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Been a bad month!

BigFoot

Well-known member
Messages
937
Location
South wales
Last year November was a bad month for work, I pulled my back and was off for 10 working days

this November I’ve twisted my knee lost 3 days to weather  picked up a virus another 2 work days and perforated my ear drum 

Saturday night through infection am totally deaf in left ear atm! Work wise I’m gutted I’ll be off for at least the rest of the week!

customers are pretty reliable and I have a good relationship with many as long as I can get back soon no worries.

has anyone on here been off for a prolonged time through sickness and how did you manage customer expectations?

I'm a sole trader with nobody to cover etc.

other than that life is great ? 

 
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Last year November was a bad month for work, I pulled my back and was off for 10 working days

this November I’ve twisted my knee lost 3 days to weather  picked up a virus another 2 work days and perforated my ear drum 

Saturday night through infection am totally deaf in left ear atm! Work wise I’m gutted I’ll be off for at least the rest of the week!

customers are pretty reliable and I have a good relationship with many as long as I can get back soon no worries.

has anyone on here been off for a prolonged time through sickness and how did you manage customer expectations?

I'm a sole trader with nobody to cover etc.

other than that life is great ? 
Hi mate

Sorry to hear this,  but what can we do in such times. I have been there with illness and just got back when I could. Ofcourse you'll get some calls but all you can do is explain it, and try not to see this as a massive issue because in the grand scheme of things it isn't. 

Dont panic basically 

 
Years ago I slipped over and ripped the tendons off my left knee and tore The quadricep muscle badly  was in hospital for two and a half weeks and off work for over 11 months , I printed off a load of flyers explaining the situation to my customers and my wife and daughters dropped them off at all my customers keeping the customers informed I think is important if they know why you haven’t been they will wait if they think you arnt coming back they will look for someone else , I have a number of friends that are window cleaners and when they had a spare bit of time they did some of my jobs concentrating on the commercial stuff just to keep it ticking over , I didn’t loose a single job ,  luckily I had accident insurance that paid the main bills and my wife worked part time so we got through financially , but it was a worrying time . I think if you keep the customer in the loop with what’s happening they are ok most of my customers know me very well and were understanding, a number even sent cards , all were happy to wait until I was able to start again I do think I was lucky but good customers are loyal I have helped them out over the years with silly little things that they couldn’t do themselves , then they helped me out by waiting until I was able to return to work . Hope you are back up to speed soon 

 
@Chris33 @Pjj reassuring to here both your experiences and how it worked out, these challenges Have made me reflect a little on how I’m running the buisness and how I can better prepare it to meet  similar challenges in the future. I’ve been so busy establishing myself  I’ve neglected other areas in the buisness. 

Thanks both for your thoughtful words.

 
@Chris33 @Pjj reassuring to here both your experiences and how it worked out, these challenges Have made me reflect a little on how I’m running the buisness and how I can better prepare it to meet  similar challenges in the future. I’ve been so busy establishing myself  I’ve neglected other areas in the buisness. 

Thanks both for your thoughtful words.
No problem you are welcome hope you are fighting fit again soon , another thing that might be useful to think about ( I didn’t until after the event that) is trying and get a few months money in the bank to cover for things like this gives you a buffer , also helps fir bad weather , and holidays 

 
Sorry to hear that mate. I've come down with a virus too and the weather is pretty bad up in the north east for the rest of the week so I've given in and just accepted I'm gonna take the rest of the week off. Hope things turn around for you soon.

 
Sorry to hear it bro, thankfully I’ve never had anything serious so far, I did have flu in October though, had the Tuesday-Saturday off, which was the week after a really terrible wet week where I only did a couple of days anyway. I was really behind after those two weeks. If I’m anymore than 2 weeks late (which has only happened once or twice in the 5 years I’ve been cleaning) I let the customers know what’s happening. 
 

Hope you get back up to speed ASAP ?

 
Hope you recover soon.  I had a weeks holiday and had 4 customers text me asking where I was so I understand what will be running through your mind.  I am sure if you keep your customers informed they will understand.

 
I broke my back 17 years ago, off for over 3 months as soon as I was out of hospital after 2 weeks  I did like @Pjj got something drafted up and my wife posted them, everyone was totally fine, I am sure you will be fighting fit in no time and get the work cracked off 

 
I use txt local through cleaner planner. So if I am off for anything unexpected. I just send them all a txt, and change the message on my answering machine for any that call looking for me who I dont have a mobile for.

Txt local is a pretty cheap way to keep customers informed. Most will understand. When I was just starting out, I used to worry when going on holiday. Most customers don't place as much importance on getting there windows cleaned than I put on getting them cleaned for them.

 
Last year November was a bad month for work, I pulled my back and was off for 10 working days

this November I’ve twisted my knee lost 3 days to weather  picked up a virus another 2 work days and perforated my ear drum 

Saturday night through infection am totally deaf in left ear atm! Work wise I’m gutted I’ll be off for at least the rest of the week!

customers are pretty reliable and I have a good relationship with many as long as I can get back soon no worries.

has anyone on here been off for a prolonged time through sickness and how did you manage customer expectations?

I'm a sole trader with nobody to cover etc.

other than that life is great ? 
sorry to hear this bigfoot, it happens from time to time, myself i'm sat here with a fractured pelvis so no pun intended I feel your pain,

what I've done so far is email as many customers as I can to explain this predicament and all but one have been fine, even my commercial customers are good with this and the ones that have phoned have been great with the situation.

I think you are over worrying the situation if your a week late, your late simple as that as i'm sure your customers can be ill at times.

I do have local window cleaning friends who I could call if I needed work covering but that's the last option for me as I don't like asking favours and maybe, i'm just too proud to do so anyway, I digress.

when something like this happens you'll find out quickly that's theres no benefit entitlements available to you so you have to dip into that six months of savings to get you by, if you don't have any make sure you put something aside each week for times like this.

take the time you are off ill by doing something constructive, i'm still up at six every morning whilst i'm typing this I've "clocked into work"

as i'm taking this time to build a website, look at future ventures and researching,  being ill can both be physical and mental and you have to do as many things as you can to help both these things so you recover quicker.

 
I have been pulled everywhere after the tank issue and hurting my back. I grinded through by fitting a backstrap around my lower back and going back to trading. I found out then what makes customers angry is this. Not knowing what's going on or when I will becoming to clean their windows. That's why we all need to get the customers mobile number so we can send a text, what a difference that makes. I think a text is even better than an email but any one of these will help enormously.

Its the not knowing that we all hate. I was exactly in this spot on Tuesday when my spray painter wouldn't answer his phone nor get back to me regarding getting my van back. This meant I couldn't tell my customers when I would be at their place. In future I will probably hire a van or leave a space in my diary because its not worth the hassle.  

 
sorry to hear this bigfoot, it happens from time to time, myself i'm sat here with a fractured pelvis so no pun intended I feel your pain,

what I've done so far is email as many customers as I can to explain this predicament and all but one have been fine, even my commercial customers are good with this and the ones that have phoned have been great with the situation.

I think you are over worrying the situation if your a week late, your late simple as that as i'm sure your customers can be ill at times.

I do have local window cleaning friends who I could call if I needed work covering but that's the last option for me as I don't like asking favours and maybe, i'm just too proud to do so anyway, I digress.

when something like this happens you'll find out quickly that's theres no benefit entitlements available to you so you have to dip into that six months of savings to get you by, if you don't have any make sure you put something aside each week for times like this.

take the time you are off ill by doing something constructive, i'm still up at six every morning whilst i'm typing this I've "clocked into work"

as i'm taking this time to build a website, look at future ventures and researching,  being ill can both be physical and mental and you have to do as many things as you can to help both these things so you recover quicker.


Hi Kevin 

sorry to hear this , hope you are on the mend soon , if you were nearer I would  try and do a bit of work for you . All the best paul

 
thank you for the kind offer paul, i'm two weeks into the fracture and, i'm determined to be back in another two weeks or less not because I need to financially but just simply its not going to set me back, I can already walk around the furniture bearing weight, shower do all the usual stuff, and i'm going for a mac donalds come hell or high water on Saturday so,i'll be walking unaided by then, if I can do that then I can walk round a garden maybe clean a window or two??

 
sorry to hear this bigfoot, it happens from time to time, myself i'm sat here with a fractured pelvis so no pun intended I feel your pain,

what I've done so far is email as many customers as I can to explain this predicament and all but one have been fine, even my commercial customers are good with this and the ones that have phoned have been great with the situation.

I think you are over worrying the situation if your a week late, your late simple as that as i'm sure your customers can be ill at times.

I do have local window cleaning friends who I could call if I needed work covering but that's the last option for me as I don't like asking favours and maybe, i'm just too proud to do so anyway, I digress.

when something like this happens you'll find out quickly that's theres no benefit entitlements available to you so you have to dip into that six months of savings to get you by, if you don't have any make sure you put something aside each week for times like this.

take the time you are off ill by doing something constructive, i'm still up at six every morning whilst i'm typing this I've "clocked into work"

as i'm taking this time to build a website, look at future ventures and researching,  being ill can both be physical and mental and you have to do as many things as you can to help both these things so you recover quicker.


Sorry to hear your off too but Great attitude fair play, not sure about getting up at 6 am I’ve been sleeping well past that ?.

working on the website is a great idea plenty of non window cleaning jobs to do!

hope that pelvis gets good soon for you.

best of luck!

 
Sorry to hear your off too but Great attitude fair play, not sure about getting up at 6 am I’ve been sleeping well past that ?.

working on the website is a great idea plenty of non window cleaning jobs to do!

hope that pelvis gets good soon for you.

best of luck!
don't sleep in mate, most people die in bed, avoid all that by getting up at your normal time and if you can't go to work then, do something constructive, you'll be surprised at how much you can do, i'm taking this little setback as time to do admin and plan for future ventures yourself?.

yesterday I bought a kindle book from amazon 99p it cost me, it was about a guy in Scotland and his first few months in window cleaning, on my page on here it shows up at the bottom of the homepage, anyway its well worth a read and is very self levelling,and makes me gratefull for what I have and have worked for over all these years

javascript:void(0)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/0-0082-Business-David-MacDean-ebook/dp/B07ZXBNQ7M/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=window+cleaning+kindle&qid=1574884466&sr=8-11

 
don't sleep in mate, most people die in bed, avoid all that by getting up at your normal time and if you can't go to work then, do something constructive, you'll be surprised at how much you can do, i'm taking this little setback as time to do admin and plan for future ventures yourself?.

yesterday I bought a kindle book from amazon 99p it cost me, it was about a guy in Scotland and his first few months in window cleaning, on my page on here it shows up at the bottom of the homepage, anyway its well worth a read and is very self levelling,and makes me gratefull for what I have and have worked for over all these years

javascript:void(0)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/0-0082-Business-David-MacDean-ebook/dp/B07ZXBNQ7M/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=window+cleaning+kindle&qid=1574884466&sr=8-11
I agree.. up at 6am even at weekends with no alarm no matter what time I turn in for the night.

 
.

Last year November was a bad month for work, I pulled my back and was off for 10 working days

this November I’ve twisted my knee lost 3 days to weather  picked up a virus another 2 work days and perforated my ear drum 

Saturday night through infection am totally deaf in left ear atm! Work wise I’m gutted I’ll be off for at least the rest of the week!

customers are pretty reliable and I have a good relationship with many as long as I can get back soon no worries.

has anyone on here been off for a prolonged time through sickness and how did you manage customer expectations?

I'm a sole trader with nobody to cover etc.

other than that life is great ? 
helo my firend,hope you are well.working for yourself is not all its cracked up to be is it?we dont get paid when were off sick or when the weather is bad, has it often is here in the uk.im a traditional winda cleaner who works alone and touch wood i have not had time off thru illness in 25yrs,in 2008 i was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, has a result of this my right elbow was stuck at a right angle for over 12 mths so i had to learn to clean with left hand,feet swelled up also wich was a bit of a bugger, not too mention the swelling of my knucles.thankfully im now in full remission thanks to a weekly injection i administer.the thing is i could not afford to take time off,but when the weather is bad like it is today as i type this its a killer because unlike some cleaners around here i wont work in the rain,your defeating the object,and besides its not fair too the customer,its grates at me as when in the summer im in the T shirt, shorts, sunglasses and getting a bit of a tan ppl will shout what a good job

iv got, oh yeah follow me round in the winter mate! when im putting de icer in me water! but when i cant get there in bad weather all of my customers understand,after all, they dont want there windas cleaned in the rain either.swings and round abouts this job,you lose some and you gain some,lets face it, theres never been a better time to me a WC, what with all the house they are building at the moment, i remember the time when WC was done for a bit o spending money but now ppl are realising the money to be made, the secrets out! remind me of the time a  house i was working on and the next door was having a extection built,one bricky decides to impress his mates by singing the old goerge formby song (you know the one) and "get in the corners" old ones are the best.so i informed him i did 12 yrs on the trowel in germany in 80s, he asked why did i jack it in for window cleaning? "more money friend" i said, nuff said!!!

 
.

helo my firend,hope you are well.working for yourself is not all its cracked up to be is it?we dont get paid when were off sick or when the weather is bad, has it often is here in the uk.im a traditional winda cleaner who works alone and touch wood i have not had time off thru illness in 25yrs,in 2008 i was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, has a result of this my right elbow was stuck at a right angle for over 12 mths so i had to learn to clean with left hand,feet swelled up also wich was a bit of a bugger, not too mention the swelling of my knucles.thankfully im now in full remission thanks to a weekly injection i administer.the thing is i could not afford to take time off,but when the weather is bad like it is today as i type this its a killer because unlike some cleaners around here i wont work in the rain,your defeating the object,and besides its not fair too the customer,its grates at me as when in the summer im in the T shirt, shorts, sunglasses and getting a bit of a tan ppl will shout what a good job

iv got, oh yeah follow me round in the winter mate! when im putting de icer in me water! but when i cant get there in bad weather all of my customers understand,after all, they dont want there windas cleaned in the rain either.swings and round abouts this job,you lose some and you gain some,lets face it, theres never been a better time to me a WC, what with all the house they are building at the moment, i remember the time when WC was done for a bit o spending money but now ppl are realising the money to be made, the secrets out! remind me of the time a  house i was working on and the next door was having a extection built,one bricky decides to impress his mates by singing the old goerge formby song (you know the one) and "get in the corners" old ones are the best.so i informed him i did 12 yrs on the trowel in germany in 80s, he asked why did i jack it in for window cleaning? "more money friend" i said, nuff said!!!


Yep as self employed we do have to be self sufficient, I’ve bit the bullet and booked an appointment with a private health ENT specialist tomorrow, will cost me a small fortune but I’ll get expert advice my doctor couldn’t give me and wouldn’t refer me for.

Glad to hear your managing the arthritis I understand it can be a real challenge.

best of luck to you ?

 
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