[ianharper]

Hi guys

Who uses order conformation?

Guy books in job about month ago, I turn up today no one in so I wait for about 45 mins. pulls off his drive, as i pull off its a corner house so all the windows are on the side i cant see, as i am truning van i clock all the windows in the areas that I am due to clean wide open. A sign that his had them done yesterday.

I have no problem with this apart from the fact i am busy and i have lost mornings work, just because he cant pick up a phone and say sorry Ian but I got it done cheaper. Why cant they do it?

Does anyone use order conformations and would they stand up in court if say in it if they "No show" that they have to pay say half. I have seen these types of contract before but its only worth doing them if you can take them to court?

Thoughts please

Respect

Ian Harper

[Doug Holloway]

Ian ,

This sort of thing is intensely irritating but the alternative is not much better.

I have not had a 'no show' for a couple of years now but have had late cancellations.

If you were to get your customer to agree to terms which stated 'compensation would be payable in the event of a no show' , then it would be legally enfocable.

You would need them to sign the contract.

In reality the amount of time spent doing this with the 99% of decent customers would make it a time consuming business.

I suggest you grin and bear it and hope what goes around , comes around.

In my early days I used sales techniques which pressurised customers  , but after a few no shows I don't push now,  in the hope of better quality people.

Cheers

Doug

[nick p]

hi

last month had a customer who got up late come to door and said oh i forgot to cancel and asked how much she owed me for no notice of cancellation took £12 from her as it was only a £42 job anyway
that doesnt happen much

cheers nick p

[Simon H]

Hi Ian

We conform all jobs by phone the day before leaving numders for the client to get hold of us if there is no one in when we call

This lets us know if there is a problem and if we get no response from the client we can take a view on wether we go or not.

Noy a perfect system I know but it does cut out a lot of wasted journeys.

Also we make the client aware of this system when we take the original booking

Hope this helps

Simon

[Ian Rochester]

Likewise, take a number at time of booking and confirm it the evening of the day before, not an infallible system but it could save a wasted trip

[ianharper]

Thanks Guys

As professionals we should have some kind of contact with our clients. From their point of view that the price quoted is the price they will pay and that if they dont think that we've done a good job that they have some kind of guarantee.

The type that I hve seen in the past has all the order details on one side and then all the small print contact on the other they sign the side with the oder details on it and where they sign it has that they agree to the terms and conditions.

The job I lost was worth £220 so it would be worth going to small claims.

I just think that its all about respect for our time. as I said when you are busy sitting around for a morning is somthing that you dont want to be doing.

Anyway I think that i got justice on this one as the windows where wide open, i just hope that the carpet where so wet that it was taking ages to dry out from the day before that will teach him for going cheap

Respect

Ian harper

[DanielWelford]

I confirm all apointments in writing with cancellation conditions included.

It might not stand up in court, but encourages customers to bother to phone & cancel in good time, rather than being 'no shows'.

[ianharper]

I Agree Daniel. thanks