Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Tony Edwards on July 24, 2012, 11:53:10 am
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Got two new customers last month. Both said they wanted 4 weekly so a agreed a price.
Custy A I said £10 which was a bit cheap.I did the first clean for £10 as I am a newby and the insides for £20.
Custy B I said £20 outside. I did outside for £20 and £20 inside as access was easy.
Both I did perfectly washing sills frames and windows and frames looked brand new. Both custys gave me a tip as they were so pleased.
I texted both last night to confirm I would be there this week. They replied :
Custy A " Can we leave it this week "
Custy B " We werent planning to get windows cleaned every month, we let you know when we want them done
Am I a mug, an idiot, naive or is this just the learning process of being a newby ??
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you are none of the above they are just crap customers. drop them or risk being one of the above. Then if they come back to you explain more clearly that you dont have time to be messed around as you are so busy with people who do want your services and that you will give them one more chance.
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you are none of the above they are just crap customers. drop them or risk being one of the above. Then if they come back to you explain more clearly that you dont have time to be messed around as you are so busy with people who do want your services and that you will give them one more chance.
Lee
I just texted back and said that their prices have risen from £10-15 and from £20-30 respectively. I wait an see their reply. I just feel that i have been mugged off after doing such a good job.
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It doesnt matter if you have been mugged of as long as you have learned something in the process. For example dont be afraid to give them the price you realy want from the start, they can only say no. Its much harder to increase that much after you have already given a lower price. good luck
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on the odd occasion that this has happened to me i allways make out i am happy to do it on there terms even though the original agreement was differant,and then i book them in to do the job and dont turn up...very unprofessional i know ;D
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Never text your customers unless they have a security gate. I just don't get why some window cleaners text customers. The more options and control you give customers the more they will mess you about that's a guaranteed fact. Have to treat them mean to keep them keen or something like that ;)
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Never text your customers unless they have a security gate. I just don't get why some window cleaners text customers. The more options and control you give customers the more they will mess you about that's a guaranteed fact. Have to treat them mean to keep them keen or something like that ;)
Valid point just thought it looked more pro. Another lesson learnt
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Well you can text them if you want but your just asking for this to happen ;)
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I txt mine the day before , but from now on i will not be doing this !!!!! i have been messed around something chronic . In the last 2 weeks i have binned 7 "no not this week " messers i have learned the hard way by being fown about 80 quid . I dont mind not today etc if its lashing it down or its like the first time in 6 months but on 2nd cleans nah ur ok ur dumped i can't run my business on the customers terms .
I been going 2 months now and i have quickly learned to read customers like a book and can spot the messers . It's my way or the highway .
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Tony, you are doing nothing wrong. Some people appreciate you, some don't.
I get this daily. I am in the Emerald Isle, though, so this is the norm!
I have built my run up over the last 12 months, and, believe it or not, I retain them on the books. What I do now though, is only call or knock on the day if I have the time or inclination to do so. If I don't, and they see me and ask if I can do them today, I tell them that I have my regulars to do first and will fit them in if I can. If I run out of time, they wait till next time and I repeat the above cycle.
Believe me, my system has succeeded in getting a few custards into line!
John
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Always charge more for 1st cleans , I usually charge double, then tell them the price for regular cleans, usually the ones that are not willing to Pay more for first cleans , are the ones who are looking for a one of clean
Daz
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Never text your customers unless they have a security gate. I just don't get why some window cleaners text customers. The more options and control you give customers the more they will mess you about that's a guaranteed fact. Have to treat them mean to keep them keen or something like that ;)
Valid point just thought it looked more pro. Another lesson learnt
Better to txt them and the say no than to drive all the way the and get the same response! At least your at home sorting your work out when there messing
You around instead of cleaning the 1st window for free!
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you do learn to spot em and then charge accordingly
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if your just starting out some money better than nowt
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hey tony edwards are you sure your not on my PATCH because you seem to have a few of my custys :'( :'(can you miss me out this time ..oh there not that dirty this month ,,oh a spaceship just landed in the garden and i dont think you would be able to get past :D :D :D :D
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All this about not texting customers and not accommodating their requests is a bit much in my eyes, who do we think we are?
We're only window cleaners f'goodness sake!
I've got customers who are night shift workers so I text the day before to get an AM/PM so I don't wake them up.
I've got customers who I text as they need to know when I'm coming so they can unlock gates.
I've got customers who (shock horror) text ME every couple of months when they'd like their windows cleaning, (priced accordingly of course), and what's more I GO AND CLEAN THEIR WINDOWS instead of badmouthing them on forums!
There's nowt wrong with being accommodating, you're still earning after all..
Maybe I'm too soft, but I'm not a walk over and what's more I suspect the customers appreciate it.
Johnny B seems to have the most balanced viewpoint in this thread imho..
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what you need to do mate is PHONE THEM BOTH UP!!!!SHOCK!!HORROR!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
and tell them you can offer them a longer frequency if they want eg 2 monthly but the price will be a bit extra as most of your customers have a regular monthly clean.
if they are still hesitant then you should wave them goodbye and tell them you wont be cleaning for them again as you only take on regular scheduled cleans and that they should of told you at the start they they only wanted a "one off" clean instead of being deceitful.
make them feel bad about messing YOU about!! ;) :) :)
that what i would do anyway!
best wishes
dazmond
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worst thing i could of done made cards up with my phone number on and post them at night if not in when collecting, now they ring me saying ive missed a window,
butt realy ive missed the owle fricking house so now i put a scrap paper in with windows cleaned and price
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you will harden up over time and get rid of wasters easily once you are proper busy
like a hot knife thru butter
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I feel like I have been conned especially after making sure I did a great job the first clean.live and learn
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Its just the way life is, get used to it, you are going to get more of the same. Gradually over time you filter through enough customers that you get a solid base of regulars but many fall by the way. So what? you earned and you learned.
They might still settle down as 8 week or 12 week customers so don't give up just yet. I firmly believe the business is going that way but others seem to stick rigidly to a dogma of 4 weeks or nothing.
Just remember the object if the exercise (in my book anyway) is to get money out of their purse and into your pocket. Everything else is detail
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thanks for comments guys.
Looks like I need to man up and toughen up !!
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You earned and you learned.
I like that :)
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had 1 today text me
hi , you cleaned my windows a good while ago,can you give me a price for my new house-it must be done on monday next week?
(i remembered the guy caught me out with a 1 off filthy in and out and luckily i upped the price before starting but still way low and he paid reluctantly ) so i reply to his text ,"itd be 20 quid if its 1 time only, outside only"
how much for the insides?
"as a special deal 1 off price , £30 cash"
can you do it for 25, i have moving costs to pay for as well
"Do em yourself"
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Bloke stopped me on Tuesday asked if I'd give him a price and how often I came around.
Told him every 4 weeks left him a price £12 same as the other houses.
He phoned me and said quote was satisfactory but wasn't thinking of every 4 weeks maybe 8.
Going to do the job today if he wants every 8 weeks do you think I should go for maybe £15 or should I have told him when he phoned it would be more?
Of does it really matter - how much longer does it take to clean every 4 or 8?
I would need a lot more customers at 8 weeks but they might be more loyal as not costing them over what they can afford.
This game is not as simple as it appears - got to keep one step ahead of the customers.
G.
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i would of told him over the phone that a 2 monthly frequency is a slightly higher price(eg £14)take it or leave it and point out he will still save money over the course of a year compared to monthly if he seemed hesitant.
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Bloke stopped me on Tuesday asked if I'd give him a price and how often I came around.
Told him every 4 weeks left him a price £12 same as the other houses.
He phoned me and said quote was satisfactory but wasn't thinking of every 4 weeks maybe 8.
Going to do the job today if he wants every 8 weeks do you think I should go for maybe £15 or should I have told him when he phoned it would be more?
Of does it really matter - how much longer does it take to clean every 4 or 8?
I would need a lot more customers at 8 weeks but they might be more loyal as not costing them over what they can afford.
This game is not as simple as it appears - got to keep one step ahead of the customers.
G.
granny it might not take much longer to clean an 8 wkly but what happens when word gets around the neighours and they all want 8 wkly at the same price? its a cancer to your businesss mate all of a suddon youve got a hugh drop in your income! it as happened too!!! be carefull!
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ive found that NOT to be the case GB on lots of my compact work.most are happy with a monthly service.a few have gone 2 monthly but they know i charge a sightly higher price for the longer frequency.its good to be flexible esp if money is tight then you dont lose the customer entirely.
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ive found that NOT to be the case GB on lots of my compact work.most are happy with a monthly service.a few have gone 2 monthly but they know i charge a sightly higher price for the longer frequency.its good to be flexible esp if money is tight then you dont lose the customer entirely.
+1 for wot he says! ^^
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If i get asked for 8 weeks then i usually say no, unless it's a big house on it's own-£30 upwards.
I think people will always try it on. (I did at one point think of offering 6 weeks to everyone.)
But I decided to stick to monthly. (You can't please everyone)
Did house today i always did; custie moved, new custy in house phoned me earlier this week saying she'd like done this week (usually a sign of one off)
Did today allround £15 4 bed semi.
She thanked me and told me she'd phone me when she needed me again.
I told her politely i was monthly only, in the end i got her to agree to front every month £10 (min charge) and back as and when £15.
I'm busy and not bothered, maybe more people want less frequent cleans but i can't help'em.
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granny it might not take much longer to clean an 8 wkly but what happens when word gets around the neighours and they all want 8 wkly at the same price? its a cancer to your businesss mate all of a suddon youve got a hugh drop in your income! it as happened too!!! be carefull!
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My God and don't they talk!!
Word soon gets round! Found out today once the idea spreads its a downward spiral.
I'm not mercenary or really money motivated but dropping from 4 weeks to 8 weeks is doing the customer a big big favour especially if its for the same price.
Had some today but boosted the price for 8 weekly.
Feel a bit rotten but ???
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8 week customer at £12 a time = £56+ a year in you pocket. No customer = nothing in your pocket.
I can't understand people keep saying if you agree to 8 weeks you are reducing your income. By doing 8 weeks you are building a much more stable customer base because they are less likely to get fed up and drop you. And you will get referrals.
People want their windows cleaned regularly but they are not that bothered how regularly. As long as they know you are reliable. I wouldn't want my windows cleaned every month, I do mine about every three months and they look OK to me.
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be too soft and you wont gain any respect. oi know cos i was that man.
im still soft if a customer has a banter and joke with me on our first meeting, sets the tone for the future, but i now get rid of any other wasters.
i went out of my way recently to get an old Samsung j700 phone whereby you can block people from calling or texting. i spent a while last weekend blocking about 30 people who kept draggin their feet paying, texting their emotional problems etc , i no longer want to hear from them .
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you mean £72 a year if they are 2 monthly vince at £12 a pop! ;D ;D ;D
maths wasnt my strong point either at school vince but CMON WAKE UP!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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8 week customer at £12 a time = £56+ a year in you pocket. No customer = nothing in your pocket.
I can't understand people keep saying if you agree to 8 weeks you are reducing your income. By doing 8 weeks you are building a much more stable customer base because they are less likely to get fed up and drop you. And you will get referrals.
People want their windows cleaned regularly but they are not that bothered how regularly. As long as they know you are reliable. I wouldn't want my windows cleaned every month, I do mine about every three months and they look OK to me.
I agree.
John