Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Jay Le Huray on April 12, 2023, 05:06:48 pm
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Last week I dumped 3 customers in the same area on the same day, reasons as follows
1, not this time thanks (3 strikes) £15 job
2, dog poop everywhere despite my warnings £17 job
3, overgrown branches and found it hard to get back access £26 job
total dropped £58 every 8 weeks, but it's not all doom and gloom as I picked up a pub just down the road from these jobs for £37
every 2 weeks for 15 minutes work with wfp
so in all I lost £348 per year but gained £962
So what are your reasons for dumping jobs?
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A £50 monthly dentist I dropped 5 years ago for poor payment had me back immediately by offering to pay cash.
5 years on the question is asked if I accept bank transfer and confirmed I did and reminded them of their past.
The owe me for last month.
They won’t owe me next month as I ain’t going back.
It my and my families dentist who don’t offer me credit
Boils my hiss
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Awkward access
Parking issues
Very late payment all the time
Dog muck
Clutter down the side of house
Skipping cleans too often for no good reason
I've dumped at least 10 jobs over the last year for several of the above issues combined....
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Funny im just compiling a list for a big dump
Skipping cleans
Forgetting to leave gate open
slow paying
dog muck
poor parking
poor access (via neghbours gardens or a garage)
needs ladders
skylights
underpriced
too nice (yes oddly i have a a couple of these)
too much hose needs to be out (mid terraced etc)
pita to get hose round (cars/bins/plantpot etc)
scary dogs
bit out of the way
has awkward windows (neck breakers usually over connys or tight ginnels)
garden is a dump, have to stand amongst crisp packets and nappies etc
needs (or wants) to be in
always asks what time
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Funny im just compiling a list for a big dump
Skipping cleans
Forgetting to leave gate open
slow paying
dog muck
poor parking
poor access (via neghbours gardens or a garage)
needs ladders
skylights
underpriced
too nice (yes oddly i have a a couple of these)
too much hose needs to be out (mid terraced etc)
pita to get hose round (cars/bins/plantpot etc)
scary dogs
bit out of the way
has awkward windows (neck breakers usually over connys or tight ginnels)
garden is a dump, have to stand amongst crisp packets and nappies etc
needs (or wants) to be in
always asks what time
Now your back on your own you can have a good dump and start/finish when you want.....
Download some audiobooks/podcasts and get yourself some decent Bluetooth ear buds and away you go Adam.....🙂
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Funny im just compiling a list for a big dump
Skipping cleans
Forgetting to leave gate open
slow paying
dog muck
poor parking
poor access (via neghbours gardens or a garage)
needs ladders
skylights
underpriced
too nice (yes oddly i have a a couple of these)
too much hose needs to be out (mid terraced etc)
pita to get hose round (cars/bins/plantpot etc)
scary dogs
bit out of the way
has awkward windows (neck breakers usually over connys or tight ginnels)
garden is a dump, have to stand amongst crisp packets and nappies etc
needs (or wants) to be in
always asks what time
Now your back on your own you can have a good dump and start/finish when you want.....
Download some audiobooks/podcasts and get yourself some decent Bluetooth ear buds and away you go Adam.....🙂
Sounds like heaven
Am i wrong to be excited about this prospect ;D
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Funny im just compiling a list for a big dump
Skipping cleans
Forgetting to leave gate open
slow paying
dog muck
poor parking
poor access (via neghbours gardens or a garage)
needs ladders
skylights
underpriced
too nice (yes oddly i have a a couple of these)
too much hose needs to be out (mid terraced etc)
pita to get hose round (cars/bins/plantpot etc)
scary dogs
bit out of the way
has awkward windows (neck breakers usually over connys or tight ginnels)
garden is a dump, have to stand amongst crisp packets and nappies etc
needs (or wants) to be in
always asks what time
Now your back on your own you can have a good dump and start/finish when you want.....
Download some audiobooks/podcasts and get yourself some decent Bluetooth ear buds and away you go Adam.....🙂
Sounds like heaven
Am i wrong to be excited about this prospect ;D
Honestly Adam its far easier on your own IMO.....I've had loads of lads work with me over the years but I prefer working alone....
The trick is to refine your round and get rid of every single job that requires ladders or that you hate cleaning
Work short, productive days
Buy the best equipment available
Be extremely organised
Listen to podcasts,audiobooks,music or radio while cleaning.
No weekend working.
Work in all but the worst of weather.
Take at least 2 or 3 holidays a year and xmas off.....
Enjoy your low stress,minimal hours well paid round and keep your hobbies going!🙂👍
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Funny im just compiling a list for a big dump
Skipping cleans
Forgetting to leave gate open
slow paying
dog muck
poor parking
poor access (via neghbours gardens or a garage)
needs ladders
skylights
underpriced
too nice (yes oddly i have a a couple of these)
too much hose needs to be out (mid terraced etc)
pita to get hose round (cars/bins/plantpot etc)
scary dogs
bit out of the way
has awkward windows (neck breakers usually over connys or tight ginnels)
garden is a dump, have to stand amongst crisp packets and nappies etc
needs (or wants) to be in
always asks what time
Now your back on your own you can have a good dump and start/finish when you want.....
Download some audiobooks/podcasts and get yourself some decent Bluetooth ear buds and away you go Adam.....🙂
Sounds like heaven
Am i wrong to be excited about this prospect ;D
Honestly Adam its far easier on your own IMO.....I've had loads of lads work with me over the years but I prefer working alone....
The trick is to refine your round and get rid of every single job that requires ladders or that you hate cleaning
Work short, productive days
Buy the best equipment available
Be extremely organised
Listen to podcasts,audiobooks,music or radio while cleaning.
No weekend working.
Work in all but the worst of weather.
Take at least 2 or 3 holidays a year and xmas off.....
Enjoy your low stress,minimal hours well paid round and keep your hobbies going!🙂👍
In stoots case that will be the entire round ;D
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dumped 2 new ones for tomorrow already
1 needed to be in for access, 1 didnt want them doing as it was going to rain :D
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Funny im just compiling a list for a big dump
Skipping cleans
Forgetting to leave gate open
slow paying
dog muck
poor parking
poor access (via neghbours gardens or a garage)
needs ladders
skylights
underpriced
too nice (yes oddly i have a a couple of these)
too much hose needs to be out (mid terraced etc)
pita to get hose round (cars/bins/plantpot etc)
scary dogs
bit out of the way
has awkward windows (neck breakers usually over connys or tight ginnels)
garden is a dump, have to stand amongst crisp packets and nappies etc
needs (or wants) to be in
always asks what time
Now your back on your own you can have a good dump and start/finish when you want.....
Download some audiobooks/podcasts and get yourself some decent Bluetooth ear buds and away you go Adam.....🙂
Sounds like heaven
Am i wrong to be excited about this prospect ;D
You’ll be looking to employ again before summer ;D
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Funny im just compiling a list for a big dump
Skipping cleans
Forgetting to leave gate open
slow paying
dog muck
poor parking
poor access (via neghbours gardens or a garage)
needs ladders
skylights
underpriced
too nice (yes oddly i have a a couple of these)
too much hose needs to be out (mid terraced etc)
pita to get hose round (cars/bins/plantpot etc)
scary dogs
bit out of the way
has awkward windows (neck breakers usually over connys or tight ginnels)
garden is a dump, have to stand amongst crisp packets and nappies etc
needs (or wants) to be in
always asks what time
Now your back on your own you can have a good dump and start/finish when you want.....
Download some audiobooks/podcasts and get yourself some decent Bluetooth ear buds and away you go Adam.....🙂
Sounds like heaven
Am i wrong to be excited about this prospect ;D
You’ll be looking to employ again before summer ;D
Probably my mind changes almost daily
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dumped 2 new ones for tomorrow already
1 needed to be in for access, 1 didnt want them doing as it was going to rain :D
Another reason to dump!
I've always dumped jobs where they say 'can you skip mine tomorrow cos it's gonna rain'
Absolute idiots,you can't run a business with messers like that.
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I used to have a customer with a large, expensive house and she was lovely.
Her husband was a d1ck; I would turn up and knock and would say 'Oh it's you!'.
I let this slide for a while because money is money and it didn't really bother me.
About the 4th visit I asked if he could open the side gate and he said he would do so 'after he had his shower'!
I smiled and just drove off. His wife phoned me later that day and appologised but unfortunately...dumped!
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I used to have a customer with a large, expensive house and she was lovely.
Her husband was a d1ck; I would turn up and knock and would say 'Oh it's you!'.
I let this slide for a while because money is money and it didn't really bother me.
About the 4th visit I asked if he could open the side gate and he said he would do so 'after he had his shower'!
I smiled and just drove off. His wife phoned me later that day and appologised but unfortunately...dumped!
How did you tell her about her husband?
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I didn't tell her. I think when she realised I hadn't cleaned the windows, she must have asked her hubby what happened and then worked it out herself, that he had been quite rude.
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I used to have a customer with a large, expensive house and she was lovely.
Her husband was a d1ck; I would turn up and knock and would say 'Oh it's you!'.
I let this slide for a while because money is money and it didn't really bother me.
About the 4th visit I asked if he could open the side gate and he said he would do so 'after he had his shower'!
I smiled and just drove off. His wife phoned me later that day and appologised but unfortunately...dumped!
I had something similar a few years ago. Lovely woman, dickhead for a husband. Went back in the evening to collect as arranged and he answered the door saying very indignantly "I'm having my tea, come back later". Not sure how I kept my mouth shut. Saw her next clean and she apologised, said they were separating and called him a dick. I smiled and nodded, and never went back as he was keeping the house.
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I have a theory some customers don't just want a window cleaner they want to have "staff", someone they can tell what to do and they try and Lord it over you.
They never last long
If someone doesn't respect you why would you work for them. It's a transaction, you're not a servant.
I'm quite accommodating with most things and if someone is a bit of a pain with access etc I'll just put the price up, if something takes me longer I don't get annoyed I just charge more for it.
I will allow the odd 'not today' please because you don't know what is going on in the house and I'm always behind with my work as I have too much, but if it becomes a habit they get binned
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⬆️ that’s exactly how I see it and how I work 👍.
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I don’t know why this phrase winds me up so much….”We’re ok for now but maybe next time”….
Nah you’re alright,do them yourself.Sling your hook.
Bad payment is the worst one though.I swear some people just wouldn’t pay unless they were chased up for it.Some genuinely forget and that’s fair enough but others just take the absolute p1ss 🤬
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On Monday...can you just do the tops in future,hubby says he will do the bottoms,it will save us a few quid
...😉😤..when I handed her the invoice 😭end of customer...full price charged
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I don’t know why this phrase winds me up so much….”We’re ok for now but maybe next time”….
Nah you’re alright,do them yourself.Sling your hook.
Bad payment is the worst one though.I swear some people just wouldn’t pay unless they were chased up for it.Some genuinely forget and that’s fair enough but others just take the absolute p1ss 🤬
yes... with some it is deliberate.... they wait until the reminder , then pay a few days later... I dumped one this week for that reason
I now have no stragglers for payment on my rounds .
One thing i have found also , is to make sure the bill goes into the letter box and not into a customers hand .
you give them the bill, and whilst they are talking to you , they fold it into the size of a stamp , and put it in their pocket to be forgotten ;D ;D
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I don’t know why this phrase winds me up so much….”We’re ok for now but maybe next time”….
Nah you’re alright,do them yourself.Sling your hook.
Bad payment is the worst one though.I swear some people just wouldn’t pay unless they were chased up for it.Some genuinely forget and that’s fair enough but others just take the absolute p1ss 🤬
It's the attitude that irks me. The fact you tell the customer it's a clean every X weeks, rain or shine, they agree to it, then they decide somewhere down the line that they're after a more ad hoc basis. Usually at short notice and when it's been bad weather. Sure thing, I'll just move you to my special customer folder.... marked "Bin". Try telling your bank that you're going to wait a few days before deciding whether you want to pay your mortgage and see where that gets you ::)roll