Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: chrismroberts on March 03, 2007, 08:11:11 pm
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Hi all :)
I was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to drop customers in the most polite way. What to say etc... I am pretty good with people and have no trouble canvassing and wasting time chatting... but need to do a low-priced work cull so would like to do it in the most friendly way!
Thanks for any tips you can give :)
Chris
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I'm really bad i just dont go round again :-\
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;D ;D ;D ;D
Yeh I know what you mean, its tempting! :P Just don't want them to call up and say "where are you?".... and I have to say "I couldn't be ar**d doing your windows anymore" ;)
Chris
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If they are low priced
then hike their prices to a decent rate
If they stay with you then its happy days
If they do not -then job done
Easy really- just got to get the right prices.
Russ
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The thing is I've got a couple of streets that have some low priced and some well priced ones in.... I want to increase the prices more on some than others. Do customers tend to talk to eachother?! LOL... or am I being paranoid?
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To drop folk politely - write a letter - explaining you have won a large contract right on the far side of your territory which means that you need to drop customers in their area due to time constraints. You appreciate their custom but are sure they understand you have a family to support/business to run etc. etc.
To put prices up (when you don't mind losing them) do it in a letter explaining how sorry you feel about it but due to rising costs - bank charges/ new equipment (wfp) to comply with health and safety/ inflation etc. the new rate will be £XXX and write down the amount you are happy to accept. Conclude with:- unless you feel it necessary to cancel my service I will implement the increase from the next "clean".
And yes - they do talk to each other!
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Tell them that it is no longer finacially viable for you to do there window`s,just say you`ve had to look for other work because prices are to low and in order for you to be more reliable the price will have to be increased,in some cases i`ve known it doubled and the work has still not been lost.
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So do you think a letter is better? (that rhymes!! oooooooo....) Would seem more professional I guess.
Chris
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Chriss.
Hike your prices to what you want, if they say no thanks job done, if they say yes your on a winner.
I think you will be suprised how many will keep you on.
Macc
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Where are you from russell,i also live in east sussex.
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Where are you from russell,i also live in east sussex.
About 6 miles from Hailsham, where are you?
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Bexhill.
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Bexhill.
Are you trad or Wfp
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Mainly WFP now,90% of my work is in the t.wells area.
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Hi all :)
I was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to drop customers in the most polite way. What to say etc... I am pretty good with people and have no trouble canvassing and wasting time chatting... but need to do a low-priced work cull so would like to do it in the most friendly way!
Thanks for any tips you can give :)
Chris
It can be a bit like that old Simon and Garfunkel song "Fifty ways to leave your lover". I've shed work in all manner of ways and I doubt that any of my methods are new. I've just not gone back, I've told them I'm packing up window cleaning, I've told them I've had enough of their bad attitude (that was one particular couple who called me a robber and it was a very cheap job), I've told them that I no longer wish to work there, I've told them I can no longer afford to work at the rate they are prepared to pay, I even told one guy to f off (believe me he did deserve it and worse) and I've even passed work over to another window cleaner (that's the way I like to do it best). If I thought about it longer I could probably remember a few other ways I've cancelled jobs too.
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I must admit it is hard to dump decent customers who you took on in the early days because you were mad keen and badly underpriced the work.
In the past I have given lots of work away to people who were starting up. Interestingly, none of them ever stuck at it.
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Hey, thanks for the tips :) I've tried giving it away but noone wants it LOL! I think everyone is full up too. Will drop a letter through next time I think, if they're not in, or stick the price up if they are. Wish me luck!! :-\
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It's simple mate,
Either a massive price rise (in which case they might DROP YOU [OR THEY MAY NOT!], or, Sell the offending work.
Done both in the past myself with excellent results.
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I had a lot of work like this. I told them it was no longer economically viable to continue cleaning at the price. I gave then the option of a 50% increase at bi-monthly intervals. I said that most of my customers had agreed to this. I explained that they would save on their annual window cleaning bill, and I would get a price for the job that was worth my while.
I have 3 estates that went for this option. They are now good earners. Dai
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DAI : put my customers on 6 week cleans on two estates now good earners with the price they now play as well
gaza
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Thats quite an interesting idea Dai.... so did you canvas an extra load of work to fill the space?
So what you're saying is increase a load of them by 50% and do them every 2 months, then fill the empty month with another load at 50% markup.... could give yourself a huge payrise!