Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Clear Vision on January 17, 2007, 07:34:49 pm
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Hi there,
Was cleaning a very nice bungalow which is reasonably priced today. When finished I chapped at the door to get paid. she came out and paid me and said... "we've decieded to do our windows ourself! we bought all the things for doing it"
Typical me just said... "aye, no bother >:(
Went away thinking all sorts of things!
was it wfp???
was it me???
was I too deer???
Was my work no good enough???
It really knocks you for six!!! >:( >:(
Matthew :'( :'( :'(
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Don't be afraid to ask the customer why they are dumping you? Just say "may I ask why you're stopping". Some customers will tell you all sorts of lies but the majority will be honest with you. If you don't ask, then you'll never find out why they're dumping you!
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I always walk away and think s**t, I should have said this or that!
It really puts you down! (well, me anyway)
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Hi
You will find a replacement within a few days.
Had the same thing 4 months ago - put the customer's price up and he immediately decided to do his own windows.
But within a few months he was back paying the new price - helped by his wife.
Haven't found many customers doing a good job cleaning their own windows.
Spruce
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It's just that sort of post clear vision , that shows that you care, that would make most people want to employ your services.
Over the long haul the good guys always win.
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Matthew,
Don't be so sensitive. You win lots and you lose a few. It's only one account and it doesn't sound as if it was a large one that paid zillions-of-pounds per hour.
They were polite enough to let you down nicely, I've had two customers in four years who've been rude (one who wanted me back ;D) when 'sacking' me.
Don't worry about it. It's only one account. Do you really care? It's not personal. The Christmas debt has probably kicked in and they've got to make some cut backs. That's fair enough.
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Ive loads of work, fair too much, i like it that way, means if i lose a few its not major issue, so im well covered
BUT
when i lose ANY work, it puts me on a downer for the week, really gets to me
silly isnt it
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they'll be back mate, very very few customers stick at doing their own windows for long for 2 reasons- 1. they find that they end up making a right mess & 2. they can't be arsed after a couple of attempted cleans. the good thing is that when they do come back they'll appreciate you a lot more. :D :D
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Thanks guys for all the words of encourgement!
It's just that I haven't lost many at all and I always do my best and i;m polite and courtious. I even clean some windows on a house for free. I care about my customers! I always go that extra mile for them.
I know I shouldn't take it bad but I don't have much confidence in my wfp work and because of this I think it's the wfp that turned them away.
I'm 100% self taught. So I don't know if I'm doing it right or not. I hate walking away and not seeing the results.
Just wish there were more wfp cleaners up in my area so I could go with them for a day or they come with me. :'(
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As I said in my post about increasing cancellations. I really think that all this stormy weather is having an effect. I take your point though about doubt creeping in. wondering if your WFP technique is right. Like you I'm self taught. I can't match, and don't try to, the speeds that some postings suggest that WFP can be done. Then again I'm 64 so must be slowing down. Dai
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Hi there,
Was cleaning a very nice bungalow which is reasonably priced today. When finished I chapped at the door to get paid. she came out and paid me and said... "we've decieded to do our windows ourself! we bought all the things for doing it"
Typical me just said... "aye, no bother >:(
Went away thinking all sorts of things!
was it wfp???
was it me???
was I too deer???
Was my work no good enough???
It really knocks you for six!!! >:( >:(
Matthew :'( :'( :'(
It used to knock me for six too. These days it doesn't. I've got a thicker skin about such things now. I also know that there will be a better job to replace it with - maybe not straight away but it will come. A little while ago I dropped three customers who were messing me about too regularly. Money earned - £33. Time take - about 1 hours 10 minutes. A few days later picked up a single job for £34. Time taken - under 30 minutes. Money gain £1. Time saved - about 40 minutes. Bit by bit it seems to gradually move closer to where I want to be. I actually only have about the same number of customers I had a year ago. Difference is that I earn more from them in less time.
It's a bit like saying goodbye to an old car you've had for years. It is quickly forgotten when you replace it with a better one. I know it can sometimes be hard to tune out the feelings and think of it more coldly but that is exactly what needs to happen. Business is much more efficient that way - harsher but more efficient. I probably have less trouble doing it than some because I remember how a lot of my customers treated me when I was too ill to work for quite a while (though many of them were fine about it too).
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I JUST SAY THANKYOU FOR BEING A CUSTOMER AND WALK AWAY,thinking of buses
there be two along in a minute[new customers]
HaD 1 SEND A CHECK with please donnt clean till further notice
good mind to wwrite back I DONT DO FURTHER NOTICES ,CONSIDER YOURSELF WELL AND TRULEY DUMPED. ;D
GAZA
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As Homer Simpson once said.... "Welcome to Dumpsville. Population... You" :P
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When i first got cancellations it really kicked the stuffing out of me, sometimes i even went home because i was so enraged! i have learned not to take it personally, sometimes its fine sometimes i think of it a little but one thing i ALWAYS do now is quiz the customer, cause i always use to walk not knowing a reason and i tell you what since quizzing them i never get one straight direct answer which leads me to believe they are not telling me the truth.
I had one yesterday, unfortunatly i'm getting very good a predicting customers ;D
I said to the guy with me yesterday as we were pulling up to this ladys house, we may have a problem here.
First clean first thing she said was, your more expensive than my last WC - First kick to the nuts
Second clean - um ok yes you can clean them - not convicing your liking this ;D
yesterdays clean - knock knock! window cleaner, oh didn't you get my message oh i cancelled,
i said "thats Ok no problem do you mind me asking why though
she said "well i didn't like the fact that the water was everywhere"
I said "Was the results good though, you no complaint with that did you"
she said "well no :-[ sorry yeah actually my patio doors were in a terrible state you left smears"
I said "sorry madamn its not possible for us to leave smears thats possibly where you've cleaned the insides"
she sadi "you are expensive as well"
I said "we are more expensive yes but we do a good job and we are reliable, quality doesn't come cheap" ;) ;D
she said "well its a bit regular as well"
I said "sorry to say this but you haven't really give me one clear answer as to what the problem is so i can't really offer a solution, when you signed up you were explained our method, you knew the price and how regular we was so it just sounds to me like you've changed your mind really and don't want a WC could this be the case?
she didn't like that got in a flutter and we parted company ;D
i'm sorry but if i see them face to face now they get quizzed it helps me to realise what the problem is, the way i see it, its with in our interest, its our businesses so we need the right kind of feedback to try and paint our own pictures, i know its easy just to replace them but if there is something wrong with me, my company or my system then i want to know about it.
half the time they just lie!
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i tell what i find another problem is when a custmer says "core that was quick"
there queing you uip for knocking the price down or not as regular.
I had one yesderday, £20 house takes 10-15 mins tops 2 guys.
last month was a second clean, when paid she said that was really quick,
i said that why we've spent thjousands on our cleaning systems, (beefing it up a bit) ;)
this month she said, can i go every other month please.
i rekon her cogs turn she thinks
£20 15 mins thats £80 per hour thats £640 per day he earns more than me.
i know its not as much as that but these people don't like it i'm telling ya! ??? ;D
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i rekon her cogs turn she thinks
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I love it - that is so true - you can see the wheels going round in their heads!
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When i first got cancellations it really kicked the stuffing out of me, sometimes i even went home because i was so enraged! i have learned not to take it personally, sometimes its fine sometimes i think of it a little but one thing i ALWAYS do now is quiz the customer, cause i always use to walk not knowing a reason and i tell you what since quizzing them i never get one straight direct answer which leads me to believe they are not telling me the truth.
I had one yesterday, unfortunatly i'm getting very good a predicting customers ;D
I said to the guy with me yesterday as we were pulling up to this ladys house, we may have a problem here.
First clean first thing she said was, your more expensive than my last WC - First kick to the nuts
Second clean - um ok yes you can clean them - not convicing your liking this ;D
yesterdays clean - knock knock! window cleaner, oh didn't you get my message oh i cancelled,
i said "thats Ok no problem do you mind me asking why though
she said "well i didn't like the fact that the water was everywhere"
I said "Was the results good though, you no complaint with that did you"
she said "well no :-[ sorry yeah actually my patio doors were in a terrible state you left smears"
I said "sorry mad**n its not possible for us to leave smears thats possibly where you've cleaned the insides"
she sadi "you are expensive as well"
I said "we are more expensive yes but we do a good job and we are reliable, quality doesn't come cheap" ;) ;D
she said "well its a bit regular as well"
I said "sorry to say this but you haven't really give me one clear answer as to what the problem is so i can't really offer a solution, when you signed up you were explained our method, you knew the price and how regular we was so it just sounds to me like you've changed your mind really and don't want a WC could this be the case?
she didn't like that got in a flutter and we parted company ;D
i'm sorry but if i see them face to face now they get quizzed it helps me to realise what the problem is, the way i see it, its with in our interest, its our businesses so we need the right kind of feedback to try and paint our own pictures, i know its easy just to replace them but if there is something wrong with me, my company or my system then i want to know about it.
half the time they just lie!
That's right. It is unusual to get a straight answer. I don't think it's so much about lying though. Some people have more trouble being assertive than I others. I struggle with it sometimes too.
I have a number of largish houses all in one close in one area. At one of them, I've been picking up "vibes" for the past few visits. Sometimes, I find it quite easy to tune into such things. It came as no real surprise when there was a note with the cheque after the most recent visit (they were out that time) asking me not to clean "until further notice". My gut feeling is that this is a permanent cancellation - though I may be wrong. I've no idea why they've cancelled. I doubt it's anything to do with switching to WFP because I've been using it on their windows for over a year. It may be that they need to make cutbacks on their finances but I've no idea why. I just know that they were contemplating it for a while ad it was easier to do it by post than face to face. What I do know is that if they wish me to re-start, it will be at the same interval or not at all. Also, if they leave it too long, the first clean will be at my usual first clean rate (+50%).
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Don't worry i was off for six months with a broken leg and i lost more work when i was working, just walk away and don't look back.
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When customers say to me that was quick ill say to them:
If someone offered you another way of doing your job faster but still earn the same or possibly more money would you take it?
Most shut up then and say good point see you next month.
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When customers say to me that was quick ill say to them:
If someone offered you another way of doing your job faster but still earn the same or possibly more money would you take it?
Most shut up then and say good point see you next month.
I've got a better one than that. If they saay "That was quick", I just reply "Yes. I'm getting pretty good at this lately".
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When customers say to me that was quick ill say to them:
If someone offered you another way of doing your job faster but still earn the same or possibly more money would you take it?
Most shut up then and say good point see you next month.
I've got a better one than that. If they saay "That was quick", I just reply "Yes. I'm getting pretty good at this lately".
then they think your loaded watch how long you hang on them to after ;)
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lost my first customer this week too.
Went door knocking about 2 saturdays ago up a back raod out of town with nice sized houses on it.
Knocked at one house, Jag on the drive big double garage etc.
Normal banter "hello i'm a w/c blah blah blah do you want a w/c?"
"Good timing mate" the chap said "been waiting for this other chap to call and do the windows, been waiting for months, your hired."
Tidy I thought, priced up £22 per month. Accepted, everyone happy.
Did first clean in about 45 mins and was asked to go and do the insides this wednesday.
Phone call on tuesday night and was told that the sale of the house has now gone through and we will no longer be needing your services. I was gutted as there were no signs up at the house when we called.
The lady of the house phoned about an hour later and said that she felt rotten about 'losing' us so she rounded up 3 of her neighbours who want monthly cleans.
Sorry to go on but what I'm trying to say is you win some and you lose some.
I hope to catch the new occupants before the other w/c finally turns up.
ANT
TVCS