[Matthew JN]

Hi,

Just wondering.... does anyone else out there make their customers sign a contract.  I am just just starting to phase this in with any new customers i take on and haven't had any adverse reactions yet.

Just really signing to agree to my terms of business, and a minimum number of cleans.  This should get rid of all the 'user' people who approach me when i'm working saying they want regular cleaning, but really only want 1 or two cleans in the spring / summer months.

[daz1977]

i cant see how this would work,  ie u do the first clean and they say dont do them again, do u take them to court for other money owed

[paul rulton]

april fools day is on the 1st not the 29th 

[supernova77]

Hi,

Just wondering.... does anyone else out there make their customers sign a contract.  I am just just starting to phase this in with any new customers i take on and haven't had any adverse reactions yet.

Just really signing to agree to my terms of business, and a minimum number of cleans.  This should get rid of all the 'user' people who approach me when i'm working saying they want regular cleaning, but really only want 1 or two cleans in the spring / summer months.

Funny you should post this... I picked up 3 new customers the other day because they didnt like being bound to a contract with another window cleaner they were using... One of them needed to miss a clean because they were having there window frames painted and the window cleaning company still charged for a clean because of the contract.

I would never get a residential customer to sign up to a contract... I've been going 5 years and have never seen the need to... If your going to loose a customer you will loose them contract or no contract!

Andy

[Matthew JN]

Hi

Yes - if a customer cancelled service before the min. number of cleans,  then it would be a small claims court thing to recover the lost future revenue up to the minium number of cleans. 

There is a clause in my agreement to cover missing cleans due to property maintanence / builders works etc.  I would never charge a customer for a clean not carried out.

Like i said it is more to weed out those user types (new window cleaner every summer), prevent being undercut by competition, and to guarantee a minimum amount of future revenue from taking on a new customer.  Particularly as i don't charge more for first cleans (can take me up to 3 times longer) on the premise that they will be a regular customer.

[stfc]

wont work,save ur paper and time

[soapy]

Is it worth the hassel and time ?

[cozy]

We used to charge more for first cleans, then stopped charging more for first cleans. After a couple of custies abusing this trust, we now charge about 30% more for first cleans!! A contract will only work if you and the custy stick to it. If you have to take custies to court to enforce it, word could get around and people could go for another WC without a contract IMO.

Good luck with your contract, if you go down that road. Not for me though.

[williamx]

I don't get my customers to sign a contract but I do state what my conditions are.

So for instance if they tell they only want a one off, then that is no problem, but if they say they want a regular cleaner but only have it done once and say I will call you again, well in my eyes they have cancelled and I have a simple cancelation policy, when you cancel you cancel for life.

I also charge double on 1st cleans which is the same price as one-offs so they don't need to lie, but you still get some who do.

If you are going to have a contract you have to take them to court if they breach it, otherwise its a useless piece of paper.

[Matthew JN]

Yeah it is a bit of a delicate issue really.

Well having thought about it today, i have decided to charge more for first cleans (depending on the state of the windows) which i think IS the right thing to do.

With regard to one off cleans i have a minimum charge of £40.00 for this, and you need to spend the extra time to get a good first time result with WFP and avoid spotting.

At the end of the day you are running a business after all.

[paul rulton]

wise choice Matthew 
oh & welcome 2the CIU forum 
thats 2 good choices you've made 

[Matthew JN]

It is a pleasure - oh and i noticed i have already gone up in the world - now being a Junior member.

[Murdie window cleaning]

It's your business so run it how you think is right for you, but I don't think I'll be introducing a contract for customers any time soon.

[richard jagger]

There seems to be some confusion on terms and conditions of business and a contract. A contract you can take a customer to court on the condition you had agreed on are reasonable. If it will not be worth a 7-10 fee is another thing. But in the case of a company, yes.
Terms a condition is the first sign of a professional business who means business. I set out what you will do for your client and what they can expect from you service. Like wise what you would expect from them as a business. e g terms of payment. If you do not state how they must react they can just pay 6 month later. It is not about law but an appeal to there decent response to you as a business. Its there to prevent arguments and excuses at a later date’s g all payment exceeding 30 day of invoice will attract 2% interest. The customer will be liable to pay cost in the case of defaulted cheque( R D refer to drawer.)
Its a professional thing to do and very business like. I already hear some saying I don’t need it. But that exactly why some of clients treat us like dirt, with contemp. I hope this might through some light in the matter.
   

[Matthew JN]

My sentiments exactly.

I got fed up with people stereotyping you as a 'Window Cleaner' and therefore treating you with disregard and in an unprofessional manner.

I think if you sell yourself as a professional then you will get the respect you deserve and a better calibre of customer. So that means setting out your terms from the off.

I used to have an old lady as a customer who on occasion when i made a visit used to say 'not today dear' in a very patronising tone. I used to just tip my invisible cap lol  and say 'thank you anyway maam, maybe next time' to which she replied 'we'll see'... 

Now that is the old school image that some people still have of window cleaners.

[dmlservices]

i charge double for first cleans , most are happy to pay it ,the ones that dont are the usual 'cancel after 1 clean'type ,been in this game long enough to spot them a mile of.
a contract would be useless, and will put some customers of .

daz

[Sunshine/Cleaning]

I tried this but stopped quite soon after. The one problem you may have is if for some reason YOU are a little late cleaning their windows. You have then broken the contract. Do you compensate the customer? It also changes the relationship between you and the customer and in my experience this is detrimental to your business.

As for terms and conditions most people tick a box to say they have read and understood them but generally don't. Then when something goes wrong the seller points out the 'small print' and says sorry you should have read the details. This leaves the buyer annoyed with a sour taste in their mouths.

I've just experienced this after buying a sump plug washer off eBay, in the T&C it clearly says that they don't guarantee it will fit the car listed and that the buyer should match the photo with the original one. Which if you think about it means you need to drain the sump take off the washer and match it to a photo with no idea of scale.

Yes I should have read the T&C closer but I didn't. and cant put the original washer back on.

A customer will only be aware of a problem when the for eg. question why you have charged them full price for doing 2 front windows. "It's in the T&C love, you should have left the gate open"
Or you charge them £5.00 for late payment as it arrived in 31 days not 30.

yes its a must for commercial but not residential.