Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Dave Willis on April 30, 2010, 07:28:01 am

Title: Money up front
Post by: Dave Willis on April 30, 2010, 07:28:01 am
I've been picking up customers of another cleaner who a) charges the earth and b) wants money up front before he cleans. One customer says he takes the money then runs off to the bookies. He's charging £20 for a three bed semi and can't reach all the windows.
I can feel lots of lucrative work coming my way anytime soon.
Title: Re: Money up front
Post by: daz1977 on April 30, 2010, 07:29:35 am
probably on the dole or sick as well
Title: Re: Money up front
Post by: Frankybadboy on April 30, 2010, 07:29:47 am
dave i have a guy near me,who only haves 6mths or 12mths money up front.doesnt do a bad job i must say.he is wfp. :o :o
Title: Re: Money up front
Post by: Dave Willis on April 30, 2010, 07:34:51 am
can't believe customers can be so gullable  :o
Title: Re: Money up front
Post by: jonnyald on April 30, 2010, 07:44:43 am
i would normally say never stand on the toes of another cleaner but in this case you are doing him a favour by taming his gambling habit. be sure you tell him this if and when you meet him  :)
Title: Re: Money up front
Post by: Murdie window cleaning on April 30, 2010, 10:06:45 am
So you are basicly undercutting this guy. He maybe asks to be paid upfront because he's had problems getting the money after he has done work in the past and as for the gambling then it's no ones business but his what he does with his money.

Before slating him the customers must have agreed to the price and his terms of pre payment so if there not happy with his service and want to change cleaners then that's up to the customer, but it could be they want a cheaper cleaner.
Title: Re: Money up front
Post by: Dave Willis on April 30, 2010, 12:31:19 pm
Yep.
Customer asked for a quote because they are not happy with him. Just happens my price is cheaper anyway. They approached me - I don't need the work. I couldn't give a fig about the other cleaner that's business. They are entitled to choose whoever they want to clean their windows at the end of the day.
I'll take anybody's work if they are crap. The only work I don't touch are cleaners who have done me a favour or ones I consider a friend.
Whenever you pick up any jobs they are nearly all from a previous cleaner anyway - last bloke retired/ never came back/ is rubbish/ we don't like him/ he misses that window/ ran off with our money/ we had a break in and think he was involved/ he pushed his prices up/ he fell off his ladder/ he broke our tiles etc etc.
Title: Re: Money up front
Post by: awcs on April 30, 2010, 09:35:01 pm
i'm with you Dave, got to look after #1
Title: Re: Money up front
Post by: dmlservices on April 30, 2010, 10:03:27 pm
Yep.
Customer asked for a quote because they are not happy with him. Just happens my price is cheaper anyway. They approached me - I don't need the work. I couldn't give a fig about the other cleaner that's business. They are entitled to choose whoever they want to clean their windows at the end of the day.
I'll take anybody's work if they are crap. The only work I don't touch are cleaners who have done me a favour or ones I consider a friend.
Whenever you pick up any jobs they are nearly all from a previous cleaner anyway - last bloke retired/ never came back/ is rubbish/ we don't like him/ he misses that window/ ran off with our money/ we had a break in and think he was involved/ he pushed his prices up/ he fell off his ladder/ he broke our tiles etc etc.

thats exactly how i operate , sometimes my prices are cheaper then previous cleaners,very often though i am dearer

daz
Title: Re: Money up front
Post by: williamx on May 01, 2010, 09:17:49 am
I could just image Sainsburys bosses turning away customers because they shop with Tescos.

 
Title: Re: Money up front
Post by: cozy on May 01, 2010, 09:38:01 am
Thought about taking money up front, but when you do that, it's like spending on credit. You have the dosh before the work. Not doing that.
Title: Re: Money up front
Post by: ♠Winp®oClean♠ on May 01, 2010, 09:40:04 am
Thought about taking money up front, but when you do that, it's like spending on credit. You have the dosh before the work. Not doing that.

Yep, then you feel like you're working for nothing!! ;D
Title: Re: Money up front
Post by: Sir Squeaky on May 01, 2010, 10:29:55 am
Thought about taking money up front, but when you do that, it's like spending on credit. You have the dosh before the work. Not doing that.

Yep, then you feel like you're working for nothing!! ;D

Worse still... I had a customer who pays £15 give me the money in Tescos carpark the week before I did them, and only had a £20 and I had no change.

When it came to do them it was worse than a free one, it felt like I had to pay her a fiver! :o ;D