[Johnny B]

I've had so many lame excuses I can't remember them all, but a memorable  one was 'leave it today because it's too dry!'

John

[pikeman]

im just giving birth. . I was cleaning the front and text her to open the gate. good enogh reason i suppose. It was actually her husband who answered her phone. True though

[Cookie]

My old window cleaner has returned (I knew him, he was a great guy, but had actually died 6 months previously!)

I later found out the window cleaner's nephew had taken on some of the jobs from his uncle's round in his spare time... did freak me out a bit at the time though!

[John Mart]

My automatic reply. "No problem. Please note we charge an extra 50% on the next clean for the extra work in cleaning 4 months worth of dirt off.   

What sort of replys do you get to that?

Ok, cancel or no problem or no reply. I’ve only just started doing it as part of my rising above it program. Not bothered what they reply. Obviously genuine reasons are accepted.

[paul alan]

My automatic reply. "No problem. Please note we charge an extra 50% on the next clean for the extra work in cleaning 4 months worth of dirt off.   

What sort of replys do you get to that?

Ok, cancel or no problem or no reply. I’ve only just started doing it as part of my rising above it program. Not bothered what they reply. Obviously genuine reasons are accepted.

"rising above programme" like that.

[Walter Mitty]

Daughter is visiting.
I didn't want the job anyway.

Why do it in the 1st place then

It was across the road from an existing customer.  I didn't realise it would be a problem until after I'd cleaned.

[Perfect Windows]

"OK, see you in six weeks."

Vin

[John Mart]

"OK, see you in six weeks."

Vin

What if it’s 12 weeks?

[John Mart]

I was chatting to a fellow window cleaner yesterday and he had 3 cancels on Monday and 4 yesterday. He’s been going 8 years. That’s unsustainable.

[Walter Mitty]

I was chatting to a fellow window cleaner yesterday and he had 3 cancels on Monday and 4 yesterday. He’s been going 8 years. That’s unsustainable.

If I bother discussing it with them, I ask them to consider the following:  They are at work and it's a couple of hours before finishing time.  The boss approaches.  He sends them home because they aren't needed for the rest of the day.  He then tells them that  they won't be paid for those two hours.
In brief, I didn't become self-employed to have the equivalent of a zero-hours contract imposed on me.

[robbo333]

I’ve had ‘not today I’ve got a lot on’.
I replied ‘Sorry you’ve chosen to cancel my services, regards Pete’

I don’t even bother with that anymore, I just say ok no problem and never go back.

I’ve got too many good custies, to worry about crap ones!

[John Mart]

I was chatting to a fellow window cleaner yesterday and he had 3 cancels on Monday and 4 yesterday. He’s been going 8 years. That’s unsustainable.

Just going back to this one, the reason he gets so many is because he hasn't been removing them as he goes along.

[Soupy]

In brief, I didn't become self-employed to have the equivalent of a zero-hours contract imposed on me.

A zero hours contract is exactly what being self employed is.

[Perfect Windows]

"OK, see you in six weeks."

Vin

What if it’s 12 weeks?

"OK, see you in six weeks."

Vin

[AuRavelling79]

In brief, I didn't become self-employed to have the equivalent of a zero-hours contract imposed on me.

A zero hours contract is exactly what being self employed is.

The key words are "imposed on me".

We can impose the hours we work upon ourselves or choose to have the hours (or lack of) imposed by others. If the latter then we are not making the best use of our time and opportunities.

[The Jester of Wibbly]

It's a strange circle of bad customers. Your dropped problem customer is another window cleaners problem.

And remember. They always lie.   I had a new customer telling me they keep getting let down in the past by unreliable wc's.   Yet this same customer kept giving me the run around with poor excuses.

Always take what a customer tells you with a pinch of salt and sound them alarm bells 

[Soupy]

In brief, I didn't become self-employed to have the equivalent of a zero-hours contract imposed on me.

A zero hours contract is exactly what being self employed is.

The key words are "imposed on me".

We can impose the hours we work upon ourselves or choose to have the hours (or lack of) imposed by others. If the latter then we are not making the best use of our time and opportunities.

Lol.

Window cleaners are spoiled.

[Walter Mitty]

Always take what a customer tells you with a pinch of salt and sound them alarm bells 

Indeed, they aren't always truthful.  A comical example from my own experience:  I once had a customer who was quite the messer.  I allowed it to go on too long purely because I cleaned the houses on either side (if it were a stand-alone, I would have dumped a long time before).
Anyway, I eventually dropped the job and I very politely explained my reasons face to face (quite mature by my standards).  A few weeks later this ex-customer left a message on my answering service and said something about her previous window cleaner (she lied).  She didn't realise it was my answering service because I use both my area code and an 0845 number, which route to the same voicemail.  I toyed with the idea of phoning her and pointing out the error of her ways but decided against it.

[Soupy]

Always take what a customer tells you with a pinch of salt and sound them alarm bells 

Indeed, they aren't always truthful.  A comical example from my own experience:  I once had a customer who was quite the messer.  I allowed it to go on too long purely because I cleaned the houses on either side (if it were a stand-alone, I would have dumped a long time before).
Anyway, I eventually dropped the job and I very politely explained my reasons face to face (quite mature by my standards).  A few weeks later this ex-customer left a message on my answering service and said something about her previous window cleaner (she lied).  She didn't realise it was my answering service because I use both my area code and an 0845 number, which route to the same voicemail.  I toyed with the idea of phoning her and pointing out the error of her ways but decided against it.

Not sure I could have resisted.

[Walter Mitty]

Always take what a customer tells you with a pinch of salt and sound them alarm bells 

Indeed, they aren't always truthful.  A comical example from my own experience:  I once had a customer who was quite the messer.  I allowed it to go on too long purely because I cleaned the houses on either side (if it were a stand-alone, I would have dumped a long time before).
Anyway, I eventually dropped the job and I very politely explained my reasons face to face (quite mature by my standards).  A few weeks later this ex-customer left a message on my answering service and said something about her previous window cleaner (she lied).  She didn't realise it was my answering service because I use both my area code and an 0845 number, which route to the same voicemail.  I toyed with the idea of phoning her and pointing out the error of her ways but decided against it.

Not sure I could have resisted.

Believe me, it was tempting