[Neil Williams]

9 am today turn up to a property ready to do a suite clean.
Woman comes to door and I explain why I'm there.
Her "Oh my husband cancelled it"
Me "Not that I know off"
Her "Yes he sent a text"

Without another word I turned around and walked away. Got to the van and looked through my text messages and there it was from about 6 days ago.
I'm not great on text as a way of communication and I don't see why I should be a way of carrying out business. But why do people like to speak to you over a phone line to book a job but chicken out by using text to cancell.
As dentist now issue a fine for not turning up to a pre booked appointment, I wonder if sending a text will suffice.......I doubt it.

[clinton]

Hi niel

There is  some old posts on the same subject :

Its v annoying and i got a text last thursday saying all the fammily were ill and canceled the job the next day.

I have noticed some recs and regulars are now starting to text,and as it takes at least 4 texts up to set up the job..

[robert meldrum]

I refuse to make or accept texts in business matters.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I hate that, I have had only 1 job cancel by text and I gave them a rocket, it is very bad manners and they do it so they don't have to be answerable.

Shaun

[Fintan_Coll]

Same as you Robert, in fact I have text messaging barred from my mobile business phone, that way they have to talk to me.

[Ricky M]

not backing the client but some ppl get embarrassed when changing there mind there a lots of reasons to canx , they found cheaper through 3rd party interference or they just cant afford it .

pre buyers remorse is a real killer 

[clinton]

Ricky

Your dead right there and given the e mail enquireys now on the web sites it makes it even more dif and myself wont reply to e mails as if they were interested they would phone...

[suffolkclean]

I understand where your all comming from but emailing & texting is just another way of communicating more & more people are using this form of communication especially larger businesses. We've just had a £300+ job where the lady sent me emails in the evening 9pm+ as that was the way she preferred o contact me. We do e.o.t. cleans for a large company they email the works order, we clean & invoice it works really well. we text window cleaning customers the night before to let them know we're comming so they unlock their gates so I can send the same message to various people instead of calling, they are happy we let them know we're comming. Everyone is very busy these days, you can send a text when its not always as easy to talk  eg. Kids fighting in the background!
Barbara

[Fraser Thom]

Yes but if is someone is cancelling a job which may be worth in excess of £100, they should surely have the good grace to tell you over the phone.  To send a txt is simply unacceptable and shows me that the person is somewhat "spineless".

I had one last week where I got the txt when I switched my phone on in the morning.  I was due to go there at 9am for a £100 job.  She had sent the txt at midnight  the night before saying "My boyfried booked you in to clean my flat but, as he no longer lives hear, I can't afford it now.  Sorry to waste your time".!!

This was a job that said boyfried had already postponed two weeks earlier by calling me when I was en route to the flat at 8.45am!

People like that are a disgrace but, unfortunately we will come across them from time to time.

[daysdeepclean]

I'm with Barbara on this one, I too have had good jobs via text and email, and if I can't contact a custy to give them a courtesy call to remind them that I'll be arriving as planned the next day etc, I'll leave them a message, backed up with a text.

We have to move with the times and understand that text and email is the new way to talk to one an other and has been for a good while now. It's another means of getting work from shy people of which there are so many! I check emails and texts and the answer phone by habit now as soon as I get up and periodically throughout the day.

It's funny really because I had my first cancelled (persponed in actual fact) jobs yesterday via text.

We have got to remember that the customer is always right, even when they quite clearly aren't right.

[Cathedral Floorcare]

Responding professionally to an email is as important as being professional during an inspection. I get a lot of work via email, and it's going to become more prevalent, so it makes sense to get used to treating it as important as a phone enquiry. People that work in offices can easily make an email enquiry when the boss isn't looking, but might not be able to use the phone.

[clinton]

Looks like the next step will be cancelling the job by email i guess :

[derek west]

people have been cancelling using telekenesis, (esp) for ages.

"sorry! i thought  i'd cancelled" 

i'm okay with a text cancellation all though i do think its spineless, but at least you don't have to turn up and them not be in, now thats the worst.
derek

[clinton]

Least you have there add for a take away piza

[Jamie James]

I can see both sides, I had some one send me a text the same morning I was due to do there soft furnishing, £180.00 lost just like that she had been booked in for 2 month's.
I can tell you I was best not please, tried to bill her for £35.00 call out but how do you make some one pay, you cant well not leagaly.

However the big companies we deal with, we would be lost without emails thats for sure, its 2009 we need to move with progress.

Jamie
ICServices

[CATMAN]

Hi,

I believe that when doing a quote the customer has a right to cancel within seven days (cooling off period) this should also be stated on quotation paperwork.

My friend who runs a furniture restoration business got a letter from trading Standards advising him of this.

Regards

Graham

[Dennis]

Ricky

Your dead right there and given the e mail enquireys now on the web sites it makes it even more dif and myself wont reply to e mails as if they were interested they would phone...

I think you are cutting off your nose to spite your face.
In the last few weeks I have got a regular carpet clean at a doctor's surgery and a restaurant with flat above via email.
Email and texting is the future.

[Mike Osbourne]

Give them something that says in big letters FULL PRICE will be charged if you cancel within 2 days of booking.

And I have a sixth sense for the scatty and the stupid so I say. Now if you cancel within 2 days of the job I will have to charge you the full amount, you would give me at least two days notice wouldn't you?

This concentrates the mind, the idea is so they DON'T cancel last minute.

[clinton]

Mike

True with that and sometimes you have a feeling about them after they book in.

It is v anoying if they did cancell by text.

Pity we caint zap them over the phone :

[JandS]

Mike

How you going to enforce that?
If you approached me and said that full price would be payable on cancellation within 2 days of booking
you'd be straight out the door.
Things happen in peoples lives between booking and cleaning, think the majority cancel with good reason.

John