Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: tom20001 on October 15, 2018, 12:58:48 pm
-
Lads I’ve a small biz so basically one man band me only, do you think having a landline makes a difference when prospective customers are mulling over using your services from a flyer or Adwords or another form of advertising?
-
What's a land-line?
Think it is only still around because of Internet providers forces you to have one.
-
Just my opinion, a mobile number on a van looks amateurish and tacky. A bit like tomswindows@yahoo.com.
-
Only pikeys trade from a mobile.
-
Wouldn't give customers my mobile number. They'd just phone me.
-
I know a plumber who still has a fax number on his van :-\
-
Stopped using/having mobile number after six months too many interruptions
They get landline only
Darran
-
Only pikeys trade from a mobile.
I must be a pikey then! I only advertise my mobile no. If it rings, I choose whether to answer it or not - 9 times out of 10 it's only the Mrs anyway!
-
I really don't think it matters these days. Its just a number.
If you buy your work trousers from Lidl or Aldi rather than englebert humpathingy's, does that make you look pikey ?
-
I really don't think it matters these days. Its just a number.
If you buy your work trousers from Lidl or Aldi rather than englebert humpathingy's, does that make you look pikey ?
Yes.
-
Joking btw.
-
Joking btw.
;D
-
I really don't think it matters these days. Its just a number.
If you buy your work trousers from Lidl or Aldi rather than englebert humpathingy's, does that make you look pikey ?
Yes.
Take note Gomo ;D
-
Only pikeys trade from a mobile.
I must be a pikey then! I only advertise my mobile no. If it rings, I choose whether to answer it or not - 9 times out of 10 it's only the Mrs anyway!
Same here lol!
People like to live in the dark ages don't they, even fellow shiners on here 😂. You can't work in the rain, you can't make people pay apart from cash and people only phone landlines 😂😂. (even though the vast majority (up to perhaps a certain age) all use smart phones for calls/ emails and social media etc etc)
-
"(even though the vast majority up to perhaps a certain age, all uses art phones for calls/ emails and social media etc etc)"
I think that comment is painting with a broad brush Nathan. It can easel-y be dismissed.
-
"(even though the vast majority up to perhaps a certain age, all uses art phones for calls/ emails and social media etc etc)"
I think that comment is painting with a broad brush Nathan. It can easel-y be dismissed.
😂 😂
(it's been corrected)
-
mobile only..ive never had a landline number ever.....most of the time i prefer to text customers if i need to contact them for any reason(usually for access,price rise notification or reminder to pay)...it feels less intrusive and quite a lot of the time i dont wanna talk to them anyway. I ALSO ONLY ASK FOR MOBILE NUMBERS WHEN GETTING DETAILS OFF A NEW CUSTOMER....
if a customer(or prospective customer)wants to contact me they can text,email or phone....its up to them....i always get back to them within a few hours if i dont answer straight away......i also have a recorded business voicemail message on my phone....
thats all you need..no need for a landline...who uses landlines these days?hardly anyone is the answer! :)
-
mobile only..ive never had a landline number ever.....most of the time i prefer to text customers if i need to contact them for any reason(usually for access,price rise notification or reminder to pay)...it feels less intrusive and quite a lot of the time i dont wanna talk to them anyway. I ALSO ONLY ASK FOR MOBILE NUMBERS WHEN GETTING DETAILS OFF A NEW CUSTOMER....
if a customer(or prospective customer)wants to contact me they can text,email or phone....its up to them....i always get back to them within a few hours if i dont answer straight away......i also have a recorded business voicemail message on my phone....
thats all you need..no need for a landline...who uses landlines these days?hardly anyone is the answer! :)
Agree with all the above.
Nearly every new potential work call I get is from a mobile. I often don't have pen and paper to hand when answering ( on a job or driving hands free ) so ask them to text me their details after the call - that way I have their mobile contact details and name / address attached. When I had a landline the only calls I ever got was from virginmedia trying to sell me an upgrade or my mum lol ;D ...... and even she uses her mobile now more than her landline.
-
I haven't used a Landline for years either, like dazmond said, if someone rings from their mobile, and your busy, you can ask them to text you on their details name, address, job description, and you get back to them within a couple of hours, it works
for me with no problems, Even if i had a Landline, what's the point of advertising your landline, there's no one at home
during the day to take the call, my wife works all day, by the time i would get home in the afternoon and check recorded messages, and get back to them, they would have gone elsewhere anyway, that's why we have mobiles for business. so people
can contact us directly, people have busy lives, they don't want to be waiting all day for a return call from a landline,
someone made a remark earlier on this thread, stating just having your mobile number on your van looks amateurish ,
well that must be the biggest load of b******s i have heard on here in a long time.
-
It wasn't so long ago that this question was answered on here with landline numbers being preferred over mobiles because it was more 'professional'. 🙄
I only give my mobile number to customers. I have a landline number that only family know about, but as there is no-one around to answer it during the day it would be pointless to give it to customers.
John
-
I haven't used a Landline for years either, like dazmond said, if someone rings from their mobile, and your busy, you can ask them to text you on their details name, address, job description, and you get back to them within a couple of hours, it works
for me with no problems, Even if i had a Landline, what's the point of advertising your landline, there's no one at home
during the day to take the call, my wife works all day, by the time i would get home in the afternoon and check recorded messages, and get back to them, they would have gone elsewhere anyway, that's why we have mobiles for business. so people
can contact us directly, people have busy lives, they don't want to be waiting all day for a return call from a landline,
someone made a remark earlier on this thread, stating just having your mobile number on your van looks amateurish ,
well that must be the biggest load of b******s i have heard on here in a long time.
Name a respected and professional organisation that has a mobile number as a contact number. Hence it looks amateurish.
-
I only have mobile lads. Thanks for the responses as usual very helpful.
However I’m still uncertain whether to get the landline. I have been pushing my biz hard via Adwords and the campaign is perfect except increased clicks are not turning into increased calls and the only logical thing I can think of is people are being put off by lack of landline as most of my competitors do have one.
-
I haven't used a Landline for years either, like dazmond said, if someone rings from their mobile, and your busy, you can ask them to text you on their details name, address, job description, and you get back to them within a couple of hours, it works
for me with no problems, Even if i had a Landline, what's the point of advertising your landline, there's no one at home
during the day to take the call, my wife works all day, by the time i would get home in the afternoon and check recorded messages, and get back to them, they would have gone elsewhere anyway, that's why we have mobiles for business. so people
can contact us directly, people have busy lives, they don't want to be waiting all day for a return call from a landline,
someone made a remark earlier on this thread, stating just having your mobile number on your van looks amateurish ,
well that must be the biggest load of b******s i have heard on here in a long time.
Name a respected and professional organisation that has a mobile number as a contact number. Hence it looks amateurish.
As longs as it works, what does it matter? 😊
John
-
I only have mobile lads. Thanks for the responses as usual very helpful.
However I’m still uncertain whether to get the landline. I have been pushing my biz hard via Adwords and the campaign is perfect except increased clicks are not turning into increased calls and the only logical thing I can think of is people are being put off by lack of landline as most of my competitors do have one.
t
Fwiw I would suggest that if you have the means to answer or reply to calls via a landline, then why not? If not, then having one and no-one being around to take the calls could leave you with a reputation of being difficult if not impossble to contact, losing you potential business, whereas if you are more easily reached on a mobile ...
John
-
I haven't used a Landline for years either, like dazmond said, if someone rings from their mobile, and your busy, you can ask them to text you on their details name, address, job description, and you get back to them within a couple of hours, it works
for me with no problems, Even if i had a Landline, what's the point of advertising your landline, there's no one at home
during the day to take the call, my wife works all day, by the time i would get home in the afternoon and check recorded messages, and get back to them, they would have gone elsewhere anyway, that's why we have mobiles for business. so people
can contact us directly, people have busy lives, they don't want to be waiting all day for a return call from a landline,
someone made a remark earlier on this thread, stating just having your mobile number on your van looks amateurish ,
well that must be the biggest load of b******s i have heard on here in a long time.
Name a respected and professional organisation that has a mobile number as a contact number. Hence it looks amateurish.
were window cleaners not doctors,lawyers or solicitors! ;D
who cares? i dont!and neither does the public IMO.....they just want clean windows!my invoices and business cards have my address on so im easy to find if they dont trust me!
-
A landine only matters if you have an employee sat at a desk manning your phone. If it's not then no point calling it when customers know you work outdoors.
-
I think having a landline makes the customer more at ease with you as a service, they know you are traceable.
Having a mobile-only makes you un-traceable to them. A lot of the old folk around here will only call my landline, or the odd customer I have given a quote to will give me a bell on the landline just to see if it's my number. Verification I suppose.
-
I think having a landline makes the customer more at ease with you as a service, they know you are traceable.
Having a mobile-only makes you un-traceable to them. A lot of the old folk around here will only call my landline, or the odd customer I have given a quote to will give me a bell on the landline just to see if it's my number. Verification I suppose.
Some old folk won't call a mobile due to the price difference in the call. Some have packages where either the day or evening landlines are free.
Haha I don't pay enough attention to land-line packages as I only use mine for the Internet, so don't know if these packages include mobile numbers as well or not nowadays. At one stage I know they didn't and it was more these reasons why some won't phone
-
My landline is VoIP. I can make it look like any number outgoing and have a choice of incoming numbers. It's ace.
-
thats all you need..no need for a landline...who uses landlines these days?hardly anyone is the answer! :)
Older customers, who might be able to use the interweb, but then find it easier to punch six numbers into a phone, rather than eleven.
Older customers, the ones with the grown up kids, mortgage paid, and too lazy or decrepit to clean their own windows.
Older customers; the ones who remember to ensure that you're paid; the ones who feel a bit 'thing' owing money.
Those ones still prefer a landline.
-
I think having a landline makes the customer more at ease with you as a service, they know you are traceable.
Having a mobile-only makes you un-traceable to them. A lot of the old folk around here will only call my landline, or the odd customer I have given a quote to will give me a bell on the landline just to see if it's my number. Verification I suppose.
BS mate...sorry but it is..... ;D...unless you look real dodgy...... ;D
-
thats all you need..no need for a landline...who uses landlines these days?hardly anyone is the answer! :)
Older customers, who might be able to use the interweb, but then find it easier to punch six numbers into a phone, rather than eleven.
Older customers, the ones with the grown up kids, mortgage paid, and too lazy or decrepit to clean their own windows.
Older customers; the ones who remember to ensure that you're paid; the ones who feel a bit 'thing' owing money.
Those ones still prefer a landline.
ive still managed to run a window cleaning business for 25 years without a landline....so no need IMO....
-
A need for land-line these days is just a myth. It's out of date line the VHS and cassette tapes.
It's now about mobiles, websites, email and social media. More traceable than landlines these days. Business addresses can be used on these modern formats too.
.
-
A need for land-line these days is just a myth. It's out of date line the VHS and cassette tapes.
It's now about mobiles, websites, email and social media. More traceable than landlines these days. Business addresses can be used on these modern formats too.
.
You mention email and as I said above, an anonymous email like wibblycleaning@hitmail.com screams amateur too.
-
I just love the way you guys who don’t use landline insist they are out of date and nobody uses them, I agree one man band with nobody to answer could possibly be a waste but it’s easy enough to can calls diverted to your mobile.
Many customers, and certainly other business customers use landline
I don’t use mobile for customer access - there was nothing worse than trying to clean a hose or gutter vac than the phone keep ringing interrupting work.
Only the ‘office’ and staff have my mobile so if they ring I know it’s reasonably important
A landline does show your locally based and this is important to some people - usually the older generation
If in doubt have both
Darran
-
However, keeping up with modern times. Wear a blue tooth headset and answer your calls whilst you work.
Potential customers can text/forward your address or else you can book Mark their number and arrange a call back for further details.
-
I just love the way you guys who don’t use landline insist they are out of date and nobody uses them, I agree one man band with nobody to answer could possibly be a waste but it’s easy enough to can calls diverted to your mobile.
Many customers, and certainly other business customers use landline
I don’t use mobile for customer access - there was nothing worse than trying to clean a hose or gutter vac than the phone keep ringing interrupting work.
Only the ‘office’ and staff have my mobile so if they ring I know it’s reasonably important
A landline does show your locally based and this is important to some people - usually the older generation
If in doubt have both
Darran
I'm not based locally though...I live in Salford and mainly work in Cheshire...... ;D
-
However, keeping up with modern times. Wear a blue tooth headset and answer your calls whilst you work.
Potential customers can text/forward your address or else you can book Mark their number and arrange a call back for further details.
I would deliberately avoid this guy:
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1539680209_bluetooth-guy.jpg)
-
However, keeping up with modern times. Wear a blue tooth headset and answer your calls whilst you work.
Potential customers can text/forward your address or else you can book Mark their number and arrange a call back for further details.
I would deliberately avoid this guy:
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1539680209_bluetooth-guy.jpg)
Absolutely agree, however most Bluetooth earphones have microphones allowing you to make and receive calls with a little bit more discretion
-
I just love the way you guys who don’t use landline insist they are out of date and nobody uses them, I agree one man band with nobody to answer could possibly be a waste but it’s easy enough to can calls diverted to your mobile.
Many customers, and certainly other business customers use landline
I don’t use mobile for customer access - there was nothing worse than trying to clean a hose or gutter vac than the phone keep ringing interrupting work.
Only the ‘office’ and staff have my mobile so if they ring I know it’s reasonably important
A landline does show your locally based and this is important to some people - usually the older generation
If in doubt have both
Darran
I text some customers the night before for access,text remind the odd one in the evening for payment,they very rarely reply by phoning me up so I don't get interrupted.......
If I get any phone calls in the day then I don't usually answer them there and then and get back to them at lunchtime or evening.....again so it doesn't interrupt my work...
-
I just love the way you guys who don’t use landline insist they are out of date and nobody uses them, I agree one man band with nobody to answer could possibly be a waste but it’s easy enough to can calls diverted to your mobile.
Many customers, and certainly other business customers use landline
I don’t use mobile for customer access - there was nothing worse than trying to clean a hose or gutter vac than the phone keep ringing interrupting work.
Only the ‘office’ and staff have my mobile so if they ring I know it’s reasonably important
A landline does show your locally based and this is important to some people - usually the older generation
If in doubt have both
Darran
I text some customers the night before for access,text remind the odd one in the evening for payment,they very rarely reply by phoning me up so I don't get interrupted.......
If I get any phone calls in the day then I don't usually answer them there and then and get back to them at lunchtime or evening.....again so it doesn't interrupt my work...
You have to text ahead as the customers never when your coming
So you ignore the mobile - ? So no difference between that and a landline then
Darran
-
However, keeping up with modern times. Wear a blue tooth headset and answer your calls whilst you work.
Potential customers can text/forward your address or else you can book Mark their number and arrange a call back for further details.
I would deliberately avoid this guy:
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1539680209_bluetooth-guy.jpg)
Absolutely agree, however most Bluetooth earphones have microphones allowing you to make and receive calls with a little bit more discretion
You still look like a tit though.
-
I just love the way you guys who don’t use landline insist they are out of date and nobody uses them, I agree one man band with nobody to answer could possibly be a waste but it’s easy enough to can calls diverted to your mobile.
Many customers, and certainly other business customers use landline
I don’t use mobile for customer access - there was nothing worse than trying to clean a hose or gutter vac than the phone keep ringing interrupting work.
Only the ‘office’ and staff have my mobile so if they ring I know it’s reasonably important
A landline does show your locally based and this is important to some people - usually the older generation
If in doubt have both
Darran
Problem is my landline never gets used. It's a family private house line. If it rang any one could answer it including a child. This would sound unprofessional for a busness call.
-
I just love the way you guys who don’t use landline insist they are out of date and nobody uses them, I agree one man band with nobody to answer could possibly be a waste but it’s easy enough to can calls diverted to your mobile.
Many customers, and certainly other business customers use landline
I don’t use mobile for customer access - there was nothing worse than trying to clean a hose or gutter vac than the phone keep ringing interrupting work.
Only the ‘office’ and staff have my mobile so if they ring I know it’s reasonably important
A landline does show your locally based and this is important to some people - usually the older generation
If in doubt have both
Darran
Problem is my landline never gets used. It's a family private house line. If it rang any one could answer it including a child. This would sound unprofessional for a busness call.
Rent a virtual one. It'd be daft to use your home number.
-
I just love the way you guys who don’t use landline insist they are out of date and nobody uses them, I agree one man band with nobody to answer could possibly be a waste but it’s easy enough to can calls diverted to your mobile.
Many customers, and certainly other business customers use landline
I don’t use mobile for customer access - there was nothing worse than trying to clean a hose or gutter vac than the phone keep ringing interrupting work.
Only the ‘office’ and staff have my mobile so if they ring I know it’s reasonably important
A landline does show your locally based and this is important to some people - usually the older generation
If in doubt have both
Darran
I text some customers the night before for access,text remind the odd one in the evening for payment,they very rarely reply by phoning me up so I don't get interrupted.......
If I get any phone calls in the day then I don't usually answer them there and then and get back to them at lunchtime or evening.....again so it doesn't interrupt my work...
You have to text ahead as the customers never when your coming
So you ignore the mobile - ? So no difference between that and a landline then
Darran
maybe it works for you with staff but most one man outfits do not need anything more than a mobile/decent smartphone for contacting customers(or being contacted by them).....
i dont ignore phone calls so to speak but i rarely get my phone out of my pocket in time before it goes on to voicemail when im poling away! ;D
-
Ignore - don’t answer very much the same thing Daz
If and when you read the posts I’m not against mobile only, I did indicate that for single operators this was fine, I also pointed out that landlines are still very much used and even preferred to mobile - what I haven’t done is a general sweeping statement that landlines are not needed
The op asked a question and has several responses/experiences from that hopefully he can make a more informed decision on whether he uses mobile or landline or both
Darran
-
Might be worth trialing a 0800 virtual number?
Anyone tried this?
-
Might be worth trialing a 0800 virtual number?
Anyone tried this?
I think a local number is better. Implies you’re local.
-
I'm considering giving up my land line. The time has passed from when mobile only was regarded as possibly a bit dodgy. So long as you give out mobile, address and email, people can make contact and identify a building to go with it. This would mean me being stuck with Virginmedia though, I think, as that comes in on a fibre optic cable; if broadband comes in on the phone line, it may be difficult to separate them. I will be looking into the possibilities soon.
-
Let's not forget we are just window cleaners and on that note I don't believe that our customers don't care if you live round the corner or ten miles away or further. As long as you look trustworthy, have a fair price and do a good job, they couldn't care less.
-
Let's not forget we arejust window cleaners and on that note I don't believe that our customers don't care if you live round the corner or ten miles away or further. As long as you look trustworthy, have a fair price and do a good job, they couldn't care less.
Speak for yourself mate - I don’t believe anyone is a “just” that’s a derogatory way of looking at yourself - window cleaner you/we maybe but whether working on your own or have staff at the very least you have multiple rolls to fulfill unlike the general paye worker
Darran
-
But at the end of the day, regardless of which business title we give our self's and regardless of how many staff or vans you have out. We are all window cleaners and not some business which is dependant on people relying on us being local to their house for them to be concerned if we hold a local land line number.
Also many large companies, now use/pay for a local number when in fact they are not local but national.
So the debate on people looking at local land line numbers for window cleaners is an old argument.
It's more based on the cost of a call to a land-line compared to the cost of a land line to mobile call which is the factor in question and that mostly is due to the older potential client who don't use mobile phones for such daily calls
-
I'm with NK.
I'm just a window cleaner.
Nothing to see here. Move along.
-
But at the end of the day, regardless of which business title we give our self's and regardless of how many staff or vans you have out. We are all window cleaners and not some business which is dependant on people relying on us being local to their house for them to be concerned if we hold a local land line number.
Also many large companies, now use/pay for a local number when in fact they are not local but national.
So the debate on people looking at local land line numbers for window cleaners is an old argument.
It's more based on the cost of a call to a land-line compared to the cost of a land line to mobile call which is the factor in question and that mostly is due to the older potential client who don't use mobile phones for such daily calls
I think you just shot yourself in the foot, with that line - national companies wanting to look local - why? Because people still like to use local services/people
In Norfolk that is most definitely the case ( I’m not saying all, or even majority as I don’t have any data on it - but I will say approx 1 in 4 new customers say we called you as your local )
Darran
-
Totally agree with Darren’s comments a lot of our customers chose us beacause we are local and live In the area and personally think a landline no and mobile number looks more professional it also gives people the choise of the number they want to call some people still think it’s expensive to phone a mobile and won’t call especialy older customers, round our way a lot of Pickies go round with nice flash looking vehicles with mobile no on them and the majority of peopke won’t entertain using them beacause they don’t have a land line no . Given a choise myself if I didn’t know the company I was looking at doing a job for me I would lean towards the one with both numbers
-
ive got that many customers in the posh areas(over 300 now) i work they think i live local! ;D
i dont of course....! ;D
-
ive got that many customers in the posh areas(over 300 now) i work they think i live local! ;D
i dont of course....! ;D
A posh area of customers would be horrified if they thought their window cleaner lived on their patch ;D
-
When all is said and done, all that matters is what works for us personally.
I have a landline but never give it to customers because there's no-one in during the day. No-one ever asks for it anyway but I am always asked for a card (which I also don't carry) or my mobile number.
My van isn't signwritten, and I don't advertise.
With all this you would think I wouldn't get any work or that I may appear unprofessional, but the reality is is that I have become well known in my locality and I am bursting with work based on the way I treat my customers and by doing the best quality job I can, not by being all whistles and bells.
John
-
As a one man band or small business mobile only as that's the best to txt customers and be texted or called whilst we are out.
If I had a larger business where I was sat in an office 9-5 I would have landline only and be able to take calls during work house. That would also mean I'm not pestered on an evening.
So there that's the difinitive answer.
-
If I needed a plumber or roofer I would just call their mobile as I know they would not be home. Simple
-
As a one man band or small business mobile only as that's the best to txt customers and be texted or called whilst we are out.
If I had a larger business where I was sat in an office 9-5 I would have landline only and be able to take calls during work house. That would also mean I'm not pestered on an evening.
So there that's the difinitive answer.
I think you are spot on. All references to a mobile number are gone now. I’ve recently made the final move which was to remove the number from outgoing day before texts. They now have to phone the landline which gets switched off at 5:30.