[bobby p]

im getting tired of this, folk who say they want a regular clean but once the seriously hard work  first time is over they call up just before the second clean and cancel.  
  At the moment i  say that i dont do 1 time only cleans,to try to filter these people out at the beginning but thats not working as they want the dirt lifted now,they go on to say,ok go monthly mate

 im now thinking a canny idea might be to  offer a 1 time only clean  to see if they bite and then i can backpeddle somehow and cancel from my end? any lads here with tips on spotting a 1 timer?

im trying to avoid being taken for a ride, these first time only cleans are not worth double money ,or even triple or  more, as they wear the body out for the rest of the week
 

[Tom White]

Yep, I was caught this morning, on the second clean.  The husband cancelled saying "We just wanted a one-off", and this is despite me saying very clearly - as I always do - our terms and conditions.  But this was to his wife.

It really quite annoyed me to be honest, because the first clean was a real pig; paint everwhere and hadn't been cleaned in years.  They'd only just moved in and had a lot of work done to the place.

I did consider knocking him out, the skinny flippin' Australian gimp he was, then I considered vandalising his car, then I thought about strewing a handful of carpet tacks all over his drive, then I thought about knocking on his door again, just to threaten him, give him a hard time to provoke him into fighting me, then I thought, 'feck, poo happens', and I'll just let it go.  Mostly let it go, anyway.

It's the first time in a long time this has happened to us.   

[krave]

If its a customer that has contacted you, add 50%. Offer to reduct their 4th clean by 50% if you wish.
You cant garauntee that all jobs will be how you want, but at least this way you end up a bit better in pocket whilst building up new work.

[Mike_G]

I guess its happened to most of us and it is bloody annoying.

The only thing I can think of to prevent it, would be to charge them double on the initial clean and tell them if they are still a regular customer after maybe 3 months, they can have the fourth clean without charge, as they have originally paid double for the first clean.

Or Just charge first cleans higher anyway!

[Mike_G]

Blimey Krave I should of typed quicker! Great minds think alike and all that

[scud]

  I had one a while back, it really annoyed me (usually just shrug it off), so I told her that she obtained the price and service by deception which is a crime!

  You could see her starting to panic which was payment enough for the extra work I had put in,.

[paulben]

Nice 1 scud I will try and remember that

[Londoner]

Its all in the way you ask the question. You don't mention the subject until you (casually as anything) throw in "Did you want a one off or a regular clean?" Like it doesn't matter a jot to you one way or the other.  

[Perfect Windows]

Live with it.  It's one of the many costs of doing business.

Vin

[bad trippy]

Iam now charging double on all first cleans, as we have been stitched up a bit recently also.
If they stick with you after, you could always give em a free clean on say the 3rd or 4th clean, but that would be up to the windy

[A & J Owen Window Cleaning]

first clean prices should be at a premium. say a normal £10 will be  on a first £25  at least if its a one off you dont loose out

[wpclean]

We charge an extra 50% on first cleans, and some people do cancel after the first time, but they are only a small minority.      Dont let the bad ones get you down mate, most people are genuine.  

[Helen]

Just remember what time of year it is, some just want them clean for Xmas. If you get new enquiries now, say you'll give them a quote for regular cleaning, but will have to start in January as you are now booked right through to Xmas. Soon sorts them out

[STEVE-UK]

ive a few of these recently as well

when quoting we will be telling custys the one off clean price and a monthly price, if they go monthly then cancel after 1st clean they will get billed the difference to the 1st clean price

[Ian101]

I thinks it a case of sussing em out and getting a feel for them - not easy I know.

When they ask for a price I always ask how often do u want them doing and the one offs will normally just say summit along lines of we dont want em done regular just this time only .... now u can decide if u want to do a one off and price it accordingly ..... this has saved me a few times this year as my normal reply is sorry we dont do one offs as too busy with our regular customers

if they are genuine they will ask u how often do you come or how often do the neighbours have theres done etc etc

think this is the only real sure fire way of exposing the 1 off brigade as by you asking them how often they think its safe to admit to it being a 1 off clean - funny to see their expression change when you say sorry dont do 1 offs  

[John F]

Its all in the way you ask the question. You don't mention the subject until you (casually as anything) throw in "Did you want a one off or a regular clean?" Like it doesn't matter a jot to you one way or the other.  

good idea. I charge extra for 1st cleans but that was another idea for me to use.

[lee_dewing]

We charge an extra 50% on first cleans, and some people do cancel after the first time, but they are only a small minority.      Dont let the bad ones get you down mate, most people are genuine.   

This is the best way, will be doing this.

Or just as Ian@H20 says.

New custies, should be told that you can't touch til Jan 2012

The 1 time charlies always show u this time of year, lead up to xmas.

I Don't canvass or leaflet, this time of year

[mark mann]

another way of potting them is when they want a price on the phone - i have never won a job quoting on the phone and still get the odd one talk me into giving them a price and then its - ill get back to you.......and they never do even if the quote was a tenner

i too get peeved with the other brigade that love the 1st clean and thier enthusiasm dies after 3/4 cleans as your maintaing them well they seem to think no thier allright and then start messing you about untill you get fed up persvering with them.

since im a bit of a do a good job 1st time every time its unlikely it has anything to do with quality - and if its price i wouldnt wanna do them for any less anyhow

[d s windowcleaning]

I price every new job as being a 1 off at double my normal rate and ive never had 1 customer whos ended up just being a 1 off clean .

[mlscontractcleaner]

Yep, I was caught this morning, on the second clean.  The husband cancelled saying "We just wanted a one-off", and this is despite me saying very clearly - as I always do - our terms and conditions.  But this was to his wife.

It really quite annoyed me to be honest, because the first clean was a real pig; paint everwhere and hadn't been cleaned in years.  They'd only just moved in and had a lot of work done to the place.

I did consider knocking him out, the skinny flippin' Australian gimp he was, then I considered vandalising his car, then I thought about strewing a handful of carpet tacks all over his drive, then I thought about knocking on his door again, just to threaten him, give him a hard time to provoke him into fighting me, then I thought, 'feck, poo happens', and I'll just let it go.  Mostly let it go, anyway.

It's the first time in a long time this has happened to us.   

I've always said that terms and conditions in this trade are a waste of time as there's no way to enforce them.