Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Tom-01 on December 19, 2014, 07:46:49 am
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Anyone else get this?
I haven't had many but it does annoy me! What do you guys say?
I want to say something like 'If all my customers said that I wouldn't have a business after Christmas'
Thanks
Tom
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I'm happy to miss customers in December.
There isn't enough time to do everyone so self sackers are ideal. Saves me deciding.
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Anyone would think she owned the house.
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dont get annoyed just move onto your next job.as you said its only the odd customer here and there.nowt you can do about it.
mind you ive not had even one (leave it this time) this month!
ill be "leaving jobs until after xmas" after today though! ;D ;D
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Anyone else get this?
I haven't had many but it does annoy me! What do you guys say?
I want to say something like 'If all my customers said that I wouldn't have a business after Christmas'
Thanks
Tom
Had one the other day ... pensioners .. have to call night before due to locked gate "oh er mmmm were out all day tomorrow so just leave it to after Christmas" ....
Do loads on the same road - they weren't out till after 1pm :(
Putting my childish small minded petty head on I thought yer March is after Christmas so that's when they will be getting done ..... that'll teach yer !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
then
Sensible head said move on FFS - theyre skint its an expensive time plus wanted to save on my tip ;D
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I did have one shocked woman yesterday tho. As i knocked for payment i remember her giving me a "xmas tip" in November. Knocked for payment and she looked at me as if i had ped all over her carpets. I did get a "thank you for all your hard work" haha
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I'm happy to miss customers in December.
There isn't enough time to do everyone so self sackers are ideal. Saves me deciding.
My thoughts exactly. Had one yesterday- only too pleased to miss it out to be honest!! ;D
However, it would be annoying if I hadn't the amount of work I have & was relying on all customers.
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she looked at me as if i had ped all over her carpets
;D made me smile
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Long standing friendly, well paying and pleasant customers take priority in the last full week before xmas. Late paying messers and pita's will just have to wait til new year. Someone wants to skip this time, no worries, not enough daylight to get round to everybody anyhow and i still have my xmas shopping to do !
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I have one who for the past 3 years has always ask me to skip till Jan , got their last week she was not in so I cleaned them
Back of the net ;D ;D :P
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Having trained my customers I rarely get this anymore. Of course I text nobody to leave their gates open either.
I used to say: "I'm very sorry but I pride myself on a regular and reliable service and so I don't accept doorstep cancellations without very good reason, may I ask what yours is madam?"
Sorted the wheat from the chaff.
Had one in November.
Her "Can you skip December and start again in January?"
Me "Not really I pride myself on a regular service which virtually all of my customers really appreciate ..."
Her "Oh, it's just that we're away for a few days at Xmas."
Me "Oh that's nice are you seeing family?"
Her "Yes I'm going to my sister's in Devon."
Me "Sounds lovely, but I take the view that my utility bills will still go out and so it's the same with my service."
Her "I didn't realise you were so stringent! What if I cancel completely then?"
Me "Well Mrs _________ I would thank you for your business to date and part company."
Her "Well I'll think about it - I'll just get my cheque book and pay you."
(While waiting I think "That's that then!")
She comes back and hands me the cheque in an envelope on which she has written Merry Xmas.
Her: "I've thought about it and I would like you to clean next month and there's something extra in the envelope."
Me: "Thank you very much etc."
She'd put a fiver in with her cheque.
Even I was amazed.
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I'm happy to miss customers in December.
There isn't enough time to do everyone so self sackers are ideal. Saves me deciding.
+1 save you a bit time.
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Had 5 this week leave it till March if all my customers did this I'd have to find another job during the winter months
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If you have customer who cancel in Dec all you need do is when they come back say "the price has gone up in the interim your new price will be the annual price divide by one less month than the last year E/G 12 x 10 quid =120p.a pound. New price is 120 devide by 11 =10. 90 round of to 12 quid so you still get the dec fee even if they do use you in December. I did this even if they cancel for 3 winter months. If they don`t like it f them drop.
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Had 5 this week leave it till March if all my customers did this I'd have to find another job during the winter months
would not go back. iam sure by march you could replace the 5 easily.
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"Please leave till after Christmas"
"Certainly madam. Boxing Day OK then?"
or
"Please leave till after Christmas"
"Certainly madam. Any particular year?"
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I have one who for the past 3 years has always ask me to skip till Jan , got their last week she was not in so I cleaned them
Back of the net ;D ;D :P
Lol
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Only had the one, " can you just leave them til January " funny thing is she gave me a £10 Christmas tip last year..........although she did wait until March to give it to me :o ::)roll
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I work differently to most of you guys. I have my regulars, with differing frequencies according to their requirements, as well as others who phone me as and when they need me.
At the moment I am snowed under with work, so if I get a regular who asks me to leave them this time, it's doing me a favour by helping me to get round to everyone who wants me this month.
I don't drop any who are 'not todays' unless they do it 3 times in a row, in which case I move them to the 'call me as and when needed' category. If I make some bucks from them during the year, even if it's only occasionally, I'd rather keep them than cut off any chance to earn from them.
John
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a customer saying leave it till march is still 9 cleans a year which is still better than 8 weekly cleans at 6 cleans a year and the same as being 6 weekly cleaned. no biggy at all. its the customers choice.
I said to my car valater who cleans my range rover every 3 weeks to leave it untill mid march now as a few days after he has worked his magic its filthy again so im just throwing money away, he was fine with it and said what i say to my customers which is see you again in march.
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What do you say to your custards Mick who say 'leave it this time with all this weather they'll be minging in a week'. ?
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Luckily i dont get that but if i did id prob go fully commercial. Not sure if you meant that in a sarcastic way or not but I was simply saying its the same as being 6 weekly and better than every 8 week customers with them skipping 3 months cleaning where december is a verey costly month and takes a few months to get back on track. We have all been there.
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I think he means about what you said to your car valeter. He cleans your car every 3 weeks, so he relies on that as income. But because it's this time of year you have said to him to not do it for 3 months. If all his customers said that he wouldn't have a car valet business.
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Luckily i dont get that but if i did id prob go fully commercial. Not sure if you meant that in a sarcastic way or not but I was simply saying its the same as being 6 weekly and better than every 8 week customers with them skipping 3 months cleaning where december is a verey costly month and takes a few months to get back on track. We have all been there.
That bit in red is a bit of a broad-brush assumption Mick.
Anyway people who want to have their windows cleaned regularly are readily available. To someone who has their car valeted every 3 weeks and then doesn't bother for four months. Very unusual pattern.
Did you say to your valeter I want you every 3 weeks and then just say no in November? If so very inconsiderate. I surmise that you gave him notice or agreed that at the outset - any thoughtful person would, surely?
I love all the people on here who tell me I can't stick to the frequency I agreed at the outset with my customers. Yet still I do.
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I kid you not I had a fortnightly pub ask to leave December and January and restart febuary as they want to save money.
and this was from one of the largest pub chains in the uk.
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its last clean was a full electric buff polish with his machine which cost me £300 to have done where usualy its £35 every 3 weeks for mini valet so he isn't losing out to be fair to him and he is fine with it, the way the weather is at the mo and all the grit that's about its just as easy to do myself giving it a blast with pure and microfibers and a lot cheaper as i need to do it weekly as it doesn't stay clean for more than a few days especially where i have had it machine buffed bringing it to showroom condition.
just goes to show we are all different, i don't cry or get the hump if a custy asks to leave it a few months or even if they want to cancel on me, just the way the cards are delt for those customers! i see all customers as stepping stones to other things, many i have gained there friends or family members through cleaning them in the past, others commercial jobs or builders cleans, had a few schools from 1 who stops november-march its just swings and roundabouts.. maybe i'm to soft but what i do know is i'm where i wanted to be which is fully booked with work and am at the stage where unless its a job on a road i already clean in i decline it and pass them to my old man or another local shiner. i just looked and its 26 jobs that are suspended until march and 3 until april so no biggie.
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its last clean was a full electric buff polish with his machine which cost me £300 to have done where usualy its £35 every 3 weeks for mini valet so he isn't losing out to be fair to him and he is fine with it, the way the weather is at the mo and all the grit that's about its just as easy to do myself giving it a blast with pure and microfibers and a lot cheaper as i need to do it weekly as it doesn't stay clean for more than a few days especially where i have had it machine buffed bringing it to showroom condition.
just goes to show we are all different, i don't cry or get the hump if a custy asks to leave it a few months or even if they want to cancel on me, just the way the cards are delt for those customers! i see all customers as stepping stones to other things, many i have gained there friends or family members through cleaning them in the past, others commercial jobs or builders cleans, had a few schools from 1 who stops november-march its just swings and roundabouts.. maybe i'm to soft but what i do know is i'm where i wanted to be which is fully booked with work and am at the stage where unless its a job on a road i already clean in i decline it and pass them to my old man or another local shiner. i just looked and its 26 jobs that are suspended until march and 3 until april so no biggie.
£300 for a machine polish :o...that sounds expensive.
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its last clean was a full electric buff polish with his machine which cost me £300 to have done where usualy its £35 every 3 weeks for mini valet so he isn't losing out to be fair to him and he is fine with it, the way the weather is at the mo and all the grit that's about its just as easy to do myself giving it a blast with pure and microfibers and a lot cheaper as i need to do it weekly as it doesn't stay clean for more than a few days especially where i have had it machine buffed bringing it to showroom condition.
just goes to show we are all different, i don't cry or get the hump if a custy asks to leave it a few months or even if they want to cancel on me, just the way the cards are delt for those customers! i see all customers as stepping stones to other things, many i have gained there friends or family members through cleaning them in the past, others commercial jobs or builders cleans, had a few schools from 1 who stops november-march its just swings and roundabouts.. maybe i'm to soft but what i do know is i'm where i wanted to be which is fully booked with work and am at the stage where unless its a job on a road i already clean in i decline it and pass them to my old man or another local shiner. i just looked and its 26 jobs that are suspended until march and 3 until april so no biggie.
£300 for a machine polish :o...that sounds expensive.
Not really from what i know.
My valeter charges roughly £100 a stage.
Stage 3 polish-£300.
You get what you pay for.
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its last clean was a full electric buff polish with his machine which cost me £300 to have done .
Should have got him to put some Collinite 476s Super Double Coat Wax , Never got round to doing it myself yet but a custy of mine does his just before the winter and his motor never seems to get dirty even in the crappy weather .
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its last clean was a full electric buff polish with his machine which cost me £300 to have done .
Should have got him to put some Collinite 476s Super Double Coat Wax , Never got round to doing it myself yet but a custy of mine does his just before the winter and his motor never seems to get dirty even in the crappy weather .
I use this myself, it's fantastic stuff & so easy to use. ;) Lasts for ages too.
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The way I look at it is you have a window cleaner to keep your windows looking nice and clean.
If you like having clean windows why do you want them left dirty through the winter; referring to the leave til march brigade!
You either want clean windows or you don't.
For me it's just the fact that as a small business joe public thinks they can muck you about.
Try telling BT you don't want their service every month just as and when.
I just do monthly.
Have done different schedules in the beginning but found to difficult to manage
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When I did offer more choice to the handful of serial "can't be a month already" brigade.
They all said happy with monthly. ???
I found when I started 9-10 years ago I bent over backwards for alot of customers trying to keep them happy offering different schedules
Don't have any of them customers now.
I find monthly works for me.