I've had to set a new van up so he was chatting to me about vehicles and about his transit van while I did the front (front only only takes a few mins usually). Just as I was finishing he disappeared into his garage so I went over to get payment and lo and behold he has 10 motorcycles in there which he then spent the next the next 30 minutes exhibiting to me despite the occasional "well I better get going then" from me. (Pretty impressive collection actually, he builds them and the contents of his garage are worth more than his house)

I eventually managed to get the topic back to paying me which he did with a thick roll of £20's then I made the fatal error of saying on the way out "that Harley Davidson is massive- it must weigh more than a gulwing" which set him off on another story about the gulwing he used to own but sold coz it's too smooth and boring...

40 minutes for £4.