[Richard iSparkle]

I have had problems a couple of times now with commercial clients (who we clean early morning before staff are in) saying we haven't cleaned for months.

i was wondering how you others handled it? when its town centre, or a school or something we need to clean when there aren't people about.

thanks in advance

R

[Stoots]

Can't you take photos ? I believe they are time and date stamped. 

[Richard iSparkle]

Can't you take photos ? I believe they are time and date stamped.

i thought that yes. my window cleaners have their own phones which complicates it a little.

i am 80% decided to buy them a work smartphone though for a number of reasons so that would solve it nicely

[nathankaye]

Tell them to check their security footage. Surely one of the cameras must pick you up.
Failing that, post a card through letter box with time and date on.

[Richard iSparkle]

Tell them to check their security footage. Surely one of the cameras must pick you up.
Failing that, post a card through letter box with time and date on.

thanks Nathan

good idea

[andyM]

Tell them to check their security footage. Surely one of the cameras must pick you up.
Failing that, post a card through letter box with time and date on.

Postcard, like this?

[Stoots]

Take photos and instantly upload them to a company instagram or similar type account. That way everything is stored in the cloud.

[Richard iSparkle]

Take photos and instantly upload them to a company instagram or similar type account. That way everything is stored in the cloud.

excellent. thanks

[Richard iSparkle]

Take photos and instantly upload them to a company instagram or similar type account. That way everything is stored in the cloud.

excellent. thanks

i wish cleaner planner let you upload photos to the completed wordlists

[rosskesava]

I had the same problem in the past.

I phone a few days before hand to say when the job is being done and then then phone again on the day the job was completed on the pretext of asking them to check that the windows were done satisfactorily. Then the invoice goes off that same day.

On the invoice I have a few check boxes. One says 'Phoned _____________________ date __________ to ensure satisfactory window clean' and I type in the persons name I spoke to along with the date.

[Richard iSparkle]

I had the same problem in the past.

I phone a few days before hand to say when the job is being done and then then phone again on the day the job was completed on the pretext of asking them to check that the windows were done satisfactorily. Then the invoice goes off that same day.

On the invoice I have a few check boxes. One says 'Phoned _____________________ date __________ to ensure satisfactory window clean' and I type in the persons name I spoke to along with the date.

thanks.

[Matt.]

As above, guys take pic when job is finished and send email to yourself/company. This will land with your emails, with time showing, it can then be forwarded on to the customer later in the day,  or on request from the customer....... It's not guna be every customer so lads don't need to forward every job pic through the day but can use ur wifi to transfer them ate d of the day.
Maybe worth getting an old phone and getting sim only contract am sure u could monitor usage aswell so bills arn't run up

[P @ F]

Not much help , but you could do what SAJ once did , well known electrical chain refused to sign his chit , so he went back outside and chucked his bucket up the windows and told em to stick it in their ear !!!
Not all bad as i gained a rather large list of commercial that day 
Our days of subbing are now gone and we again make love on a regular basis  , loves ya buddie !

[AuRavelling79]

I would never want a job that had folk who didn't trust me to do the work.

If I send an invoice saying I did the job "last week", or "earlier this week", or "yesterday" then I expect to be believed. Any messing and it's ditch time.

Had a good one last week which may get dumped. See what happens next visit.

A small firm on an industrial estate. £25.00 Been doing them over ten years. Here's what I do.

Press buzzer. Cheerily say ... "It's the window cleaner, just letting you know I'm here!" Answer from whoever picks up is always "Okay!" or "Go ahead" or "Great, see you in a mo'"

30 minutes later.

Press buzzer. "All done" - go in with chit and get paid cash.

First I dealt with MD's wife, then as company grew - an accounts lady. She left and back to MD's wife again and now they have a guy who seems to be "the accountant" or the "secretary" or whatever as he has an office of his own and is a bit snooty.

So I feel a change coming on - let me explain - must you? - yes.

So two months ago I go in to get paid and MD's wife points me in direction of "Andrew" - I say "Hi Andrew, I'm Malcolm the window cleaner, nice to meet you -  here's my payment slip- £25.00"

"Andrew" says nothing to me but looks at MD's wife and says "Is that okay?" She says yes and so he pays me.

Last month I go in And the MD is having a meeting with "Andrew" and a couple of other staff. I take the initiative and say to "Andrew" - "don't worry - double up next time." MD sticks his thumb up at me and I disappear.

This month I go in and only "Andrew" and some non-managerial staff are there. I say "Hi "Andrew" - okay to collect the window cleaning money?" He looks at me down his nose and says "OK - £25.00?"

I say "Actually it's £50.00 what with last time and today's together." He says "Have you done them?".

Me: "Sorry? Come again?"

A. "Have you actually done them? Only I was outside and I didn't see you clean them."

Me: "I expect I was round the back."

A. "Yes but I didn't see your van."

Me: "You wouldn't - I park at the end and do all three units together - first all the fronts, then all the backs - I was probably round the back when you were outside."

A. "Oh - OK then I suppose I'd better pay you."

Me:  "Yes please. (once money is in my hand) I'm not in the habit of asking for money if I haven't provided the service ... Andrew."

A. Defensively "I didn't see you clean the windows... that's what I'm saying."

Me: "And I'm telling you I have. I've been cleaning the windows here and at your previous premises for over ten years - like I said - I'm not in the habit of asking for money if I haven't done the job."

And I walked off.

Don't need high horse riding muppets thanks.

[rosskesava]

Malc, sometimes when dealing with companies there are the jobs worth staff and sometimes staff have changed and sometimes they've had the situation before where the window cleaning company or person has said they've done the job but havn't or have not done all the windows.

Sometimes also the person asking for evidence the windows were cleaned before making payment is miles away in another office.

I don't think there's any set way of dealing with every situation that may arise but having some type of evidence the windows were done certainly helps on the odd occasion it crops up.

In the situation you were in, I'd have done the same though except I would have asked him to ask his staff if they saw the windows being cleaned before telling him to shove it where the sun don't shine.

[Richard iSparkle]

As above, guys take pic when job is finished and send email to yourself/company. This will land with your emails, with time showing, it can then be forwarded on to the customer later in the day,  or on request from the customer....... It's not guna be every customer so lads don't need to forward every job pic through the day but can use ur wifi to transfer them ate d of the day.
Maybe worth getting an old phone and getting sim only contract am sure u could monitor usage aswell so bills arn't run up

cheers. we'll do this from now on. good idea