Tips to avoid time wasters

This may be relevant to anybody who has a problem filtering clients in order to prioritise people who aren’t going to mess you around. 

1. Encourage them to leave a message by having a voicemail, stating them to please leave their name, address, requests and telephone number. If they ring repeatedly but don't leave a message, alarm bells should be ringing as they haven’t followed your instructions.

2. The phone doesn’t have to be answered there and then. If they have researched your business or if you have been recommended, they’re more than likely willing to wait, for you. 

3. If they ring once but don't leave a message, send a text asking them to reply with their details and requests. If they don't text back then why pursue it. 

Using these steps you gauge what kind of call you dealing with before being put on the spot on a live call. You can gauge distance of job, type of job, whether they’re interested in you in particular etc etc.

examples today. I had a 3 missed calls. Responded to the one who left a voicemail first. Straight up guy, rang him, he said we’d been recommended. he had blocked gutters, i said no problem we’re on our way as its on the way home. Job done there and then paid straight away. Good result ?

i then took a chance and rang one of the ones who didnt leave a message, “ooo hiya mate, who are you again ive been ringing a million people on gumtree for quotes etc etc” straight away you know they’re not particularly bothered about using you, just looking for the quotes.

You will often find they are hesitant to provide information regarding their full name and address. you have to prize every detail out of them by repeatedly asking. They often just have one concern “price”

i text the third number asking for them to provide details as to why they called. 4-5 Hours later and no reply so i don't know if i’ll hear back from this one.

i hope my personal experiences help a few of you out. 

Best

It's like walk ups, I now never wash windows there and then on anyone who says they just live round the corner and can I clean their windows. I tell them I'm already behind so can't do them. I then give them a card and tell them to ring, text or email me their contact details and I'll sort them out asap. 90% never get in touch as they're after a one off. 

I think a lot of the people who don't leave a voicemail and don't respond to your texts are going to be messers. Mostly after a cheap price, more than likely a one off clean. On the whole you're taking the right approach.

I've been doing things a little differently the last 6 months or so. I wanted to be a little more transparent so I;

• Added guide prices to the website
  

This has cut down the amount of calls for a price I get. It is only a guide price with all prices saying ''from''. I only advertise 4/6/8 week cycles so they get the hint I'm not rushing around taking on any old job.

• Started charging a blanket first clean fee.
  

Previously I was sticking £5-10 on top of the first clean which meant people signing up for 4 weekly were getting a cheaper rate than the 8 week customers on the first clean thus incentivising people to take a shorter cycle and creating problems later on when this needed to be changed.

• Gone GC only
  

GC makes it hassle free for the customer but also weeds out potential messers. If they want a one off clean they ain't likely to sign up for DD and then have the hassle of cancelling the mandate etc later (Although I had a neighbour do that just this week) I bang on about GC on the website too so it's all clear. I reckon this weeds out a few more potentials.

• Always refuse any prices over the phone.
  

I point people in the direction of the prices page on the website as a guide but refuse to give a price over the phone. If they don't book in for a quote they aint interested. If I can get in front of them I can usually close the sale. 

• Strike while the iron is hot.
  

Here's where I go off in a different direction. Bought myself an apple watch a year ago so I can answer while I'm cleaning, i reckon its paid for itself since. Half of those people you're calling/texting and being ignored by will simply have someone else coming to quote or if they're in a standardised property like a new build they may even be booked in. There are a fair amount of messers and tyre kickers in there but there will also be some busy people that just want to get it sorted. I've picked up some decent customers by answering the phone immediately wherever I can. If I miss the call and don't realise for an hour or so I don't tend to get anything from it (Unless they have left a voicemail like you say). I just think if I wanted a window cleaner I would ring until I got someone booked in and then leave it at that, its not like a new kitchen where you need multiple quotes.

Part Timer said:

It's like walk ups, I now never wash windows there and then on anyone who says they just live round the corner and can I clean their windows. I tell them I'm already behind so can't do them. I then give them a card and tell them to ring, text or email me their contact details and I'll sort them out asap. 90% never get in touch as they're after a one off. 

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Couldn't agree more. I sometimes book them in there and then but I never clean them straight away. This also gives them time to sign up to GC in advance of the clean.

Photo quotations and providing the first line of their address, if they can't be bothered to do that then they ain't got a look in, as soon as they ask for a price in the first line of a message I know it's a no go. 

The trouble is with a price list is you never know what you’re walking in to. 

A 3 bed semi i had the other day i priced up at £95. Every pane needed glass specs blading, pvc front door needed restoring etc.

she text back saying i rent and am not bothered about the paint specs being removed or the door looking nice. So i said fair enough, a standard degrease & WFP £25. Happy days

Also had a 5 bed detached the other day that had so much glass it would have been £70 on a regular, that’s not including the conny roof or front porch roof panels. 

I believe you’ve gotta see a job to price it or you will get caught out.

we ditched our price guide within 6 months mate

Incheck said:

The trouble is with a price list is you never know what you’re walking in to. 

A 3 bed semi i had the other day i priced up at £95. Every pane needed glass specs blading, pvc front door needed restoring etc.

she text back saying i rent and am not bothered about the paint specs being removed or the door looking nice. So i said fair enough, a standard degrease & WFP £25. Happy days

Also had a 5 bed detached the other day that had so much glass it would have been £70 on a regular, that’s not including the conny roof or front porch roof panels. 

I believe you’ve gotta see a job to price it or you will get caught out.

we ditched our price guide within 6 months mate

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Yeah I don’t think you should price without viewing the property. I’ve made that mistake even on relatively new builds. My price guide says 2 bed semi “from”, 3 bed semi “from”.

If they don’t understand they ain’t got a standard sized house then more fool them, the next windy ain’t gonna quote less.

I understand mate. Trouble is “from” is interepreted “as” its like when they sell other things “prices from xxx, woooow”

most of the time...you just know you’re paying more ?

I like it when someone emails me telling me how many windows they have but miss out the door's and about 3 windows ?

Iron Giant said:

I like it when someone emails me telling me how many windows they have but miss out the door's and about 3 windows ?

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Love it when someone comes up to me in the street and asks ''how much do you charge''... What am I a f**king prostitute?!?! They often feel stupid when you tell them you need to see their house first ?

P4dstar said:

Love it when someone comes up to me in the street and asks ''how much do you charge''... What am I a f**king prostitute?!?! They often feel stupid when you tell them you need to see their house first ?

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I thought I saw a familiar face on a program about male escorts the other week ?

Another trick to make your life easier: when someone is calling tell them you don't have anything to write on, and if they would be so kind as to send their name and address in a text so you don't forget it. Saves so much time of your in the middle of a job and answer with headset on. You can just crack on cleaning while the new customers gets added.

Regarding pricing I've stopped counting windows when setting a price. The price isn't transferrable between currencies, but my prices are somewhat like this:

1 story house with no need for wfp: 20£

2 story house: 30£

3 story house: 40£

I add 4£ for a balcony but say I'll give them 4£ off if they clean it themselves, which most decide.

Removing paint specks and such is extra of course.

The reason I do it this way is I figured most of my time spent working for a single customer is travel time, the time spent cleaning is pretty much the same if there's 10 or 15 windows. I can quote much faster now, and even though I earn a little less on some customers I earn more on others so it evens out.

I had real time waster today, he saunters up in his brightly coloured coat asking am I The Window Cleaner, which window cleaner I say well just a window cleaner he says, I tell him I am the very best the greatest and the goodest of all window cleaners I steal from the rich and give to the poor my name is Robin but I have no band of merry men give me your address now I says and I will clean your windows,

after my wild and blinding sales patter, I realise he has taken off down the street so I shout after him I want your address I will clean your windows, he doesn't turn around but quickens his pace which quickly turns into a run as he hears my feet pounding against the pavement as I chase him down shouting for his address, I start gaining on him but I am somewhat handicapped by wfp and the hose and then there is a sudden jolt and I realise I have run out of hose and he has turned a corner I drop my pole and run as fast as I can, certain I can catch him I get around the corner only to see a bus pulling away and the street empty. I'll never forget that coat and the minutes I wasted chasing after him.