Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: rugby on March 08, 2007, 07:07:40 pm

Title: customers and locked gates
Post by: rugby on March 08, 2007, 07:07:40 pm
only had 8 customers to do today,all keep their gates locked,all are a few miles apart, so phoned them up last night to let them know i was coming, after getting all the kit out of the van,poles,hose etc i find 4 of then have left their gates locked.drives me flaming mad. >:(

what do you guys do when customers do this to you,ive just dumped them,not being mucked about any more
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: Bazzy1999 on March 08, 2007, 07:13:04 pm
Rugby.... Im with you on this one as i had 2 yesterday and 2 today and thats there lot i cant be bothered with them anymore...

Bazz...
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: Biscute on March 08, 2007, 07:18:11 pm
What i do mate is just go and then collect just the same, i dont even phone before i go, i tell them straight that i aint gona get over the gate incase i damage the gate and have to claim on my insurance. They will probabley umm and arrr but who cares let them pay for the backs as well. If they cancel no worries as you were gona get rid anyway.
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: edd on March 08, 2007, 07:20:39 pm
you phoned them and they still left them locked what!!!!!!!!!

DUMP WITHOUT ANY WORRIES there are better things to stress over ;D
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: [GQC] Tim on March 08, 2007, 07:36:49 pm
you phoned them and they still left them locked what!!!!!!!!!

DUMP WITHOUT ANY WORRIES there are better things to stress over ;D

Don't dump them, just let them pay the full deal.

8 customers not doing it is horrible though, did they just forget or something?
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: Llaaww on March 08, 2007, 07:45:17 pm
you boys need a ladder then you can get over the gate. ;)
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: Biscute on March 08, 2007, 07:49:04 pm
I had a make who broke his wrist climbing over a gate his belt bucket got in his way, so wouldnt even bother just say it was locked and charge full price he lost his round for that incerdent.
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: matt on March 08, 2007, 07:52:55 pm
i charge "allmost" the full price, i knock a little off as i am all heart
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: pylofm on March 08, 2007, 07:54:24 pm
I have as a part of my terms & conditions the onus is upon the customer to ensure that I have safe access....if the access is not available then I do what I am able to do and the customer is still billed the full amount...

I know this sounds very blunt and hardnosed, but it is all explained at the quotation and they are given the t&c's to keep as a hardcopy.

In the past 6 months that I have been going...I have had access 'issues' 4 times... the customers have all paid. I do not feel great about charging for work not done but I am trying to run a business and I have attended and I do expect to be paid for a quality job.

Cheers
Dave.
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: Llaaww on March 08, 2007, 07:54:36 pm
I had a make who broke his wrist climbing over a gate his belt bucket got in his way, so wouldnt even bother just say it was locked and charge full price he lost his round for that incerdent.
he should have used a ladder
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: Biscute on March 08, 2007, 09:06:03 pm
Lawrence he did use a ladder u used an Aframe but as he got over his belt bucket got caught and knocked him off balance.
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: Llaaww on March 08, 2007, 09:10:54 pm
Lawrence he did use a ladder u used an Aframe but as he got over his belt bucket got caught and knocked him off balance.
if youtake a two section ladder and split it you set the first section this sid of the gate, pass the second section over the gate and set it firmly. You can then have two ladders set closely together either side of the gate. Go up the first ladder and step carefully across to the second and climb down. Everybody knows you can't get over a gate with only a pointer. 8)
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: Bazzy1999 on March 08, 2007, 09:14:50 pm
Lawrence... Your missing the point mate...
The custys were phoned the night before to leave the gate open/unlocked and i they cant be bothered to do that, then i/we cant be bothered to clean there windows anymore..
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: dai on March 08, 2007, 09:16:45 pm
Lawrence he did use a ladder u used an Aframe but as he got over his belt bucket got caught and knocked him off balance.

I jumped down off a wall last week. My B.O.B.got caught on the wall and I was stabbed by my Wagtail just under the ribs. It was really painfull too.
Glad I wasn't using an ordinary channel, it could have been more serious Dai
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: Llaaww on March 08, 2007, 09:21:55 pm
sorry only teasing. I don't really understand why you can't just hop over the gate. I am still trad at the moment so fences and gates aren,t much of a problem.
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: Paul Coleman on March 08, 2007, 11:00:46 pm
only had 8 customers to do today,all keep their gates locked,all are a few miles apart, so phoned them up last night to let them know i was coming, after getting all the kit out of the van,poles,hose etc i find 4 of then have left their gates locked.drives me flaming mad. >:(

what do you guys do when customers do this to you,ive just dumped them,not being mucked about any more

I stopped taking work like this on quite a while ago.  I just don't like the messing about having to pre-arrange my visits.  Having said that, I might do it for one or two very lucrative jobs but not as standard practice.
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: Mr.G on March 09, 2007, 12:16:05 am
I often come across locked gates, cos I don't phone to tell people I'm coming, (too disorganised) so I just do the front, and charge around 2/3 of the full price.
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: JM123 on March 09, 2007, 12:27:06 am
I petrol bomb any customers who lock gates after I tell them I'm coming round.  Its in the T&C's.
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: craig jwc on March 09, 2007, 08:03:07 am
I just do the front and charge them 75% of their normal price.

Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: Paul Coleman on March 09, 2007, 08:13:16 am
sorry only teasing. I don't really understand why you can't just hop over the gate. I am still trad at the moment so fences and gates aren,t much of a problem.

Contrary to popular opinion, pole vaulting is NOT one of the advantages of WFP.  :)

Seriously, I used to climb over gates a lot of the time but after spending time on the osteopath couch, I decided not to do that any more.
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: Marc Stock on March 09, 2007, 09:27:38 am
All my customer get a schedual for the year.

If the gate is locked its there lookout, as the full price is still charged. We can come back if they want, but we charge 1/2 the price again on a revisit.

dont get any problems at all!
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: Sir Squeaky on March 09, 2007, 09:33:34 am
I never phone people beforehand, with the exeception of 1 or 2 special bigger jobs.

If it's not easy to get around or over, dump them.
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: DASERVICES on March 09, 2007, 09:36:26 am
I open all mine with my special tool  ;D apart from one which is pad locked.
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: rugby on March 09, 2007, 10:01:38 am
I petrol bomb any customers who lock gates after I tell them I'm coming round. Its in the T&C's.
              best idea yet,should be standard practice
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: LSB on March 09, 2007, 01:40:49 pm
i dont phone or text any customers in advance , they all know that i come every 4 / 8 weeks
 if i only do the front due to access issues , then i only charge for the front !   
it all evens out , your next front only customer might want the back as well this time .
Title: Re: customers and locked gates
Post by: ac_cleaning on March 09, 2007, 03:10:25 pm
I phone them night before and if gate is locked we still charge them for back and front
al