Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Scrimble on January 02, 2018, 10:45:43 am
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Had a complaint come through from a customer that we cleaned there windows after they had moved out (they didn't bother informing us), the neighbour informed us that the property was empty mid way through the clean (its a flat so no ground floor windows) but as it was on gocardless we finished the job and requested payment,
last month a customer complained that we didn't clean his house because the house was empty and a sold sign was up, so we had to go back and clean it,
you just cant win sometimes
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That’s why I always send a courtesy text the night before, customer knows I’m coming and if I do t get a reply I don’t go, don’t miss out on work as I fill it with other jobs.
I religiously went like this after I had a customer move out and got sick of locked gates too, mind they still keep the gate locked some of them ;D
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That’s why I always send a courtesy text the night before, customer knows I’m coming and if I do t get a reply I don’t go, don’t miss out on work as I fill it with other jobs.
I religiously went like this after I had a customer move out and got sick of locked gates too, mind they still keep the gate locked some of them ;D
Really?
Your the first person I’ve ever heard working this way.
Do you not find it a nightmare arranging work? I only text in advance for access. Other than that I just turn up.
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That’s why I always send a courtesy text the night before, customer knows I’m coming and if I do t get a reply I don’t go, don’t miss out on work as I fill it with other jobs.
I religiously went like this after I had a customer move out and got sick of locked gates too, mind they still keep the gate locked some of them ;D
i know quite a lot people who text all their customers, its not for me but works for them
Really?
Your the first person I’ve ever heard working this way.
Do you not find it a nightmare arranging work? I only text in advance for access. Other than that I just turn up.
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I hardly get any replys from texts . I only text if they have a locked gate, same ones usually reply all the time and same ones never reply. More don't reply than do. If I turn up and it's locked I clean what I can and bill accordingly.
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That’s why I always send a courtesy text the night before, customer knows I’m coming and if I do t get a reply I don’t go, don’t miss out on work as I fill it with other jobs.
I religiously went like this after I had a customer move out and got sick of locked gates too, mind they still keep the gate locked some of them ;D
Really?
Your the first person I’ve ever heard working this way.
Do you not find it a nightmare arranging work? I only text in advance for access. Other than that I just turn up.
no not at all, i have all my work details on aworka mobile and off my phone i send between 10-15 texts out the night before using a generic message saved in my phone, takes all of 2 minutes!
ive got my custards well trained too, they get told they dont reply back i dont go simple as that.
i do give them the option when i take them on my books though that if they dont want a courtesy text im happy to just turn up as and when if they prefer unless theres a gate but 90% of them prefer the text, ive actually picked up plenty of work by advertising a courtesy text as part of the service :)
one of the biggest things i hear from them was they never knew when the last guy was coming or if he'd been!
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That’s why I always send a courtesy text the night before, customer knows I’m coming and if I do t get a reply I don’t go, don’t miss out on work as I fill it with other jobs.
I religiously went like this after I had a customer move out and got sick of locked gates too, mind they still keep the gate locked some of them ;D
Really?
Your the first person I’ve ever heard working this way.
Do you not find it a nightmare arranging work? I only text in advance for access. Other than that I just turn up.
no not at all, i have all my work details on aworka mobile and off my phone i send between 10-15 texts out the night before using a generic message saved in my phone, takes all of 2 minutes!
ive got my custards well trained too, they get told they dont reply back i dont go simple as that.
i do give them the option when i take them on my books though that if they dont want a courtesy text im happy to just turn up as and when if they prefer unless theres a gate but 90% of them prefer the text, ive actually picked up plenty of work by advertising a courtesy text as part of the service :)
one of the biggest things i hear from them was they never knew when the last guy was coming or if he'd been!
I have a mixture of customers, some of whom I can just turn up and do, others I send a standard text a day or so beforehand.
I leave any who don't reply, but it's no problem because I have enough work to fill my days. Any non-replies that go 2-3 times are relegated to the 'call me when needed' category. By then most realize they have forgotten to reply and see the 'error' of their ways!
John
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You wait for a text back to say it's ok to clean? So someone forgets to text back and fancies skipping a month by this method you're the one losing out! Sounds ar53 about face to me. I only don't go if I get a text telling me not to.
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You wait for a text back to say it's ok to clean? So someone forgets to text back and fancies skipping a month by this method you're the one losing out! Sounds ar53 about face to me. I only don't go if I get a text telling me not to.
I don't want my customers to be backed into a corner. If they want them cleaned, I clean, but if they don't I have no problem with this at all. I've many customers with whom I have this arrangement, and as long as I have enough customers on the books, (which I do) it actually works very well.
John
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Yes I agree, if I don’t get a reply I leave until next month and let them get away with it once if they’ve genuinely forgotten to reply etc, if they’re dicking about they get relegated like John says and eventually I’ll bum them off, don’t know about some of you guys but I have work pooring out my ears and I don’t tend to have any messers but if I do they get chucked.
For me it’s all about keeping a tight ship, customers are told the rules when I take them on :D
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Sod that, what if they forget to reply, are on holiday or just fancy giving it a miss.
What if you text 20 custys and only 10 reply. Just do half a days work?
It takes all the flexibility out of the job if u text em all. What if you text em all and get rained off all afternoon, then you have to text em all back? Or if you get done early and want to do a few from tomorrows run but can't because you havent text em.
Just seems a bit of a farce way of working.
I have quite a few who I text for gates, but it's not a question, I'm telling them windows are due and I will be cleaning them. I don't care if they reply or not, unless they tell me they don't want them doing them they are getting done as we agreed a regular clean.
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i text a few here and there usually for access,some for notification(large domestic posh houses)but i never wait for a reply!some do,some dont!
i reckon 80-90% of my work is "turn up and clean" which suits me.
ive got one i need to text for tomorrow out of 25 jobs. :)
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Sod that, what if they forget to reply, are on holiday or just fancy giving it a miss.
What if you text 20 custys and only 10 reply. Just do half a days work?
It takes all the flexibility out of the job if u text em all. What if you text em all and get rained off all afternoon, then you have to text em all back? Or if you get done early and want to do a few from tomorrows run but can't because you havent text em.
Just seems a bit of a farce way of working.
I have quite a few who I text for gates, but it's not a question, I'm telling them windows are due and I will be cleaning them. I don't care if they reply or not, unless they tell me they don't want them doing them they are getting done as we agreed a regular clean.
Good points but like I say I have work to jump on if they don’t reply but again as I said I’ve got my custards well trained for me personally.
I only went this way after payment issues, no excuses now and works a treat for me and I’m gaining more work from it, I was very surprised by the amount of people who said they love the text as the last guy used to turn up whenever he wanted :o
Definitely gets more work
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Sod that, what if they forget to reply, are on holiday or just fancy giving it a miss.
A. Not a problem, I'll text them next time, and most will reply in the affirmative.
What if you text 20 custys and only 10 reply. Just do half a days work?
A. No, because it's a relative minority that I text, and I have enough customers to take up the slack on any given day.
It takes all the flexibility out of the job if u text em all. What if you text em all and get rained off all afternoon, then you have to text em all back? Or if you get done early and want to do a few from tomorrows run but can't because you havent text em.
A. If anything, it makes me more flexible in that each visit to an area will likely be different from the last, but without appreciable loss of income (yes really). As long as I make x amount, I'm happy.
If it rains, they know they won't see me that day, but the next day if workable. No retext necessary, although I use discretion if I feel I need to inform customers.
I am seldom if ever in a position to go to tomorrow's work. If I were to be up to date, I'd take the rest of the day off.
Just seems a bit of a farce way of working.
A. Maybe, but it works for me.
I have quite a few who I text for gates, but it's not a question, I'm telling them windows are due and I will be cleaning them. I don't care if they reply or not, unless they tell me they don't want them doing them they are getting done as we agreed a regular clean.
A. I don't negotiate a regular clean with any new customer. If they specify a frequency, I try to fulfil it. If they don't, they go in the 'call me when needed' category.
We all have our ways of working, and trust me, I don't find it a problem at all because I give every customer the service they want.
John.
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Sod that, what if they forget to reply, are on holiday or just fancy giving it a miss.
A. Not a problem, I'll text them next time, and most will reply in the affirmative.
What if you text 20 custys and only 10 reply. Just do half a days work?
A. No, because it's a relative minority that I text, and I have enough customers to take up the slack on any given day.
It takes all the flexibility out of the job if u text em all. What if you text em all and get rained off all afternoon, then you have to text em all back? Or if you get done early and want to do a few from tomorrows run but can't because you havent text em.
A. If anything, it makes me more flexible in that each visit to an area will likely be different from the last, but without appreciable loss of income (yes really). As long as I make x amount, I'm happy.
If it rains, they know they won't see me that day, but the next day if workable. No retext necessary, although I use discretion if I feel I need to inform customers.
I am seldom if ever in a position to go to tomorrow's work. If I were to be up to date, I'd take the rest of the day off.
Just seems a bit of a farce way of working.
A. Maybe, but it works for me.
I have quite a few who I text for gates, but it's not a question, I'm telling them windows are due and I will be cleaning them. I don't care if they reply or not, unless they tell me they don't want them doing them they are getting done as we agreed a regular clean.
A. I don't negotiate a regular clean with any new customer. If they specify a frequency, I try to fulfil it. If they don't, they go in the 'call me when needed' category.
We all have our ways of working, and trust me, I don't find it a problem at all because I give every customer the service they want.
John.
Quite right mate, we can all do as we please . If you are happy working like that fair enough
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I only text the night before, or a couple of days before, if need access. One I email to let them know Im coming, but other than that I just turn up.
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I dont need to text.
I give them the next clean date on their bill and stick to it.
Job done
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I don't want my customers to be backed into a corner. If they want them cleaned, I clean, but if they don't I have no problem with this at all.
John
Some of them need backing into a corner and a lot of the time it's self inflicted anyway.
If they are messing you about they have no qualms about doing it to you.
Fairness should be a two way thing in this job and if it's not then that's when the problems start.
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I'm afraid I've become a bit of an old cynic down the years. I started window cleaning off ladders many years back and apart from chatting for half an hour with some guy who had done it for years, I had nowhere to turn for suggestions or advice. I had to figure out for myself what was acceptable. I let most things go until I had a pretty full round, then realised that the messers were costing me. I had nearly five hundred customers, and maybe two hundred of them were 'not today thanks'. This was pre-internet and pre-mobile phone, so I didn't pre-notify apart from maybe three customers. That's right, three customers out of nearly five hundred.
I think it's probably why I'm not so tolerant these days. I really had a bellyful of being messed about in the early years, so I started tightening up on things. I actually gave away (not sold) the worst hundred or so - the prices were so low I wouldn't have the cheek asking for money.
I take responsibility. When I very first started I was on zero income due to unemployment and a major recession. I let a lot go because I figured that even a messer's occasional money was better than none. I didn't release the bad work soon enough.
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I dont need to text.
I give them the next clean date on their bill and stick to it.
Job done
i think thats even worse than having to text all your customers and waiting for a reply! ::)roll ;D
surely customers will forget if its 6 or 8 weeks until their next clean date to leave a gate unlocked for example. ::)roll
also it puts pressure on you to be around that day where it could be more convenient for you to clean the day after or the day before or even rescheduling for a week later due to holidays/sickness/exceptionally bad weather etc.
IMO some of you make running a window cleaning business a lot harder/complicated than it needs to be.
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I dont need to text.
I give them the next clean date on their bill and stick to it.
Job done
i think thats even worse than having to text all your customers and waiting for a reply! ::)roll ;D
surely customers will forget if its 6 or 8 weeks until their next clean date to leave a gate unlocked for example. ::)roll
also it puts pressure on you to be around that day where it could be more convenient for you to clean the day after or the day before or even rescheduling for a week later due to holidays/sickness/exceptionally bad weather etc.
IMO some of you make running a window cleaning business a lot harder/complicated than it needs to be.
Agree. I don't know whose windows I'm cleaning tomorrow never mind in 8 weeks.
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I dont need to text.
I give them the next clean date on their bill and stick to it.
Job done
i think thats even worse than having to text all your customers and waiting for a reply! ::)roll ;D
surely customers will forget if its 6 or 8 weeks until their next clean date to leave a gate unlocked for example. ::)roll
also it puts pressure on you to be around that day where it could be more convenient for you to clean the day after or the day before or even rescheduling for a week later due to holidays/sickness/exceptionally bad weather etc.
IMO some of you make running a window cleaning business a lot harder/complicated than it needs to be.
Nope. It works very well.
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I think how you do it is a great idea mark if you can execute it..which you must do...
but it wouldn't work for how I operate as I prefer more flexibility.
What would happen if you went on holiday or for a week? Would they just get skipped
Same if day off or even a half day off for an appointment or van breaks down or weather delay etc, if you have everyone scheduled surely there no room to move anyone so they would have to be skipped?
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Its very simple.
I just plan ahead.
If there is the odd issue, which does happen i text them to inform them and let them know to rearrange.
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the trick (that works for me ) to keep to my work schedule is to allow enough room in your working day/week/month to get your work cleaned come rain/shine,half days here and there,etc.
in other words dont have a full workload(eg 5 days a week at 8 hours a day).instead aim for 5 hours a day 4 or 5 days a week and maximize those hours "on the glass" earning the best hourly rate you can THEN you have time to subtly shift work around a little bit but still get that weeks work cleaned on schedule.
this also allows me to accommodate the add on jobs that spring up here and there too.also some days i might do 6 or even 7 hours "on the glass" leaving a half day on a friday for example.
i also never get behind in winter as i usually finish before 4pm anyway all year round.
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plus if you only plan on doing 5 hours a day(esp in winter)then you can work different hours that day to dodge the worst of the weather.
eg.
830am-2pm(30 min lunch)
9am-230pm(30 min lunch)
930am-3pm(30min lunch)
10am-330pm(30min lunch)
1030am-4pm(30min lunch)
if you can earn £40-£50 an hour then thats £200-£250 a day(£1000-£1250 a week)for 4 or 5 days work.not bad earnings for hours worked.
also by working such short hours you dont end up getting too fed up of window cleaning in the winter months.throw in a decent packed lunch (and soup on cold days)and a flask of tea.decent workwear and waterproof boots,etc and time soon goes by and before you know it your sat at home warm and dry with the satisfaction of a decent days work cleaned and money earnt.
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I have just revamped my whole working schedule into a logical order so that when I finish an area I go to the nearest one to it, instead of driving from one end of town to the other.
I'm hoping this will shorten some of my working days whilst maximizing income.
Up to now I've been starting at first light and finishing at dusk! I don't mind, but I'll be 56 this year and I haven't the same energy I had when I started window cleaning 21 years ago!
John
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I have just revamped my whole working schedule into a logical order so that when I finish an area I go to the nearest one to it, instead of driving from one end of town to the other.
I'm hoping this will shorten some of my working days whilst maximizing income.
Up to now I've been starting at first light and finishing at dusk! I don't mind, but I'll be 56 this year and I haven't the same energy I had when I started window cleaning 21 years ago!
John
johnny its 25 years window cleaning this year for me! ;D
most of my work is within a 5 mile affluent area so my work is very compact allowing job after job after job to be cleaned with hardly any driving about.this has took many years to build though.
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My run in the UK was spread into several towns and villages, but in each place I had some very compact work too (no need to move the van some days)
I'm in Ireland 6 years now, and it was much harder going to build a run here. But I'm happy the way it has gone, especially considering I came here after the financial crash and some well meaning friends reckoned it would be impossible to build a run here!
I have some pockets of compact work, most of which are actually a few miles outside the town in outlying villages, and a council estate in a town 25 miles away!
John
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My run in the UK was spread into several towns and villages, but in each place I had some very compact work too (no need to move the van some days)
I'm in Ireland 6 years now, and it was much harder going to build a run here. But I'm happy the way it has gone, especially considering I came here after the financial crash and some well meaning friends reckoned it would be impossible to build a run here!
I have some pockets of compact work, most of which are actually a few miles outside the town in outlying villages, and a council estate in a town 25 miles away!
John
i remember when you first moved over there johnny.you ve done well mate.where theres a will,theres a way. :)
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It certainly does take a lot of determination and effort to keep going when the odds seem to be against you, but I said to the doubters at the time that I expect it would take time, at least 2-3 years, but I would make it work.
It actually took me 4 years to get to the point where I considered myself to be established, but I now have a favourable reputation in my town.
I also admire what you have achieved Daz, from overcoming difficult personal issues to being a hard working, focused and respected individual.
Best wishes mate and may your success continue.
John
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It certainly does take a lot of determination and effort to keep going when the odds seem to be against you, but I said to the doubters at the time that I expect it would take time, at least 2-3 years, but I would make it work.
It actually took me 4 years to get to the point where I considered myself to be established, but I now have a favourable reputation in my town.
I also admire what you have achieved Daz, from overcoming difficult personal issues to being a hard working, focused and respected individual.
Best wishes mate and may your success continue.
John
I think window cleaning or business in general really opens your eyes to just what you can achieve.
A few years ago i was a minimum wage employee, i thought i was piece of poo, success was for other people not me, i had no self confidence, was just drifting through life.
It took a life changing event (went thru a breakup which ended up with me being sat on the dole and living in my mums spare room at 32 years old) to really question my life and provide me with the nothing to lose mentality to start a business.
3 years of hard work later i have an established business, and its like wow, so thats all it takes to succeed at something, decide what you want to do and do it. A real eye opener to how the world works and to realise that all successfull people are is people who take action. They are not special or mythical or any better than you.
What i love about business is that its shifted my mindset and now i know that i can do anything i want in life.
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It just proves that you can do anything if you are determined enough.
It can be a tough old game at times, but if you keep focusing on where you want to be, then don't let any obstacles or negative influences discourage you.
John