[kev carr]

Does anyone have any problems with not being able to gain access to back of property's?

I seam to get at least 6 or 7 a week. and although its not many they add up after a while and its a pain to have to go out of my way to go back and do them and schedule them into an already busy schedule...

I always text or phone my customers to let them know i am coming the afternoon before but i still get the odd few that either forget to leave the back gate unlocked or do it to peeeeeeee me off... lol.. 

i don't mind if i have to climb over a gate or wall but don't really like doing it because of how suspect it looks and i wouldn't want to break anyone's gate or something. Plus risk of injury to myself..


Has anyone put a charge in place before? and if so how well did it work? or did you end up losing customers?

I just drafted up this to put through peoples doors if i cant gain access and dont know if i should use it or not... what do you think?



Dear customer,

Due to the repeated action of not being able to gain access to the rear of some property's then I have had to introduce a scheme to compensate for my loss of earnings, fuel costs and wasted time.

I called today to clean your windows but could not gain access to the rear of the house.
I always call or text the day before to let you know I am coming, and to remind you to unlock back gates.

As a result of me not gaining access to the rear of the property I have not been able to clean the whole of the house if at all. Below is a check box of action I will take to complete the clean or call again. Can I just remind you that any trips I make but cant complete will result in a £1 fee for my fuel costs and wasted time that I could have been cleaning elsewhere. There will also be a minimum charge fee of £5 if I only clean the fronts.

As you can understand it is difficult for me to rearrange a visit if I am unable to complete the job first time round due to my busy schedule. So please make sure I can gain access in future. If you are not going to be available to unlock gates (on holiday or away) please reply to my text message or call to let me know and I can rearrange and no charge will be added.

Many thanks for your co-operation
Kev at Squeegee Clean

Action taken

Will call again = £1 added to bill for fuel costs and wasted time

Only cleaned the fronts and will call back to complete the job  = £1 charge for fuel added to bill

Unable to reschedule you this time so only cleaned the fronts, (minimum charge £5) Actual charge =


What do you think?  should i do it ?   yey or ney?   

[erithwc]

If i was your customer i would say don't bother cleaning my windows anymore i will find someone that don't mind cleaning just the fronts when i'm not in.

if these customers are a pain in the arse move on to the next customer and drop them

[elite mike]

would not bother with the letter , just get rid

[Paul Coleman]

I gave those sort of jobs away before my first year was completed.  I had to as I needed to make the business pay.  You will probably shift or drop such work when you have fewer gaps in your work.

[CLEANCARE WC]

kev what i do is if there are more windows round the back than the front, and i do fronts only i charge 50% of the price. if say 4 at back and 4 at front and the job is £10 i would charge £6.50 for fronts only. But wouldnt make an issue of it. if they mess u about just charge a higher rate for the work you do.  stick the bill through the door im sure they will pay, if then they have a go its time to mention that you rang them etc etc

[rg1]

I just do the fronts and add extra for inconvenience. I then put a slip of paper through their letterbox explaining that the fronts only were done due to access problems. The charge will be £££.

They soon get the message or decide to cancel permanently in which case, good riddance cos they're not worth messing around with.

[chopsie]

I just do the fronts and add extra for inconvenience. I then put a slip of paper through their letterbox explaining that the fronts only were done due to access problems. The charge will be £££.

They soon get the message or decide to cancel permanently in which case, good riddance cos they're not worth messing around with.

Thats exactly what I have started doing, 3 today even after texting last night 

[rg1]

I just do the fronts and add extra for inconvenience. I then put a slip of paper through their letterbox explaining that the fronts only were done due to access problems. The charge will be £££.

They soon get the message or decide to cancel permanently in which case, good riddance cos they're not worth messing around with.

Thats exactly what I have started doing, 3 today even after texting last night 

The reason I do this is some people think they can just take the p**s, and have you running around after them.

Well I'm sorry, but we are in business and you have to be tough with them.

[windowswashed]

Just charge a bit extra than the actual price for fronts only. That way if you can't clean the backs you're up on price windows wise. Work smart, not harder

[chris@c.m.s]

I just clean what I can and charge appropriately, If I know a customer is like that I generally leave them until the end of the day, it's not so annoying when you know you can knock off early, and occasionally I've been quite pleased   

[Scrimble]

i just do the fronts and knock about a quarter off the price, i dont  text or ring custys nor do i climb over gates or flat roofs etc

i find i actually make more money for my time  ie 9 quid for just fronts takes 10 mins or 12 quid for the whole house takes me 20mins the extra 3 quid for 10 minutes extra work for the whole house.

use it to your advantage if you cant access the rear due to the forgetting charge them for it but i wouldnt tell them with a letter etc most people i assume would cancel.

[chopsie]

i just do the fronts and knock about a quarter off the price, i dont  text or ring custys nor do i climb over gates or flat roofs etc

i find i actually make more money for my time  ie 9 quid for just fronts takes 10 mins or 12 quid for the whole house takes me 20mins the extra 3 quid for 10 minutes extra work for the whole house.

use it to your advantage if you cant access the rear due to the forgetting charge them for it but i wouldnt tell them with a letter etc most people i assume would cancel.

How do they know to leave gate open if you do not text or ring?

[clearlyclean]

Stop cleaning their windows I had loads say can come saturday and said dont do weekends,some leave a key in a hiding place with money their ones to hang onto the rest put to end of list and do them if your desperate for work at end of month.your soon replace them with easy access work 

[rg1]

i just do the fronts and knock about a quarter off the price, i dont  text or ring custys nor do i climb over gates or flat roofs etc

i find i actually make more money for my time  ie 9 quid for just fronts takes 10 mins or 12 quid for the whole house takes me 20mins the extra 3 quid for 10 minutes extra work for the whole house.

use it to your advantage if you cant access the rear due to the forgetting charge them for it but i wouldnt tell them with a letter etc most people i assume would cancel.

How do they know to leave gate open if you do not text or ring?

I leave a slip of paper telling them their windows were cleaned today, due next on such and such a date. They can either hold onto the slip of paper, copy due next date into diary or calender.