[AuRavelling79]

I got caught a year and a half ago like this. In among a compact little close I do I was asked if I "would kreen my windows" and I explained regular monthly or two monthly only and she said "yes she understood, I have two month preese.".

I go back - no reply - start round back and she gives a panicky "me no want it this time; just once."

I let her know that we agreed regular but "me no want regurrar." So I leave her to it.

Today she obviously clocks my van and asks me to "kreen her windows" and recognising her accent I ask "are you at no. 27." She says she is and I explain that we had a falling out last time.

She says "I have regurrar, I have regurrar."

I said not from me you won't - good bye!


Sweeeet! 

[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.   

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

No, you need terms and conditions, just as any other business needs terms and conditions.  And you can enforce them in the way you can do what Gold did in the previous post; just don't clean their windows again.  Maybe let other local window cleaners know who the 'bad uns' are.

I agree though (obviously), we can't legally enforce them, but we still need 'em.

Call them guidelines if you like?

[Smudger]

I was caught out very early on - nearly 3 yrs ago now,  every new job since then carry's a 1st clean premium
depending on the state of the windows - if pretty clean it's the 8 wky price ( 50% over a 4 wk ) - then discounted to the 4 wky ( assuming they want 4 wky )  upto 4 times normal if they want paint removal or upvc frames restored.

you do get a gut feeling on the messers - but at least charging extra to start if/when they cancel it doesn't hurt so much.
and i've found genuine good custy's are happy to pay the extra and understand why it costs more

Darran

[CLEANCARE WC]

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.

No, you need terms and conditions, just as any other business needs terms and conditions.  And you can enforce them in the way you can do what Gold did in the previous post; just don't clean their windows again.  Maybe let other local window cleaners know who the 'bad uns' are.

I agree though (obviously), we can't legally enforce them, but we still need 'em.

Call them guidelines if you like?

Why cant we enforce them? my boys afterschool club charges a £20 late fee why cant we do it?

[g.brookes]

because you dont actually have to pay it.  sure you can say there is a late/cancellation fee but you cant enforce it.  it does work for most people though

[Crystal-clear]

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 cleaned in the first place 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
 

Yep this happens often lol had one today believe it or not she said she doesnt remember handing me 2x the clean for the first clean 2 months ago she doesnt remember anything we talked about , that the first time its £20 next time its £10 SAEs Online banking.... stuff she cant remember me or the fact that she had her windows cleaned in the first place!. even thou i remember getting paid and using my clx and putting her on my round.


now that is how far these people go whats wrong with the honest approach can i have a one off please? , ok then we can price it for a one off.

not alot we can do we cant really get them to sign forms cos we may lose more then we gain.

recently i open up with , "so was it a one off you were looking for or something a bit more regular?"

if customer says regular price it about 1.5- 2x the maintenance clean this should detour most one off folk and if she fecks you about on 2nd clean just take it on the chin and thank the lord you at least charged her extra

if customer says one off no matter what els she says price it at 3x the clean and give her the option of a regular next time round you will refund her x amount over say 3 cleans.

the problem is we cant just have a general rule that all first cleans pay 3-4 times otherwise we will get no work even at 2 times you will lose the odd good customers but going in at single values is just the kiss of death

[paul kitchiner]

I get them to sign a document that says minimum of 2 cleans. Don't always work but at least you have something to show them. Also ask first if they want a regular clean and see how they reply. It can sometimes give you an idea. My document also has there name address and telephone number on it

[Pure Shine]

ask at start of job do u want a one off or regular charge double for a one off i find it works but try not to have to many of them

[joshem]

I ain't read the posts yet cos on way out door but I hate this too... I might do this: charge a healthy first-time clean price and ask for second clean money up front. That way even if they were to cancel after the second clean you'd feel like you've got your money's worth. Charge well for first cleans. I've only been going one year and in that time only one person has refused a clean because of the initial first time charge... Would I really want a customer like that anyway? As said, I ain't tried it yet myself (asking second clean payment up front) but if I wad well established I'd definitely give it a try.

[whitemoor66]

Had the same happen to me the other week. Did the first clean and it probably took over twice the time for a normal clean, I got a clean the 2nd time no problem and went back the 3rd time to be told I was no longer wanted. I was recommended to this person by a long established customer who told me they was fed up with their regular (?) cleaner as he was unreliable. I wonder why? : I've been going for about 2 years and this is the first time it has happened to me. From now on x2 for the first clean even if it means loosing a potential good custy.