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UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: James Styles on November 15, 2019, 02:54:28 pm

Title: Christmas question
Post by: James Styles on November 15, 2019, 02:54:28 pm
I know I may get laughed at for this question but it is a genuine question lol.
This will be my first winter/Xmas being a window cleaner or running any business self employed.
I was wondering do you have any customers who give you a Christmas card or little gift?
I was also wondering do you give any of your customers a xmas card if they’ve got you one etc?
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: deeege on November 15, 2019, 03:03:13 pm
I get a few quid in tips, loads less now that most customers pay online though. I also get a few boxes of chocolates and the occasional bottle of wine.

I’m grateful for every tip but more grateful for the custom they give throughout the year.

Sending cards or wearing a Santa hat is a bit desperate imo, each to their own though.
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: dazmond on November 15, 2019, 04:06:23 pm
I used to get around £500 in tips and maybe a few bottles of wine,chocs,etc...last year i got around £400 in cash tips,no chocs or booze.....i think this year ill be lucky to get £100 in tips as i dont collect anymore and most pay online like danny says......

ive never got any of my customers xmas cards  but i usually get 4 or 5 (at least) off some of my dear elderly customers that ive been cleaning for 20+ years!
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: SB Cleaning on November 15, 2019, 04:28:49 pm
I used to get around £500 in tips and maybe a few bottles of wine,chocs,etc...last year i got around £400 in cash tips,no chocs or booze.....i think this year ill be lucky to get £100 in tips as i dont collect anymore and most pay online like danny says......

ive never got any of my customers xmas cards  but i usually get 4 or 5 (at least) off some of my dear elderly customers that ive been cleaning for 20+ years!
Most of my customers pay online Daz but I  still get tips off some of them they pay extra into my bank ;D
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: Don Kee on November 15, 2019, 04:53:04 pm
I give all of a £5tip just to change it up a bit.

They all seem to appreciate the gesture, and it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside.
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: Shrek on November 15, 2019, 06:55:19 pm
I’m not interested in tips , I’d prefer to earn proper decent money all year round. I’m very great full for my customers and they know this. I’m certainly not cheap either. What’s £10 for a couple of hundred Christmas cards  once a year just to say thanks for your business and merry Christmas. I have done this since The 1st year I started
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: Johnny B on November 15, 2019, 09:58:22 pm
Xmas means nothing to me 😉,  and many of my customers know this, although I respect that it means a lot to them.

I get a few boxes of chocs, a bottle of wine here and there and a few tips. I have thought about producing some 'thank you' cards expressing my gratitude to my loyal customers, but as I post a message on my facebook page to this effect, I haven't followed through on the idea.

John
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: Slacky on November 15, 2019, 10:37:42 pm
I got a relationship from one of my customers a couple of christmases back. We're still together ;)
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: dazmond on November 16, 2019, 01:19:46 pm
I’m not interested in tips , I’d prefer to earn proper decent money all year round. I’m very great full for my customers and they know this. I’m certainly not cheap either. What’s £10 for a couple of hundred Christmas cards  once a year just to say thanks for your business and merry Christmas. I have done this since The 1st year I started

nice touch that mate....do you write them all out or do they come with a generic message on them?(like i get off the postman!).....id need 341 cards...... ;D
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: Shrek on November 16, 2019, 05:30:39 pm
I’m not interested in tips , I’d prefer to earn proper decent money all year round. I’m very great full for my customers and they know this. I’m certainly not cheap either. What’s £10 for a couple of hundred Christmas cards  once a year just to say thanks for your business and merry Christmas. I have done this since The 1st year I started

nice touch that mate....do you write them all out or do they come with a generic message on them?(like i get off the postman!).....id need 341 cards...... ;D

Yeah defo generic , I usually get the Tesco charity cards 3x 30 packs for £3 deal. Just basically -
‘ Thank you for your business & merry Christmas from the shrek family’

I do get my mrs to write them on a nightly basis though because my handwriting isn’t the neatest!! I just think without my custards , I wouldn’t be travelling to the 5* maxx royal Belek !! So a Christmas card is something nice to do at Christmas, especially to my elderly custards who don’t have any family, it really cheers them up  :)
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: NWH on November 16, 2019, 07:58:52 pm
Who was that on here that once said they put a Xmas tip for thereselves on the window cleaner called today ticket lol
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: KS Cleaning on November 16, 2019, 08:07:30 pm
Who was that on here that once said they put a Xmas tip for thereselves on the window cleaner called today ticket lol
Aye and some on here took it hook line & sinker😂
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: Clever Forum Name on November 16, 2019, 08:28:31 pm
Had my first tip on Friday of a tenner which is always nice.

We do around a £800-£1000 a year in tips across all the vans and the franchisees naturally keep theirs.

I will be doing Christmas cards at some point over the next few years but sod writing out 2000+ cards lol!
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: nathankaye on November 16, 2019, 10:12:44 pm
I take my little kids dressed as elves when im out collecting.  Its the only time of the year I collect  ;D
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: dazmond on November 17, 2019, 09:07:26 pm
I bought 320 xmas cards today for  under £9!I've already wrote 120 out....took me 3 hours this afternoon!

Thank you for your custom over the year!
Best wishes
Darren(window cleaner)

First time in 26 years!like shrek says I wouldn't have the great life I have today if it wasn't for my customers.....im feeling grateful.....👍
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: Shrek on November 17, 2019, 09:13:03 pm
That’s awesome daz , your customers will appreciate it  :)

I’m surprised you haven’t got hand cramp 😂 😢
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: Don Kee on November 18, 2019, 07:50:53 am


I’m surprised you haven’t got hand cramp 😂 😢

Backs gone, hands gone...he’ll be walking around like Quasimodo!
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: KS Cleaning on November 18, 2019, 08:02:18 am
I bought 320 xmas cards today for  under £9!I've already wrote 120 out....took me 3 hours this afternoon!

Thank you for your custom over the year!
Best wishes
Darren(window cleaner)

First time in 26 years!like shrek says I wouldn't have the great life I have today if it wasn't for my customers.....im feeling grateful.....👍
Your customers are gonna be thinking...........shameful, this guys only after a Xmas tip😂😂
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: dazmond on November 18, 2019, 08:51:58 pm
That’s awesome daz , your customers will appreciate it  :)

I’m surprised you haven’t got hand cramp 😂 😢

im gonna start posting them from monday next week......im not going to get around all my jobs before xmas but around 280+ will get cleaned i reckon...... :)
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: jk999 on November 19, 2019, 08:35:10 pm
Why dont you get a stamper made with your name on it so you dont have to write them out
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: dazmond on November 19, 2019, 11:38:41 pm
Why dont you get a stamper made with your name on it so you dont have to write them out

im writing a little thank you message inside each card so a stamper would be no good on its own,id still have to write in them,also i think it adds the personal touch....its took me 4 hours to write out 160 cards...only another 3 hours to go(i think ill do an hour a night for the next 3 nights) :)
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: KS Cleaning on November 20, 2019, 12:02:41 am
Why dont you get a stamper made with your name on it so you dont have to write them out

im writing a little thank you message inside each card so a stamper would be no good on its own,id still have to write in them,also i think it adds the personal touch....its took me 4 hours to write out 160 cards...only another 3 hours to go(i think ill do an hour a night for the next 3 nights) :)
Well that’s sure gonna hurt your hourly rate😂
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: jk999 on November 20, 2019, 04:07:30 pm
You can get the stamper made to say that
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: robbo333 on November 20, 2019, 04:47:02 pm
I get tips every year and usually from the people who can least afford it! I appreciate the gesture. Also get a few pressies etc etc.

I do not send out Christmas cards to my customers.

What I do instead (and I tell the custys what I do) is to work out the cost of all the cards (I call it £60) and I donate that money to a charity at Christmas. All my custys seem happy with this, I don't have to faff around with cards and a charity gets £60.
Used to be Air Ambulance but this year will probably be RNLI.
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: hank jr on November 20, 2019, 05:10:23 pm
I've never give cards out in ten years. That's not to say I've never thought about it.

After working all day, collecting a few nights a week I decided I couldn't be arsed writing 8 million cards out.

So they just get a merry crimbo off me and 5 mins chit chat at the door. I always ask any kids what father crimbo is bringing them and all that stuff (gets them even more excited).

Anyway I usually get a decent amount of tips, chocolates and cards.  :)
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: dazmond on November 20, 2019, 05:17:59 pm
I've never give cards out in ten years. That's not to say I've never thought about it.

After working all day, collecting a few nights a week I decided I couldn't be arsed writing 8 million cards out.

So they just get a merry crimbo off me and 5 mins chit chat at the door. I always ask any kids what father crimbo is bringing them and all that stuff (gets them even more excited).

Anyway I usually get a decent amount of tips, chocolates and cards.  :)

i dont collect in the evenings anymore,in fact i dont see hardly any of my customers  either these days (day to day)....also i only work around 25-30 hours a week so plenty of time to write a few cards out.....its taking me an hour per 40 cards so ill have put in a 7 hour shift to write 280 out.... ;D
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: dazmond on November 20, 2019, 05:18:45 pm
You can get the stamper made to say that

ill probably get one made up for next year then....... ;)
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: dazmond on November 20, 2019, 05:20:54 pm
I get tips every year and usually from the people who can least afford it! I appreciate the gesture. Also get a few pressies etc etc.

I do not send out Christmas cards to my customers.

What I do instead (and I tell the custys what I do) is to work out the cost of all the cards (I call it £60) and I donate that money to a charity at Christmas. All my custys seem happy with this, I don't have to faff around with cards and a charity gets £60.
Used to be Air Ambulance but this year will probably be RNLI.

i bought 320 charity  xmas cards for under £9! ;D
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: Frankybadboy on November 20, 2019, 05:25:47 pm
Who was that on here that once said they put a Xmas tip for thereselves on the window cleaner called today ticket lol
yes that was me,

this year we put it up to £6 for every customer we clean,this is our 6th year of doing this and we dont get any problems from it,its well explained to all new customers  who except it or find another cleaner 
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: Don Kee on November 20, 2019, 08:12:16 pm
Who was that on here that once said they put a Xmas tip for thereselves on the window cleaner called today ticket lol
yes that was me,

this year we put it up to £6 for every customer we clean,this is our 6th year of doing this and we dont get any problems from it,its well explained to all new customers  who except it or find another cleaner


You can’t do that, that’s scandalous!!!

How do you sleep at night putting a compulsory xmas tip on peoples bills?! :o
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: Frankybadboy on November 21, 2019, 04:03:14 pm
Who was that on here that once said they put a Xmas tip for thereselves on the window cleaner called today ticket lol
yes that was me,

this year we put it up to £6 for every customer we clean,this is our 6th year of doing this and we dont get any problems from it,its well explained to all new customers  who except it or find another cleaner


You can’t do that, that’s scandalous!!!

How do you sleep at night putting a compulsory xmas tip on peoples bills?! :o
its called a service charge  :o :o :o :o :o   we prove the service they pay the extra
Title: Re: Christmas question
Post by: robbo333 on November 21, 2019, 04:20:03 pm
I get tips every year and usually from the people who can least afford it! I appreciate the gesture. Also get a few pressies etc etc.

I do not send out Christmas cards to my customers.

What I do instead (and I tell the custys what I do) is to work out the cost of all the cards (I call it £60) and I donate that money to a charity at Christmas. All my custys seem happy with this, I don't have to faff around with cards and a charity gets £60.
Used to be Air Ambulance but this year will probably be RNLI.

i bought 320 charity  xmas cards for under £9! ;D

Exactly right:
Cards £9.00
Faffing about £51.00
= £60
Bingo!  ;D