[northstar161]

Dear ,

Thank you for your text message yesterday. You have been one of your good customers for many months. Naturally we are very grateful for your patronage and eager to give you the reliable; quality service you deserve.

However; I regret to say that it is not possible for us to do this when a message arrives saying that you do not require our services today. Why? Because the reliable service we offer depends upon our customers giving us on-going, regular work.

I do not offer one-off cleans so the price for my service is discounted according to frequency of clean. However if my customers decided use my service on an 'as and when' basis then every time I cleaned their houses then I would have to clean many layers of built-up dirt and bird residue from the windows. My business would go bankrupt; and I would have to choose a different career. That would be bad; but it can be avoided.

If you can give us regular work then my service can contine to be run. You will get a reliable, regular, trustworthy service, and the external appearance of your house (including the frames, sills, doors, plastic panels and upvc guttering of conservatories) will continue to look like new and your window panes will continue to shine like diamonds in the sunshine.

If you have any questions about my service then please do not hesitate to pick up the 'phone.


Yours sincerely,

ACCESS CHALLENGES

The price I quoted you for your window cleaning is based upon an agreed frequency of clean of £...…. every …........ for the front plus £........ every ….......... for the back.

I do not charge extra for the first time, no matter how dirty the windows are because I don't do one-offs. Because I expect a regular ongoing arrangement, I am happy to spend as much time as it takes to get them clean the first time.

I am grateful for your patronage and eager to give you the reliable; quality service you deserve. However; please note that the price I have given you for cleaning the back is based on the agreed frequency. Why? Because the competitive prices that we offer are based upon an agreed frequency of clean.

Because I do not offer one-off cleans the competitive price I have quoted is discounted due to the frequency of the window clean that we have agreed. If we do not stick to the agreed frequency then when can eventually clean the windows I have a major challenge: I have to remove many layers of built-up dirt and baked-on bird residue from the windows.

If I let this happen then eventually my business would go bankrupt, and I would have to choose a different career. That would be bad: but it can be avoided.

If you can organise me keys to the access (references available on request from the owners of the properties that I currently hold keys for), then my service can contine to be run. You will get a reliable, regular, trustworthy service. The external appearance of your house (including the frames, sills, doors, upvc plastic panels and upvc guttering of conservatories) will be greatly enhanced and all your window panes will be crystal clear. In addition; the price you pay will be greatly reduced to £...... every ….......

I hold copies of my bona fides on file. These are my passport, my driving license, my insurance documents and my CRB check with Enhanced Disclosure. Please contact me (email address above) if you require copies.

If you have any questions then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

[SunShineCleaning]

Once again it sounds like desperation.

You are saying you will go bankrupt if you cant gain access or if they cancel, it says little about your business skills.

My advice is to drop it all together.

[Ian101]

Do you have many customers ?

Im guessing not ..... not having a go by the way.

Just forget them and instead of using your time to draft a letter no customer will read after a few lines if at all go and spend time canvassing / leafletting for better work.

When I first started out I would bend over backwards for these people only to find I was wasting my time in the longrun.

If you get a not this time please then fine just move on to the next job and by next month  you should have replaced the messer a few times over.

Houses with tricky access are another issue and need to be priced carefully also you may want to consider doing either "you call me when you want them doing" or a Saturday morning service .. both options priced accordingly.

[Ian101]

oh and as for going bankrupt do you really think they care ??

they will just find another windie to hassle

this business is a very simple business - dont try to reinvent the wheel as you will fail

NEVER take a key for someones house cos if anything happened where do you think the police would come knocking first

[Bay View WCS]

I'm sorry but it is very badly drafted and has lots of grammatical errors.  I would also agree with the above comments and add that it is better to explain these things to them face to face - these types of letters can come across as harsh and impersonal - both of which will alienate you from your custies.

Good luck. 

[dazmond]

absolutely OTT mate.what an earth are some of you guys doing writing a letter like that?

simply RING THE CUSTOMER and explain how you work.the odd not today is ok if their having building work done etc.at least they texted you first saving you a wasted trip.

i very rarely get a not today.if i do its for a good reason usually so i just move onto the next job.if they do it again for no apparent reason i offer them an 8 weekly service at a slightly higher price.if they hesitate at that then i calmly walk away if its a run of the mill domestic job.


regards


dazmond

[Neil Gornall]

Those letter are fantastic, I just wish you worked near me. 

seriously, are you going to post that? I got bored reading after about the second sentence.
If someone sent me a whining letter like that I would bin it then bin them.

Use them as a tool for getting it off your chest. writing it down can be great but never never post it.

[Johnny B]

Where I am, if I dropped every customer who gave me a 'not today', I would have no houses left to clean!

For instance, I got three from customers yesterday, who have been model customers. The first is having her house painted and urged me to come back next month, the second was the husband (the wife would have wanted them cleaned but was not home) who looked at the windows and told me they were still OK. The third asked me to come back tomorrow. I will as it's not a problem for me.

I face this type of scenario every day. I wonder how many of you would be determined enough to continue if you were in this situation.

Dazmond, top post.  

John
 

[Matthew JN]

Your mistake from the start - allowing your customer to send you a text message.   Disable text messaging from your phone and only go with voicemail, email, fax, or good old conversation.  Never do business with a text message.

[supernova77]

I really don't see the point in either of these letters.

If you start giving these out your customers will look elsewhere for a new window cleaner.

Andy

[LSB]

you will always get a few not todays  , for many different reasons , if repeated by customer then put them on 2 monthly , and move on to the next house !  with access issues in most cases i would just do front only and charge accordingly .

i really wouldnt put out either of those letters !
 
agree with johnny B

Where I am, if I dropped every customer who gave me a 'not today', I would have no houses left to clean!

For instance, I got three from customers yesterday, who have been model customers. The first is having her house painted and urged me to come back next month, the second was the husband (the wife would have wanted them cleaned but was not home) who looked at the windows and told me they were still OK. The third asked me to come back tomorrow. I will as it's not a problem for me.

I face this type of scenario every day. I wonder how many of you would be determined enough to continue if you were in this situation.

Dazmond, top post.  

John
 

[bobplum]

Those letter are fantastic, I just wish you worked near me. 

seriously, are you going to post that? I got bored reading after about the second sentence.
If someone sent me a whining letter like that I would bin it then bin them.

Use them as a tool for getting it off your chest. writing it down can be great but never never post it.

ditto

[Crystal-clear]

i agree ,

at most give them a call and ask them if they want a regular service or a one off , as for not doing one offs to some people it sounds like you only want to trap them.

nothing wrong with doing a one off at 3x the clean its since i offered one offs that things went better for me.

every single customer gets offered only a one off a price of 2 cleans, then i ask them if they like the idea of going regular? the slightest bit of pushness can simply pop the deal
the trick is to charge them more for the first clean and you should charge more because its harder work then next time you text them for the maintenance clean and its 50% discount they will not mess you about because if they do tell them no probs see you soon it goes up to the first price, then they say oh , right and they think twice,and normally stick.

people will not care that you are being mr nice guy charing single values for first cleans trust me i used to be mr nice guy it doesnt work.

the way my mind works now is every singel customer is a one off unless proven otherwise ie after they paid up for 3 cleans ive heard all the stoys , under the sun oh can you do mine for the discount price i promise im serious i got friends blah blah blah , those are the ones that cancel first.

Good luck with it all thou and dont worry cancellation is a big part of our trade!

[jouk45]

i would have clean 10 big houses in the time that letter was wrote  no seriously m8 dump the letter,

[AuRavelling79]

On the other hand do not do a Johnny B and bend to every whim a custy wants.

Come back tomorrow indeed! 

[Johnny B]

On the other hand do not do a Johnny B and bend to every whim a custy wants.

Come back tomorrow indeed! 

Here, even a messer is a customer (at first) until that landmark in time when one can consider oneself established enough to be in a position to pick and choose! 

I invite anyone to try starting up in Ireland from scratch, and see for yourself how easy it is to build a successful business here. I am 7 months in and haven't missed a meal yet!

John

[SB Cleaning]

i would have clean 10 big houses in the time that letter was wrote  no seriously m8 dump the letter,

And the customer...

Then go out and find another to replace

[pristine window cl]

there are some weird people onthis blog at times

[LWC Ltd]

A copy of your passport and driving license?!!!!!!!!!!

[northstar161]

Some great posts here. Thank you for the feedback.