Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Carl2009 on December 22, 2010, 10:43:44 am
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I had work on Monday, but Tuesday was a free day; all year-round I leave some days free in case I can't work because of the weather. I moved Monday's work to Tuesday. So Tuesday morning 9am it took me an hour and a half of faffing to reload the van with gear I take out at night to save it freezing (just in case), put away the greenhouse heater (that keeps the van above, say, 2c) to discover I was still frozen in an area the warm air can't get to, to then unload again, defrost the offending pipe, defrost the external van port (removing hozelock connector so ice cube in pipe can escape...) and reload my reel, tool chest etc.
I did 6 cleans, but I arrived at one for her to say, 'I wouldn't bother if I were you'. I asked if she was kidding and she said no. Strike 1.
I snuck in another clean scheduled for today but luckily the custies were out, so I was able to clean without getting the boot.
My point is, in this weather are we risking disaffecting custies? I'm not convinced everyone does want them doing in weather like this. I've had plenty of 'Are you mad cleaning in this weather' or similar; when I get this I get the feeling they don't want me there.
Thoughts?
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I had work on Monday, but Tuesday was a free day; all year-round I leave some days free in case I can't work because of the weather. I moved Monday's work to Tuesday. So Tuesday morning 9am it took me an hour and a half of faffing to reload the van with gear I take out at night to save it freezing (just in case), put away the greenhouse heater (that keeps the van above, say, 2c) to discover I was still frozen in an area the warm air can't get to, to then unload again, defrost the offending pipe, defrost the external van port (removing hozelock connector so ice cube in pipe can escape...) and reload my reel, tool chest etc.
I did 6 cleans, but I arrived at one for her to say, 'I wouldn't bother if I were you'. I asked if she was kidding and she said no. Strike 1.
I snuck in another clean scheduled for today but luckily the custies were out, so I was able to clean without getting the boot.
My point is, in this weather are we risking disaffecting custies? I'm not convinced everyone does want them doing in weather like this. I've had plenty of 'Are you mad cleaning in this weather' or similar; when I get this I get the feeling they don't want me there.
Thoughts?
This is a business where the service provider visits the customers rather than vice versa. Therefore I reckon that unless there is a very good reason (and I don't mean cold weather) for sending you away, they are defaulting on a verbal contract. This gives you the right to do likewise (IMO). I do have a couple of customers who, every Winter, tell me not to bother next time (the clean around Xmas/January) and I even regard that as being right on the edge. Both of these jobs are well priced. If they weren't, they would already be history.
It's all very well being customer focused (as the sales/marketing bods say) but there can be a point where it's possible to focus too much on certain customers and not enough on the general business. If a high maintenance customer isn't paying a high price then they are uneconomical.
This may sound harsh but I used to have too many like that. They all ditched me when I was ill though some years back. Lesson learned !!
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i went collecting last night and some of the custies i said sorry for not getting round before xmas(these were custies who still owed from last clean)most were fine and completely understood!its the last thing on their minds in the run up to xmas with the bad weather.
ive wrote the whole week off and ill be having 3 weeks off now due to a trip to the states over xmas so ill start back on the 6th jan.im only just over a week behind so i can live with that.
i make plenty the rest of the year so a few weeks at xmas or because of extreme weather is factored in over the year.
dazmond
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They are all different. You can`t really say.
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also karl you should know by now to never "second guess" a customer!!they are all different in my experience!!some will be pleased to see ya and others wont!!its that simple!! ;D ;D ;D
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They won't care if you don't come. Most are probably letting it go ahead as they're being kind and friendly. Here in the Midlands there is 20cm of snow now - having clean windows right now is bottom of the list.
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They are all different. You can`t really say.
Agreed.
You clean one, she looks at you like you are an idiot for cleaning in such conditions.
Next door thanks you for struggling on and gives you a bit tip.
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My ex-wife was a child minder; and she had terms and conditions. If she took a child of yours on, it was agreed that if for some reason (for example you took your child away on holiday) that she still would be paid a retaining fee. In essence this meant she was paid for doing nothing, however, on her part she could've just taken on another child, thereby filling the allotted spaces she was allowed to child mind for.
I seem to remember she was quite ruthless about this retaining fee, and if she didn't get it, she would just fill the vacancy with another child, and her customer would have to find a new child minder. It was her business, and she did well out of it.
What's this got to do with window cleaning? Well, terms and conditions are terms and conditions; they're a two-way-street. If your customer tries to break or change your terms and conditions, you're quite within your right to drop 'em.
It's easier for you to find a new customer (if you've been going for a while and already have a good customer base, work just finds you) than it is for an old customer to find a new window cleaner (who may charge more, who may do work of a lesser quality, who may rob them; the customer doesn't know).
I think as long as you're sticking to your terms and conditions, why worry?
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I agree that sending away when the terms of business have been agreed is generally not on. That's not really what I was getting at though.
If I don't go out today then that would be the first day i've lost to this damned weather, but might I be doing more damage to my business in the long term by cleaning people who really think a clean right now is a pointless exercise - I for one wonder about my own windows - is it worth cleaning them today when tomorrow they'll be dirty again with salt (given where I live is a fast road and we get a lot of wind (= a lot of drifting spray). Ditto the van - it's always clean as it reflects my business, but the day after I cleaned it the other day it was absolutely filthy from the salt, so i'm not doing it again till after Xmas.
The relationship I have with almost all my customers is on a 'first-name' basis, save a few old biddies who I feel like me to call them Mrs or Mr. I don't want to jeopardise that by disaffecting them; if their belief is that I shouldn't be cleaning their windows cos of the snow and it's obvious i'm cleaning for the money (and remember a lot of custies don't think WC is a 'proper' business...) then am I damaging their relationship.
On some windows water is freezing on the glass, resulting in windows that can't be seen out of. I salt around my own house and then have to put up with trailing salt inside on the bottom of shoes. I don't like it, but I expect custies to accept it. I occassionally find myself justifying why I am there when it's -2 - "Didn't want to let you down before Christmas", "Want to offer a reliable service" etc.
Anyway, it's only -1.7 now, so i'm off out ;)
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In these conditions having your windows cleaned is way down on priorities :-[
Have done very little this week, will just have to take it on the chin, have made a small amount of money but better than some shops I clean who have made a loss this week :o
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no they don't give a s**t accept it and move on, nobody dies cos their windows aren't clean!!
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no they don't give a s**t accept it and move on, nobody dies cos their windows aren't clean!!
My thoughts exactly!!!!
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We have just had a call,her w/c can't get to her and can we do it,you can't second guess custys
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think its time to give yourself a break carl!!you say its the only time you have nt worked this year so take a well deserved break!!
hope your not one of them that hates xmas as it gets in the way of your cleaning.i also hope your not a workaholic who cant enjoy the fruits of his labour!!!
its xmas!take a break,enjoy yourself with family and friends and get back at it in the new year!!
best wishes to you all
dazmond
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^ so true.
You have to account for these problems in your long term plans.
The customers aren't going to go anywhere - in fact I'd say you have a big chance of losing them if you're bothering them over Xmas.
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I have not been working since last Thursday and have around 30 domestic and a couple small commercial to do but am not realistically going to get to more than ten of them if I work a few hours tomorrow and Friday assuming it's a little warmer.
What I have been doing is working on some marketting bumf, relaxing a bit and trying not to worry about the lost cash or customers thinking you have let them down etc.
One thing I am going to do in the New Year is to get each customer to fill in a simple form stating their preffered method of payment, wether they mind an earlier start {before 08:00}, and a few other things including their desire for the windows to be done in severe weather. This will give me some missing info and take the guess work out of wether to bust a gut for them or not next time the weather is crap.
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Just got back in from doing 7. All were fine with it, just one comment from an old lady (my very first custie, gawd bless 'er), but then she gave me a small tip which I appreciated. Her windows were sheets of ice when I left her - at least it's pure water, so should be ok come the thaw....
I've got 10 lined up for 2morrow and 11 on the 24th. In this weather for me that's a full day.
I've not had a holiday this year or last whilst I got the business up and running (started April 09), but have had plenty of down days because of rain. We get a hell of a lot here in Pembrokeshire. I reckon i've lost 25 working days to rain in the last 6 months, so much so I schedule 4 or 5 catch up days in a month. Might take a holiday next year.
Happy Christmas you lot.
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Just got back in from doing 7. All were fine with it, just one comment from an old lady (my very first custie, gawd bless 'er), but then she gave me a small tip which I appreciated. Her windows were sheets of ice when I left her - at least it's pure water, so should be ok come the thaw....
I've got 10 lined up for 2morrow and 11 on the 24th. In this weather for me that's a full day.
I've not had a holiday this year or last whilst I got the business up and running (started April 09), but have had plenty of down days because of rain. We get a hell of a lot here in Pembrokeshire. I reckon i've lost 25 working days to rain in the last 6 months, so much so I schedule 4 or 5 catch up days in a month. Might take a holiday next year.
Happy Christmas you lot.
Will you be stopping for rain next year?
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I've been out all day today...
All my customers commented on the weather, but wanted me to clean their windows still - No problems at all.
Andy
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custies probably got more things to worry about at this time of year than there windows getting cleaned in this weather. probably not expect you to turn up anyway. dont let it worry you.
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Just got back in from doing 7. All were fine with it, just one comment from an old lady (my very first custie, gawd bless 'er), but then she gave me a small tip which I appreciated. Her windows were sheets of ice when I left her - at least it's pure water, so should be ok come the thaw....
I've got 10 lined up for 2morrow and 11 on the 24th. In this weather for me that's a full day.
I've not had a holiday this year or last whilst I got the business up and running (started April 09), but have had plenty of down days because of rain. We get a hell of a lot here in Pembrokeshire. I reckon i've lost 25 working days to rain in the last 6 months, so much so I schedule 4 or 5 catch up days in a month. Might take a holiday next year.
Happy Christmas you lot.
Will you be stopping for rain next year?
Stopping for rain, do people still do that :o
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im carrying on cleaning windows, if they dont want me to they can call me, im not going to give them a chance by calling them if i can help it.
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Keep it simple. Clean windows, if custy is in, collect, if not leave a note. At this time of year and in this weather, don't think about what custies are thinking. Earn the money and worry later.
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Keep it simple. Clean windows, if custy is in, collect, if not leave a note. At this time of year and in this weather, don't think about what custies are thinking. Earn the money and worry later.
I'm with you Cosy.
Binned houses for the rest of this week though.
Just too damn cold.
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Keep it simple. Clean windows, if custy is in, collect, if not leave a note. At this time of year and in this weather, don't think about what custies are thinking. Earn the money and worry later.
I'm with you Cosy.
Binned houses for the rest of this week though.
Just too damn cold.
If I lived where you did, I would have probably stopped about september time ;D
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just ask your customer if they want you this time this will keep them onside for next clean. if they say not today they are not a good customer for you. so replace them with a better one as soon as possible
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In my experience ive had some ok ones. Ive got a good bunch of customers but they just didnt look that impressed with me trudging through a foot of snow and icing up their windows (not everyones).
I tried to carry on but it was hard. Like i said some were ok...i even lost a couple giving me the "leave the windows now and we'll call you for the next clean" and we all know what that means.
To be fair guys, unless your desperate to have your windows done why would anyone want us round? Few people have called me mad and i try and say in a polite way i still have my bills to pay unfortuantly which kind of works but its not really their problem is it.
The people who were out when i go to collect say "if i had of been in i would told you not to bother".
So do custies really want us there in this weather? ... personally i dont think so unless THEY requested it. Whether or not we offer a all year round service, this month has not been a month to be out cleaning in it really.
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i dont understand the problem with having clean windows with snow on the ground? as long as your not cleaning during a blizzard! the thing is, this weather might be here til end of feb, and i know i cant afford to wait til then. on a positive note, i did have my hot fogwash turn up today, so will be fitting it tomorrow. all custs up to date for xmas! and £25 in tips today! (by post)
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Had probably one of the most depressing days today re: custards, their lack of concern and unpredictability.
Turned up at the first house:he comes out (never met him before) when I knocked to ask them to unlock the side passage so we could get round the back. He looked at Me as if to say 'YES'?.
So unasked him to unlock the door. He calls out, 'Do we want the windows cleaned' to his missus. She comes out and says 'Oh not today the passage isnt clear,'come back in January'
'Oh really, well thatll remain to be seen' and off I goes.
Next house: unreeling hose to the back gate. Guy comes out, 'Not today mate'
'Oh really and why's that?'
'Well, they'll just get dirty again'.
'Sorry I can't run a business like that, consider our agreement finished' says I.The thing is it was this place that sacked their last window cleaner so they could have someone more local.
Next house: Turns up, cleans it. Bloke comes out and pays. Then says 'Well call you next time we want them done, we've beenmade redundant' So I says 'Sorry mate, we don't operate like that'
Sacked!
Next house: cleaning away when another cleaner turns up. He's a carpet cleanr but does a bit of windows now and then. He then told me about a customer he'd had whose carpets he'd done who were looking for a window cleaner and if he suggested phoned me, he was unaware I was already their window cleaner. Turns out it's the
same lot who had just told me they'd been made redundant. The guy who did their carpets had in the course of the conversation with the custards given them a price to do their windows. They seemed to think his price was reasonable so they agreed for him to do them. When he turned up they turned him away and just said not to bother.
What is it with some people?
8)
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Keep it simple. Clean windows, if custy is in, collect, if not leave a note. At this time of year and in this weather, don't think about what custies are thinking. Earn the money and worry later.
I'm with you Cosy.
Binned houses for the rest of this week though.
Just too damn cold.
If I lived where you did, I would have probably stopped about september time ;D
If we only used WFP mate, we would.
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Had probably one of the most depressing days today re: custards, their lack of concern and unpredictability.
Turned up at the first house:he comes out (never met him before) when I knocked to ask them to unlock the side passage so we could get round the back. He looked at Me as if to say 'YES'?.
So unasked him to unlock the door. He calls out, 'Do we want the windows cleaned' to his missus. She comes out and says 'Oh not today the passage isnt clear,'come back in January'
'Oh really, well thatll remain to be seen' and off I goes.
Next house: unreeling hose to the back gate. Guy comes out, 'Not today mate'
'Oh really and why's that?'
'Well, they'll just get dirty again'.
'Sorry I can't run a business like that, consider our agreement finished' says I.The thing is it was this place that sacked their last window cleaner so they could have someone more local.
Next house: Turns up, cleans it. Bloke comes out and pays. Then says 'Well call you next time we want them done, we've beenmade redundant' So I says 'Sorry mate, we don't operate like that'
Sacked!
Next house: cleaning away when another cleaner turns up. He's a carpet cleanr but does a bit of windows now and then. He then told me about a customer he'd had whose carpets he'd done who were looking for a window cleaner and if they'd phoned me
as he recommended me tomthem, unaware we were already their window cleaner. Turns out it's the
Same lot who had just told me they'd been made redundant. The guy who did their carpets had in the course of the conversation with the custards given them a price to do their windows. They seemed to think his price was reasonable so they agreed for him to them. When he turned up they turned him away and just said not to bother.
What is it with some people?
8)
man thats a bad day, ive had a few skippers over the phone, but not too bad. im sure i will have some complaints in the post about doing it in the snow, but not to worry.
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They won't care if you don't come. Most are probably letting it go ahead as they're being kind and friendly. Here in the Midlands there is 20cm of snow now - having clean windows right now is bottom of the list.
Bottom of the list for most, but as noted above "don't second guess the bast..oops customer ;) ) Some want a pre- Christmas clean come what may. Usually to impress the mother in law/daughter in law
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I think most angles have been covered here, but carl were you serious ? You left a window iced over ? Pure water or not.
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Had probably one of the most depressing days today re: custards, their lack of concern and unpredictability.
Matt would I know where these places are and who the carpet cleaner is?
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They are all places in Oakley mate theyre just scattered randomly about the place here, you didnt used to do them; and the carpet cleaner isn't the one you've mentioned to me before
;D
Happy Xmas to you and yours Neil.
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Sorry to here this Matt. I've had similar and just accept that people aren't nice.
I'm hoping the customers don't want us because i've done hardly any in december and i'm wondering how many are going to sack me over it.
What a good idea by Tom Crother and i can tell you, you don't get many good totally original ideas on here.Tom consider your idea nicked.It'll take me a while to figure this out properly.If anyone wants to help me put a bit of gloss on this, Tom himself, or vin,or gold etc i'm game.But just between us eh, no sharing ;)
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Hi Feen, yep I am serious. Start cleaning and some shady windows freezed up. Little I could do and custie cool about it (forgive the pun)...
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Seen a local supermarket after the window cleaner had called this week, water had frozen on glass (wfp), what a mess, dirt hadnt had chance to get rinsed off, still frozen on glass. Bad practice in my opinion, working like this wont do you any favours in the long run :o.
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ive not been able to get my van out of my estate for a week now but i went with another windy yesterday he has the hot system witch is very good but got turned away by 3 of his big big custys that wanted them done before christmas one said that it was a stupid and iresponsable thing to do in this weather glad they were his custys not mine and got stuck on a big posh driveway in the van we must have looked rediculas
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I had three on wednesday say no but its their right in this weather I would feel. Others were delighted I made the effort to turn out.
Just be a cork bobbing on the waves. Take what you can get but don't worry about the rest.
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I had three on wednesday say no but its their right in this weather I would feel. Others were delighted I made the effort to turn out.
Just be a cork bobbing on the waves. Take what you can get but don't worry about the rest.
Yesterday I did a dozen without a refusal but I sweep up and salt/grit and do doorways trad.
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I haven't worked since 15th December, how would I know what I was standing on under the snow? I maybe breaking plant pots or standing on kids toys, Not had a single phone call either, so won't be working any time soon.
I had one estate that I really wanted to finish before Christmas, this estate is built on the side of a hill so no chance.
Snow, ice, and hills make working to dangerous for me, and that's if I could actually get the water to run through the pipes.
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I have not been out window cleaning since 16th December.
Where I live provides a good yardstick as to whether my work is viable or not. I live at the top of a hilly estate which last week was all but impossible to get out of.
I have not been able to get to my van without slipping (not actually gone over, but very nearly!) If that happens when my hands are free, what chance is there when carrying a bucket and ladder!
So although I have a backlog of work to do, I am sure my customers are OK with not having their windows cleaned when it is as dangerous as it is out there. Like Dai, no one has phoned to ask why they haven't seen me recently. I will just be fired up as soon as it's safe to get out there again.
John.
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My last day was 17th December. I've lost about £600 plus tips. I'm as frustrated as the rest of you that have lost work/money because of weather. I tried but if everything keeps freezing up plus getting my van stuck everywhere is it really worth all the hasle!!
I went to collect £75 from two of my custies yesterday that live in the sticks, At the bigger one I had to leave my car on main road then walk to their house becus snow hadnt been cleared/gritted. I rest my case!!!!
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Keep it simple. Clean windows, if custy is in, collect, if not leave a note. At this time of year and in this weather, don't think about what custies are thinking. Earn the money and worry later.
I'm with you Cosy.
Binned houses for the rest of this week though.
Just too damn cold.
If I lived where you did, I would have probably stopped about september time ;D
Seriously considering changing to a 10 month year.
Feb-Nov sounds good to me.
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Dec Jan are bonus months now!!!!.
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We rang several customers/visited those who particularly wanted a pre Christmas clean (the bigger money ones anyway). They all appreciated that we rang, they all didn't think it was safe/possible to work in this weather anyway and we still got tips and presents. It is very hard to do a good job and be safe in this weather.
It is hard though when you just want to work and have bills to pay
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Its been ok here in essex for the last few days and custys have been pleased to see me, i wouldve stopped straight away it it started to freeze on the ground or windows though.