Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: LWC on February 07, 2008, 11:20:44 pm

Title: working in the rain, i dont think so
Post by: LWC on February 07, 2008, 11:20:44 pm
i know we have the working in the rain posts, is it ok and all that

but i just am getting the general impression, people just do not want this. been a few houses ive been back to after a couple of days and i feel bad collecting the money as they look dirty again because of this constant rain.

fairplay, we've still got our bil lto pay, and windowashers superb rain guarantee, but even when i offer that they say no we'll leave it for today. theres some customers that dont care i know. but the general opinion im getting is a big fat nope.

i dont feel that wfp is all that good in the rain, heavy rain that is. i had been working in heavy rain the other day, called back later on and it was chucking it down as it had been all day and i cringed when i asked for the money

whats your opinions?
Title: Re: working in the rain
Post by: Dean Aspects on February 07, 2008, 11:27:28 pm
I dont like working in the rain its cold and miserable and in my opinion looks unprofessional i have done work in the rain to finish a street or block of work but going to the door to collect your money when the rain is coming down is embarasing
I worked in the rain Tuesday to give it a fair go and even explained to one customer that rain will not affect the quality of clean etc... and listening to myself i felt like a liar and i did not like that so its something i will not be doing in the future
If others want to work in the rain that is up to them but not for me

Dean
Title: Re: working in the rain
Post by: cvdewsbury on February 07, 2008, 11:35:39 pm
I dont like working in the rain its cold and miserable and in my opinion looks unprofessional i have done work in the rain to finish a street or block of work but going to the door to collect your money when the rain is coming down is embarasing
I worked in the rain Tuesday to give it a fair go and even explained to one customer that rain will not affect the quality of clean etc... and listening to myself i felt like a liar and i did not like that so its something i will not be doing in the future
If others want to work in the rain that is up to them but not for me

Dean

I do quite a few sheltered housing complexes for the elderley some people  call its commercial work and say you can work it in the rain....I know for sure, that at the end of year residents meeting my services would no longer be required!!
Title: Re: working in the rain
Post by: Sir Squeaky on February 07, 2008, 11:36:04 pm
I don't think it looks very professional either.
It makes you look rather uncaring to be honest, and customers like to think they're special.

I get turned away all the time if it's drizzly.
If I went out on a wet day I'd have no round left.
Title: Re: working in the rain
Post by: LWC on February 07, 2008, 11:41:24 pm
i dont think im going to any more, just gonna push other jobs for now. i just dont feel its fair

on domestic that is
Title: Re: working in the rain
Post by: mark dew on February 07, 2008, 11:42:27 pm
i have cleaned in the rain but feel a bit of a tit for doing it. I give a rain guarantee and i always phone a couple of days later to ask about problems. But for many of my custies it isn't good for customer service because the prejudices are set in stone.
Title: Re: working in the rain
Post by: LWC on February 07, 2008, 11:48:13 pm
but like me if you get on really well with your custies they might not say anything anyway, but possilbl y to there friends "yes he cleans in the rain, they dont look that good but hes a nice chap so we dont say anything"

not gonna do much for business
Title: Re: working in the rain
Post by: cvdewsbury on February 07, 2008, 11:49:27 pm
i have cleaned in the rain but feel a bit of a tit for doing it. I give a rain guarantee and i always phone a couple of days later to ask about problems. But for many of my custies it isn't good for customer service because the prejudices are set in stone.
Predjudices are set in stone..nobody can say no more
Title: Re: working in the rain
Post by: Steve Mac on February 08, 2008, 08:08:46 am
I wish you lot would explain this to my missus! She thinks i live the life of Riley. Get up, look at the forecast, then, as has been the case a hell of alot recently - put the kettle on and settle down on the couch. While she's rushing around getting ready for work.

I'd be lying tho if i said that the bad weather is unwelcome ALL the time... ;)
Title: Re: working in the rain
Post by: LWC on February 08, 2008, 01:21:27 pm
yeh suppose its not so much about the wife either, people just are not happy bout you cleaning in the rain. and like i said, im not coninced that it works all that great in the rain
Title: Re: working in the rain, i dont think so
Post by: Paul Coleman on February 08, 2008, 01:51:34 pm
I do work in anything up to moderate rain.  Some say it looks unprofessional but it would look even more unprofessional getting turfed out of my home due to being unable to pay the mortgage.  The same people who would gossip about "He works in the rain" are the same ones who would say "Not much of a businessman.  Can't even pay his mortgage".  Although I will cede ground in heavy rain or strong, unsafe winds, I just carry on now regardless.  If I lose a few, it's much less money than I lose by not working.  Let's face it, it's about being worried about what other people think.  If there were no prejudices about working in the rain, most on here would continue working regardless.  Well I'm a lot less bothered about what others think these days.  OK so I will try to "compromise" a bit by targetting the properties where I'm sure they will be out or the ones that I would be a lot less concerned about losing (some compromise LOL) but the fact is that if it rains over a very long period, not working in the rain could cause a business to fold.  If I had a family, I would much rather face up to the customers than the people who I would be  living with.
Having said all that, I am slowly drifting down the route of increasing my commercial work.  I think the ideal split for me would be about 50/50.
Title: Re: working in the rain, i dont think so
Post by: matt on February 08, 2008, 02:09:48 pm
i made a similar post a few weeks back, im not even going to bother to try and work in the rain, the customers dont like it, its fairly simple

im lucky enough to not have to work in the rain, ive donewell out of the building game in the past and ive done ok in the house market, my mortgage is small compared to the house i live in, i guess im lucky

its just not for me or my customers to be honest
Title: Re: working in the rain, i dont think so
Post by: groundhog on February 08, 2008, 03:09:21 pm
What a bunch of wimps!!! :o  My customers know that I will clean there windows each and every month in all weathers, they accept this because they know that if they are not happy with the results of the clean they can phone me up and I will come back and sort it out!!!  ;)
Title: Re: working in the rain, i dont think so
Post by: Helen on February 08, 2008, 03:12:21 pm
We changed some time back to working in the rain.
Rain doesn't effect the finish blah blah blah
Oh yes it does. Hubby did ours last week about 10 minutes before it rained. Checked them next morning and the dried results were bad to say the least.

So the bottom line is: If it's raining in such a way as it is hitting the glass then be prepared for complaints.
 
Title: Re: working in the rain, i dont think so
Post by: simon knight on February 08, 2008, 03:35:29 pm

I never have and never will work in rain. Gotta say though that today working in full sun was hard,  the gear was drying on the glass almost before I had a chance to blade it off. I think Turbo needs  to give me a few lessons in speed blading ;D
Title: Re: working in the rain, i dont think so
Post by: Paul Coleman on February 08, 2008, 03:44:11 pm
i made a similar post a few weeks back, im not even going to bother to try and work in the rain, the customers dont like it, its fairly simple

im lucky enough to not have to work in the rain, ive donewell out of the building game in the past and ive done ok in the house market, my mortgage is small compared to the house i live in, i guess im lucky

its just not for me or my customers to be honest

Sure thing Matt.  If I wasn't under financial pressure, I would probably be more easy going about this issue as well.  However, as things stand, I need to turn over £xxxx per month before I break even on my personal finances.  How I got to that point is not really relevant.  I made some mistakes, trusted the wrong person etc etc.  The past is irrelevant.  It's how I play it from this day forward that really counts.
Title: Re: working in the rain, i dont think so
Post by: pjulk on February 08, 2008, 04:41:44 pm
I work in the rain, snow, hurricans anything but only on commercial as they don't bat an eyelid and just want them done.

But i have done it quite a few times on domestics and to be honest there not all that happy about it.
I have tried the rain guareentee but still got compalints in the rain.

Domestics in the snow is good though they don't complain at all and are usually suprised to see you.

I do gutter cleaning in the rain but at the moment i have run out of them.

Paul
Title: Re: working in the rain, i dont think so
Post by: xxmattyxx on February 08, 2008, 05:29:00 pm
We changed some time back to working in the rain.
Rain doesn't effect the finish blah blah blah
Oh yes it does. Hubby did ours last week about 10 minutes before it rained. Checked them next morning and the dried results were bad to say the least.

So the bottom line is: If it's raining in such a way as it is hitting the glass then be prepared for complaints.
 

Is that trad or WFP Helen?
Title: Re: working in the rain, i dont think so
Post by: Jon-scwindows on February 08, 2008, 06:27:44 pm
i dont get why residential customers are like this, they know the windows get wet...
today i went back to do a customer who said 'come back in about a month, your not going to do it in this are you' (moderate rain/ on off)

i explained that i do work in light rain if its not windy and about the pure water / windows getting wet.

I go back today ( nice and sunny bright day ) and he welcomes me to do the cleaning today...
surely they would prefer it to be done if everywheres wet than wetting the windows on a nice sunny day...
Title: Re: working in the rain, i dont think so
Post by: windowwashers on February 08, 2008, 06:30:24 pm
i know we have the working in the rain posts, is it ok and all that

but i just am getting the general impression, people just do not want this. been a few houses ive been back to after a couple of days and i feel bad collecting the money as they look dirty again because of this constant rain.

fairplay, we've still got our bil lto pay, and windowashers superb rain guarantee, but even when i offer that they say no we'll leave it for today. theres some customers that dont care i know. but the general opinion im getting is a big fat nope.

i dont feel that wfp is all that good in the rain, heavy rain that is. i had been working in heavy rain the other day, called back later on and it was chucking it down as it had been all day and i cringed when i asked for the money

whats your opinions?
Dont collect let them send payment  ;)
Title: Re: working in the rain, i dont think so
Post by: LWC on February 08, 2008, 08:18:20 pm
i do usually ian, but there is about 10 that i collect close to my house
Title: Re: working in the rain, i dont think so
Post by: Helen on February 08, 2008, 08:22:43 pm
Is that trad or WFP Helen?

WFP
Title: Re: working in the rain, i dont think so
Post by: stevekennedy on February 08, 2008, 08:26:56 pm
If you dont do the top frame then the windows can get dirty when it rains as the rain drags the dirt down onto the clean glass. We do the top of frame periodically to stop this.

We employ so have no option but to work in the rain. Get a grumble every now and then but business is growing just fine

If it is really bad then we go onto commercial contracts only