[Matthew JN]

I thnik Steve CM and Crystal have got it spot on.

When i take on a residential customer i let them know the frequency and that i will only let them know prior to each visit if there is an issue with access (i.e padlocked gate) however if a customer has a padlocked gate i do ask them initially if they mind me climbing over it..

Some agree to this and thats fine, some don't and so i tell them the only way that i inform customers with access issues is via sms text message.

I used to text from my work mobile but soon learned that that some customers found it easy to send a reply text with excuses 'leave it this time' etc.

So what i have now works great and looks very professional. I use a company called Fast SMS and my text messages are sent from web software on my laptop, when the customer gets the text it does not show my number but shows my business name which you cannot send a reply to.  I have also barred incoming texts to my work mobile as i say to customers the text service is there for info purposes only, and all correspondance is by phone or email only.

Its great also as you can schedule when you want the text to be sent ( time and date)  so if you have a weekend away for example you could sort out your access texts on thursday to be sent on sunday tea time ready for work on Monday.

If they really have a problem they all have my email and mobile number, and i tell them to call and leave a voicemail and occasioanaly some do.  IMO customers find it easy to fob you off via a text message but it is much harder for them to do it verbally.

You need control of your customers and not the other way round otherwise it is so hard to keep your revenue consistant.  Phoning or contacting every customer the night before is time consuming and gives the customer the opportunity to make a lame excuse losing you the revenue, even though the customer agreed to your schedule.

[A & J Owen Window Cleaning]

Apart from the ones with access problems we do have some who expect a call or text the night before but to be honest we prefer not to call before because that can give them an excuse to say 'come back next week' which they aren't as keen to do when you're on the door step.

[Simon Brannon]

Phoning the day before and building repall is not the same thing, chatt to a customer when ever you can.But phoning before, call is only cutting a stick for your own back.It costs money and it tells custies you are hard up and custies take advantage of it.This type  call is not constructive for your business.
I dont think Cristall Clear is far off the mark. Simon I thing you have got the two issues confused mate.

Each to their own Wizkid but I am struggling to see how a phone call to alert your customer you are coming makes you sound hard up???

Its just professional and like Karygate I have a "community"  and I genuinely do not have any customers "fobbing" me off, and also NO collecting as they now all leave the money out ( have been going  a few years now tho ,so they all know and trust me to do the windows )

Simon

[Simon Brannon]

I call or text each and every customer the night before,  it means no collecting because as they know I'm coming they leave access and payment for me.

customer feedback is excellent and I usually get I was kust thinking about you when you called 

Same here mate customers love it, if i don't make contact i don't clean. What's the point in going to a property when the householder is on holiday? Work's for me Work's for my customers. 

Spot on Steve !

Simon

[SB Cleaning]

I call or text each and every customer the night before,  it means no collecting because as they know I'm coming they leave access and payment for me.

customer feedback is excellent and I usually get I was kust thinking about you when you called 

Same here mate customers love it, if i don't make contact i don't clean. What's the point in going to a property when the householder is on holiday? Work's for me Work's for my customers. 

Spot on Steve !

Simon

Im glad im not the only one that thinks this way

[the bfg]

yes you get the odd one or two who when you call ask if you can leave it that month but thats fine as you can always call another customer and book that in,       and I would rather do it that way then turn up at a house only for the customer to come and say can you leave it this month ?  in fact someone has put a post on here only this week titled NOT TODAY THANK YOU  so its proof it happens either way.

but as stated by calling customers you build up that rappor and only 5% of collecting as most customers leave payment for you.


would be interesting to find out on the loss of customers ratio to the ones who call and communicate with their customers and the ones who don't,      after all your not just selling your services your selling yourself and with w/cs coming out of the woodwork and undercutting becoming more and more of an issue then having the customer knowing just who you are and being able to trust you means so much these days.