[Steve Newres]

Just had one wants to cancel until March.

Hi Sue

Would it be possible to pause window cleaning now until March? We would like to then only have the windows cleaned every 2 months.

Please let me know if that is okay.

Thank you
Kind regards
Emma


Last cleaned in October, so half the income gone. In the interest of science I've sent this (my maths are skewed I know but I doubt she'll notice):

Hi Emma,

Your windows are only cleaned every two months. After 6 months your windows will be very dirty so the first clean in March would be £50. For an extra £25 (as three cleans would be skipped) you could continue to have the benefit of clean windows. Let me know which you want to do. Or ofcourse you can just cancel the service completely.

Regards,


Steve Seddon

She will only be skipping 2 cleans, I'm sure she will be able to work that out.

"Hi Steve

That's great thanks. I thought so but couldn't remember what we'd set up.
yes, fine for £50.

Thanks
Emma"

Hmm. you were right - only two cleans and by charging £50 only one clean. I might do this again.

[Soupy]

You are all stupid.

I'm right, you're wrong.

[The Jester of Wibbly]

You are all stupid.

I'm right, you're wrong.

When you're talking about your own business then you're right.

When you're talking about someone else's business you're wrong 

[Steve Newres]

You are all stupid.

I'm right, you're wrong.

I was surprised she'd agree to £50.  I'll review each one on its merits, but I won't automatically bin. In this it's just two cleans and she pays double on the third.

[Shrek]

Just had one at 9pm ...
‘Hi shrek , after tomorrow’s clean I would like to go to once a month please until spring ‘

Me...’ hi - I’m confused, Iv been cleaning them once a month for the past year ‘

Him ‘ oh ok , carry on as normal ‘

Me .... 

[AuRavelling79]

Just to throw a spanner in the works ...

When I semi-retire (I'm only one quarter retired at the mo' ) I might tell all my customers I don't work between Nov 1st and March 1st.

I bet plenty would go for that and if they do and they say things like "you know what my last window cleaner was a right PITA - he virtually forced me into having my windows done in winter or he wouldn't come back!"

I'll reply "How shocking and inconsiderate. You are well shot of him!"

 

[Soupy]

If you want to have customers that cancel on a whim that's your prerogative. Mine is to make an agreement and stick to it.

That's the crux of it there. I doubt you set an agreement at point of sale that you would continue to clean throughout the winter and that this was part of the ongoing contract. I doubt that you stated that any deviation from that was tantamount to breach of contract and that your service would be terminated and an onslaught of flouncing would ensue.

If you tried to enforce that on people in a properly competitive market you'd be screwed in no time. Perhaps you've not got as much competition as you think?

Anyway, these people are not cancelling. Monthly ones will miss 3-4 cleans, bi monthlies will miss 1-2. Those months being December (short days + at least 2 days off for Christmas), January (short days + at least 2 days off for new year), and February (short days, short month), all with the possibility of adverse weather. If you're not struggling to get finished in these months you need to buck your ideas up, what have you been doing all summer?

Also, you get to charge them a nice big fat one off price when they phone up wanting their windows cleaned for Christmas, if you've got time of course. Often I don't, if only more customers would stop over winter, eh.

[Steve Newres]

If you want to have customers that cancel on a whim that's your prerogative. Mine is to make an agreement and stick to it.

That's the crux of it there. I doubt you set an agreement at point of sale that you would continue to clean throughout the winter and that this was part of the ongoing contract. I doubt that you stated that any deviation from that was tantamount to breach of contract and that your service would be terminated and an onslaught of flouncing would ensue.

If you tried to enforce that on people in a properly competitive market you'd be screwed in no time. Perhaps you've not got as much competition as you think?

Anyway, these people are not cancelling. Monthly ones will miss 3-4 cleans, bi monthlies will miss 1-2. Those months being December (short days + at least 2 days off for Christmas), January (short days + at least 2 days off for new year), and February (short days, short month), all with the possibility of adverse weather. If you're not struggling to get finished in these months you need to buck your ideas up, what have you been doing all summer?

Also, you get to charge them a nice big fat one off price when they phone up wanting their windows cleaned for Christmas, if you've got time of course. Often I don't, if only more customers would stop over winter, eh.

Explain what you mean by “properly competitive”?

[Soupy]

Explain what you mean by “properly competitive”?

Enough competition that customers could quickly and easily bin you for someone of a similar price who doesn't have ridiculous terms in their contract

[Steve Newres]

Explain what you mean by “properly competitive”?

Enough competition that customers could quickly and easily bin you for someone of a similar price who doesn't have ridiculous terms in their contract

Then the marketplace here an everywhere I would think is “properly” competitive. A quick Google would give half a dozen competitors, but they’re just the tip of the iceberg.  It’s not “ridiculous “ to have an agreed frequency and price.

[Soupy]

It’s not “ridiculous “ to have an agreed frequency and price.

Of course not. What is ridiculous is your insistence that the agreement cannot include 'no cleans between December and February', which is a perfectly reasonable request.

[Dry Clean]

Explain what you mean by “properly competitive”?

Enough competition that customers could quickly and easily bin you for someone of a similar price who doesn't have ridiculous terms in their contract

Then the marketplace here an everywhere I would think is “properly” competitive. A quick Google would give half a dozen competitors, but they’re just the tip of the iceberg.  It’s not “ridiculous “ to have an agreed frequency and price.

He does have an agreed frequency and price he just doesn't have the luxury of binning a customer for deciding to cancel a
few cleans, obviously you do.
Your competition isn't on google, its the other shiners who clean on the same street and what they have to offer.

[dazmond]

a customer is someone who has their windows cleaned.if they keep faffing about wanting to skip cleans for no good reason.whats the point?most customers are great and have them cleaned on the agreed frequency with no trouble at all.why put up with the 00.01%?

i clean the same amount of work whether its spring/summer/autumn/winter as i dont work past 4pm anyway and only actually work 5-7 hours a day 4 or 5 times a week.the only extra work i do in the warmer months are add on jobs(i pick them up in winter too but not as many as spring/summer).

[Dry Clean]

a customer is someone who has their windows cleaned.if they keep faffing about wanting to skip cleans for no good reason.whats the point?most customers are great and have them cleaned on the agreed frequency with no trouble at all.why put up with the 00.01%?

i clean the same amount of work whether its spring/summer/autumn/winter as i dont work past 4pm anyway and only actually work 5-7 hours a day 4 or 5 times a week.the only extra work i do in the warmer months are add on jobs(i pick them up in winter too but not as many as spring/summer).

What are you putting up with ? if a customer decides they don't want a winter clean that's their business, if they pay on time without fuss, aren't rude and you have room on your round then the only reason not to take them back on is revenge,
is it any wonder most people don't consider window cleaning a business.
For the worry warts on here, if the whole country decides to do this then you charge enough over the summer months to cover
the winter shortfall and spend the winter with your feet up in Spain.

[Marc Stock]

I think we can agree to take each one case as a case by case basis.

I have had a few in the past want to skip a clean or two. What do i do about it? I upsell. Offer a quarterly service at an increase of price.

Every friday i do my quarterly customers. On average they are 30% more profitable vs time spent. I now have alot of quarterly customers well over 120 of them and it keeps them happy and makes me more profit.

[AuRavelling79]

And while Soupy and co. tell me what I can and cannot do, I do it anyway.

Just to repeat. Despite having several cleaners in my area, of which I know at least two others clean in the same streets in all the areas I work I do not tolerate anyone who cancels for winter.

When I take them on I say "Let me tell you my terms of business; then you can see if we will get on businesswise. I mention a few points including "I clean all year round and only take on regular customers on that basis. "

Once or twice a year someone tries it on and I remind them I do not work on that basis.

"Simples" as our Meerkat friends say.

[Slacky]

I can categorically and truthfully state I am 8 weekly’s window cleaner and he regularly cancels on the doorstep.


Sad but true 

[CleanClear]

Just had one at 9pm ...
‘Hi shrek , after tomorrow’s clean I would like to go to once a month please until spring ‘

Me...’ hi - I’m confused, Iv been cleaning them once a month for the past year ‘

Him ‘ oh ok , carry on as normal ‘

Me .... 

LOL !! I've had exactly that.......

[Splash & dash]

We do 4 weekly cleans with a very small amount of 8 weekly jobs , if someone wants to cancel from October to March type of thing that’s 6 cleans half a year I certainly won’t be going back don’t need that type of customer , over the years I have weeded out most of this type of customer , when taking on new jobs I stress it’s a year round agreement, if they are having work done on the property ie. decorating , extensions built fine , but they either want clean windows each month or they don’t , we are that busy with existing work and regularly picking up more work I just thank them for there custom but say I won’t be coming back as someone else who wants year round cleaning will be getting there slot , if you start letting customers dictate to you like this they will say to there friends that they have cancled  until the spring and very quickly. You won’t have enough work in the winter then in the summer you will struggle to get round it all :

[Soupy]

And while Soupy and co. tell me what I can and cannot do, I do it anyway.

Just to repeat. Despite having several cleaners in my area, of which I know at least two others clean in the same streets in all the areas I work I do not tolerate anyone who cancels for winter.

When I take them on I say "Let me tell you my terms of business; then you can see if we will get on businesswise. I mention a few points including "I clean all year round and only take on regular customers on that basis. "

Once or twice a year someone tries it on and I remind them I do not work on that basis.

"Simples" as our Meerkat friends say.

Nobody is saying you can't do anything. I'm saying you are pathetic because you do.

You're pathetic, your competition is fairly pithless too. That won't be the way forever. Probably long enough away for you to sod off before it's a problem, because, you know, you're old AF.