[AS Window Cleaning]

after seeing a comment this morning on here about not having terms and conditions made me think.

up until now, I've never had any. more unspoken ideas that if customers regularly break, we part company. I assumed it would only be a good thing having them so customer can see what I expect from myself, and from them.

perhaps to include things like:
not accepting liability for damage to tiles etc if asked to walk or roofs.
prices are for frequency as specified, ie 5 or 10 weeks.
48 hours notice before cancellation.
my guarantee of customer satisfaction if any probs, free reclean, etc.

good or bad idea? helps us to know what we expect of each other, or are we 'just a window cleaner'?

[Pope vader]

you can have all the t and c you want,  i dont think they would stand up in court, 

[Richard iSparkle]

you can have all the t and c you want,  i dont think they would stand up in court, 

you're quite right that T&C dont stand up in court.  but the main use of T&Cs is to have a clear understanding between you and your clients.  T&CS are really useful to communicate with your clients what they can expect and what your terms of business are.  we have T&C some very basic ones they sign up to when we take their details like frequency, payment etc, but then others that we have in the office that we communicate to clients when appropriate, or example when they try to deferc cleans, cancel on the day.  so long as its clear in your head what you will and wont do, and then you let your clients know, you should be OK in WC.

in my other business its quite different.  its domestic cleaning and we nail them down on a full A4 document before we start work.

[Pope vader]

i cant see how if a custy says i dont want them doing to day   it is raining,  how you can make them have it done, i just say ok and move on to next, if do it 2 in a row they get dumped

[AS Window Cleaning]

you can have all the t and c you want,  i dont think they would stand up in court, 

[Richard iSparkle]

i cant see how if a custy says i dont want them doing to day   it is raining,  how you can make them have it done, i just say ok and move on to next, if do it 2 in a row they get dumped

we give them all a due date for each clean, so in effect each clean is done by appointment!  so they know we're coming and we clean them whatever the weather.  its never an issue really.  if they ask we tell them theyll look just as good as usual and well come back if theyre not.  honestly, its never an issue.  only one guy cancel because of it once, and they ended up cancelling us completely a couple of months later

[bobplum]

after seeing a comment this morning on here about not having terms and conditions made me think.

up until now, I've never had any. more unspoken ideas that if customers regularly break, we part company. I assumed it would only be a good thing having them so customer can see what I expect from myself, and from them.

perhaps to include things like:
not accepting liability for damage to tiles etc if asked to walk or roofs.
prices are for frequency as specified, ie 5 or 10 weeks.
48 hours notice before cancellation.
my guarantee of customer satisfaction if any probs, free reclean, etc.

you could give them a welcome pack with basic information,frequency cleaning in weather,bank details etc

good or bad idea? helps us to know what we expect of each other, or are we 'just a window cleaner'?

[Richard iSparkle]

after seeing a comment this morning on here about not having terms and conditions made me think.

up until now, I've never had any. more unspoken ideas that if customers regularly break, we part company. I assumed it would only be a good thing having them so customer can see what I expect from myself, and from them.

perhaps to include things like:
not accepting liability for damage to tiles etc if asked to walk or roofs.
prices are for frequency as specified, ie 5 or 10 weeks.
48 hours notice before cancellation.
my guarantee of customer satisfaction if any probs, free reclean, etc.

you could give them a welcome pack with basic information,frequency cleaning in weather,bank details etc

good or bad idea? helps us to know what we expect of each other, or are we 'just a window cleaner'?

we do that too!  forgot to mention that! 

[AuRavelling79]

When I get a new custy this is what I do (happened today as a matter of fact)

Me: Are you looking for a regular or a one off clean?

If one-off I quote as such, but let us go with regular.

Me: A lot of my customers are on a monthly schedule but others go with two-monthly - the two monthly is a higher price as the windows are dirtier but you spend less over a year. The first clean is always more as they need bringing up to standard.

At this point I know if the custy is going to play ball or not and we get into not phoning first - turning up and leaving a slip and payment options. I also tell em that while I understand they may have scaffolding or new windows at some time in the future but that generally I don't accept "not this time" sort of things.

It works.

It manages expectations from the start.

[rosskesava]

When I get a new custy this is what I do (happened today as a matter of fact)

Me: Are you looking for a regular or a one off clean?

If one-off I quote as such, but let us go with regular.

Me: A lot of my customers are on a monthly schedule but others go with two-monthly - the two monthly is a higher price as the windows are dirtier but you spend less over a year. The first clean is always more as they need bringing up to standard.

At this point I know if the custy is going to play ball or not and we get into not phoning first - turning up and leaving a slip and payment options. I also tell em that while I understand they may have scaffolding or new windows at some time in the future but that generally I don't accept "not this time" sort of things.

It works.

It manages expectations from the start.

That sums it up perfectly.

I've read about some who quote T & C's to customers loads of times before on CIU and each time I thought the same.

It's a stupid ridiculous idea and so laughable that any window cleaner could be serious about it. It's in the same vein as getting all wound up about a customer who avoids paying up.

[Paul Coleman]

I started to do it but I stopped as I felt it was a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
I verbally explain a few things and leave it at that.
If they want to change things drastically in the future, that becomes a different conversation - usually culminating in the offer of halving the frequency and charging 50% more (a saving to them of 25% in the over all bill).  I've not had many takers but it does turn a modestly priced job into a more profitable one and it does save the customer money.  It's not often both parties get most of what they want but this is one of those occasions.

[AS Window Cleaning]

I like these ideas.  We seem to be having more and more starting to mess us around, something we havent had a problem with, except the odd customer who we have dropped if it happened more than a couple of times.    Which is why i had in mind setting some terms and conditions up on paper so that the customer knows what the score is, as up until now its been more of an unsaid rule that hasnt been made black and white.  But you cant complain if custy cancells without realising the consequences for you if you dont tell them, alot just dont think!  which is why i had thought of going down the terms and conditions route....

I like the ideas here, think maybe instead of trying to stop customers from cancelling, charging them more for the privledge might be the way to go.  After all, the price quoted was for a certain regular clean, and if it changes, then the price should too.  So might include on our yearly price increase letter (price not going up this year) a reminder that to remain in business, and as not putting prices up, we need to know we can work in showers without getting put off, and that if any cancel a clean due to holiday/away etc, that the next clean will be say 20% more due to less regular, more dirty, etc.

Thanks guys for valuable input!

[SunShineCleaning]

I have used T&C's and found them pointless.

What has to be considered is how far will you go to enforce them?

If you have a list of 20 T&C's you have to be prepared to make sure each customer keeps to all of them.

If you can do that then thats fine.
However be aware that you are asking maybe 20 different things of them without giving them any guarantees as to what you offer. Are you prepared to match the number with 20 promises of service? If so can you deliver?

Also bear in mind peoples circumstances change, will you alow them to adapt the service they get if this is the case?

The trick is to alow them to feel like they are in charge while at the same time you actually dictate the rules. 

Maybe if you match each point with a guarantee it could work.
ie. 1. The customer commits to 1 visit each month or pays 50% extra for 2 monthly. You promise to call each calander month or reduce price if you are late.

Most on here will agree to the first part but not the second.

Again, there has to be a benefit in it for them, if not they may find another cleaner.

[AS Window Cleaning]

Thanks for reply sunshine!  It isnt so much as a legally binding agreement, but so that they know what i am asking, ie no last minute cancellations, etc.  If they dont keep to it, i dont plan on trying to enforce it, but would feel better about dumping as they knowingly broke our agreement first!

[A & J Owen Window Cleaning]

In my opinion anything that isn't legally binding is pointless.
If customers start messing us around we don't waste any time with arguing with them any more - we just don't go back!
If you really analyse it you probably have fewer messers than you think you have. Very easy to spend time and effort on getting all annoyed about it when its best to move on.
Something I've definitely learned the latter part of this year, after wasting far too much time on it last year and the first half of this year.

[SunShineCleaning]

Thanks for reply sunshine!  It isnt so much as a legally binding agreement, but so that they know what i am asking, ie no last minute cancellations, etc.  If they dont keep to it, i dont plan on trying to enforce it, but would feel better about dumping as they knowingly broke our agreement first!

If you wont enforce I cant see the point in having them. As I said I tried them but found it counter productive. My advice is not to dump but to 'price' to the value of the service they want. That way you never get the reputation of simply not turning up.

I really think customers value flexiability and that they will pay for a service thaey value.

[A & J Owen Window Cleaning]

Thanks for reply sunshine!  It isnt so much as a legally binding agreement, but so that they know what i am asking, ie no last minute cancellations, etc.  If they dont keep to it, i dont plan on trying to enforce it, but would feel better about dumping as they knowingly broke our agreement first!

If you wont enforce I cant see the point in having them. As I said I tried them but found it counter productive. My advice is not to dump but to 'price' to the value of the service they want. That way you never get the reputation of simply not turning up.

I really think customers value flexiability and that they will pay for a service thaey value.

Some will pay for the service they want but some just think they can pick up and drop you when they choose and keep changing the arrangement to suit themselves - thus wasting your time - and they won't pay a penny extra for it. These are the ones that we get rid of - and it is a very small percentage indeed.